'66 Commander bites wallet - AGAIN

[edpjr]

I started to a car show in Charlotte last month. Just a couple miles from the house I heard a howling type sound and saw steam coming from under the hood.[:0] I looked at the gauges and the Temp was in the red. I managed to get my car back home, but the radiator had given up after only 44 years and 34K miles.[V] After radiator repairs, new hoses, thermostat, and a non-related valve cover gasket replacement, I'm out 5 more Ben Franklins. Such are the costs of driving rare and unusual vehicles. [^]

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edp/NC
'63 Avanti
'66 Commander

[studeclunker]

Well... I dunno about the unusualness about your radiator going out after forty-five years. Give the old girl a break there. She's an old lady, even if the mileage is light and the looks are still there. Actually, whenever I acquire a Studebaker and start to prepare it for driving, no matter the mileage, I replace/recore the radiator and replace the hoses. All the hoses. On my '56 Commander, that's over ten feet of heater hose.[:0][B)]

That sure is one beauty of a Commander.[:X] I really like the '66 grille.


Home of the famous Mr. Ed!
K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple Studebaker!
Ron Smith
Where the heck is Lewiston, CA?

[BobGlasscock]

gosh gee, they just don't make radiators like they used to before they used to. Did that make sense?

'50 Champion, 1 family owner

[studeclunker]

Well, see the problem Bob, is that one can't get to the radiator to give it a few kicks once in a while. My Grandmother swears that's what made her Fliver last so long. Grams said she always went around, kicked all four tires, then the radiator got it once or twice, and it started up every time![}]

K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple Studebaker!
Ron Smith
Where the heck is Lewiston, CA?

[COMMANDERPINK1]

You're still ahead of the game. Thats like one month payment on a new bramd X!

Tom

[Mark57]

I had the radiator recored on my Transtar this past winter.. the old core was definitely rotten![xx(] But both the top and the bottom tanks were pristine and were reused.[^] The rad repair guy (who appeared to have been working on radiators since before my truck was new[:0]) said I should not complain as he was convinced the one in the truck was an original (53 yrs. young).

<h5>Mark
'57 Transtar Deluxe
"Star Performers with Saving Ways!"

Vancouver Island Chapter
http://visdc.shawwebspace.ca/ </h5>

[Chantony]

My 63 Daytona still has its Washington State radiator water after 22 years of my having it here in Australia.Who knows how long it was in there before[?][?]The level's half way up the top tank and I haven't dared put Australian water in it....yet! Who knows what could happen[?][?][xx(].I'll leave it alone just in case.[^]

A.C.Moisley

[studeclunker]

quote:Originally posted by COMMANDERPINK1

You're still ahead of the game. Thats like one month payment on a new bramd X!

Tom

There ya go![^]

Yeah, you wanna be careful there, Tony. You might come up with coagulation problems if you use the wrong water-type.[)]

K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple Studebaker!
Ron Smith
Where the heck is Lewiston, CA?

[StudeRich]

AGAIN! that wallet must be getting pretty thin! [:0]

StudeRich

[raprice]

Hey, it comes with the territory. That's an old salesman's saying and it is appropriate when it concerns our prized autos. We have to expect that these cars are going to cost some money to keep them in pristine condition. Actually, we're kinda lucky in that we can actually repair our Studebaker radiators. If our radiators on our new cars go bad, we need to replace the entire radiator. That's not cheap.
Rog

'59 Lark VI Regal Hardtop
Smithtown,NY
Long Island Studebaker Club

[edpjr]

Brakes, clutch, gas tank, radiator... you bet. But it's still trivial compared to Avanti expenses. If you even look at it wrong a $1K problem can materialize in a nanosecond. [xx(]

quote:Originally posted by StudeRich

AGAIN! that wallet must be getting pretty thin! [:0]

StudeRich

edp/NC
'63 Avanti
'66 Commander

[StudeDave57]

quote:Originally posted by edpjr

Brakes, clutch, gas tank, radiator... you bet. But it's still trivial compared to Avanti expenses.
If you even look at it wrong a $1K problem can materialize in a nanosecond. [xx(] edp

If spending a bit of $$$$ is such an 'issue' every time you have to~

you might need to find a new 'hobby'!!! [:0] [)]


StudeDave '57 [8D]
just sayin'...

[Mike Sal]

The radiator core is rotten in the 66 commander I bought a few weeks ago. I live in the sticks & the local shop couldn't find a new core for me. I wound up using a spare I had in the shop. Anyone happen to have a part number for a core that will fit these radiators?
thanks,
Mike Sal

[edpjr]

Interesting philosophy... I think most folks here would think I'm freakin' nuts to have spent over $25K on a R1 1/2 Avanti that wouldn't bring the original $15K I paid for it - in the current economic environment. But, I like this little 6 cyl 4-dr Commander[^] and spending $$$ has never been a real problem with me. I have enough money invested in 1950s & 60s collector comic books to easily buy an original R3 Avanti. And don't even get me started about my antique and classic boy-toy collection, of which a part is 150+ 1960s original Aurora HO slot cars (most NM in the original boxes).

quote:Originally posted by StudeDave57

quote:Originally posted by edpjr

Brakes, clutch, gas tank, radiator... you bet. But it's still trivial compared to Avanti expenses.
If you even look at it wrong a $1K problem can materialize in a nanosecond. [xx(] edp

If spending a bit of $$$$ is such an 'issue' every time you have to~

you might need to find a new 'hobby'!!! [:0] [)]


StudeDave '57 [8D]
just sayin'...

edp/NC
'63 Avanti
'66 Commander

[StudeDave57]

quote:Originally posted by edpjr

Interesting philosophy... edp

yet again-- if $$$ is your deal--
another 'hobby' is what you outta find...

yup- sayin' it yet again!!! [:0] [B)]


StudeDave '57 [8D]
HO trains, 1/1 planes,
and Studebakers, too....