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58 Packard restomod....Please don't shoot me..

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  • #16
    Yep Daffy, I guess we will have to shoot you!
    StudeRich
    Second Generation Stude Driver,
    Proud '54 Starliner Owner
    SDC Member Since 1967

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    • #17
      Don't bank on selling your resto-modded for big bucks. Actually you will have money and aggravation in it trying to save bucks by using a more modern frame/suspension/engine and drive train swap <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< This stuff is sometimes available at give-away price, I know. The car will probably be worth more in stock restored condition unless you are a Chip Foose type garage cause Boyd is no longer with us. Just my opinion. If you are a hands on type and know how to shop stude you can easily do a resto of your Packardbaker which is as stock allready miles ahead of or up there with a whole lotta 50's cars. Ask someone about a Packardbaker properly restored as stock with not even any upgrades. Ain't no crappo 50's mobile. I'll however be glad to have any scrap iron in the way of Stude parts. Nobody wan'ts that stuff but me. If you do a brand X frame swap make sure your frame/ chassis is proper sized to match you wheel openings/fenders. They look better this way. We don't wanta hafta shoot your car when youre done. Have you considered making a 4 wheel drive? cheers and post pictures. jimmijim
      sigpicAnything worth doing deserves your best shot. Do it right the first time. When you're done you will know it. { I'm just the guy who thinks he knows everything, my buddy is the guy who knows everything.} cheers jimmijim*****SDC***** member

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      • #18
        keep it stock or mod stock

        I bought an old 59 Silver Hawk back in 2000 with the intention of building a modern powered rod out of it (much like your idea). As the years went by the car sat and I could never afford to build the modern frame to drop the Ls1 and trany into. So the car sat in storage for years and eventually I was forced to sell the Ls1 and trans as I realized I could never afford the time or money it costs to build a modern rod. Besides the cost of such a project, I grew tired of LS1 or older 350 powered rods. In fact now when I see such a car I am instantly turned off by it. I would honestly just keep your car stock or build a turbo powered 289 for it (like me) and be the center of attention at car shows. Although practical, the modern powered hot rods are boring in my opinion.

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        • #19
          To: Daffy427,----I go back a long way with that car, and for that reason and because it really is so darn rare, I hope You consider a 'stock' restoration. It may seem overwhelming now, but if You take Your time
          with it...You can do it. Lifting the body up off the frame after You pull the nose off may be a good move. Make the frame and suspension repairs first, then move to the body. Don't sweat any rare parts You may not
          have the money to buy right now. They'll more than likely still be around later. That Packard Hawk engine was supercharged once....and could be again! That would raise a few eyebrows at shows, and still be
          'all Studebaker' (er..Packard). Good luck, and once again YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!

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          • #20
            zakly my sentimernts in less words but some may need it spelled out. Lead a horse to water but if he ain't thirsty or got blinders on he probably won't drink. cheers jimmijim
            sigpicAnything worth doing deserves your best shot. Do it right the first time. When you're done you will know it. { I'm just the guy who thinks he knows everything, my buddy is the guy who knows everything.} cheers jimmijim*****SDC***** member

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            • #21
              Look , here's the thing , you are the custodian of the '58 Packard Wagon for the future .

              It is your car , so you can do what you like with and to it . I just think that a historically

              significant vehicle such as you have should be kept as close to 'stock' as you can do it.

              And there are plenty of mechanical parts available , NOS and NORS , to enable this !

              CRUISER

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              • #22
                I do agree that chevy stuff has been done to death and the LS stuff is not nice to look at anyway but it functions very well. I guess in perfect world I could do the GM chassis with the Studebaker engine with an updated trans. Primitive automatics are a huge turn off for me as are king pin suspensions. If I only wanted to keep local with the car the old stuff isn't that bad I guess. What I don't want is something that I have to fix every time I want to drive it.

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                • #23
                  Why would king pins that last (in my personal experiences with my own Studebakers) over 350,000 trouble free miles, scare you? I guess you like C**vy crap that has to be replaced every 30,000 miles (again my personal actual world experiences with both Dodge and GM).
                  Every few days there is a post about someone that has just bought their first Studebaker, and they think because nearly 50 years has passed since the last ones rolled off the assembly line, that they must replace it with something newer. My first reply is "Have you ever driven a good rebuilt Studebaker suspension"? I have never driven one that has been converted to something else, that was any better than stock. That is after many thousands of dollars were spent on them to "make it handle ". Don't be sacred by Studebaker engineering. It worked very well when new, and still does if it's in good shape.
                  It will always be less expensive to renew stock than to convert to something else.
                  Last edited by bezhawk; 07-14-2012, 08:01 AM.
                  Bez Auto Alchemy
                  573-318-8948
                  http://bezautoalchemy.com


                  "Don't believe every internet quote" Abe Lincoln

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                  • #24
                    Daffy427,
                    My plan for my '59 Lark is very similar to what you have in mind, though mine will be more "mod" than "resto". If your car was a '59 Lark wagon, I don't think we'd even be having this discussion.

