New Kid on the Block

[GBorrelli]

Just dropping in to say hi. I'm only 21 years old and looking to learn as much as I can. I've got a '41 Studebaker President 7C sitting in the garage that needs some attention. The chrome needs to be replated, the paint isn't bad, but needs attention, the electrical isn't 100% functional, the brakes need shoes and fresh fluid. Also, the carb needs a rebuild, the sediment bowl needs to be drained, new spark plugs and wires, all the window rubbers need replaced and some of the glass, the suspension needs work too and probably some more work I can't think of.

I plan on doing as much of the work as I can, but I lack the knowledge and skills. To that end I found an original service manual in my basement so I've got something to help me learn. I also know someone that knows quite bit about the vehicle and is willing to help me out. I finally got around to starting my "little" project today. I washed the car and stripped off the chrome so I can properly clean/wax the car this weekend. I also removed, cleaned and re-oiled the air filter. After I finish paint care thsi weekend I plan on changing the oil, I think it's time to drop the oil pan and clena it thoroughly. Then onto the brakes. Form there I don't really know where to go, but I'll figure it out...

I've babbled on long enough. Anyway, I was wondering if someone could point me in the directions of some color photography of some '41 President 7Cs. Maybe some color charts for factory color combinations and what color interior came with what paint colors. I only ask about the interior colors because the car in my possession has brown trim inside with a green interior and two-tone green paint which to me doens't seem right.

Anyway, that's all for now.

[whacker]

I really can't help with the pictures or the color combinations, but I want you to know I envy you! The 1941 President is a beautiful car, and you will turn heads everywhere when it is done! Most of what you list as being needed is pretty minor stuff, except for the chrome. I've seen a lot of "black chrome" lately. That is pieces that are supposed to be chromed, that the owner has polished and painted black to prevent further deterioration until he can rechrome properly. Looks better than pits. Make sure the brakes and the fuel lines are good. By good, I mean replace all the brake lines and hoses with new. Same with the fuel line all the way from the tank. May I recomend the Antique Studebaker Club to you? They specialize in pre-war stuff, and can be a better help to you than I can. Good luck with the car, I hope to see it at a meet someday!

[Commander65]

Congrats, those are a great looking car. You can find paint chips for your car here......

http://autocolorlibrary.com/acl_files/studebaker.html

Just pick your year from the pull down menu.

Someone else onm this forum turned me on to this site and it's been fun looking through all the different colors.

Good luck with your car.

[GBorrelli]

Commander65- Great site. Thanks for the link.

Whacker- It all sounds pretty minor, but I have little experience working on cars and none when it comes to a vehicle that's over three times my age. I know how to do basic car maintenance, but not on something so... old.

The chrome isn't in terrible shape, but it bothers me. My father had it all re-done about 6 years ago, but the vehicle has been sitting for so long that it's starting to pit again.

The brake and fuel lines are in good condition or at least I assume they are as I did have the car out today, to the gas station for fuel. The car runs fine, no problem there. Neither my brother or I really took the car out for a drive too often over the last four years or so. We have made sure to change the oil though and at the least start her up and let it run for awhile.

I plan to take the vehicle out for a drive at least once a week as soon as I get the registration situated and the vehicle insured for the road. As of now, the registration is expired and the vehicle only insured to sit in the garage.

Antique Studebaker... heh, anything older than me is an antique to me. I'll have to look that club up. I'm hoping to attend a meet relatively soon, lots to learn there.

[rrausch]

Here is a link to a page that has a 1941 Studebaker President Skyway Sedan Coupe at auction. Pre-auction estimate is $45,000 to $55,000!!

Love that Straight 8! Sucker has 9 Main Bearings!!

http://www.rmauctions.com/events/carlist.cfm?sort=ro&scode=MB05&StartRow=51&PageNum=3

1953 Chev. 210 Convertible, 261 6cyl w/Offy dual intake (But I always did love Studebakers!)
1995 Dodge/Cummins Pickup, 250 HP, 620 Ft. Lbs. of Torque, ATS trans.

