Introduction follow up

[289Champ]

I appreciate the welcoming comments, even though my original post disappeared. It looks like mine was not the only one.
I had someone say that they sent some information regarding a local chapter. I don't have any private messages, now that I figured out how to get to them.
I did get my engine from Jamie McLeod in Fayetteville, although the purchase was made through another fellow. I'll let Jamie go in to that if he so chooses.
My Champ now has a 4:10 gear and even with the overdrive, it carries more RPMs
that I'm really comfortable with at road speeds. I would love to change gears but don't want to go too far the other way, compromising power and acceleration. What gears would you suggest?
I have been reading the forum going back quite a way, and it looks like there are a lot of great folks here. I will say that I tend to speak my mind and I hope I don't offend anyone, and if I do, please let me know.

[2R5]

When you say Champ , is this the Champ truck? If so I have one with a 289 OD trams and a 427 ratio rearends and Im very pleased with hyway rpm and we've been driving this set up for over 15 years now

[289Champ]

Well, my wife just read what I wrote and she told me that I should probably reintroduce myself, since my first post disappeared.
My name is Bob McDonald. I am a retired electrical contractor and I live near Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. My family has always had a Stude around and I "inherited" a 1963 Champ from my Father. While the body and interior was in pretty good shape, the 259 was weak, noisy and leaked more oil than it used. I purchased a 289 engine and installed it. I have run the wheels off of my Champ and It has never run so well, and so far , no oil leaks! I will try to go out and take some pictures later to day and try to put them on here. My computer skills are quite lacking.

[Warren Webb]

Welcome Bob! Just so you know, it's kind of a running joke in here that if a Studebaker doesn't leak oil, then it must be empty! Seriously though, if your doesn't leak think of your self as very blessed. Both my Champs have a 4:10 rear. The 61 I've run on the freeway but I don't go over 70 with it. The 62 has overdrive in 5th gear. It's a lower rpm but the overdrive isn't that much of a difference. You hardly notice it. I'd hook up a temporary tach to it & see just how many rpms your turning at what speed, then decide what you want to do.

[2R5]

Gotta love those Champs !
I'm just getting mine back together after a new paint job , it needed it after about 17 years since its original resto........ Look forward in seeing yours

[starliner62]

Glad to see you made it back from the disappearing threads. Must be the black helicopters!

[52-fan]

I can't imagine a 4:10 being too low with a working overdrive. My old Champion had 4:56 gears and easily ran 70 MPH. A 289 with your combo should work really well for normal use.

[289Champ]

I will pick up a tachometer tomorrow and see what kind of rpms it's turning.

[62champ]

The OD drops the final ratio down by .7 from the direct 1.0 - so with overdrive engaged, the truck has a final ratio of 2.87.

Back in the early sixties, my father had a tach in his '53 Commander Starlight that had a 4.56 rear. In OD, he said it was showing just over 3000 rpms at 90 mph... On the other hand, my grandparents had a '62 Lark that was V8/3 spOD/3.07 rear end - word is it would actually run faster in straight third than in OD - too high of a ratio in OD...

[Corvanti]

Welcome back. our local club is the "ENCSDC" and you would be welcomed!!!

Jamie might have the info to send regarding our club and some online newsletters to share.

looking forward to pics!

[JRoberts]

Bob, I am glad that you found your way back after the dubious introduction to the forum (disappearing posts and all that stuff). In case you did not get to read my post before it disappeared, I am the editor of ENCSDC's newsletter, The Down Easterner. Our chapter encompasses the eastern part of the state. If you would PM me with your email address I would be glad to send you the August edition of the newsletter complete with membership application form. If you have any questions give me a ring at 910-484-2512 or email at studebakerjoe65@gmail.com I look forward to hearing from you and hopefully meeting you in person at one of our events very soon.

By-the-way I have a Champ with an R1 289 engine. I use a 3spd/od tranny and a 3:73 this combo is great on the highway and also works well around town.

[289Champ]

Thanks Joe. My email is 289chapm@gmail.com. I'm tying up some loose ends from my retirement and then will plan on meeting you at some events!

[StudeRich]

Sometimes reducing the Noise in the Truck will help a lot to ease the worries that you are over-revving the Engine.

It comes from many places from exhaust leaks to insufficient insulation, to holes/leaks in the firewall around the wiring, Cables, Linkages etc.

A 4.09 WITH overdrive should be a quite acceptable Ratio for a Truck with a V8, is Joe's 3.73 a little better for Interstate use, sure but not worth changing it to go only ONE Ratio Higher.

Depending on what year and if it is a 1/2 or 3/4 Ton, your's is better than most. The later 1/2 Ton V8's came standard with 4.27 and 259 Engines when Overdrive was opted for.

[TWChamp]

Thanks Joe. My email is 289chapm@gmail.com. I'm tying up some loose ends from my retirement and then will plan on meeting you at some events!

Is your email correct, or did the "pm" get reversed?

[289Champ]

Oops, I old and my fingers don't want to type right. 289champ@gmail.com.
Thanks Rich. I am in the middle of putting my tach in. Who knows what is behind the rear end cover? My old man was notorious for changing things around. I guess I need to pull the cover off and count teeth!