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V8 vs 6 cylinder again

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  • V8 vs 6 cylinder again

    I'm going to open a can of worms again. I just drove a 6 cylinder 56 wagon about 100 miles. There were no major hills or mountains to traverse. It was in the nice sunshine of Northern California on a beautiful 65 degree day. It was Saturday, so traffic was light, but it is California. Everyone is in a hurry around here. Traffic often moves at a dizzying rate of 80 MPH. The Highway Patrol seems to have an understanding. As long as you're not cutting in and out and trying kill yourself or others, they leave well enough alone.
    Anyway, the point is that with the 6 cylinder in that wagon, it was downright dangerous to stay on the freeway. I know some here will say that the 6 is a great engine and will offer many thousands of trouble free driving, and I will agree with them. My only beef is that I like to drive my car as a normal car in everyday conditions and sometimes that means to stay with or overtake other cars on the road.
    Hence, my argument that if anyone is readying a car for normal use instead of just for show, then I would most strongly suggest that they use a V8 to power their car. Preferably a 259 or 289.
    If the wagon I was driving had a V8, I would not have needed to plow along in the slow lane, dodging Semi Trucks and all the traffic which is always entering and exiting the freeway. I could have been flying along with the fast lane of cars and trucks doing 80. I was so jealous.
    What are your thoughts?
    sals54

  • #2
    Exactly Sal![^] Those hummers should be relegated to in-town driving and they work fine! If you are leaving the town or city, you need a V-8![:0]

    As someone said here recently, you can just barely keep up with 65-70 MPH traffic, if you have Overdrive and if you just about floor it, but it is hard on the engine and uses more fuel than big 350 GM V-8!

    StudeRich -Studebakers Northwest Ferndale, WA
    StudeRich
    Second Generation Stude Driver,
    Proud '54 Starliner Owner
    SDC Member Since 1967

    Comment


    • #3
      Exactly Sal![^] Those hummers should be relegated to in-town driving and they work fine! If you are leaving the town or city, you need a V-8![:0]

      As someone said here recently, you can just barely keep up with 65-70 MPH traffic, if you have Overdrive and if you just about floor it, but it is hard on the engine and uses more fuel than big 350 GM V-8!

      StudeRich -Studebakers Northwest Ferndale, WA
      StudeRich
      Second Generation Stude Driver,
      Proud '54 Starliner Owner
      SDC Member Since 1967

      Comment


      • #4
        Not just in CA-anybody plodding along at 60mph on the interstate is creating a hazard. Too bad everybodys in such a hurry,but that's the way it is.


        Oglesby,Il
        61Hawk "Studebaker? It must be hard to find parts for those!"
        Oglesby,Il.

        Comment


        • #5
          Not just in CA-anybody plodding along at 60mph on the interstate is creating a hazard. Too bad everybodys in such a hurry,but that's the way it is.


          Oglesby,Il
          61Hawk "Studebaker? It must be hard to find parts for those!"
          Oglesby,Il.

          Comment


          • #6
            I hear ya on that freeway driving. Once a month I make a 100 mile round trip to our Cascade Chapter meeting in Cottage Grove on I-5. Even though this is rural Oregon, those big rigs don't care and one really needs to be at least keeping up with them in the slow lane. Last year I was trying to cruise up there at 60mph(2500rpm w/3.31gears), but this last meeting I stepped it up to 65mph(2750rpm) and Clem's ol 289 was hummin. Don't like to run it that hard but believe I wil have to continue to do so for safety sake. I like having a FOM for overall driving, but for the freeway OD would be cool. One of my fellow chapter members has a 55' Pres w/OD and a 259, and he just blows by me on the way up and back every time[:I].

            Dean Croft
            Roseburg,OR

            CLEM
            Dean




            CLEM

            Comment


            • #7
              I hear ya on that freeway driving. Once a month I make a 100 mile round trip to our Cascade Chapter meeting in Cottage Grove on I-5. Even though this is rural Oregon, those big rigs don't care and one really needs to be at least keeping up with them in the slow lane. Last year I was trying to cruise up there at 60mph(2500rpm w/3.31gears), but this last meeting I stepped it up to 65mph(2750rpm) and Clem's ol 289 was hummin. Don't like to run it that hard but believe I wil have to continue to do so for safety sake. I like having a FOM for overall driving, but for the freeway OD would be cool. One of my fellow chapter members has a 55' Pres w/OD and a 259, and he just blows by me on the way up and back every time[:I].

              Dean Croft
              Roseburg,OR

              CLEM
              Dean




              CLEM

              Comment


              • #8
                Agree with Sal on this one. I had a '56 Flight Hawk with 4.56 gears and the T96 overdrive. The long-stroke 185" would run 75 MPH @ 3000 RPMs, as long as the throttle was pretty close to the floor. Because it self-destructs at that speed, I had to replace the rings, but it needed valve guides by 75kmi and would suck up a quart of oil in 100 miles at that speed. I ran it pretty much wide open all the time and a head gasket finally started to let go about the time I sold it.

