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  • #91
    Originally posted by Treblig View Post
    Now that makes sense!! Did anyone accuse you of butchering your car to make it better??

    treblig
    pay no never-mind to the negativity... seems to me you`re spending tons of time on this thread justifying why you're building your ride (oops, daughter`s) the way you are...kinda like beating your head against a wall...just going to end up with a headache. I`ve been following this thread with a lot of interest because you`re new to the forum and have injected some much needed (IMO) enthusiasm and energy. I admire that you are a mover and shaker in the fact that you are progressing with this build at a good rate, much quicker than the rest of us.... Keep walking the walk! A number of us forum members have modified cars and are more than willing to share what`s worked for us. Keep sharing your progress! cheers, junior
    sigpic
    1954 C5 Hamilton car.

    Comment


    • #92
      Originally posted by junior View Post
      pay no never-mind to the negativity... seems to me you`re spending tons of time on this thread justifying why you're building your ride (oops, daughter`s) the way you are...kinda like beating your head against a wall...just going to end up with a headache. I`ve been following this thread with a lot of interest because you`re new to the forum and have injected some much needed (IMO) enthusiasm and energy. I admire that you are a mover and shaker in the fact that you are progressing with this build at a good rate, much quicker than the rest of us.... Keep walking the walk! A number of us forum members have modified cars and are more than willing to share what`s worked for us. Keep sharing your progress! cheers, junior
      Fully agree with Junior! Treblig, I admire that you are taking the high road with these trolls. I don't think I would be as understanding and patient.
      Paul
      Winston-Salem, NC
      Visit The Studebaker Skytop Registry website at: www.studebakerskytop.com

      Comment


      • #93
        Treblig, years ago I had a 60 Hawk, loved that car. I installed a three spoke wood steering wheel on it from a 66 Torino GT. Nice wheel, don't remember the diameter exactly but it would have been about the same as that t-bird wheel. The hub diameter was nearly the same as the Hawk (covered column ok), splines were the same, shaft size the same. The prongs to cancel the turn signal needed to be adjusted, the horn slip ring was different had to make a part.

        For safety, when you make the intermediate shaft to reconnect the steering from the rack and pinion to the original Hawk column, use a slip shaft so that in the event of a front end collision the column will not be pushed up toward the driver. Seat belts, seat belts, seat belts, with shoulder harness. If those pickup seats have contact switches in them wire them into the start/run circuit so that she can't take off without buckling up. (Sorry, we just lost a grandson a few months ago to a stupid accident where he would have been saved with a seat belt on.)

        The batwing is that big cross member that goes under the front cowl and the transmission bolts to.

        Good luck with your project man! Safety first.
        Dave.

        Comment


        • #94
          Originally posted by Treblig View Post
          Now that makes sense!! Did anyone accuse you of butchering your car to make it better??

          treblig
          I've had a number of comments, both positive and negative. Generally the good outweigh the bad. The fact of the matter is, though, it's my car -- my project -- and when its done I think all would be appreciative.
          Having said that, the only person I answer to is me.
          '53 Commander
          Art Morrison chassis
          LS6 ASA/4L60E

          Comment


          • #95
            Originally posted by dtracy View Post
            Treblig, years ago I had a 60 Hawk, loved that car. I installed a three spoke wood steering wheel on it from a 66 Torino GT. Nice wheel, don't remember the diameter exactly but it would have been about the same as that t-bird wheel. The hub diameter was nearly the same as the Hawk (covered column ok), splines were the same, shaft size the same. The prongs to cancel the turn signal needed to be adjusted, the horn slip ring was different had to make a part.

            For safety, when you make the intermediate shaft to reconnect the steering from the rack and pinion to the original Hawk column, use a slip shaft so that in the event of a front end collision the column will not be pushed up toward the driver. Seat belts, seat belts, seat belts, with shoulder harness. If those pickup seats have contact switches in them wire them into the start/run circuit so that she can't take off without buckling up. (Sorry, we just lost a grandson a few months ago to a stupid accident where he would have been saved with a seat belt on.)

            The batwing is that big cross member that goes under the front cowl and the transmission bolts to.

            Good luck with your project man! Safety first.
            Dave.

            That's very interesting Dave!!! I've been waiting patiently for someone to give me information on what wheels will work in place of my original. There are companies who make the smaller 15" wheel (in the original shape with smaller horn ring as well) but I've only found them to fit T-birds and Chevys (in the smaller version). I don't mind spending $350 on a nice smaller wheel since I'm saving so much by doing most of the mechanical and manufacturing work myself. 66 Torino GT...amazing. I don't mind doing any minor mods or adjustments. The pics I've seen of the 56/57 T-Bird wheel (the smaller version) makes me think that it will fit with minor mods. I'll start cruising ebay for a Torino wheel and check them out!!!

