A pretty darn good Studebaker evening...

[Steve T]

I'm in a really good mood this eve...Came home from work, started and ran the Lark as usual, took her round the block, no hint of anything going amiss. Opted to gamble and go to the Cruzaders' Pier 4 Park cruise (not far away) in the Lark. The stupid amp light still comes on at idle, but if it didn't I'd have nary a clue anything had ever been wrong; she runs like a top, no hesitations like before the regulator was replaced (thanx Roly!).

Pier 4 is always a nice venue, but tonight was gorgeous. It was Mopar Night and there were loads of Mopars (including some faves from my car-crazy childhood, Cudas and the like) and much else. Probably the most cars I've seen at Pier 4. The "much else" included three Studes which arrived within five minutes or so of each other: my 62 Lark, then a 60 Lark VI brand-new to the scene (I'd been told it was going to start showing up soon but seeing it tonight was a nice surprise), then a 66 Cruiser, the owner of which I met and found that he's a guy less than half my age who jumped into Studes just this past spring by acquiring this neat 66. (His dad has a stock 1927 Model T.)

Those who know me, know me as a skeptic and a bit of a pessimist. But nothing could have bummed me out tonight...at least not once Betty the Lark had trundled happily home from the lakefront! Studes and tons of other grand old rides; plenty of Stude chatter; seeing the hobby's future is secure; sunshine by the lake...I love this stuff.

S.

[lstude]

Pictures?

Leonard Shepherd

http://leonardshepherd.com/

[Mark57]

Hey Steve, does your Lark have a generator or alternator? If a generator, its perfectly normal for that red lamp to "light up" at a slow idle.

<h5>Mark
'57 Transtar Deluxe
Vancouver Island

Are you planning to attend the NW Overdrive Tour in Parksville, BC
May 23 & 24, 2009?</h5>

[JDP]

It's not unusual for that light to come on, or flicker at low idle on a generator equipped Studebaker with a slightly weak or misadjusted charge system.

JDP/Maryland
"I'm a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it."
Thomas Jefferson

[bams50]

I always get my spirits lifted, and my stress level reduced, by immersing myself in a car meet. I go to ours every Wed. night[^]


Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

"Some people live for the rules, I live for exceptions"- 311

"It was the last chance for Studebaker to turn things around. The company was down to it's last bullet, and this new small car was it. They called it the Lark"

[Steve T]

Leonard--

Even I'm not that fast with the pix! There'll be pix, yes, especially of the nifty "new" 60 Lark, ASAP. Saturday, probably...by which time I may have two new back fenders...

Mark/JDP--

Thanks for the further reassurance...my mech says Betty has a somewhat slow idle, thus cranks the generator a bit slowly especially on first starting up. And yes, being a very stock '62, the Lark has a generator/regulator setup. A mere tap on the gas puts the amp light out promptly. I have considered subbing-in an alternator (as Stude themselves did in '63), but will wait and see; if the electrical gremlins are genuinely banished, as I'm beginning to dare to believe they may be (remember...skeptic/pessimist[]), I'd be all for keeping Betty electrically stock.

Cheers

S.

[redcreeper]

we had an old 6 cyl delivery truck that did that when I tightened up the belt it quit for a wile but came back a few months later. My dad would tap on the regulator and wham it was back up in volts that went on for a while but later after replacing belt and regulator it was gremlin time and the alternator was weak, moral of the story you just keep on replacing the weak link and there is another less weak link waiting to get old.
My commander started out as a 55 but by now its an 08 I just sing Johnie cash as I work on her oh my stude was a 55 56 57 58 man its gettin late, 59 60 61 62

1955 Commander
aka Burnie

[redcreeper]

wooops sorry didnt mean to take up so much space, I got to playing with color and forgot to shrink to photo. Yellow is actual for burnie

1955 Commander
aka Burnie

[barnlark]

[quote]Originally posted by JDP

"It's not unusual for that light to come on, or flicker at low idle on a generator equipped Studebaker with a slightly weak or misadjusted charge system."


JDP, do you mean tweaking the regulator a little? Mine does this too, only at idle. The idle is pretty close to where it should be and not too low, belt correct, generator checked out, ammeter displays no discharge. The regulator is the only thing I haven't cracked open to mess with.

Steve T, I know what you mean..it is a small bummer to have a nice warm evening cruise with a red light on the dash even if it's only at start up, or at a traffic light. In a convertible, it really shows up at a traffic light at idle. Glad to hear you had a nice event with the Lark. Cruising at dusk temperatures and light is my favorite.

[Mark57]

[quote]quote:Originally posted by barnlark

Originally posted by JDP

"It's not unusual for that light to come on, or flicker at low idle on a generator equipped Studebaker with a slightly weak or misadjusted charge system."


JDP, do you mean tweaking the regulator a little? Mine does this too, only at idle. The idle is pretty close to where it should be and not too low, belt correct, generator checked out, ammeter displays no discharge. The regulator is the only thing I haven't cracked open to mess with.

Steve T, I know what you mean..it is a small bummer to have a nice warm evening cruise with a red light on the dash even if it's only at start up, or at a traffic light. In a convertible, it really shows up at a traffic light at idle. Glad to hear you had a nice event with the Lark. Cruising at dusk temperatures and light is my favorite.

Dave, I believe the point is that it is normal in generator equipped vehicles for the red light to come on or the ammeter to show a slight discharge when the car is running at a slow idle, esp. if there is any electrical items in use. That is because a generator, unlike an alternator, produces very little electricity until it reaches a certain RPM speed, usually around 800 to 1200 RPM depending upon the model.

<h5>Mark
'57 Transtar Deluxe
Vancouver Island

Are you planning to attend the NW Overdrive Tour in Parksville, BC
May 23 & 24, 2009?</h5>

[gordr]

Mark is exactly right, and it is that lack of charge at idle that prompted manufacturers to adopt alternators in the early '60s. Some of them made a big promotion of the "charge-at-idle" capabilities, too.

Gord Richmond, within Weasel range of the Alberta Badlands

[Steve T]

OK, here are some pix...


My Lark on arrival at Pier 4, parked beside a beautiful 40 Chev rod that's a favourite of my dad's...



The hood partially screens a very intense low sun. Betty looks shiniest when backlit...in direct light she looks like a blue rat rod!



Here comes the "new" 60 Lark VI 2dr, a very nice surprise.



The 60 parked with hood up. The Champion flathead certainly looks different from the OHV six in Betty's engine room...



Also on hand, and seen here with a former market competitor, was this nice 66 Cruiser; had seen the car before but met the owner this time and found out he's about Matt B's age, and keen as can be on Studes. The hobby's definitely got a future. What a superb evening this was.



Today, went to Ingersoll and picked up Todd's fenders and some other nifty Stude bits (thanx Todd, pleasure doing business, and I'll keep one eye out for any loose, inexpensive Hawks just in case!)...put gas in the Lark, no trouble again, she may make some cruises next week too...Hope the forum enjoys the pix.

Cheers

S.

[lstude]

quote: Leonard--

Even I'm not that fast with the pix! There'll be pix, yes, especially of the nifty "new" 60 Lark, ASAP. Saturday, probably...by which time I may have two new back fenders...

Thanks for the pics Steve. I didn't mean to rush you. I guess you are not using a digital camera.

Leonard Shepherd

http://leonardshepherd.com/

[Steve T]

Hi Leonard--

No problem. Camera is digital, yes, but computer isn't new enough I can plug the SD card in and go direct...had to put some of the shots onto a CD first, hence the extra day.

Cheers

S.