Brought my 51 STUDEBAKER home today! A few pics.

[RUMBLON]

Was finally able to get my car hauler out of 2 ft of snow and picked up my Studebaker truck today. Lots os small rust issues and the cab corners but nothing I cant handle.

A few pics.

51 studebaker.

[studeclunker]

Looks to be in decent, if a bit picked over, shape. A good beginning to a fun project. What to you plan to do with the old fellow?

[62champ]

Looks like a nice truck body wise - those rear fenders seem to be "curb feelers" for some...look pretty good from you photos.

Keep the photos coming - love to see them.

[RUMBLON]

Looks to be in decent, if a bit picked over, shape. A good beginning to a fun project. What to you plan to do with the old fellow?

Im not real sure yet. Buy my intentions are a driver. Its missing a drivetrain and has a jacked up mustang two under it. I will do some measurments soon but if its close, it will get a Dodge dakota front end so its updated and maybe a 5.7 HEMI.

Im a mopar guy from way back so I know dodges well and for 30s 40s 50s plymouth and dodges the dakota matches like a glove. I have no idea on this Stude but its not getting any chevy parts on it. Worse case scenerio, 360 or 318, but who knows I may go nuts and install a REDRAM HEMI.

RUMBLON

[nebraska stude]

If it is going to be a driver, I'd go all Dakota. A 318 or even one of the newer V6s, with OD they would make the truck a very sweet dependable driver. A hemi, okay, but fuel mileage, and way overboard on power for a truck like this. All I ever got out of big engine pickups were speeding tickets, and a little fun.

[Mrs K Corbin]

looks like a good body to start with........ Use plenty of POR-15

[raprice]

From here, your truck looks pretty sound. Have fun.
Rog

[14x7]

good Luck with your truck. Get some rims you like and some radial tires , I guess . Others might chime in about that.

[RUMBLON]

Well, today I found this on CL a couple of hours away in Boise. I ran down and grabbed it for $200.00. It runs WELL, is the 318 Magnum EFI with auto and over drive. Im thinking this would be perfect for my studebaker truck. I can swap out the 6 lug front rotors for earlier mod 5x4.5 ones. And I have an 8 3/4 year end here with 5x.4.5

This truck has AC too.

[StudeRich]

A friend had a "C" Cab Stude. with that same frame and I believe it had wheel wells cut into the inside of the Stude. Bed to handle a narrower track rear end.

With the Instrument cluster, wiring and computers all installed, it worked out Ok.

[JRoberts]

I have seen on the web a few C-cab trucks that have been dropped down onto a complete Dakota chassis with engine, tranny and all. Nothing like this is a small project, but for folks that know how to do these things in seems to be a good option.

[52-fan]

If you commit to this swap, please take lots of pictures. I have seen some of these after the fact, but the details are hard to see by then.
One of our former chapter members put a 2R pickup on a Dakota chassis, but raised the cab and bed so he didn't have to cut the bed. It looked too tall to me.

[Pat Dilling]

That's an excellent choice, should have decent performance and mileage. Perfect for a driver, classic looks with updated performance and drivability. I am thinking you will need to shorten the frame from that extended cab Dakota to get the wheelbase right, but that should not be too difficult. Looking forward to watching your project.

[jclary]

With later model computerized engines, it is my understanding that the sensors (theoretically) are adjusted to optimize performance from the front of the engine to where the drive wheels meet the road. That includes fuel demand, rpm at a given speed, and gear ratios. If you re-skin that Dodge with the Studebaker sheet metal, it should give the best of both. A good fabricator, making the frame fit, hanging body support wings where they should be, keeping the footprint square, and fitting all the essential stuff neatly, should be exciting, challenging, and very rewarding. If you make it happen, I'm looking forward to the build. Please post lots of pictures.

[Corvanti]

subscribing to the thread for future pics.

good luck and have fun!!!