                On the other hand, it depends on the driver. Many of my SDC friends who drive '56 and '57 Golden Hawks, R2 Avanti and the like, some of the fastest, strongest stuff Studebaker ever made, are perfectly happy puttering along at 60 MPH, waving at everyone who passes them. They wouldn't notice the difference if someone stole their R2 engine and replaced it with a Champion.

                thnx, jack vines

                PackardV8
                PackardV8

                Comment


                • #9
                  Agree with Sal on this one. I had a '56 Flight Hawk with 4.56 gears and the T96 overdrive. The long-stroke 185" would run 75 MPH @ 3000 RPMs, as long as the throttle was pretty close to the floor. Because it self-destructs at that speed, I had to replace the rings, but it needed valve guides by 75kmi and would suck up a quart of oil in 100 miles at that speed. I ran it pretty much wide open all the time and a head gasket finally started to let go about the time I sold it.

                  On the other hand, it depends on the driver. Many of my SDC friends who drive '56 and '57 Golden Hawks, R2 Avanti and the like, some of the fastest, strongest stuff Studebaker ever made, are perfectly happy puttering along at 60 MPH, waving at everyone who passes them. They wouldn't notice the difference if someone stole their R2 engine and replaced it with a Champion.

                  thnx, jack vines

                  PackardV8
                  PackardV8

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Normal everyday conditions vary from region to region. In rural flatlands, a six can survive ok. In an area where 80 mph is the norm, and you regularly have to get there fast, it would not. I have plenty of stories of people moving to Indiana from California who spend much time the first year or two along the side of the road meeting our fine law enforcement officers until they adjust to local driving patterns. That may explain why there is such a difference in opinion.

                    Kevin Wolford
                    Plymouth, IN

                    55 Champion
                    60 Lark VI Conv.
                    63 Avanti R1

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Normal everyday conditions vary from region to region. In rural flatlands, a six can survive ok. In an area where 80 mph is the norm, and you regularly have to get there fast, it would not. I have plenty of stories of people moving to Indiana from California who spend much time the first year or two along the side of the road meeting our fine law enforcement officers until they adjust to local driving patterns. That may explain why there is such a difference in opinion.

                      Kevin Wolford
                      Plymouth, IN

                      55 Champion
                      60 Lark VI Conv.
                      63 Avanti R1

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        When it comes to cruising down the highway at 80 mph, I would be much more worried about my brakes, steering, tires and other mechanical aspects of my Stude before I thought about my engine. I suppose if all mechanical systems were modernized, then it would not be much of an issue, but if one was to make all of those changes, why be concerned about having a Stude 6 or V8 as the powerplant? For highway cruising rear axle ratio and transmission type (o/d) is far more important to me unless the vehicle is a "working" one (then I'd lean towards the Stude V8).
                        Personal Choice, I would say. As an aside, I do have a 289 in the truck, but (as stated earlier) I know I would not feel comfortable in cruising at 80 mph as all of the mechanical systems are pretty much original.


                        <h5>Mark
                        '57 Transtar
                        3E-6/7-122
                        </h5>
                        Mark Hayden
                        '66 Commander

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          When it comes to cruising down the highway at 80 mph, I would be much more worried about my brakes, steering, tires and other mechanical aspects of my Stude before I thought about my engine. I suppose if all mechanical systems were modernized, then it would not be much of an issue, but if one was to make all of those changes, why be concerned about having a Stude 6 or V8 as the powerplant? For highway cruising rear axle ratio and transmission type (o/d) is far more important to me unless the vehicle is a "working" one (then I'd lean towards the Stude V8).
                          Personal Choice, I would say. As an aside, I do have a 289 in the truck, but (as stated earlier) I know I would not feel comfortable in cruising at 80 mph as all of the mechanical systems are pretty much original.


                          <h5>Mark
                          '57 Transtar
                          3E-6/7-122
                          </h5>
                          Mark Hayden
                          '66 Commander

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            I'd be more then happy to take that car off your hands (if it's the '57 I think it is) but someone doesn't seem to want that to happen...

                            Just don't get talked into ruining it by dumping a V8 in it, please!!!


                            StudeDave [8D]


                            StudeDave '57
                            US Navy (retired)

                            3rd Generation Stude owner/driver
                            SDC Member since 1985

                            past President
                            Whatcom County Chapter SDC
                            San Diego Chapter SDC

                            past Vice President
                            San Diego Chapter SDC
                            North Florida Chapter SDC

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I'd be more then happy to take that car off your hands (if it's the '57 I think it is) but someone doesn't seem to want that to happen...

                              Just don't get talked into ruining it by dumping a V8 in it, please!!!


                              StudeDave [8D]


                              StudeDave '57
                              US Navy (retired)

                              3rd Generation Stude owner/driver
                              SDC Member since 1985

                              past President
                              Whatcom County Chapter SDC
                              San Diego Chapter SDC

                              past Vice President
                              San Diego Chapter SDC
                              North Florida Chapter SDC

                              Comment

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