New Stude owner with some questions.

[Blue66]

Hey all....I have just aquired a 61 Lark VIII,259, automatic.
I have done some searching and found out the 2nd gear start is normal. This I do not care for. I see Sasco sells a valvebody for $350.......Man I could rebuild a fresh TH350 for that!.........However, mine flairs up on take off in D. 1st and R are nice and tight. Even when manually shifting from 1st to 2nd it flairs up, or when just taking off from a stop in D it flairs up.....then starts rolling as the rpms come up and fully engages. I don't believe the t-v to be adjusted perfectly as it doesn't kickdown when floored, but it does considerably raise the shift point with increased throttle. This should not affect even an easy takeoff in D though.

I know there are 2 bands that require adjustment, and that I believe the rear band is for 1st and R. The other one does hold in 2nd but I can't find any info on what it does. Could the band cause the 2nd gear slip?

I know on the gm transmissions the 2nd gear band is only applied to provide engine braking. So it would not effect engagement. But I don't know if thats the case on the FOM.....

I come from modding just about everything I have owned and I would like to keep this stock as a driver since it is a V8 car.
I have a 496ci BB chevelle that I drag race, and don't want to turn this car into a big project.

Are there any tips on getting a little more power out of these things? Does dual exhaust help?
Converting to the pertronix ign?
Is there an approximate timing # in degrees that these like to run at?
It has the Stromberg WW 2 barrel carb on it. Which is leaking gas so I wil be freshening that, unless there is a better option out there.
The car has 45,000 miles and has been body off restored. The only drawback is it has 4-doors. But it drives SO nice!

I am thinking If I can get this trans working well, I would do a good tuneup, carb rebuild, etc.
Maybe some wheels, and dual exhaust and have a nice driver.

Any info is appreciated...Thanks in advance!
Brian

Here's a couple pics.

[barnlark]

Welcome to the forum and the Stude world, Brian. I have a '60 that has the same transmission and a V/8. I have a four barrel intake and carb which helps a lot, but the second gear start is just a fact of flightomatic life. There are things to help that and the tech forum guys will help you with that, go to that forum for those questions. Looks like you have a very clean and solid '61 Lark. It appears to be a deluxe model by the single headlight front panel and has been updated with the regal trim. Looks great and you have a nice pair of original tail light lenses. Protect those, they are hard to find if broken. You'll find lots of folks here to answer your questions on the many forums for off topic and on topic items. Again, welcome.. you're in for a different ride!

[Chucks Stude]

Go to the "Search" feature on the top of this forum, put in "2nd gear start', and read all that has been written.

[Blue66]

quote:Originally posted by Chucks Stude

Go to the "Search" feature on the top of this forum, put in "2nd gear start', and read all that has been written.

Thanks, I have pretty much read as much as I could find on here....Lots of good info, just nothing on my 2nd gear slipping or what the band is doing.

[Mark57]

Welcome to the Forum Brian... That's a nice looking '61.[][8D]

<h5>Mark
'57 Transtar Deluxe
Vancouver Island </h5>

[pitbulllady]

That was the first thing I said when I finally got to see the pics of this lovely car(most photo-sharing sites are blocked by my school district's software, so I can't view most of the pics on the forum until I get home)-"IT'S GOT CORRECT TAILLIGHT LENSES!" I don't know if you have any idea how hard these are to find, but trust me on this one, and take good care of those babies! I actually found mine for my '61 Cruiser via an art/photography site called Deviantart.com, where a guy had posted a bunch of picks from a "Stude ranch" out in TX, and I asked him who owned the cars and trucks, and contacted the guy just in case he had a set of those taillights, and as it happened, he did! They weren't cheap, but that's what tax refunds are for, right?

I didn't know, by the way, that it was normal for a '61 Lark 259 w/automatic to start in 2nd gear. I don't know, maybe someone's been through mine(trans has been rebuilt, along with the engine), but I know I can feel two gear changes while driving. They are very smooth, but they're there, so I have always assumed mine starts in 1st gear like most automatics. It's never given me any trouble, in any case. The rpm's have never gone over 3000 with this car, even when I hit the gas to pass another vehicle, and it's got a good aftermarket tach. I've just never noticed anything odd with the transmission, when comparing it to a modern car with automatic. Maybe mine is the one that's not "normal", but I'm not complaining if it is!

pitbulllady

[barnlark]

Sharon, my trans and engine are out of a 62 Hawk but I just feel one shift, so you may be right. For the many knowledgeable and talented transmission folks on this forum that swap may be simple, but I got talked out of it and left mine alone. Mine is a simple driver and will never pull the wheels like Brian's Super Sport above, but I'll try to save my pennies for the day it dies and maybe go with Michael Myer's GM trans adapter set up.

