Unfortunately, I learned last week that my '64 Daytona convertible needs an entire engine rebuild. When I bought the car I was told the Studebaker 289 in it had been bored 30 over and fit with an R2 cam. It was running poorly (loss of power and exhaust backfire) so I took it in to a Studebaker specialist in Plaistow, NH (Jim Riddle - Timberlane Automotive). It has since been determined that the valves are shot, lifters are worn and that the car was never bored 30 over because it still has the original 289 pistons. It turns out that all that was done was an engine "honing" with over-sized rings installed.
I have put a lot of money into this car since buying it. New exhaust, new tires, new brakes, rear differential work, transmission work, electronic distributor, new front arm bushings, new rear leaf springs, dual master brake cylinder.....the list goes on. Also recently switched from an old Carter 2 bbl WCFB to a rebuilt Carter 4 bbl AFB (Dave Thibeault) with new intake manifold.
As you might guess, a complete engine rebuild won't be cheap. But....for those of you that have followed the threads on '64 Daytona convertibles....mine is the "Granatelli car," some I'm guessing I'm better off doing it right than just patching it up and selling it on.
My question for you all is....since I'm doing the entire rebuild anyway....should I just rebuild it to standard 289 specs or does it make more sense (for the nominal additional cost) to bring it up to R1 specs? Obviously, the car was not originally an R1 so I suppose to take it to R1 might detract from its originality. However...it was "originally" an automatic that is now fitted with a 4-speed with Hurst shifter and the 289 in it is not the 289 it was born with. So....in my view...since its already pretty well removed from "original"....bringing it to R1 isn't as much of a big deal.
Any advice or opinions greatly appreciated.
David Daoust
Stratham, NH
I have put a lot of money into this car since buying it. New exhaust, new tires, new brakes, rear differential work, transmission work, electronic distributor, new front arm bushings, new rear leaf springs, dual master brake cylinder.....the list goes on. Also recently switched from an old Carter 2 bbl WCFB to a rebuilt Carter 4 bbl AFB (Dave Thibeault) with new intake manifold.
As you might guess, a complete engine rebuild won't be cheap. But....for those of you that have followed the threads on '64 Daytona convertibles....mine is the "Granatelli car," some I'm guessing I'm better off doing it right than just patching it up and selling it on.
My question for you all is....since I'm doing the entire rebuild anyway....should I just rebuild it to standard 289 specs or does it make more sense (for the nominal additional cost) to bring it up to R1 specs? Obviously, the car was not originally an R1 so I suppose to take it to R1 might detract from its originality. However...it was "originally" an automatic that is now fitted with a 4-speed with Hurst shifter and the 289 in it is not the 289 it was born with. So....in my view...since its already pretty well removed from "original"....bringing it to R1 isn't as much of a big deal.
Any advice or opinions greatly appreciated.
David Daoust
Stratham, NH
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