Transmission / Overdrive: New to this forum ' 59 Studebaker 1/2 Ton

[Zachary's Ride]

Just took delivery of a '59 half ton. It has the flat head six, three speed, and overdrive. How popular is the overdrive, how problematic, how easy/hard to find.

Will be posting as I return this truck to the road. Will NOT do a full restore, just a good cleaning, tune up / etc. I like these trucks as original as I can keep them including the old paint.

[Lamar]

No problem with the overdrive, if you remember to always park it in reverse. Lamar

[Chucks Stude]

Welcome to the forum. Cool truck, great that you are going to leave it the way it is. Get a shop manual from one of the Stude vendors, that will help you work thru all of the things that are common with old vehicles. The overdrive is great. Change the oil in the transmission, and in the overdrive, they are separate. They are really trouble free. Good luck. Oh, if there are no pictures, it didn't happen.

[Zachary's Ride]

This is what arrived. Some rust areas but fixable. Will keep you informed.
Question: How available are the OD's.

[52-fan]

The overdrive transmissions are fairly easy to find along with the relay and other bits. You may get lucky and find someone who is converting to a V-8 and get the proper length drive shaft and all. Another option would be a T5 5speed from an S10, but although you don't have the electrics to hook up, it wouldn't be original equipment and you would have to make or find a source for an adapter.
If you are not a member of your nearest SDC chapter, you should join. Members often can help you with information and locating parts. Besides that chapter activities are fun.

[Zachary's Ride]

The truck has an OD in it, seller did not know that???? I also have a '52 engine complete with three speed tyranny and OD. I think the '52 engine is marginally larger than the '59. Will have to check out a local chapter.

[55coupe]

Welcome to the forum. Overdrive is your friend it makes these cars and trucks so much better on the road. When you change the oil in trans and od unit use a mineral gear oil napa has it GL1-90 part # 65-201. Hope to see you on the road soon.

[RadioRoy]

Does your truck have the 170 CI Champion six, or the 245 CI Commander six?

The Commander six has a rams horn exhaust manifold.

Different size engines take different size transmissions.

[Zachary's Ride]

It has the 170 CI Champion six. To my knowledge the engine tyranny etc are original to the factory. Got to recheck that.

[Zachary's Ride]

The engine in the truck has a special tag which reads: "Do not remove this plate. Order replacement parts for this engine, part 532915 from special engine section in current parts list" I have a second engine with this part number stamped on the raised block area: 1 R 532915. Both engines have three speed transmissions with overdrives.

I believe the 2nd engine has a few more cu in and is a 1952. In later years, it seems Studebaker 'downsized' their engines a little in order to gain a few more mpg. Any insight to what I have would be greatly appreciated. The truck engine runs, now to determine how good it is. Will get new plugs, new oil, new gas and oil and gas treatment. Since it runs I will NOT tinker with the carb nor the distributor at this point. What is not broken will NOT get fixed.

Just did a fairly thorough check of the wiring harness and it has not be tampered with, it is oe, tired probably brittle but in tact. Will NOT tinker with that at this point either.

I'm acquainted with the Pilot-house dodge, have a '52 and this is very similar which is why I was interested in it.

[RadioRoy]

Most of the Champion six engines are 169.6 CI, AKA 170 CI.

From 1955 through 1958, the displacement was upped to 185 CI. Then it want back to 170 in 1959.

Good for you for not tinkering with what is not broken. That is a lesson many have not learned.

[jclary]

Are overdrive transmissions rare? Well...here's how that works. If you don't need one...they're everywhere. However, if you don't have one, and want one, they're as scarce as a roadside turkey during hunting season!

How tough are they??? About 1978, I found one in an old R-series truck, rusting into the earth, on a farm, near the South Carolina coast. A good Studebaker friend of mine was befriended by the farmer and gave my friend permission to remove any parts he wanted. Since I had a an old work truck, a canvass bag full of tools, my friend invited me (my old IH truck and tool bag) to help remove the parts he wanted. In exchange, I was given the overdrive, drive shaft, and associated overdrive linkages, relay, etc.

