machine shop

[Neal IN]

How important is it to have a machine shop that is familiar with Studebaker engines when you want work done like cylinder boring, valve guides etc?

If it is a good idea can anyone recommend a shop in Southern Indiana?

Thanks
Neal

[sbca96]

Any competent machine shop should be able to do a standard rebuild on
a Studebaker engine. If you want some specialty porting done to the
heads, someone with experience might be a good idea. Though when I
had my heads ported, I supplied the Total Performance publications to
a local RECOMMENDED engine rebuilding shop, and they did a fine job.

Hopefully someone local to your area will post up a recommendation.

Tom

'63 Avanti, zinc plated drilled & slotted 03 Mustang Cobra 13" front disc/98 GT rear brakes, 03 Cobra 17" wheels, GM alt, 97 Z28 leather seats, soon: 97 Z28 T-56 6-spd, Ported heads w/SST full flow valves, 'R3' 276 cam, Edelbrock AFB Carb, GM HEI distributor, 8.8mm plug wires

[Neal IN]

Thanks Tom.
I found Total Performance's web site but did not find a book that appeared to include head work. Did I not look hard enough or is it in a general book?
In any case can you tell me what the title is?

FYI: I was on Bowtie Overdrive's tech chat last night and asked what a stock 2004R would handle for HP and torque. The person responding said 300-350 for both. Sounds like a stock trans in good shape would be a good start for a mildly hopped up 289 for street use.

Neal

[bams50]

I agree with Tom; to me, attitude is more important than Stude-specific knowledge; that is, if a quality shop is willing to work with you instead of dismissing you with something like, "We don't do old stuff", you should be fine.

Robert K. Andrews Owner- IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2358680/1

[sbca96]

Neal,

That HP & torque max might be a little bit generous. The 200 in STOCK
form is not known for being used in performance applications. Except
for the Turbo Buicks (as Mike V. will point out), its going to need
some help to handle the torque a Stude makes (even stock 289). I will
direct you to this thread for more trans info:

http://www.studebakerdriversclub.com/sdc_forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6068

My '93 Camaro Z28 with "only" 275 hp has a 4L60 (upgraded 700-R4).

Tom

[Neal IN]

Well it seems I have some pondering to do.
I am planning (pending available funds) a 289 very much like the one being discussed over on the racing Studebaker forum.
I know I don't have any experience with these engines but I wouldn't expect a 289 with no more than 9 to 1 compression and the R2+ cam to make even the 275 your Z has.
The low first on the 700 would be really nice but without enough torque available the big drop to second would hurt overall performance.
Of course if the 200 trans has a habit of blowing up that would really hurt performance. I am going to the some salvage yards this weekend for other things so I guess I will find out what I can get a later model low mileage trans for and go from there.

Again thanks for the input on machine shops. I don't really know what is available in my area but I can check with some of the local car guys.

Thanks
Neal

[sbca96]

Neal,

In my Hawk years ago, I was running a 289, with 9.25:1 compression, a
276 "R3" cam, ported heads w/full flow stainless steel valves 1.92 on
the intake and stock size Stude exhaust, & an Edelbrock carb. I had a
Levesque adapter (now Steeltech) and used an 89 Camaro 700 R4 trans
with a shift kit/stock converter. The car would roast the tires into
third gear if I let it, and would bark 2nd gear on my usual takeoff.
I had it up to 125 mph at around 4000 rpm so I dont know what the top
end was. It was a VERY fun car to drive. I never got it on a dyno,
but it was estimated to be at least 1 hp per cubic inch (289 hp). It
sure felt like it. I raced an 80's Vette on the freeway and gave him
a beat down (thats gotta hurt). The 700 trans made the engine come
together, it was the single best performance upgrade I did. The stock
FOM trans was a dog, and the 2nd gear start was humorous. Also with
the 700 trans I was getting around 25 mpg. Was a 1960 Hawk = 3000 lbs?

Try www.recycler.com and www.craigslist.org

Tom

[Kdancy]

My machinest gave me a call just last week concerning a 63 289 motor from a cruiser that I was having him rebuild. I always have him line bore any block I take just to be sure all is okay. Anyway, he called to tell me he was glad I put "line bore" on the work order as he was not going to do it and hardly anyone has it done anymore. He didn't think it needed it until he ran the boring bar into the main cap area and did find one that had low - high spots in it. He also said -- "if it makes you feel any better, this stude block still had better specs than any chevy motor he had ever done". He builds a lot of race engines and does very good work, he is the one that I had rebuild the "just rebuilt" by previous owners, cursed purple hawk engine. He is in Gainesville Florida and knows Studebakers very well for anyone needing an engine shop in north Florida. J&K machine shop.


53commander HDTP
53 Champion HDTP
61 Cursed Purple Hawk
64 Champ long bed V8

[Neal IN]

Tom,

Wow that was quite the hotrod you had. Bet the guy in the corvette was having a fit.
I have an aluminum intake and expect I will use the often recommended 1405 Edelbrock carb. Pistons and bore will be determined by what the machine shop finds. If I have to bore it just to rebuild it I might as well go .060 over since I will have to buy new pistons anyway. Unless of course there is s huge difference in price. I believe that you mentioned in another message that 9 to 1 compression would probably be ok with the R2+ cam. I plan to use gapless rings and some type of electronic ignition. I would like to get the R3 valve heads from Fairborn but at $700 they may be out of reach unless I am prepared to give up something else. Initially I will probably gasket match the ports and maybe try to clen up the combustion chambers a bit.
I think I should probably invest in a burette so I can CC the chambers and pistons at TDC to get a starting point for compression.
Thank you for your help and suggestions.

Kdancy, Thanks for the info on the machine shop. It is to far away for me but may be a great find for another Stude person.

Neal