First Step of the New Project

[Commander Eddie]

Dan,
It was great seeing you and Cathy again. Sorry it was such a short visit, and all the museums were closed on Monday. I was really hoping you would get to see Dave Bloomberg's Bonneville Avanti at World of Speed in Wilsonville.

Also, you forgot to mention how heavy that darned engine was. You and I are getting too old to manhandle stuff like that.

[SilverHawkDan]

So after almost two months we are putting the "SHOP" back together. This time it will be a shop not a catch all. Got the two Hawks moved in yesterday. Here are some photos for you to enjoy. Tomorrow is a big meeting day to plan the build up of the Bonneville project. My Hawk will lose its body on Monday or Tuesday and then it will go to its new home. Then the President will be coming over on Wednesday so the body can be taken off of it. It will be fast and furious from here on out.




Dan

[SilverHawkDan]

And so it begins. Today I finally got to work on the Hawk. Got the Power Hawk jacked up and on stands ready for Monday. Removed the trunk lid, fins, dash and steering column.


Removed the body bolts and tested to make sure it is free. Its ready to remove next week. Thought I would take a look at the power brake unit installation project before the body comes off.


It is easier than I thought it would be. Thought it looked easy because of the Dodge frame so I looked and measured the Power Hawk. This is about a days work on the Stude frame if you have an automatic. A stick would be a little more challenging. So I am ready to move forward with the body removal and then suspension and frame work then on goes the new body. Sure is good to be back in the shop and the new look and feel is awesome. More on Monday.
Dan

[SilverHawkDan]

So today the donor body for the Land Speed race car was delivered. It looks to be a pretty solid car that has some rust issues but nothing terrible. The perfect start to a full on race car. This car "saved" the Power Hawk body. Friday we hope to get the body ready to lift off and prepped for media blasting. The frame will move over one bay for modifications to the front clip and a straight axle suspension installation.








Kathy and I would like to wish each of you a very Happy Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for this year and we hope you do too.

[SilverHawkDan]

Great work day. Cargo container better organized. Work bench shortened and painted. Power Hawk master cylinder removed, rebuilt and re installed. Brakes are working great again. Seat belts installed. Drivers side engine mount replaced. Fabrication started on the mount for the electric hoist for the gantry crane. Hope to start lifting bodies of frames on Monday. Got my old tool box emptied. Mt pit crew for today, three of my Grand Kids, cleaned it up and then I told them I was giving it to their dad. An early Christmas present. Bolt and nut storage system installed by grand daughter. Turns out she loves working with power tools.





Hope to have the Power Hawk road ready by tomorrow. Call the insurance company on Monday and hopefully begin the aero testing on Tuesday. Road testing during the day and body removing at night. Life is good.
Dan

[drrotor]

Very entertaining and interesting to follow this thread. Keep it coming!

[SilverHawkDan]

So work began today on the 55 President that will serve as the foundation for the Bonneville race car. Got the rear bumper removed, rear fenders off, the front and back windshields cut out, the door and quarter glass removed and finally the doors removed. Ready to remove the body which will happen on Tuesday. Good to have the shop set up and actually working on projects.





So more as it happens
Dan

[SilverHawkDan]

Got the Silver Hawk body moved to the front of the shop today. Love that gantry crane. Hope to get it loaded on the trailer tomorrow to take it to its new home. Sad to see it go but excited for the future of the Thunder Hawk.

Got the body parts all set out so they can be loaded into the cars that they will go with. Parts to 55 will go to media blaster and parts for the Silver Hawk will be loaded into it before we load it on the trailer.

Picked up another one of these great heavy duty shelves from Costco this weekend. Only $ 149.95 and very well made and let me tell you heavy. Added some 7.99 casters from HF and it now meets the requirements of the shop.

Same goes for the cut off saw and the drill press. Found a Black and Decker Workmate and added a piece of plywood and a 7.99 HF dolly and it too is shop compliant.

So work continues. More with pictures as it happens.
Dan

[DougHolverson]

I'd like to know more about that boosted master cylinder that you got under the floor boards.

[SilverHawkDan]

Doug, I purchased the unit from Speedway Motors part number 9106005 for $ 249.99. I think one of the other ones would work better on a Stude as this one is designed to be mounted to the inside of the frame. But I am going to make it work. I will cut off the pedal pivot and weld it to a bracket to bolt it to the top of the frame so the pedal operates in the original position. Then the rest will be fabbed so that it pushes the piston on the master. I hope I can post pictures before years end as we plan on taking the Power Hawk apart and mounting it on my frame during the Christmas break when I have the help of my grandsons. When it happens you can depend on the story with pictures to be posted here. I learned a lot when I installed one of these units on the 1952 Studebaker R11 truck. It had a clutch so it was much more challenging. But as you can tell I do love a challenge.

[SilverHawkDan]

Got the body unblolted from the frame today. But it was not easy. Even had to cut the head off of one of the bolts as the square nut was spinning inside the frame. Lifted it up and removed the fuel tank.


The torque boxes are in great shape which is good news as they are a pain to replace.




So now it is sitting back on the frame awaiting its turn to be loaded on the trailer for its visit to the media blaster. Loaded the body parts that will go with it to be blasted. So more as it happens.
Dan

[Noxnabaker]

These boxes got me wondering... so I went out in the barn & looked under my pals -54 Starlight & that car doesn't have any, is it only for V8's or even only for supercharged Studebakers?

[SilverHawkDan]

Nox,

Good to hear from you bud. No the torque boxes are used on the Hardtops and not on the coupes and sedans. They were added to strengthen the body and make up for the lack of the pillar. How is your Stude project coming along?
Dan

[SilverHawkDan]

Took this picture right before I left the other night. Too cool like a flash back in history.

Enjoy.

[Buzzard]

Dan, I truly admire your dedication and perseverance. Your posts keep me inspired. I too have probably (according to my missus) way more than I should have on my plate. At home I'm currently hoping to get to fruition my '70 Avanti hot rod, a 1983 Avanti 305 replacement in the form of 406 CID, a more street-able motor for my '63 GT, finishing my '59 Lark HT(almost there) and while I winter in Arizona, my 57 Clipper wagon. I may not get everything to the finished state but giving it a good try keeps me going.
Keep up the great work and thanks for the updates.
Bill