The old Studebaker truck had no wheels, or hubs. The transmission was buried half way into the ground. What was exposed, was encrusted in moss. The farmer came out into the woods and pulled the truck over with his tractor. He looked at me as if I were crazy to be so excited about such a rusting relic. After driving the 280 miles home, I immediately jumped on the transmission with a wire brush. I carefully removed the top transmission cover to discover a foul smelling black gooey tar looking mess inside. I filled the cavity with kerosene and let it soak while continuing to clean the outer case, splines, etc.

When not working on the transmission itself, using the shop manual (about the most valuable tool you can buy for working on these vehicles), I was busy building a new wiring harness and installing the cable,kick down linkage, switch, and relay. Then came the BIG DAY. I removed the original three-speed, and drive shaft, and carefully stored them, for back-up if things didn't work out. In retrospect, working by myself, I'm amazed that I managed to get that job done without a transmission jack, or all the tools I now own. (The joys of youth.)

With the rear of the truck supported off the ground, and the transmission installed, I filled it again with fresh kerosene. Still...the transmission was so stiff, that it was very hard to shift. I started the truck with the transmission in first. (Overdrive disengaged) I waited for the engine to warm up before easing the clutch out. Then, I let the truck run at idle speed for a while. After a short period of time, I shut the truck off, placed the transmission in second, and repeated the "running in gear" process. Same for high gear. After that process, I began to push the clutch in and shift through the gears. After a while, it was shifting as easy as the original three speed.

Next step was trying the overdrive. If I recall correctly, it didn't work. The problem was solved when (in desperation) I removed the cover on the relay and found a bunch of corrosion and discolored relay contacts. I used my trusty old points file, cleaned the contacts, and reassembled the relay. Fired the truck up again, and was excited and a bit unnerved at the same time, as the overdrive kicked in and, heard, for the first time, that sound of the engine relaxing as the rpm of the wheels increased. After I was assured everything was shifting and working as it should...I drained the kerosene and filled the transmission and overdrive unit with appropriate lube. Again, that was in the late 1970's. The original transmission and drive shaft I stored for backup...are still where I placed them.

Years later, that same little overdrive, provided a (bouncy) twelve hundred mile round trip to our big meet in Florida, and a first place trophy. Once we hit the flat lands, my interstate speed was 65-75mph, and gas mileage around 22. The old engine is rather tired now, but, so far, that transmission has never failed.

I've taken the time to type all this to say...Yeah...they're pretty darn tough!

My truck...pictured below.

[Skip Lackie]

Your truck is a 1959 Scotsman and could have been originally equipped with either engine. Studebaker built three flathead 6-cylinder engines during the 1950s. The 245.6-cu in Commander 6 was available in trucks from 1950 to 1960. Part number 532915 is a replacement Commander 6 and differs only slightly from the truck engine that could have originally been in your truck. The second was the Champion 6, which was also available all through the 1950s, but in two different displacements: 169.6 cu in in all years except 1955-58, and 185 during those years. An engine with an engine serial number beginning with 1R is a 169.6 version -- however the number you provided is too high and appears to just be a repeat of the above part number from the other engine. If your truck originally came with the Commander engine, the VEHICLE serial number will begin with E3; if it came with the Champion engine, it will begin with E1.

[RadioRoy]

If Zachary has a Commander six in his truck and an overdrive, it will be an almost perfect driver.

Good score!

[Zachary's Ride]

I bought this truck way too much with my eye not my mind, yet the serial number is E3428 , " . . . Part number 532915 is a replacement Commander 6. . . ". And yes with an overdrive. I did a compression check with old tired oil, I did put a TB of ATF in the cylinders three days ago. With only four engine cranks on each cylinder the compression numbers are from 1 - 6: 90, 100, 125, 75, 124,and 124. Now those two low numbers may be faulty, whatever that is very acceptable. I put in new plugs. I drained the oil (sludge came out and something like 'cloth'). So tomorrow the pan comes off, got to see what is in there. The oil pressure and temp are idiot lights so mechanical gauges will go on for the time being. May hide them by the engine and leave the lights on the dash, get the best of both worlds, a warning light and a true measureing.

So all in all, feeling quite good about this truck.