[GBorrelli]

Wow, that car is very impressive.

[whacker]

GBorrelli, NEVER assume! especially with brakes and fuel systems! Personally get under the car and inspect every brake line and rubber hose. Look at where the lines go through brackets and frame standoffs for rust. These old cars have single cylinder hydraulic systems, not dual like the modern cars. If a brake line pops a leak at a rust area, you have only the emergency brake to stop you. Brake lines are available in precut and flared lengths at any FLAPS, are not hard to replace and easy to work with. If you do this a lot, you may want to buy a flaring tool, but it isn't essential. Just humor me on this, and take a good look!

[GBorrelli]

Good point. I went and took a look this working and they seem to be in working order. However, I will take your advice and replace all the lines as soon as I get a chance.

[steve_smith54]

It is most refreshing to see young people, especially those who were born after Studebaker stopped producing cars, who appreciate them. Of all the material possesions we have, most of us car nuts are probably most concerned about what will happen to our classic cars after we go to the great beyond. Good luck with the restoration. If you take your time and do it right you'll have something you can really be proud of when you have finished.

[GBorrelli]

Alright, well I got the registration back up to date so I'm at least legal to drive now. I finished cleaning the paint and waxing it and reinstalling some of the chrome and cleaning the interior. Now it's time for some mechanical work.

I did a much more thorough check of the fuel and brake lines and I think they're in damn good shape. No rust on them or the peices that hold them in place. Only the hard fuel line running the engine through the frame I couldn't check. The lines are in great shape. I think they've been replaced within the last six years. The car is of course, garage kept and has been for at least the last ten years that it's been in my family. You guys still think I should replace the lines?

I plan on replacing the brake shoes, but where can I look to figure out what the right brake shoes are? I have a service manual. These cars take DOT 3 fluid, right? I plan on flushing all the brake fluid and replacing it when I change the shoes. Also, the parking brake cable is frayed somehwat in spots, should I replace it? It's not badly frayed.

I definately gotta change the oil. I was reading in the manual that the oil pan should be dropped and thoroughly cleaned every X number of miles(can't remember the number) and I'm certain that many miles has passed. How hard is it to drop the oil pan and re-install it?

Also, I'm quite certain the carb needs to be re-built. I've never re-build a carb besides a slide-type carb for a 2.5Hp 1 cylinder 50cc displacement motor. You guys think I could re-build it on my own or should I pay a professional? If I decide to do it myself where can I find a re-build kit?

Another question, I know I need spark plugs and plug wires, but is there anything special about them or are they just regular plugs and wires? Also, I don't have a clue as to what to do about the distributor... distributor cap and new points right? Where can I get those? Anything else needed?

Also, what can I use to re-attach the badges to the hood of the vehicle?

Thanks in advance for any and all help.

PS. Here's a link to some photos I took of the car recently. http://community.webshots.com/album/400095367

[Roscomacaw]

MAn, that's a beauty! I'm really envious of you. I'd dearly love to drive something like that for awhile. I have driven big cars of that era and they're really different from what's on the roads today.
Where the heck did you find that thing? Was it a family item or did you just get lucky with a classified ad?

There's nothing special about the plugs and wires. You should be able to match them up pretty easily. If you can't find a pre-made set of wires (and you probabaly can't unless you wanna lay out the BIG bucks), just buy a set of "universal" wires for a V8 and make them to fit your straight 8. As to the spark plugs, take one out and get the number off it (maybe you can see it without removing it (And always blow all the crap out of that spark plug well in the head before you remove the plugs! You don't want any dirt, wayward screws or other debris falling into the cylinder when you pull the plug out![:0])
The parts book specifys a Champion #6 plug for a '41 President 8. A quick call to my local NAPA shop and my guy told me that the modern equivalent is a Champion # 518 - and they ARE available!