            And yes, I usually use a collapsible shaft section when it's possible!! Thanks for reminding me!! I'm sorry for your loss, that type of thing is terrible (I know). No interconnecting switches on the GM seats.. They automatically lock up on impact and if you pull on them quickly (like in an accident). No buzzer or interconnect with ignition.

            Thanks for the bat wing info. I was under the car the other day and that cross member kinda looked like a bat's wing but I wasn't sure.
            I managed to crawl under the car today and took these pics:

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            They didn't come out as clear as they should have because I was upside down trying to hold the camera and the light with one hand while I held the triangle in the other. Some had asked about the box and that they couldn't see it in the pics posted earlier. Here you can see the seat belt bolt coming out at an angle....actually the bolt is coming straight down through an angled piece of floor (the foot well). The angular block I made will allow the nut to tighten against a flat (horizontal) surface. The strength of a bolt can be compromised by the forcing the nut or the head up against a non flat (or in this case horizontal surface). In other words, the darn thing needs be to square to the hole!! And no, I'm not talking about sex!!!!
            Now I'll just weld my plates to these angle boxes, drill a hole through them and install....more to come on some grade 8 captured nuts. These will be attached to the plates so one person can remove the seat bolts from above without having to hold the nut from below!!
            Thanks!!!
            treblig

            Comment


            • #96
              Seat bolt captured nuts!!

              Ok, the problem I usually run into on all my hot rods it that you need a reinforced floor where the seat bolts tighten. The other issue is that you should use grade 8 bolts and grade 8 nuts. Since you're not supposed to weld on grade 8 nuts (the excessive heat can hurt their hardness) I came up with an idea. I need to attach the nuts to the plates under the car so that I don't have to have help when I remove and install the seats to install the new brake pedal, install the shifter cable and also when I remove/re-install the seats to take them to the upholstery guy. Anyway, I thought about it for a while and came up with a nice solution. I found some box iron in my garage today and it happened to be 3/4" ID, this is the exact size of the nut (OD). So I figured..... I cut a short section of the box iron, and castellate it. Being is how the nut is not square (it's a hexagon) on the outside I ground two opposing points down to 3/4" this way the nut will slide into the box iron. Then all I have to do is drill a 1/2" hole in the plate center the piece of box iron on the hole and weld it on. Once it cools I can drop the nut into the box and peen the castellated ears down over the nut. No heat applied to the grade 8 nut and it's captured permanently. There's no way the nut can turn inside the box and it will still float around just enough to make it easy to start the bolts. I also plan to grind a mild taper (chamfer) on the ends of the bolts so they find their way easier into the threads of the nut. Grinding on the grade 8 nuts and bolts doesn't harm them at all as long as you cool them in water when they get hot enough to feel it in your fingers as you grind. If you clamp a nut or a bolt in a vice and hit it with a grinder you'll never know if it's getting too hot!! Your fingers will tell PDQ!!

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              Now all I'll have to do is locate the plate w/nut, install the bolt from the topside and drill and pop rivet the plate in place where it will stay. Undercoat and I'm done. More pics as I weld/peen them together.
              I good way to spend a Saturday!!!!

              PS - Wish I had thought of this years ago................

              Treblig
              Last edited by Treblig; 05-02-2015, 06:00 PM.

              Comment


              • #97
                I have been reading your thread with interest, nice work.
                Ignore the trolls, they lack creativity and have a myopic view of anything not available in the shop manual.
                As some of the more reasoned posters to this thread have stated, your car your build.... move forward.
                http://www.julianos.com/ hot rods has seat belt plates for under the floor designed not to tear the floor in the event of use.
                Bill Foy
                1000 Islands, Ontario
                1953 Starlight Coupe

                Comment


                • #98
                  Here's a copy of that page in Juliano's catalog...

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                  Originally posted by Captain Billy View Post
                  I have been reading your thread with interest, nice work.
                  Ignore the trolls, they lack creativity and have a myopic view of anything not available in the shop manual.
                  As some of the more reasoned posters to this thread have stated, your car your build.... move forward.
                  http://www.julianos.com/ hot rods has seat belt plates for under the floor designed not to tear the floor in the event of use.
                  HTIH (Hope The Info Helps)

                  Jeff


                  Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please. Mark Twain



                  Note: SDC# 070190 (and earlier...)

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                  • #99
                    Originally posted by Treblig View Post
                    That's very interesting Dave!!! I've been waiting patiently for someone to give me information on what wheels will work in place of my original. There are companies who make the smaller 15" wheel (in the original shape with smaller horn
                    treblig
                    Hi Treblig, put this into the E-bay search....
                    "57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 STUDEBAKER NEW STEERING WHEEL + HORN BUTTON"
                    and an (I think) attractive wheel to suit appears for $150, in either 13 1/2" or 14 3/4".
                    Seller is "morestufftoo" from Rhode Island.
                    There are several others on ebay to suit Jeep or T'Bird that appear to use the same Grant boss kit so as to fit Studebaker as well.
                    Happy hunting. Quentin

                    Comment


                    • Revelation!!!!!!!!!

