Engine: Will this work? 259 Engine to transmission question.

[Never Enough Studebakers]

Will a 259 engine (V532005 Late '61 Lark) that is mounted to a automatic transmission mate up to a T-98 manual from a '61 Champ pickup? Was there a crankshaft difference in these 259's when it came to being used with an automatic versus manual transmission?

[sals54]

The flex plate bolts on the auto are not long enough to mount the flywheel. You would need to remove the rear mail cap and swap out the crank bolts for the longer type of the manual transmission.
But the crankshafts are the same.

[PackardV8]

It's not clearly stated, but is the Champ to be the recipient of the Lark V8?

1. You'll need truck motor mounts, 4-speed bellhousing, flywheel, clutch disc, pressure plate, throwout bearing, fork, linkage, clutch pedal.

2. All Stude cranks are drilled for pilot bearings, so if yours doesn't have one, it's easy to install.

Then, it gets sticky:

3. Studes use shorter bolts for the AT flexplate. To install a flywheel, it's necessary to drop the oil pan and replace the short bolts with longer correct flywheel bolts.

4. Studebaker bellhousings must be dial indicated to match the engine block. Follow the Shop Manual procedure carefully.

5. IIRC, the 4-speed uses a different transmission cover, different parking brake system and a different rubber floor mat.

6. The 4-speed driveshaft is different than the AT. If the truck came with a 4-speed, you may have all that; we just can't assume until you clarify.

jack vines

[Jerry Forrester]

The flex plate bolts on the auto are not long enough to mount the flywheel. You would need to remove the rear mail cap and swap out the crank bolts for the longer type of the manual transmission.
But the crankshafts are the same.

It's a shame everybody don't follow the rules. This is what Buttercup's flywheel attachment looked like when I bought him.

[Never Enough Studebakers]

@ Jack Vines,

It's not clearly stated, but is the Champ to be the recipient of the Lark V8? Actually I got the engine and transmission, and drive shaft out of a '61 Champ and its going into my '52 R10.

1. You'll need truck motor mounts, 4-speed bellhousing, flywheel, clutch disc, pressure plate, throw out bearing, fork, linkage, clutch pedal. All of these items came with the Champ engine. The champ was a 1/2 with the T-98 in it.

2. All Stude cranks are drilled for pilot bearings, so if yours doesn't have one, it's easy to install.

Then, it gets sticky:

3. Studes use shorter bolts for the AT flexplate. To install a flywheel, it's necessary to drop the oil pan and replace the short bolts with longer correct flywheel bolts.

4. Studebaker bellhousings must be dial indicated to match the engine block. Follow the Shop Manual procedure carefully. I'll try to find this info, I think I might have the shop manual in my collection some where.

5. IIRC, the 4-speed uses a different transmission cover, different parking brake system and a different rubber floor mat.

6. The 4-speed driveshaft is different than the AT. If the truck came with a 4-speed, you may have all that; we just can't assume until you clarify. The '61 Champ came with one drive shaft, fairly long. But should there have been a short drive shaft as well with a support bearing? That I did not get. UPDATE: I went and looked at the drive shaft that I got and it was definitely a two piece. Not sure if the short shaft from my '52 2R10 is the same length?

[Jerry Forrester]

3. Studes use shorter bolts for the AT flexplate. To install a flywheel, it's necessary to drop the oil pan and replace the short bolts with longer correct flywheel bolts.

You don't HAVE to remove the oil pan. Use a ziz wheel and cut the heads off the flywheel bolts. Tap the holes with a 7/16 tap and use Chevy flywheel bolts. I believe this is a Ted Harbit trick.

[bensherb]

You don't HAVE to remove the oil pan. Use a ziz wheel and cut the heads off the flywheel bolts. Tap the holes with a 7/16 tap and use Chevy flywheel bolts. I believe this is a Ted Harbit trick.

Is this comonly done and acceptable? Is there enough thickness in the crank flange given the recess in the back of it for the stock bolt heads?

I had considered tapping the crank and just using bolts because the Stude bolts and nuts hit the back of my GM torque converter. I found some slightly thinner locking nuts and ground down the bolts a bit to clear, but am still not commited to them at this point.

[RDWEAVER]

I think I heard one time sombody was going to spotface the bolt holes in the flywheel deep enough to utilize the full depth of thread in the nuts. Not sure if they did this and if it worked.

[PackardV8]

Yes, all three shortcuts have worked in the short run.

jack vines