As for brake shoes, you might end up taking yours off and having them relined.
There are vendors for these older Studes and the best way to learn about them is the Antique Stude website AND by joining the Antique Studebaker club and getting their fine bi-monthly publication with it's big classified section of parts & info sources.
If you're gonna pull that pan (and I doubt many in attendance of this forum can tell you how easy or difficult it is), you'll wanna have whatever new gaskets will be needed to put it back on BEFORE you pull it off! [B)]
There's vendors that specailize in such and you want FRESH gaskets - don't buy some gasket or gasket set that's 50 or 60 years old. The gaskets will be so shrunk up that they'll be difficult, at best, to try and use. (Actualy, I quite often just get some sheet gasket material and make my own! Buy a cheap set of gasket punches - to die cut the bolt holes into the gaskets - and get a good, sharp set of scissors and go at it!)
Personally, for as much as "specialists" will sock you for rebuilding that carb, I'd try my hand at it myself. But that's just me. Given it's vintage, it can't be nearly as complicated as a relatively new 4-bbl carb.
Stude vendor, Don Gay has lots of prewar mechanical stuff. You might wanna talk to him about those brake shoes, suspension parts and whatnot. If he doesn't have it, I'd bet he can point you in the right direction. Most of us on this forum are oriented towards postwar Studebakers. There's not alot of experience here with the prewar cars like yours. We love, sure enough, but we're limited in having specific answers. I'll help if I can but you really ought to join the ASC and tap that source. They might even have an active chapter of their club near you. That would be a real plus as far as finding knowledgeable help!

Miscreant at large.

1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President 2-dr
1955 President State
1951 Champion Biz cpe
1963 Daytona project FS

[GBorrelli]

The car is mine and my brother's now. My father bought it about eight or so years ago I believe from a man out in Montana. However, the vehicle looks quite a bit more impressive in photo, but it's still a looker.

Hmmm... that's wierd because my shop manual states "Commander and President To meet the average driving condition, the COmmander and President engines are equipped with a 'Champion No. 8' ( 18mm ) spark plug in production. For extremely fast, gard driving during hot weather, 'Chamion No. 7' and 'Champion No. 13' plugs ( which are colder operating plugs ) can be used."

Yeah, somehow the more I looked through the manual and thought about it, I kept thinking more and more I'm just gonna have to pull the shoes and get them re-lined.

Actually, my father was quite the gasket maker. I've got some gasket making supplies lying around the basement. Gasket punches and all. I've actually made some of my own gaskets before, but they were for RC cars... heh.

I'm probably going to try my hand at re-building the carb. If I get stumped I know an engine guru who could probably help me out.

Yeah, I plan on joining the ASC A.S.A.P.

[rrausch]

What a beautiful car!
As far as the chrome is concerned, a person can do wonders with #0000 steel wool. Don't use any other grade of steel wool except quadruple 0. You will be amazed at how the chrome will clean up. After that just wax it and it will look great.

1953 Chev. 210 Convertible, 261 6cyl w/Offy dual intake (But I always did love Studebakers!)
1995 Dodge/Cummins Pickup, 250 HP, 620 Ft. Lbs. of Torque, ATS trans.

[rockne10]

Dave Thibeault in Maynard, Mass. did a nice job relining the brakes for my 33 Rockne. He advertizes in the Antique Studebaker Review and in Turning Wheels.
I don't think you should have any problem rebuilding your carb. They're not nearly as complicated as modern machines.

[Transtar56]

If your father was keeping the car up,he was no doubt using modern oils.The reason you had to remove the sludge out of the pan in those days was because the oils of the day were non-detergent,like compressor oil.If your engines been run on modern oils since its been apart,Id just get some diesel and add it to your oil,or the engine flushes at your FLAPS.If what comes out of the pan is real crappy,you might indeed have to pull the pan.But Id try the engine flush route first.