Information Please!

[DaveBeadlesCFP@aol.com]

INFORMATION PLEASE!
My wife wants a "bullet nose" Studebaker. I have owned a 53 Chev PU & for the last 5 years have driven my 29 Ford "A" PU. Each vehicle/model has quirks.
What are the ups & downs of the 49 to, say 52 Studebaker? She would prefer 6cyl w/ automatic, but would take the 8. Judging by HMN there seem to be ample parts...right? What prices for a #1, #2 #3 condition car? What, if anything, are they simalair to in driveability?

ANY & ALL info would be greatly appreciated. Dave

[studegary]

"Bullet Nose" Studebakers are 1950 and 1951 model cars. They came in Champion with a small six and Commander with a large six in 1950 and a V8 in 1951. With an automatic, I would shy away from a Champion six. With the 1951 V8, much can be done to the engine or you can swap in a Studebaker V8 up through 1964.

[j-h]

quote:Originally posted by DaveBeadlesCFP@aol.com

INFORMATION PLEASE!
My wife wants a "bullet nose" Studebaker. I have owned a 53 Chev PU & for the last 5 years have driven my 29 Ford "A" PU. Each vehicle/model has quirks.
What are the ups & downs of the 49 to, say 52 Studebaker? She would prefer 6cyl w/ automatic, but would take the 8. Judging by HMN there seem to be ample parts...right? What prices for a #1, #2 #3 condition car? What, if anything, are they simalair to in driveability?

ANY & ALL info would be greatly appreciated. Dave

I haven't personally owned a 49-52 Studebaker, but can provide the links to 2 online price guides, NADA and VRM. Try to sell using NADA and buy using VRM. (NADA usually shows higher values) <grin>

http://www.nadaguides.com/

http://www.vmrintl.com/

JH

[Tom Bredehoft]

You should be aware that the 50 and 51 suspensions are different. The 50 is unique, the 51 can be replaced with considerably newer components if needed. Both are adequate, but 50 parts might be harder to come by.

[Roscomacaw]

What Tom says is true. The 51 models saw the debut of the brand new V8 engine from Studebaker. And wisely, Studebaker pretty much standardized their offerings with the 51s, whether 6 or 8 cyl., to use the same basic dimesions. This had not been the case up thru 1950 when the Commander and Champion lines had many differences in chassis, drivetrain and body. And since the 50 and earlier cars were based on inline 6 engines, it can be a bit of a squeeze to get a V8 into one.
Another benefit that Tom alludes to is that the '51 introduced the basic suspension planform that would be pretty much the same thru 1966. This affords you the flexibility to upgrade the suspension some with relative ease and to fit up brakes of superior function with little more than the better parts and a few hand tools! Stude had made a vast improvement in the braking systems (especially the V8 models)starting in 1954 and these simply bolt right on on the 51-2-3 cars (such retrofit parts aren't at all hard to find). There's also disc brake kits to retrofit to these '51 and up cars that'll give you the option of going that route if desired. There's even a bolt-on front suspension kit now that alleviates the trouble of grafting a brandX front clip to gain rack and pinion steering and ball joint legs.
We Stude types take pride in our V8. And rightly so. To this very day it's still setting records and winning races. It's one damned fine small block V8 - maybe the best production such ever made. ? Of course, part of it's superiority is reflected in it's weight in that it's darned heavy by comparison to it's contemporaries. But the heft is what keeps it from needing many "enhancements" that other like engines need to perform above average.
What's also neat is that since the 51s were engineered around this engine (which kept it's basic shape and dimensions externally, right thru to the end), later and more powerful incantations of it will feel right at home behind the iconic bullet-nose that the 51 bears.
Certainly, the ubiquitous GM 350 is an option and the argument from some is that it's cheaper to go that route. BUT, when one considers the engineering that has to be done to accomodate such a transplant, the savings can start to erode against going with the Stude engine that's at home there.
Not to detract from the Stude 6 of the Champion line - it's a really sweet-running unit but it's only 170 cubes of displacement. This was fine in 1950 but it's a bit wanting by the standards of today's driving. It's even less performing in front of an automatic tranny and then if you hang A/C or anything else on it......
There IS a fella who specializes in enhancing the performance of the 6s. He offers a range of power upgrades which include dual carbs among other things. In fact, I believe he offers a range of items up to providing a run-ready engine to your specifications.
If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to post them. Hope we've helped clearly to answer some of your questions

Miscreant at large.