Update on muscling up a 55 Commander

[warrlaw1]

Have it timed, dual exhaust on, voltage regulator and ground strap on...it's running smooth and ready to upgrade. My stash: 4 bbl OEM Carter, manifold, gaskets, breather and Dave Thibeau rebuilt dizzy with pertronics and Flame Thrower coil. I was helping Peter C find some sheet metal for his 53 coupe with the Corvette engine. He's hoping to break 200 MPH. He hit 199 and when his chute opened it lifted the rear of his car and he spun out, damaging his left front fender and related sheet metal. Found him a new air dam but hoping somebody here (like Bob Petersen if he ever gets back to the forum) can ship a fender for him. Anyway, Peter offered to introduce me to his tuning guru..and he's local! Hope he can do the installs, set the valves, advance curve and make me go fast. I'd settle for 100 MPH. Pure Stock Drags, here we come. Will keep you posted and thank you for all the help already so generously given. Cheers.

[warrlaw1]

Met the local man introduced to me by Peter. As advertised, his first words were: "Did Peter tell you I have a short fuse and don't like to work on junk?" Yep. As I waited he was finishing up a Cadillac, not very happy with the supposed "best car in the world". I asked him if he likes Studes any better. He said: "The black one? on Blake Street?". Yep. It's in the parking lot. He knew the car, lusted after an R2 Avanti when he was young, and told me it was a passion for him. He went over my manifold (thanks, Bob Petersen), my Carter 4bbl, my Thibeau distributor, grabbed my Shop Manual, my Chassis Parts Catalogue, my copy of the PSMCDR rules, took down the SDC site address and asked: "When is the race?". I told him September and he smiled. "We have August to play with it?" Yep. Sounds like he's the right man for the job. Will keep you posted

[PackardV8]

I'd settle for 100 MPH. Pure Stock Drags, here we come.

Yes, any actual competition is better than all the bench racing most of us do here and you are to be congratulated for jumping into the PSMCDR.

No, a Pure Stock 259" automatic is unlikely to run 100 MPH in the quarter. That's what well-tuned R2s turn.

Maybe, give us a current weight and we'll put the 195hp in the computer and see what ET and MPH it says you can expect. If your car weighs 3600#, then an ET of 15.2-16.0 and 85-88 MPH would be excellent for a first attempt. Your results may vary.

Thanks for sharing as you build toward the race. Please tell us what your tuner comes up with for the Stude V8.

jack vines

[sweetolbob]

Dave

Gotta love the enthusiasm you've shown in your PSMCD preparation, Good find on the tuner. Hopefully I'll get to see you run in Sept.


Bob

[11SecAvanti]

My brother raced a stock 55 President back around 1959-60 at New London Dragway. It had the Bearcat 259 with 4 barrel automatic and single exhaust. Not duals but single. It was a stocker and in those days it was in M Stock class I believe. Times were around 18.10 to 18.20 @ 72 to 74 mph. That was fast in those days and he won trophies. It wasn't geared low. Most likely a 3.31 or 3.50 ratio. Color was dark blueish and lighte green with nice green interior. Really a beautiful car. With duals and lower gear with a posi I think you can get into the high 17's.

[warrlaw1]

Cool. 18s would be a treat. I know the Wrapper and the Tomato will do 100, no problem. My 55 is almost the same as 11sec's brother raced, so that sounds a lot more realistic. Nice pic. Peter's 53 (with LS2) does almost 200 on a mile stretch (with another mile to slow down). Now to find a friend with a passport and no issues getting into the states to drive my chase car (lol).

[BobPalma]

Very cool, Dave.

You know, if you bring your '55 to The Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race, it will be the oldest year from which cars can compete. The event is limited to 1955-1974 American-made cars, with a minimum 4bbl V8 and dual exhausts.

Cool beans; 'looking forward to seeing it on the strip. BP

[studebaker-R2-4-me]

Great to see Dave! You're going to love the Pure Stocks from the lanes instead of the stands. I sure hope he has a Air-fuel ratio meter for jetting and metering your carburetor. Good luck on the tuning!


Allen

[52-fan]

[QUOTE=BobPalma;758812]Very cool, Dave.

You know, if you bring your '55 to The Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race, it will be the oldest year from which cars can compete. The event is limited to 1955-1974 American-made cars, with a minimum 4bbl V8 and dual exhausts.


Well, you answered the question I was going to ask. Most people think of muscle cars as mid 60s through early 70s. I didn't know the PSMCD rules went back to 55. A 55 Stude should be a big hit.

[warrlaw1]

Thanks, guys. I kinda like being the oldest car there. Hope it sounds and goes well. Last two trips were really enjoyable just watching the Studes run. Hope to show the early side of Studebaker's transition to speedy cars like the R1s and R2s.

[warrlaw1]

Another day, another little problem resolved. The PSMCDR rules require all the accessories to be working. I'm good except for radio, speedo and right brake light. The speedo head went two years ago coming back from the PSMCDRs with Paul (55s). I found a few on eBay and have been lubing up the best looking replacement. My shop manual explains how to re and re, so that I can do. My 6V tube Philco radio was totally rebuilt but something went wonky on the install. My good ol boy bent the bezel and when I took that out I found a 3/8 " socket left in a bracket. Still no sound. I have a spare for parts and a client who runs a car audio place, so I'll see what he can do. My right brake light has always been dim and I kept burning out the tail light. It was a new S.I. repop bezel and new bulbs. I tried the ground with a jumper and no change. I tried reversing the bulb, no way. So I followed the wiring. Beautiful job done on it by the wiring guy, proper shielded connectors, insulated clips and one splice on each wire, soldered and wrapped. They went to all that work and somebody managed to get the wires reversed. They had a 50/50 chance of getting it right. Doh! Now fixed and heading to the Legion for a local meet. I'll get at the speedo and radio before the car goes to the tuner. We invented cool!

[1962larksedan]

Very cool, Dave.

You know, if you bring your '55 to The Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race, it will be the oldest year from which cars can compete. The event is limited to 1955-1974 American-made cars, with a minimum 4bbl V8 and dual exhausts.

Cool beans; 'looking forward to seeing it on the strip. BP

That is odd having an 'old car' model year cutoff since the 256-4V was a police only option (but still a factory order) in the 1954 Ford and I'm pretty sure that model would acquit itself well in the drags.

[Corvanti]

Dave,
that seems strange that non-safety "accessories", such as the radio has to work.

i wonder if "they" would accept a "radio delete" plate in place instead of a non-working radio. not that one would be easy to find.

a quick look on ebay showed a '56 delete plate: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1956-STUDEBA...3a849b&vxp=mtr

i'm not familiar with '55/'56 radios but maybe you could find one that fits if that is acceptable, and repair the radio later...

idk, just throwing it out there for the ones that can confirm or deny that may be ok - since the time will be here soon to make your runs!

Kerry

[warrlaw1]

LOL. I'm sure the 'serious' contenders have radio deletes. Hafta run this car over the scales at the local cement plant to see what the weight is sitting at. Spare will come out, jack, too. 55 was the last year for six volt. I have the P.O. and it came the way it sits. No power steering, no power brakes, no power windows, no leather upholstery. I haven't heard of the 54 Ford 256. Canadian built 54s were still running flat heads, I believe. That would be a fun race, though.

[sweetolbob]

1954 was the first year of the Y-block OHV V8 Ford. In the US at least.

Bob