new to the board, with a question...

[Skittles]

hey guys, im new to the board, and im used to dealing with imports (as im 21) but ive decided to take on the task on restoring and street-rodding a 38 Studebaker 4 door. ive been "told" that the floors on these were origionally partially wood. i dont know if thats the truth though as the vehicle we are looking at has basically no floor. the frame however is in good shape, as is the body on the vehicle. any help would be appreciated as this is my first attempt on restoring a car.

[DEEPNHOCK]

Hi Skittles,

Welcome!
Your '38 should have no wood in the floor.
Is it a Dictator, or a President?
Are you a member of the Studebaker Drivers Club?
Are you a member of the Antique Studebaker Club?
Both are great resources for parts, and technical information.
To join, go to:

http://www.studebakerdriversclub.com/joinsdc.asp

and

http://www.dochemp.com/9stude.html

Before you start, here's a friendly tip...
Don't ever use the word 'restoring' and 'street-rodding' in the same sentence. That's like playing with gasoline and matches. A restoration is bringing a vehicle back to 'as built' condition.
That being said, I'd like to offer a couple of suggestions...

First: Join the SDC a/o the ASC.
You will gain a lot of knowledge about a great American company and learn a lot about the car you have.

Second: Check your budget of time and money. Too many good intentioned projects get stalled from a lack of planning, ability, and just plain old lack of money or time. Do you have five years of time to do it all yourself on weekends? Do you have $25K to toss at the project? That number is not out of line if you have to pay to have the work done somewhere else.

Third.... Take a deep breath and think hard... Do you want to have an original car, or a street rod? That one is tough.. The Stude crowd has a great tolerance for 'Modifieds' (Stude powered, but modified Studebakers), and a gritting tolerance for 'customs' (Non-Stude powered Studebakers). To be warmly embraced, a Stude engine in your '38 is a winner..... even in my book (I own a belly button motor'rd Studebaker, so I can tell you firsthand <lol>....

Anyways... Welcome. Ask away! Take lots of pictures of your progress, and post 'em to a photo, or website.
Jeff[8D]


DEEPNHOCK@worldnet.att.net
'61 Hawk
'37 Coupe Express

http://community.webshots.com/user/deepnhock

[Roscomacaw]

Hey Skit,

Welcome to the world of Studebakers. As Jeff said, there's tolerance for alternate-powered Studes in the world of Studebakering. Outside that world, it's pretty much taken for granted that any Stude is gonna have had some sort of "other" engine installed to make it go again. This isn't because Stude engines are junk or difficult to fix and operate. They really built great engines thru the years and that's the reason they outlived the thousands of barely known US makes that died before Studebaker did. Buyers wouldn't have kept coming back if they'd gotten a raw deal.
They really only got squeezed out of the auto business because they chose to remain independent until the end (they did merge with Packard in the 50s but that really did neither Stude or Packard much good as both were strapped for operating capital!) and just did not have the financial clout to duke it out with the Big 3.
As Jeff said, there's the itty bitty beginnings of a movement away from fitting anything with wheels with a small block GM motor. The thinking is - why not REALLY be different and try some other powerplant. That's where Studebaker's V8 comes into play. A tough as nails piece of engineering, it's STILL setting records to this day. That's 40 years after the last V8 block was cast by them!
The lower end of these engines is STRONG! Nothing really needs be done with it unless you're planning on a blower or a turbo. The real "magic touch" for bringing a Stude V8 to life is in tweaking the heads a bit. That formula is well known and fairly easily achieved.
There's just something mystical about having a Stude be ALL Stude when you pop the hood to show what's underneath.
And lest I get whacked up the side the head, the sixes can be brought to life too with enhanced carburetion and compression.
I think all wood was gone from Studes by 37 or so. There might have been some in the seat structures.
Joining SDC will get you valuable info as to parts sources and help with technical questions. It's not expensive and the monthly magazine is one of the best car hobby mags you can get.
What you decide to do with your Stude is up to you. But even a stock redo is expensive and time-consuming. Redoing any old car is, actualy.[:0]
Do your Stude up to suit yourself. Do it right and safe. Do it with a Stude engine, do it with a Subaru, but do it in such a way as to keep you and others from getting hurt!

Miscreant at large.

[sumf]

If you do modify the car, I think that you should leave it so it can be brought back to original, should a future owner decide that would be more desirable (or valuable.)
In other words, don't cut anything and save everything you take off, such as seats.

sumf

[BeeJay]

Brings up the reason why I no longer belong to the SDC. I have been one of those "dirty rotten modifiers" all my life. I was changing my '53 Starlight shortly after I bought it in '55. Have continued with the Starliner I now own. After driving the car to some of the SDC events, I decided that it wasn't worth putting up with some of the comments from the "Purists" so I let my membership lapse. I live in MI, and the Mi chapter of the SDC would never even respond to querys about SDC events. I look at the car as being mine, and what I want to do to it is strictly my business. At least I have a car that I'm not afraid of getting into and driving to FL and back. I have no problem letting the restorers do what they wish to there cars, why do they feel it necessecary to put down mine?
Bob

Own '53 Commander Starliner. Red w/beige top. 350 Chev/700R4. Tilt,cruise,A/C.