                    I understand 100% why you want to build your Packwagon in the way you're envisioning it.

                    I, too, want my car to be visually tied to the '50s, but have the reliability (some call it "boring") and comfort (some call it "boring") of a vehicle built in 2012.

                    I plan to use my Lark as my daily transportation for decades after I complete its renovation. I've done the 70-year-old technology thing already. It had its time and place, but I've moved on. There are a lot more competent, reliable, and efficient mechanical systems out there. I don't see why I shouldn't be able to enjoy them in my Lark.

                    And I also appreciate those out there who want to preserve and repair the technologies that their vehicles were born with. More power to them (metaphorically speaking)! That game just isn't for me. And, when finished, my Lark will afford me as many (if not more) opportunities to spread the gospel of Studebaker!
                    ~Matt Connor
                    '59 Lark 2-door

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                    • #25
                      Idk, maybe its because Im a young man, but I think the whole point of owning an older car is to experience the joy of driving it and maintaining it. To me the nostalgia of an old car over shadows anything modern on the road today. They look cooler, sound cooler, and better build quality (these parts were meant to last and are repairable not just replaceable like modern parts.). I really dont understand how someone could think that by adding new parts that are designed to fail after a certain amount of miles is going to improve the overall reliability of of an older vehicle? Im just lucky GM warrants their products as I have had three that the motors went to junk after 30k. Anyway, I guess what Im trying to say is, if you want a modern car then buy one. Just leave the old rare ones alone so guys like me can enjoy them for what makes them so special.

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                      • #26
                        I'd be thinking Jaguar XJ frame and suspensions.

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                        • #27
                          If you're going to do it, do it right and replace the entire engine, drivetrain and chassis and keep it as stock looking as possible. You can then sell the original chassis, engine and drivetrain as a rolling package.

                          Art Morrison in Fife , WA is an award-winning chassis fabricator and a while back he was working on a long wheelbase chassis prototype for Studebacker restomods. I think one of the company employees, or a wife or sister or something of one of the employees, has an old Stude and they were designing a chassis for it. Morrison's chassis are not cheap - about $13K or more, but you end up with a brand new engineered state of the art chassis, suspension and braking system that will be reinforced in all the right places so it doesn't flex or twist like the original. Add a crate motor, Dynaflo exhaust system, good rims and tires and you're halfway there without spending hundreds of hours cutting, sweating and fabricating on that half of the job. Shipping costs would be the same as it would cost to ship any car clear across the country from one corner to the other; but you'll be able to save your energy for the substantial task ahead of you that will be restoring that body and interior.
                          Last edited by hausdok; 07-14-2012, 12:01 PM.
                          Mike O'Handley, Cat Herder Third Class
                          Kenmore, Washington
                          hausdok@msn.com

                          '58 Packard Hawk
                          '05 Subaru Baja Turbo
                          '71 Toyota Crown Coupe
                          '69 Pontiac Firebird
                          (What is it with me and discontinued/orphan cars?)

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                          • #28
                            Points well taken. Let;s move on. Fella is going to do what makes sense to him and initally was just fishing for a buyer for his unwanted stuff. I'll give ya 50 cent sir. jimmijim
                            Last edited by jimmijim8; 07-14-2012, 04:07 PM.
                            sigpicAnything worth doing deserves your best shot. Do it right the first time. When you're done you will know it. { I'm just the guy who thinks he knows everything, my buddy is the guy who knows everything.} cheers jimmijim*****SDC***** member

                            Comment


                            • #29
                              Originally posted by hausdok View Post
                              If you're going to do it, do it right and replace the entire engine, drivetrain and chassis and keep it as stock looking as possible. You can then sell the original chassis, engine and drivetrain as a rolling package.

                              Art Morrison in Fife , WA is an award-winning chassis fabricator and a while back he was working on a long wheelbase chassis prototype for Studebacker restomods. I think one of the company employees, or a wife or sister or something of one of the employees, has an old Stude and they were designing a chassis for it. Morrison's chassis are not cheap - about $13K or more, but you end up with a brand new engineered state of the art chassis, suspension and braking system that will be reinforced in all the right places so it doesn't flex or twist like the original. Add a crate motor, Dynaflo exhaust system, good rims and tires and you're halfway there without spending hundreds of hours cutting, sweating and fabricating on that half of the job. Shipping costs would be the same as it would cost to ship any car clear across the country from one corner to the other; but you'll be able to save your energy for the substantial task ahead of you that will be restoring that body and interior.
                              On this subject, forum member ralt12 has a Morrison chassis under his 53 and is a spectacular project. If this interests you just search ralt12.

                              Bob

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                              • #30
                                Bob,

                                Found that. It's a great example for Daffy to get some ideas. http://nelson-motorsports.com/studebaker.htm
                                Mike O'Handley, Cat Herder Third Class
                                Kenmore, Washington
                                hausdok@msn.com

                                '58 Packard Hawk
                                '05 Subaru Baja Turbo
                                '71 Toyota Crown Coupe
                                '69 Pontiac Firebird
                                (What is it with me and discontinued/orphan cars?)

                                Comment

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