'51 Land Cruiser

[mbstude]

I've mentioned in a couple of other threads that the Cade family has decided to downsize their collection. Having a soft spot for '51's, and not wanting to miss out on the chance of owning one of Dr. Cade's Studebakers.. I thought about it for a couple of weeks and decided that I needed the '51 Land Cruiser. This one will be a keeper.

Doc bought the car in 1996 while at the SDC National Meet at the Queen Mary in Long Beach. They drove it home, and the following year it made the drive to the meet in South Bend. The seats were reupholstered, carpeting replaced, and air conditioning added.. But mostly it's been maintained as it was when purchased. The odometer is showing just shy of 63K miles. It was repainted some time long ago, otherwise it's an original car.

I don't have too much planned, mostly mechanical upgrades and maintenance items. Diamond Back tires, Turner discs, and new wiring from Lark Works have all been ordered. It'll probably be a couple of months (after the heat wave breaks) before I do anything with the car, but I'm looking forward to jumping in.

Best part? The AC works.

[Jerry Forrester]

This one will be a keeper.
]

Yeah, riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. I've heard that before.

[mbstude]

Yeah, riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. I've heard that before.

Hey, get back to zip tying your shoes.

There will probably be other cars that I buy and tinker with and sell. But it would be nice to have at least one that I hang onto.

[Jerry Forrester]

Hey, get back to zip tying your shoes.

There will probably be other cars that I buy and tinker with and sell. But it would be nice to have at least one that I hang onto.

I know what you mean, Every car I build, I say the same thing.
But this time I mean it. I'll never sell another Stude.

[rockne10]

Score Matt !!!
I wish I hadn't got rid of the '50 Land Cruiser, but the '51 V-8 in a 119 wheel base will be a joy.
I see it's still 6-volt, but with a Sanden 500 series and an early '60s evaporator. How did they rig that?

[mbstude]

Score Matt !!!
I wish I hadn't got rid of the '50 Land Cruiser, but the '51 V-8 in a 119 wheel base will be a joy.
I see it's still 6-volt, but with a Sanden 500 series and an early '60s evaporator. How did they rig that?

I think the compressor clutch was modified to operate on 6 volts, and the evaporator had 6 volt heater fan motors installed.

Or it's just magic.

[jclary]

I think the compressor clutch was modified to operate on 6 volts, and the evaporator had 6 volt heater fan motors installed.

Or it's just magic.

I'm curious about that too. I'm assuming that an air conditioner compressor clutch works from some kind of electromagnet principle. If that's the case, then is it possible that the clutch will work sufficiently with six volts as it does with 12 volts?

[52-fan]

Yeah, riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. I've heard that before.

Maybe we should start a pool on how long he keeps this one.

[mbstude]

When I bought the Avanti, it had a new set of 15x6 steel wheels installed. I think they might be the ones that the late Bob Helm was selling? Either way.. They worked great on that car with the Turner discs and factory wheel covers, which is the same setup I'll be running on the '51.

The Diamond Back tires (Toyo 225/75R15, 3" WW) showed up a couple of days ago. This weekend I dug out the wheels, removed the old tires, repainted them to match the '51, and mounted the new DB's. I still need to take them to a tire shop to have them balanced, but it's one thing checked off the to-do list.

[rockne10]

Diamond Back is a good deal; fresh name brand tires with your choice of white walls. The only car I haven't put them on is the '33.

[mbstude]

New shoes!

[Milaca]

Looks good Matt, I want a ride! Appears to have every exterior accessory except for a stainless-steel sunvisor...will you be adding one?

[mbstude]

Looks good Matt, I want a ride! Appears to have every exterior accessory except for a stainless-steel sunvisor...will you be adding one?

It doesn't have a visor, or fender skirts, or fog lights, or mud guards, or venetian blinds... I think it looks fine without any of that stuff.

[Colgate Studebaker]

I think it looks great just as it is Matt. Looking forward to seeing it again, enjoy. Bill

[Sam Ensley]

My neighbor had one exactly like yours around 1952 that he drove for years, From his road into the highway was a little grade. I remember the way the exhaust sounded as it set there idling, compliments of the hill holder. Beautiful car, Thanks for sharing.