Some bummer news about my Stude.

['66Commander]

Early this month my truck engine exploded. And so I had to park it. Then last Friday I find out it was impounded for not having been moved.
So now I am looking at getting a new car. but with the loan I got to buy the truck, with tuition due date coming in a few months, and a potential down payment needed fro a car, I have to sell my Commander
If any of you would be interested in it, PM me. I do have one offer already, but the guy is not really seeming to commit. There are pictures on my profile of it.
I will answer any questions you have about it.
I hate to see it go, but I would love to see it go to someone who can afford to bring it back to its full potential.

But, even without a Studebaker, I will still be a SDC member. I love them too much to leave the group. Plus I have made many friends in my local SDC chapter.
She is in running condition, I just haven't registered her for the year because I had the truck.

[61LaRk4dr]

Early this month my truck engine exploded. And so I had to park it. Then last Friday I find out it was impounded for not having been moved.
So now I am looking at getting a new car. but with the loan I got to buy the truck, with tuition due date coming in a few months, and a potential down payment needed fro a car, I have to sell my Commander
If any of you would be interested in it, PM me. I do have one offer already, but the guy is not really seeming to commit. There are pictures on my profile of it.
I will answer any questions you have about it.
I hate to see it go, but I would love to see it go to someone who can afford to bring it back to its full potential.

But, even without a Studebaker, I will still be a SDC member. I love them too much to leave the group. Plus I have made many friends in my local SDC chapter.
She is in running condition, I just haven't registered her for the year because I had the truck.

PM sent

[evilhawk]

Why not just drive the Commander to work/school? I had a similar situation some time ago that forced me to pull my old Mustang out of storage and used as a daily driver until things stabilized again.

['66Commander]

Why not just drive the Commander to work/school? I had a similar situation some time ago that forced me to pull my old Mustang out of storage and used as a daily driver until things stabilized again.

I have thought about that.
But I have been wanting to do some work on it before I take it out again. And there is no AC.

[Commander Eddie]

If you can, put off the work you want to do unless it is related to safety or driveablility. Then, roll the windows down. When I was in school we did not have cars with A/C. And I lived in Southern California where it can be 115 degrees on a summer day. C'mon. You can do it.

[Bob Andrews]

['66Commander]

If you can, put off the work you want to do unless it is related to safety or driveablility. Then, roll the windows down. When I was in school we did not have cars with A/C. And I lived in Southern California where it can be 115 degrees on a summer day. C'mon. You can do it.

I've put off some work already. The engine mounts are not the best, and it does need a tune up. And there are more things that I want to do to it that I cannot afford, both in time and money.

I want to, but I don't know a fair price for the condition it is in. The offer that is standing right now is $3,000.

[Nelsen Motorsports]

Drive it! Drive it! Drive it! I have thoroughly enjoyed mine this year and have even had the top of the motor apart in the backyard of a fraternity house to change an intake gasket. The fun is in the tinkering and that is just my rough edged hotrod. PS, my car has no A/C and headers that'll melt your soles to the floorboard.

[JeffDeWitt]

Keep in mind that buying another vehicle is always going to be more expensive than fixing what you've got. If you can't afford to fix the Commander now how are you going to afford car payments? Think of it this way... the down payment money would pay for a tune up and new motor mounts with money left over. The next month or two of car payments could be a new set of tires, following month a radiator... you get the idea.

[Nelsen Motorsports]

Also, the parts for that 283 can be had anywhere that sells snake oil and pine tree air fresheners... (in the case of an emergency repair)

[evilhawk]

A few years back I was forced to drive my old Mustang that had been sitting in storage for last 10 yrs. I ended up having to fix the brakes, alternator, fuel pump just to get it road worthy again, but it was still cheaper than buying something new. The car is black with leaky T tops, no A/C and a heavily built 302. At first I considered selling the car as I thought it would be too hot, too leaky in the rain and too bad on fuel (however cheap insurance). But ultimately I decided to drive it instead of paying to store it. It was brutal at times driving it in the heat, but over all it was very enjoyable. I had forgotten how fun the car is to drive and how much attention it gets on the road. I have since then graduated from school, found a career and am very happy I held on to the car as I can now afford to keep fixing it up and enjoy it as my daily summer driver. I truly think that if you sell your Stude now, you will really regret it when you are older.

[jnfweber]

Early this month my truck engine exploded. And so I had to park it. Then last Friday I find out it was impounded for not having been moved.
So now I am looking at getting a new car. but with the loan I got to buy the truck, with tuition due date coming in a few months, and a potential down payment needed fro a car, I have to sell my Commander
If any of you would be interested in it, PM me. I do have one offer already, but the guy is not really seeming to commit. There are pictures on my profile of it.
I will answer any questions you have about it.
I hate to see it go, but I would love to see it go to someone who can afford to bring it back to its full potential.

