'53 caught on fire today! Everything OK now.

[fstst56]

I called NAPA this morning to cross reference some front wheel brg seal numbers I got off the 56J website for my 56 Golden Hawk. They had them in stock. I decided to take the '53 (coupe from Cuba) and run uptown and get them.

When I hit the starter I could see flames in the engine compartment through the seal around the steering column.

I put the car in neutral, jumped out and was able to push it out of the garage.

I then popped the hood and found that two wires had rubbed through the fabric insulation and were burning.

I couldn't get the battery cable off but was able to separate the two wires and get the fire put out before any significant damage was done.

I then ran and got a wrench and loosened the battery cable but still could not get it off. Had to use a puller.

I had the wires replaced in less than an hour, took it for a test run and all seems to be OK now.

But, you can bet I'll be disconnecting the cable from now on until I get a new harness.

Any suggestions on where to get a good quality harness?

I think I'll also insatll one of those disconnect knobs.

fstst56

[Roscomacaw]

Studebakers West for a harness!

Man, I'll bet that had you pucker'd up!

Miscreant Studebaker nut in California's central valley.

1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President two door

[showbizkid]

Here's the link, John:

https://www.studebakerswest.net

I had mine made up by them and it's beautiful.


[img=left]http://members.cox.net/clarknovak/lark.gif[/img=left]

Clark in San Diego
'63 F2/Lark Standard

http://studeblogger.blogspot.com

https://www.studebakersandiego.com

[sweetolbob]

I've installed a trunk mounted battery in my 54k. To be sure I can disconnect the battery and have added security, I installed a 12v 180amp disconnect next to the battery. Hit the switch, disconnect turns on, hit it again, disconnects battery. The best thing is that the disconnect stay in position in either position with no additional power. Available at most RV trailer suppliers for less than $60. Bob

[fstst56]

Mr Biggs,

Yeah, it had me "pucker'd up" alright!!!

I was on the volunteer fire dept for 13 years. We got a call for mutual aide at a neighboring town onetime. I got to the fire house a little late and the trucks had already taken off. I took my own car, which was a 1964 Daytona 2dr ht. When I got there and got out of the car I found that my legs were shaking so bad I could hardly stand up. Being late, I had driven that Daytona "really hard" !!!

Today was the first time I can remember my legs shaking like that again!!!

fstst56

[brngarage]

J.C Whitney sells a very rugged knife blade disconnect switch. It is available in 3 or 4 different "styles". Take a look online at www.jcwhitney.com. I have used them on all my "old" cars for years.

Howard
Los Angeles chapter Studebaker Driver's Club

[bams50]

I'm too unnerved by 40-50 year old wiring... even on my 65 Lincoln I leave the negative terminal loose; when I pull into the garage I always pop the hood and pull that cable end off the battery. Just lets me sleep at 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

"Do they all not, by mere virtue of having survived as relics of a bygone era, amass a level of respect perhaps not accorded to them when they were new?"

[alanmende]

Speaking of battery disconnects, let me relate my own story about them. When we brought home our '54 Commander Starliner hardtop (bought from Chester Bradfield) in 1998, the first thing I did after driving it off the trailer and into the garage was to put on a battery disconnect -- the kind with the green knob that you unscrew a couple of turns to cut power.



It worked fine for us until we had the car restored and reassembled. Then, quite by accident (when I was lifting the hood to let the engine cool off when it vapor locked the first weekend in August, I noticed that it had been keeping the hood from coming down all the way (just a fraction of an inch). So I decided that I'd take the disconnect off. That's when I noticed that not only was the knob touching the underside of the hood, the body of the disconnect was making intermittent contact with the battery hold down frame. Now, since the disconnect only fit on the negative terminal of the battery, when it touched the hold down frame, it created a dead short. The lead cable terminal had actually begun to melt at the clamp bolt, spraying little globs of molten lead onto the underside of the hood! Only the good Lord knows why the battery didn't explode or a fire ignite under the hood.

I still like the idea of a battery disconnect, but with a completely stock restoration, what do you use, and where do you put it?



Kindest regards,

Alan Mende
Hummelstown, PA

I'm not a mechanic; I don't even play one on TV.

[barnlark]

Could you move it lower and adapt it and just pull it off for shows?

[fstst56]

I've always just disconncted a battery cable in the past but hadn't thought it necessary on this car. For now, I'll continue with that method but will look into the "knife blade" type. I'd forgotten about them and hadn't thought about the knob type interferring with hood clearence when the hood is closed.

Thanks for all the ideas, it gives me alot to think about.

I'm planning to go to Lancaster next week and will be looking to see if any vendors bring harnesses. If there aren't any, I'll look into that when I get back.

Thanks for the websites, that really helps too.

fstst56

[oldcarfart]

always use disconnects on ground cable.

quote:Originally posted by alanmende

Speaking of battery disconnects, let me relate my own story about them. When we brought home our '54 Commander Starliner hardtop (bought from Chester Bradfield) in 1998, the first thing I did after driving it off the trailer and into the garage was to put on a battery disconnect -- the kind with the green knob that you unscrew a couple of turns to cut power.



It worked fine for us until we had the car restored and reassembled. Then, quite by accident (when I was lifting the hood to let the engine cool off when it vapor locked the first weekend in August, I noticed that it had been keeping the hood from coming down all the way (just a fraction of an inch). So I decided that I'd take the disconnect off. That's when I noticed that not only was the knob touching the underside of the hood, the body of the disconnect was making intermittent contact with the battery hold down frame. Now, since the disconnect only fit on the negative terminal of the battery, when it touched the hold down frame, it created a dead short. The lead cable terminal had actually begun to melt at the clamp bolt, spraying little globs of molten lead onto the underside of the hood! Only the good Lord knows why the battery didn't explode or a fire ignite under the hood.

I still like the idea of a battery disconnect, but with a completely stock restoration, what do you use, and where do you put it?



Kindest regards,

Alan Mende
Hummelstown, PA

I'm not a mechanic; I don't even play one on TV.

[Tom Bredehoft]

I found a 700 amp disconnect relay and wired it into my 55's system. The cable to the starter solenoid is live, and a wire to the under-dash switch is live. Until I pull the switch, nothing else is. I'm thinking about putting the brake lights in before the switch, but haven't yet.

[img=left]http://www.alink.com/personal/tbredehoft/Avatar1.jpg[/img=left]
Tom Bredehoft
'53 Commander Coupe
'55 President (6H Y6) State Sedan
(Under Construction 466 hrs.)
'05 Legacy Ltd Wagon
All Indiana built cars

[toyman]

Johnny: Next to a really bad traffic accident, I think a car fire, especially in our 'babies' is a terrifying thing. I've experienced it with one of our antique race cars, fortunately only gasoline not alcohol. It scares the be-jesus out of you. I'm glad everything came out OK.

toyman

[curt]

I use a disconnect that has a green knob, it clears the hood when the hood is closed. I used it when my harness shorted out, saved me from having a major fire. Studebaker west made my replacement harness, no complaints.

[alanmende]

To Calvin (oldcarfart),

I would have put it on the positive battery terminal (ground), but that terminal is larger in diameter than the negative, and I don't have one of those old battery cable terminal pliers that spread to enlarge the opening. The disconnect is made of some material that doesn't make it easy to enlarge the tapered hole.

Kindest regards,

Alan Mende
Hummelstown, PA

I'm not a mechanic; I don't even play one on TV.