Those who've known me for some time have branded me "purist". Thankfully, most of them did so with tongue firmly planted in cheek.[}
]
It's true that I advocate the retention of Studebaker power - whenever and wherever possible. I contend that the engines are as much a part of the Studebaker legacy as the styling we're all gaga over.
That said, I DO recognize that transplants take place even tho I may not go along with the rationalization used to dive into such a project. I've been following the cross-gendering of a Stude not far from me and since I appreciate the surgeon's handiwork, I thought you might enjoy seeing some of it. After all, how many times (on this forum alone) have we had some fledgling Stude owner pop in and ask: "How to I put a (fill-in-the-blank) motor in my Studebaker???"
This fella, Keith, came to me about 3 years ago in seeking an answer to how he'd convert the wipers in his 55 coupe, since the car would be running 12 volts when he was done with his cusstomizing.
Being fresh-faced to the world of Studebakers, he was delighted to find that there were 12 volt wiper motors that would "bolt in" where the old 6-volter was! Fact is, I swapped him straight across for the 6 volt unit he'd brought along to show me.
This set in motion a truckload of new or rebuilt parts that Keith just gave me as he stripped and refitted his Commander with the underpinnings of the IROC Camaro he'd acquired as a donor vehicle.
I was overjoyed at the stuff I recieved as a result. And I felt compelled to give Keith whatever few small pieces he's needed along the way to his goal of having a cool Stude. Fact is, he called me this past Sunday to say that he'd decided he didn't need any more of the crates of extra parts he'd gotten when he adopted this 55 out of a weedy field, not far from where he lives.
ANYWAY............. I thought some of you might enjoy seeing how his project is shaping up. This car was being accurately restored by some guy when he fell ill and sold it to some brothers that had different ideas about how to power it. When Keith found it, it's firewall had been CRUDELY hacked away as well as some of the floorboards and it had an old, irrepairable hemi engine just dumped into the engine bay. I can tell you that Keith's brought this thing a LONG way since he first showed it to me. I have no doubt he'll see it thru to one cool cruiser.
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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
]It's true that I advocate the retention of Studebaker power - whenever and wherever possible. I contend that the engines are as much a part of the Studebaker legacy as the styling we're all gaga over.
That said, I DO recognize that transplants take place even tho I may not go along with the rationalization used to dive into such a project. I've been following the cross-gendering of a Stude not far from me and since I appreciate the surgeon's handiwork, I thought you might enjoy seeing some of it. After all, how many times (on this forum alone) have we had some fledgling Stude owner pop in and ask: "How to I put a (fill-in-the-blank) motor in my Studebaker???"
This fella, Keith, came to me about 3 years ago in seeking an answer to how he'd convert the wipers in his 55 coupe, since the car would be running 12 volts when he was done with his cusstomizing.
Being fresh-faced to the world of Studebakers, he was delighted to find that there were 12 volt wiper motors that would "bolt in" where the old 6-volter was! Fact is, I swapped him straight across for the 6 volt unit he'd brought along to show me.
This set in motion a truckload of new or rebuilt parts that Keith just gave me as he stripped and refitted his Commander with the underpinnings of the IROC Camaro he'd acquired as a donor vehicle.
I was overjoyed at the stuff I recieved as a result. And I felt compelled to give Keith whatever few small pieces he's needed along the way to his goal of having a cool Stude. Fact is, he called me this past Sunday to say that he'd decided he didn't need any more of the crates of extra parts he'd gotten when he adopted this 55 out of a weedy field, not far from where he lives.
ANYWAY............. I thought some of you might enjoy seeing how his project is shaping up. This car was being accurately restored by some guy when he fell ill and sold it to some brothers that had different ideas about how to power it. When Keith found it, it's firewall had been CRUDELY hacked away as well as some of the floorboards and it had an old, irrepairable hemi engine just dumped into the engine bay. I can tell you that Keith's brought this thing a LONG way since he first showed it to me. I have no doubt he'll see it thru to one cool cruiser.
[^]
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
]. Right down to a perfect data plate. Did you make those valve covers?
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