[Sonny]

quote:Originally posted by BeeJay

Brings up the reason why I no longer belong to the SDC. I have been one of those "dirty rotten modifiers" all my life. I was changing my '53 Starlight shortly after I bought it in '55. Have continued with the Starliner I now own. After driving the car to some of the SDC events, I decided that it wasn't worth putting up with some of the comments from the "Purists" so I let my membership lapse. I live in MI, and the Mi chapter of the SDC would never even respond to querys about SDC events. I look at the car as being mine, and what I want to do to it is strictly my business. At least I have a car that I'm not afraid of getting into and driving to FL and back. I have no problem letting the restorers do what they wish to there cars, why do they feel it necessecary to put down mine?
Bob

Own '53 Commander Starliner. Red w/beige top. 350 Chev/700R4. Tilt,cruise,A/C.

[studegary]

Sonny has written a good reply, but I will add my two cents worth anyway. To show you where I am coming from; I am a 36 year member of SDC, I am a current National Director of SDC, I have owned more than 50 Studebakers - both stock and modified. I appreciate all Studebakers. Of course I like some more than others. I think that you will find that the vast majority of SDC members will appreciate your car. There are exceptions to every rule. Ignore them. SDC has worked to encompass modified cars. A section was added to Turning Wheels and classes (fastest growing) were added to meets. I think that by not belonging to SDC, the only one that is suffering is yourself, because you do not receive Turning Wheels every month. As far as your car, if you recall, I asked if it was for sale. That shows what I think of it just from a brief description.

[DEEPNHOCK]

I wouldn't sweat it too much.
I have a 'cusstom' and get some crap from the crapspewers.
Their problem, not mine.
But I do know that when I go to a car show and walk down a line of, say 200 cars and trucks...It isn't the Jeg'smobile, or the Summitspecial that catches my eye.. It is the rare, the bizarre, the well done, and the meticulous that does me up good.
I love good work. There's a ChevyII near me that gives me wood every time I see his straight arrow black paint job...and I hate black paint jobs.

StudeBigots are plentiful. Be nice to them, as their days are numbered.

I belong to the SDC for the magazine, and the friendship that the club has brought to me. The internet has made it worldwide, and immediate. Gawshdangit...We live in miraculous times. You could not have ever imagined this conversation happening ever....in 1966 (When Studebaker was still alive...barely)

Cheer up! Hammer down!
Jeff[8D]




(copy)
Brings up the reason why I no longer belong to the SDC. I have been one of those "dirty rotten modifiers" all my life. I was changing my '53 Starlight shortly after I bought it in '55. Have continued with the Starliner I now own. After driving the car to some of the SDC events, I decided that it wasn't worth putting up with some of the comments from the "Purists" so I let my membership lapse. I live in MI, and the Mi chapter of the SDC would never even respond to querys about SDC events. I look at the car as being mine, and what I want to do to it is strictly my business. At least I have a car that I'm not afraid of getting into and driving to FL and back. I have no problem letting the restorers do what they wish to there cars, why do they feel it necessecary to put down mine?
Bob

Own '53 Commander Starliner. Red w/beige top. 350 Chev/700R4. Tilt,cruise,A/C.


DEEPNHOCK@worldnet.att.net
'61 Hawk
'37 Coupe Express

http://community.webshots.com/user/deepnhock

[N8N]

Jeff, I never knew you were an anti-black-paint-job bigot! Phooey on you and you won't catch me drinking any more of YOUR beer!

umm...

well, wait a minute, let's not get too rash here...

<G>

nate

(any color you like, as long as it's not yellow!)

[DEEPNHOCK]

A man's got to know his limitations...
Black is for obsessive/compulsive guys.
Especially those living in Florida
Now...Yellow... That's a different story <lol>
Jeff[8D]





Nate wrote:
Jeff, I never knew you were an anti-black-paint-job bigot! Phooey on you and you won't catch me drinking any more of YOUR beer!
umm...
well, wait a minute, let's not get too rash here...
<G>
nate
(any color you like, as long as it's not yellow!)

DEEPNHOCK@worldnet.att.net
'61 Hawk
'37 Coupe Express

http://community.webshots.com/user/deepnhock

[BeeJay]

Don't mean to imply that I am losing any sleep over this. I have been building street rods for over 50 years, and my skin is pretty thick. What I mean to say, is that I have found clubs in general, street rod or restorers, to be not needed. I have my cars, also own a '33 Chev Master 2 door street rod, therefore I can attend almost any show or meet that I wish. I have found that the Stude attracts much more attention at shows than the '33. Also easier to travel in (It has a trunk!). I realize that all SDC members are not down on modifieds. I have attended the swap and show in South Bend a couple of times and found most of the people to be very friendly.
BJ

Own '53 Commander Starliner. Red w/beige top. 350 Chev/700R4. Tilt,cruise,A/C.

[BeeJay]

BTW: I have a complete 232.6 CID Studebaker engine with Automatic trans sitting in the warehouse just waiting for someone to make me a worthwhile offer. Have had people offer to take it if I would crate and ship it. NOT about to happen.
BJ

Own '53 Commander Starliner. Red w/beige top. 350 Chev/700R4. Tilt,cruise,A/C.