Studebaker trucks, how BIG?

[Milaca]

http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/e...g?t=1277627535

How's this?

This truck would look great with a 15 foot long gravel box and one pusher axel (air-lift tag). Any chance a 6-92 GM diesel could be shoehorned into this truck?
It appears to have a heavy duty front axel judging by the 10 lug nuts holding the wheel on (as compared to 5 on other Stude trucks). Oh, here's a challenge for Mr. Quinn....can you find a photo of a tandem axel Studebaker truck with a Champ cab?? Anything is possible, right?

[Mark57]

3e48

Other than military production, I think the 1957/58 - 3E48 series would have had the highest GVW of a production Studebaker truck. IIRC, they came with a set of dual tandem axles at the rear and were considered a "3 ton" classification. There's a small write up about them in the Jan. 96 TW, but no photos.

[studelark]

Hey Milaca; I don't believe a 6-92 GM could be shoehorned into this one. The old 4-63 GM was a tight squeeze! Yes, the front axle was replaced by Mr. Hall when he converted the truck to a tandem.

The truck started out as a 1946 M16-52 with the standard 225 cu. in. Commander Six. This truck was nominally rated as a 1 1/2 ton truck from the factory. It had the HD package which included factory fish plates, 2 speed axle, HD springs and shocks, brake booster behind the Hydrovac. Mr. Hall bought this truck after the close of WWII to haul produce from NJ to CT. By the early '50s, he needed more truck as business was growing and there was more demand for his services. As he was quite accomplished with his hands and knew quite a bit about metal working and mechanics, he decided to upgrade the 'Bumble Bee' (it's nickname in the family) rather than buy a new 2R series two ton truck. Therefore, this truck is not 'factory original' in many ways. It was modified to do more work. Modifications included the trailing tandem axle, the heavy duty front axle, shocks and brakes from another manufacturer, larger and more powerful rear braking system, a later M series front bumper, and the newer 245 cu. in. Commander engine (I believe the engine number is for a 1950 2R). It is as no other '46 M series! The truck is owned now by a truck collector/museum in the New England area.

Asa Hall, the son, has recounted many tales riding and, later, driving for his dad on many trips to NJ and MD during his teenage years. Most trips including running through NYC. The truck was used as a produce hauler into the 1960's. Yes, both men could sleep in the overhead compartment. Asa stated that during the summer they burned up and in the winter, they froze. Spring and fall were nice. This truck is a sight to see in the flesh.

[StudeRich]

/Cut/Oh, here's a challenge for Mr. Quinn....can you find a photo of a tandem axel Studebaker truck with a Champ cab??/Cut/

NOW you're pushing it Milaca, since they only built ONE med. Duty 1 ton Champ Truck with even Dual wheels!

[studeclunker]

For those that don't know, that box above the cab was the sleeping quarters. Asa's father had the extra axle added to the truck.

In the trade, that's called a 'Coffin Sleeper.' I don't know how anyone could use one of those.

[8E15]

I recently purchased a 7E45E in the Ft. Wayne, IN area. It was part of a fleet of 16 diesel Studebakers. There were
6 semi's and 10 tandem dump trucks. All were used to haul road material. The firm was Radabaugh Trucking.
I believe that an article was written about this firm, with pictures in the fall of '62 or early '63. It was a trade
publication of the Associates, a financing unit now part of Citi Group. I very much want to find this article.
Any information on this fleet is greatly desired. Pictures also.

[Mark57]

Pics

I recently purchased a 7E45E in the Ft. Wayne, IN area. It was part of a fleet of 16 diesel Studebakers. There were 6 semi's and 10 tandem dump trucks.

Well "8E15", it would be nice to see some pics of your new acquisition! From your signature line maybe some pics of a 1 ton as well....

[Maynard]

8E15, was the one you bought the only one surviving? I could love a Studebaker dumper.