Blue66, I hope you found real help for your transmission question by now on the tech forum.

[Stude8]

The solution is find a 1962 T cab pickup with same engine and get its automatic (Yeah, they are rare, most trucks were stick) it has a low gear start from standstill and has a vacuum / solenoid combo downshift gimick. My truck had a 4.55 axle so it came off the line like a wild cat. It screamed for overdrive at 50 mph though. Stude8

1928 Commander GB

[jgrohs]

not trying to hijack the thread, but I've got a 62 t-cab with auto ( column shift). It does shift a little peculiar - what's the gimmick you're referring to? It was upgraded to a 4 barrel when the previous owner rebuilt the 259 - it does go!

Jeff

quote:Originally posted by Stude8

The solution is find a 1962 T cab pickup with same engine and get its automatic (Yeah, they are rare, most trucks were stick) it has a low gear start from standstill and has a vacuum / solenoid combo downshift gimick. My truck had a 4.55 axle so it came off the line like a wild cat. It screamed for overdrive at 50 mph though. Stude8

1928 Commander GB

1951 Rod
1962 Champ
1963 Avanti R1
1963 GT Hawk R2 4 speed
1964 Daytona Convertible
2006 Avanti Convertible

[HAWK64]

Brian,the flaring is probably from your front clutch pack rather than the bands. Two initial tests are firstly to take off under light throttle when the auto oil is warm on a level road. Upshift from intermediate to top is normally 18 - 22 mph per Studebaker stats. If the shift is higher then your throttle pressure adjustment is not too low. The other test or observation is when starting the car cold, does it immediately go forward in drive. If there is a lag it suggests the inside seals are hardening, hence dropping the pressures. The seals around the front & rear clutch pistons can even crack with heat & age. Your Warner trans is air cooled. Also with 45,000 miles only the trans may never had a previous overhaul.
Besides the seals, the white metal bearings may have excessive wear, again dropping pressures. These conditions lead to excess wear on the front cluch friction plates particularly even to the point of them locking together. In this deteriorated position the accelerator kickdown wont work unless one increases the throttle pressure by shortening the rod from the lower accelerator bell crank to the auto trans. Hope these comments are of some guidance.


"QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER"
MELBOURNE.

[Blue66]

Thanks, everybody....I will be doing some messing around with the car and will keep you posted. I will check the band adjustment but I figure it is in the clutch's also. But it's worth the try. Then I can take a look and see how much junk is in the pan. If I have to go thru the trans it won't be until winter. I want to get some tuning done and drive the car for the summer before I tear into it.

I am going to flush coolant, replace t-stat etc. this weekend between drag racing and working around the house and fixing everybody elses stuff Before too long I want to put in a pertronix ign. I have to replace the vacuum advance can also, as that is not working.
Hopefully I can baby the trans thru the summer. I bet a 700r4 would work nicely behind the 259 I know, I better keep my mouth shut about chevy stuff around here!! HAHA

Brian

[avantilover]

Chevrolet engines (McKinnon) were used on the 1965 and 1966 Models so some Studebaker drivers have Chevybakers. The guys on the forum are good about it though - just prefer a Studebaker engine be used if it's serviceable.

John Clements
Avantilover, your South Australian Studebaker lover!!!
Secretary Studebaker Car Club of SA (as of 3/19/08)
Lockleys South Australia

[Blue66]

Pulled trans out and apart today.
Front clutch is junk but not the problem as it is used in other gears. Front band servo seals are shot. Air checked the servo and got a bath, from the fluid leaking past the seals. Takes ALOT of air to apply the servo piston.
So all looks good.

Where is a good place to get a kit for these???
I will check with my local trans guy first.
Just though I'd give you guys an update.
Drove thru the summer, as it was.
Oh, anybody know of any 1st gear start valve bodies, beside the $350.00 ones SASCO sells???

Thanks, Brian

[silverhawk]

Hey Blue66,

That is one real nice '61. Hope you get your tranny saorted out soon!

Dylan
'61 lark deluxe 4dr wagon

[JLasvegas]

Brian, welcome to the board, and thats a very clean Lark, I also was unaware of the 2nd gear start and found that if you gun it some from a stop it will start in low, or you can manually shift from L to D from a take off.
Im also looking to try and get alittle more out of the 259, the dual exhaust do help, im told from the knowledgeable crowd here that a 4bbl carb and intake would make a nice addition as would an electronic ignition


1964 Daytona Wagonaire
259cid flight o matic

"IT'S BAD LUCK TO BE SUPERSTITIOUS"