ID for Studebaker V8

[tfkush]

Rencently bought a V8 motor out of a '56 Commander, thinking it was a 259. When I got it home, I check the ID pad on top of motor looking for a V to indicate a 259. What I got was a clover leaf symbol. It seems to me I read in Turning Wheels, a long time ago, that the clover leaf symbol stood for a heavy duty replacement engine for a truck. Don't know what I have, would like to know cubic inch, please help!!

Thomas F Kush

[289stude]

Is there a number along with the clover leaf? if so what is it? If it is just a clover leaf, I think someone told me once that it could be a replacement block.



John

63' R1 Wagonaire

63' 8E45 Detroit

53' 2R5 R1 Powershift TT Under Construction

57' Transtar 304 NP540 4:09 TT Under Construction (in Picture)

58' 3E6D Stock Sale Pending

61' 6E7 122 Factory Auto

[candbstudebakers]

The clover leaf had no numbers they were heavy duty replacement short blocks not just truck, my 63 2 door standard had a replacement installed in the 70's the man ordered a 289 replacement short block when he got it in he put on his 2bld. carb and manifold, and single exhaust and his 259 stock heads, when I got the car and put on duel exhaust and a 4 bld. carb it went like a bat out of hell, it had a clover leaf I checked it out down through the plug hole and it had flat top pistons what they sent him was an R-1 short block so with his original heads the 70 number that gave him an R-1 for sure except the distributor, it still goes like a bat out of hell...Bob

Bob Peterson / C & B Studebakers

Castro Valley, CA

[StudeRich]

Welcome to the Studebaker Drivers Club, and the SDC Forum!
This engine would most likely have a machined pad on the lower right side, at the rear of the block for a full flow oil filter adapter, with either the filter base or a block-off plate bolted on there, these are late '62, '63 or '64 replacement engines. These are considered more desirable than the partial flow oil filter type used in early '62 back to 1951.

If it does, be aware that it only fits the right head pipe used on late '62, '63 & '64 models, earlier models have the exhaust pipe too close to the block to install the filter, and will need to be replaced with the later one.

Most Studebaker V-8's use the same block (fits all V-8 cars & trucks) and 259 & 289's share the same heads, so for all practical purposes it doesn't matter what it is, if it turns out to be a good runner that's what matters. [^]

If you get really curious to know if it is 259 or 289 you could look in the spark plug hole, if you see a dished piston it definitely IS a 289, if flat top pistons usually a 259, but if by some stroke of unusual luck it is an Avanti R1 engine also with flat top pistons, you would have to measure the distance the piston travels from top dead center to bottom dead center to tell, but of course it is highly unlikely.


StudeRich at Studebakers Northwest -Ferndale,WA

[tfkush]

Thank you for all the information. I appreciate all the help.

Thomas F Kush

[PackardV8]

Just for our information, has anyone else ever confirmed an R1 short block being supplied with a stamped cloverleaf?

thnx, jack vines

PackardV8

[Skip Lackie]

quote:Originally posted by PackardV8

Just for our information, has anyone else ever confirmed an R1 short block being supplied with a stamped cloverleaf?

thnx, jack vines

PackardV8

I can't answer that specific question; however, there is a strong implication in the Service Letters and parts books that HD cloverleaf engines were installed only in trucks. Those marked only with a cloverleaf symbol and no engine number were presumably intended as replacement engines in trucks, and were supposed to be stamped with the original engine's number by the installing dealer. There may even be a Service Letter on that procedure -- just can't recall.

I think that the original SASCO and N&A may have exhausted their supply of the standard 259/289 V8s before they ran out of the HD short blocks -- so they filled orders for short blocks with what they still had in stock -- which was cloverleaf blocks. As a result, some HD short blocks got converted into R1s or R2s.

Skip Lackie
Washington DC

[candbstudebakers]

I can only speak for the clover leaf engine in my 63 standard, I got the car in 1992 from the original owner he pulled out the original 259, it had 3 speed w/o over drive and a 307 rear end from the factory, he went to Milton motors in Oakland Ca. and ordered a replacement 289 for the car, it cost him $175.00 plus shipping but not much since it came to the dealer, he in stalled it with his 70 series heads, 2 bld. carb. single exhaust same trans. and rear end, and drove it about 40,000 miles from 1974 until I got it in 1992, once I tuned it and installed duel exhaust, AFB 4 bld. carb this car could smoke, twice it flat ran away from friends R-1 Avantis, up to a 100 mph and then backed off as it was no race, It is hard to believe this is a 259 truck engine, it has flat top pistons, I have had a ride in Richards Poes lark at the PSMCR's and fell this equal to his less his driving skills, might be wrong here but if it is a 259 it has to be the fastest one out there, now it has 4 speed, 373 TT, traction bars, R-3 headers,and R-3 air box for cold air only...Bob


Bob Peterson / C & B Studebakers

Castro Valley, CA

[tfkush]

My cloverleaf studebaker v8 engine is an early 62 or down engine. It is not equipted as a full flow v8. It is a partial flow v8 with the old type oil filter canister on top and no space on the block for the full flow oil filter. My next step is going to pull the heads and see what kind of pistons that I have. I am learning a lot from all of you. Thanks for the help so far.

Thomas F Kush

[StudeRich]

Well don't pull the heads unless you need to, because I can tell you, it SHOULD BE a 259, since we now know it is a partial flow.

That is of course if someone has not been in there playing around changing things since the replacement engine was new.