Advice on my '53 Commander

[paintim613]

My customized '53 (continental kit, shortened cab, mistaken as a T-Bird, etc,) will be ready to go soon. My first experience with a classic car and I want to treat it right. The engine is a stock 232 V-8. I know I need to use a lead additive. What else do you recommend(oil, brake fluid, etc.)? Any help is greatly appreciated as I plan to eventually make this my every day car.

[Scott]

All I can say is unless you're going to race it or something, you don't need lead additive. By now Studebaker drivers have driven hundreds of thousands of miles on unleaded fuel and I have yet to hear about it being a problem in normal driving.

[Scott]

All I can say is unless you're going to race it or something, you don't need lead additive. By now Studebaker drivers have driven hundreds of thousands of miles on unleaded fuel and I have yet to hear about it being a problem in normal driving.

[lstude]

I wrote this story to TW way back when leaded gas was outlawed.

I am not an expert, but there was an Amoco station near our house when I was growing up and we basically used what they used to call Amoco White Gas. It was unleaded. We used it in our 58 Silver Hawk with the 289 and 4 bbl. and in our 61 Lark with the 259. We put more than 100,000 miles on the Lark and never had any engine trouble.

Leonard Shepherd, editor, The Commanding Leader, Central Virginia Chapter, http://centralvirginiachapter.org/

[lstude]

I wrote this story to TW way back when leaded gas was outlawed.

I am not an expert, but there was an Amoco station near our house when I was growing up and we basically used what they used to call Amoco White Gas. It was unleaded. We used it in our 58 Silver Hawk with the 289 and 4 bbl. and in our 61 Lark with the 259. We put more than 100,000 miles on the Lark and never had any engine trouble.

Leonard Shepherd, editor, The Commanding Leader, Central Virginia Chapter, http://centralvirginiachapter.org/

[Dick Steinkamp]

I agree with Scott. If you want to add the lead to increase the octane, it's really not necessary. The stock 232 was a relatively low compression engine and will run fine on regular. If you want to add it to keep the valve seats from receding, it is probably not necessary for that either. You may need a valve job in less than 100,000 miles, but you may not either. If you do end up needing a valve job while you own the car, just have hardened seats installed at that time.

Determine what brake fluid is currently in the car (most likely DOT 3). Use whatever the previous owner has been using. If you want to switch to DOT 5 (silicone), you'll need to completely disassemble and flush the system first....same if there is currently DOT 5 in there and you want to switch to DOT 3.

Plenty of threads here on oil. Here's the latest...

http://www.studebakerdriversclub.com/sdc_forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9697&SearchTerms=diesel,oil

How about some pictures of your '53?

[Dick Steinkamp]

I agree with Scott. If you want to add the lead to increase the octane, it's really not necessary. The stock 232 was a relatively low compression engine and will run fine on regular. If you want to add it to keep the valve seats from receding, it is probably not necessary for that either. You may need a valve job in less than 100,000 miles, but you may not either. If you do end up needing a valve job while you own the car, just have hardened seats installed at that time.

Determine what brake fluid is currently in the car (most likely DOT 3). Use whatever the previous owner has been using. If you want to switch to DOT 5 (silicone), you'll need to completely disassemble and flush the system first....same if there is currently DOT 5 in there and you want to switch to DOT 3.

Plenty of threads here on oil. Here's the latest...

http://www.studebakerdriversclub.com/sdc_forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9697&SearchTerms=diesel,oil

How about some pictures of your '53?

[rockne10]

I agree on all counts. I still use regular gas with no additives in all my cars, including the '33. I know folks who run their President eight on the same.
Changing brake fluid will require, not only flushing with alcohol but, replacing all the rubber components.
As for oil, well...I'll continue to use the 15W40 Rotella, even in its new formulation, until I personally detect a problem.

Brad Johnson
Pine Grove Mills, Pa.
'33 Rockne 10, '51 Commander Starlight, '53 Commander Starlight

[rockne10]

I agree on all counts. I still use regular gas with no additives in all my cars, including the '33. I know folks who run their President eight on the same.
Changing brake fluid will require, not only flushing with alcohol but, replacing all the rubber components.
As for oil, well...I'll continue to use the 15W40 Rotella, even in its new formulation, until I personally detect a problem.

Brad Johnson
Pine Grove Mills, Pa.
'33 Rockne 10, '51 Commander Starlight, '53 Commander Starlight