[studelark]

Hi Mark; I will stay with my original post that the 8E40 and 8E45 models were the largest Studebaker, factory built, catalogued models for domestic sale. The 3E48 was not a Studebaker catalogued model produced for domestic sale. The 3E48 was built to foreign specifications and, if any were built beyond the prototype, they were assembled elsewhere, not on Studebaker's factory assembly line. I can not get to my stash of old TW (of which I have a complete set) to check the Jan. 96 issue. Just operating on a faulty memory.



Frank Drumheller
Locust Grove, VA
60S-W6
1948 M16-52 Boyer-bodied fire truck

[Mark57]

Here is the Article

Hi Mark; I will stay with my original post that the 8E40 and 8E45 models were the largest Studebaker, factory built, catalogued models for domestic sale. The 3E48 was not a Studebaker catalogued model produced for domestic sale. The 3E48 was built to foreign specifications and, if any were built beyond the prototype, they were assembled elsewhere, not on Studebaker's factory assembly line. I can not get to my stash of old TW (of which I have a complete set) to check the Jan. 96 issue. Just operating on a faulty memory.

Frank Drumheller
Locust Grove, VA

Hi back Frank; I am certainly no expert on 3E48's, but I have attached a copy of the article for one and all to see. I would say they were a true Studebaker truck, although they were built for export. Just to throw a monkey wrench into the works, wouldn't a 4E40 truck be technically bigger than an 8E40 since they could be had with a 212" wb whereas the 8E40's maxed out at a 195" wb??

[8E15]

Mark and others,

Here is a little more info on the 2 trucks I have. The one ton 8E15 was sold in Nashville, Tn and used as a utilty
truck for a construction firm. Sold to a farmer and 24" added to the frame. 131 to 154. He never got a farm bed
built so I plan to add a flat bed and keep the added length.

The 7E45E was a 143" BBC unit. Was also sold to a farmer and lengthed with tandems added. Plan to return to
original and add a fifth wheel.

Both look like they spent several years in a barn yard. TRUE. But hope to have both in South Bend in '12.

Bert

[JRoberts]

Speaking of trucks in a recent, non-Ingerstate trip I saw what I believe was an 8E of some sort on U.S. 52 somewhere between Poplar Camp and Wytheville, Virginia. It did not look like it had been moved for quite some time. I did not have the opportunity to stop to take a picture.

[Studebaker Wheel]

How about this one?

[Studebaker Wheel]

Thanks for that one, Richard. What a fantastic Studebaker!! Does anyone have any background information or knowledge of the original owner and use of this magnificant vehicle?

Without looking for the information, I believe this is an 8E45-195 BBC as it came from the factory.

Frank Drumheller
Locust Grove, VA
not enough Studebakers, not enough room!

This and a 2nd identical truck was sent to Hub Studebaker in Riverbank, California. Serials E45-1050 and E45-1051. The conversion was performed by the Hendrickson Mfg. Company of Burr Ridge, Illinois. They extended the frames 29 1/2” and installed their Series RT320 (32,000# Cap.) tandem suspension. Eaton 30DTA axles with 6.14/8.55 gear ratio, drive lines, 10 stud Budd hubs and drums. The front axle was rated at 7,000 lbs. Completed August 1, 1963. Sorry I do not know who the actual purchaser was.

[8E45E]

This and a 2nd identical truck was sent to Hub Studebaker in Riverbank, California. Serials E45-1050 and E45-1051. The conversion was performed by the Hendrickson Mfg. Company of Burr Ridge, Illinois. They extended the frames 29 1/2” and installed their Series RT320 (32,000# Cap.) tandem suspension. Eaton 30DTA axles with 6.14/8.55 gear ratio, drive lines, 10 stud Budd hubs and drums. The front axle was rated at 7,000 lbs. Completed August 1, 1963.

....And it will still fit inside my garage! That's the first I've heard of Hendrickson supplying any components and modifying a Studebaker truck to accomodate them. Hendrickson is still a major truck component supplier in the trucking industry.

Craig