                      Originally posted by DEEPNHOCK View Post
                      Here's a copy of that page in Juliano's catalog...

                      [ATTACH=CONFIG]43391[/ATTACH]

                      Thanks guys!! Those belt bolt plates would work great for the underside if the car. The bolts they sell at Julianos will only work on some of the holes. Some of the bolts need to be 4" long because of the foot well and some of the bolts have to be either allen bolts or those special Torx bolts. The way the seats are designed you can only use a bolt with a very small diameter head or it won't go down into the pocket under the Chevy seat (that's why the factory uses the Torx bolts). I'll post some pics later today so you can see what I'm talking about. So the plates sold by Julianos are great and I appreciate the info. I've already manufactured the ones I need (yesterday) so I may as well finish what I started. Beside my plates are little larger than the ones in the catalog so they should offer a little more support. Wait a minute...................I just got hit by a lightening bolt!!!.........Now that I've been writing about this........I noticed that the factory Chevy seats use a metric bolt a little larger than 1/2". The Juliano bolt is only 7/16" (smaller than 1/2"). I think the factory uses a larger bolt on the shoulder harness seats because of the way the seats are designed to stop you from going forward which gives the the seat GREAT leverage against the rear bolts. Leverage that would not normally be experienced using regular lap belts or three point belts. The tallness of the seat where the top of the belt retracts into causes the body to exert tremendous force (leverage) against the top of the seat.
                      My point is....if the factory engineers figured that the seats required a bolt a little larger than 1/2" then who am I to argue?? You folks have given me a revelation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Up until today I used 1/2" or larger bolts on shoulder harness seat belts because I was simply imitating what the factory did (error on the side of safety). But now I'm realizing that A LARGER BOLT is not only needed, it's absolutely necessary for shoulder harness seats. Think about the added leverage the 39" tall seat exerts on the rear bolts with a 250 person sitting in the seat and having an accident going 45 MPH!!! No wonder they use such a large bolt!!!!
                      Thanks guys, I don't know if it was the good nights sleep or the fact that Julianos sells 7/16" bolts, but something made a light go off in my head!!! Since I'm building this car for my daughter she's getting 1/2" grade 8 bolts.
                      On a side note, one of my good friends has a 40 Chevy I helped him build. I think he used the Juliano bolts and plates. He also used the Chevy shoulder harness seats. I plan to tell him about my revelation next time I see him. It's amazing what a good night's rest can do and you guys helped!!!!!!!!!!!

                      Thanks again, and thanks a lot!!!

                      Treblig

                      Comment


                      • Originally posted by Quentin View Post
                        Hi Treblig, put this into the E-bay search....
                        "57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 STUDEBAKER NEW STEERING WHEEL + HORN BUTTON"
                        and an (I think) attractive wheel to suit appears for $150, in either 13 1/2" or 14 3/4".
                        Seller is "morestufftoo" from Rhode Island.
                        There are several others on ebay to suit Jeep or T'Bird that appear to use the same Grant boss kit so as to fit Studebaker as well.
                        Happy hunting. Quentin

                        I'll have my daughter check them out. I had mentioned these types (aftermarket) of wheels before and she wasn't too keen on a wheel that didn't look "ol' timey". But it won't hurt to let her look at the ones you point out on ebay on the chance that she might like one of them!! You never know???

                        thanks,
                        Treblig

                        Comment


                        • Look at an Avanti wheel, it should be a guaranteed fit. Someone should be able to post a picture of thier steering wheel. As I remember, they were 3 spoke, kind of old timey, and very attractive. Dave.

                          Comment


                          • Originally posted by dtracy View Post
                            Look at an Avanti wheel, it should be a guaranteed fit. Someone should be able to post a picture of thier steering wheel. As I remember, they were 3 spoke, kind of old timey, and very attractive. Dave.
                            dtracy, that would be great!! Hopefully someone will post a good pic of their wheel(s). The diameter of the wheel is also very important, needs to be 15" or less.
                            I have already found that Studebaker changed the steering shaft and spline from 57 on up. So anything before 57 won't work!!

                            thanks,
                            Treblig

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                            • Well the first one came off the production line: Treblig
                              Attached Files

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                              • If you are tacking the plate to the underside of the floor, remember to radius the top edge of the plate to prevent ripping through the floor in the event of an excessive load being applied during a collision. If you're running a bead around the whole perimeter of the plate this probably does not apply. Cheers, junior
                                sigpic
                                1954 C5 Hamilton car.

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