But, even without a Studebaker, I will still be a SDC member. I love them too much to leave the group. Plus I have made many friends in my local SDC chapter.
She is in running condition, I just haven't registered her for the year because I had the truck.

That Commander is a keeper. I don't know your situation (student?) but you should drive it, put a shine on it, and repair the few mechanical things that may come up. I bought my Sky Hawk when I was a surgery resident and drove it every day. Bought some seat covers from Sears, overhauled the engine when I was working 24 on, 24 off, had it painted (64 Mustang metallic Navy Blue), and I still have the car 46 years later. Very easy to maintain a stovebolt six, and the 64-66 sedans ride and drive great without power steering. The chrome and glass look great, and I doubt if there is much serious rust. I put a factory short block in my car from SASCO when they were still available, and it has 18,000 miles on it now. My car was not in as good condition as your car is now when I bought it, and it really needs power steering.

[studeclunker]

Bummer the truck got towed. The up-side is that you can replace it with a Studebaker later.

Wish I could help. You've already received all the above advice and more in the other thread you started on this subject. I can understand the hesitation, however you need to make a decision and stand on it. So I see a sensible pattern, going to school, keeping to your studies, trying to live within your means. In the final analysis, a car is just another transportation device and it's pretty nice when one can do the repairs themselves (the latter is why I have Studees).

Now a dose of reality:
AC you can live without, roll down the windows. Reliable transportation you cannot. Can you afford to pay a mechanic to work on the newer car? Since the truck didn't get fixed quickly, I'd say not?
Most importantly, this car is equipped with a Chevrolet-subsidiary engine. You can get parts and accessories at any FLAPS. So what's the problem with maintenance?
It's going out of the carport? Fine, get a car cover (it's surprising what one can find at Thrift-stores) and bungee cords to hold it on. For that matter, your friend's caravan will survive in the elements just as well (or better) as your car (provided your landlord will allow it).
Fix what you have and limp along with it. Payments and insurance for a newer car is a drain that will suck you dry! Repairing this old Chevy-Baker won't! Don't forget to pinch pennies and save for repairs that will happen.
Time is an issue when it comes to repairing cars. Find it, Make it if you have to. You would be better off spending the time fixing the car than working extra hours to pay for a (likely nicer looking???) newer car. It might impinge on your social life, but you can have that later when you have a decent job acquired from the sacrifices made to your education.

I don't mean to sound hard-nosed. What I'm hearing is that someone else is pressuring you to sell this car. Otherwise, you are being very Penny-wise and... um, Dollar-foolish. Economising is wise. Car payments are not!

Suck it up, fix the car and drive the silly thing! Tell whomever is nagging you to sell it to shut-it, or buy the new car for you! Tell them talk is cheap! That goes for dear old Mum and Dad too (coming from a grumpy old Dad)!

[Corvanti]

Ethan, some of the problems you've had mirrored what i went thru as a mere yout' going to college.

first off - i agree with the folks above that say "drive it"! (the '66). fix her enough to get you back and forth to where you need to go. save most of the $$$ you will have from not dealing with a car payment and extra insurance in a savings account specifically for car repairs, or upgrades.

growing up in so-cal and spending 7 years in the Upper Mojave Desert - driving with the windows down is an option to a/c - until maybe you have the $$$ saved to purchase and install a "Vintage Air" or similar product. being in NC, i'd love to exchange a 90 degree day here with a 110 degree day there of "dry heat"...

never, ever leave a broken down car/truck by the side of the road or a location that is not under your control (a parking lot, etc.) for more than 72 hours. pay for a tow truck to move it to your house or a repair shop. better yet, get the towing option on your car insurance for a low deductible.

it was brought up that maybe you are getting pressure to sell from your parents or a girlfriend, etc. if it is the parents, and you are living with them, or they are financing your education - write up a plan to present to them as to how you will complete your studies and your "Study". if it's a gf that does not like classic cars, rethink your long term relationship with her. i know that's rough, but she probably won't change. BTDT!

my 4 years of "higher learning", i worked full time around my school schedule to finance my "activities". i looked forward to a 1/2 day off or a full day once a week.

i could go on, but you (and others in a similar situation) probably get what i'm trying to say.

good luck!!!

[rusty65]

Here's another angle.Is there ANY way to get the truck out of impound and sell IT to pay for getting your '66 in better shape?At least partially so? FWIW I drove my '66 Commander for several months with broken motor mounts.Just had to be cool with taking off from a stoplight,lol.