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  • Champ Biz Coupe restoration project

    I have what appears to be a Champ Biz coupe that is in tough shape. Needs some body work and floor working to it. Other obvious work is that it needs an engine (what fits?). The stock tranny is there, but i doubt its useful. It probably needs to be torn down, rebuilt and reconditioned. I'd like to get it driveable, and its pretty far from it. Lots of you will recommend restoring to factory specs, but if we can get a different engine in and a different tranny, we'd all be happy to drive it. I have heard of 350 chev's dropping into them, but if they can, we'll do it.

    The VIN is 01056615, the number under the hood is 100 Q4 1428. If you can tell me what this translates to, that would be awesome.

  • #2
    You're on your own for the engine tranplant. Stude-powered Studes are blowing off the competition on the race track - you might wanna re-consider an engine transplant like EVERYBODY else's car has! Your car, your choice.
    We're not beady-eyed purists here but we do promote the best and strongest American-made smallblock ever built - The Studebaker V8

    That VIN frobably starts witha G - not a Zero. That would make it a Champion with a 170cu.in.6 - similar to the one that just ran about 120 at Bonneville on it's first itme out.

    The firewall # also has a G in it if you look close. It's 10G-Q4 This says it's a '51 3-passenger coupe (Business coupe - not Starlight Coupe) with a Q4 trim level. The Q4 version was referred to as the Custom as it had the least options and brightwork on it.
    1428 simply says that that Q4 body tub was the 1,428th body tub welded up that year.

    Miscreant at large.

    1957 Transtar 1/2ton
    1960 Larkvertible V8
    1958 Provincial wagon
    1953 Commander coupe
    1957 President 2-dr
    1955 President State
    1951 Champion Biz cpe
    1963 Daytona project FS
    No deceptive flags to prove I'm patriotic - no biblical BS to impress - just ME and Studebakers - as it should be.

    Comment


    • #3
      A '51 Business Coupe is a rare and desireable Studebaker. Congratulatins on your find!

      The Business Coupe did not ever come with a V8 (well, there are rumors that ONE did). For that reason, if you want to put a Studebaker V8 in it, you will need to change the trans, rear end, and brakes since these would be too light duty for a V8. Otherwise, a Studebaker V8 would probably be the simplest swap.

      A Chevy V8 will not DROP in, but you can put one there. (I have a Chevy in my '54). In fact you can put just about ANY engine in there with enough talent and money. No engine swaps are easy. All kinds of things to change and fab (in addition to the brakes, rear end and trans). Front and rear motor mounts, shift linkage, clutch linkage, throttle linkage, cooling, exhaust, drive shaft, and on and on. Each one of these is an engineering problem and they all have to fit and work together. Just when you think you have the motor mounts fabbed up, you find the exhaust hits the steering box or the hood won't fit, or the distributor is rubbing the fire wall, etc. Swaps are done all the time, but if you don't have experience doing them, they can be awfully expensive and frustrating.

      If you just want to get it on the road, find a good used Studebaker Champion 6. They were made from '39 to '61 and are plentiful and inexpensive. It will bolt in. If you want to swap the drive train, plan it out completely before you start. Work up a budget and find sources for those things you can't handle yourself. There are many more failed projects out there than completed ones.

      Which ever way you go, that business coupe is sure to be a lot of fun. Here's Dave Carter's. He ended up putting a Studebaker V8 in his.



      Regards,
      -Dick-
      Dick Steinkamp
      Bellingham, WA

      Comment


      • #4
        Hmm i thought finding a stude block might be hard to find. I'd be happy to drop in a stude 6 or 8, i just need a source to find one and buy one.

        So we got a Business coupe huh? Time to do more research.

        Thanks

        Comment


        • #5
          Where are you located? Maybe we can find you and engine to work with.

          Miscreant at large.

          1957 Transtar 1/2ton
          1960 Larkvertible V8
          1958 Provincial wagon
          1953 Commander coupe
          1957 President 2-dr
          1955 President State
          1951 Champion Biz cpe
          1963 Daytona project FS
          No deceptive flags to prove I'm patriotic - no biblical BS to impress - just ME and Studebakers - as it should be.

          Comment


          • #6
            Minnesota, north of twin cities about an hr.

            Comment


            • #7
              Welcome to Studebakers! Consider joining the SDC and North Star Chapter (www.northstarwheel.com) and get in on the fun.

              In the September Turning Wheels classified, North Star Chapter member Jim Ringquist has this for sale:

              "259 cubic inch engine and 3-speed OD transmission. 63,000 miles. Good runner. $650. Jim Ringquist, 763-682-5423 or Email: jamesr@spacestar.net MN"

              You can have the 6-banger and 3-speed out of my 49 2R5 as I now have a 289 for it But, it most likely needs rebuilding, though I've never tried to turn it over. It's in Rush City.

              The biz coupe is very desireable and would be awesome with Studebaker power. You might keep your eyes peeled for a 51 Commander for a donot car as it had the V/8 and you could use those mounts, etc.

              -BShaw
              Webmaster
              60 Hawk. 49 2R5, 39 Champion
              sigpic
              Bob Shaw
              Rush City, Minnesota
              1960 Hawk - www.northstarstudebakers.com
              "The farther I go, the behinder I get."

              Comment


              • #8
                Congratulations of a really neat find!![8D] Now, you'll probably have to redo the suspension, brakes, etc so why not put that 259 or a 289 in it and have a ton of fun!! Besides that overdrive is a cooool tranny![8D] Way good on gas and great on the hiway.

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

                Comment


                • #9
                  Any Stude V8 will fit right in there if you have the proper mount brackets for it to sit on - and the rubber part of the mounts are readily available from many Stude vendors.

                  I take it this Biz Coupe was/is a stick shift - not an automatic - right? If so, you're good to go as far as clutch & shift linkage go for a 6 or a V8. The little tranny that's in the car now - assuming it's the original - wouldn't work with a V8, but you could find the right V8 (Borg-Warner T-86) tranny to go in there if you chose to.
                  The V8s are capable of pretty good gas mileage - especially with overdrive (a very common offering on Studebakers). And the original little 6 wO/D can be right thrifty too! I used to be able to squeeze 27MPG out of my '52 Champion and it was a 4-dr! Alot heavier than a Biz Coupe.

                  Miscreant at large.

                  1957 Transtar 1/2ton
                  1960 Larkvertible V8
                  1958 Provincial wagon
                  1953 Commander coupe
                  1957 President 2-dr
                  1955 President State
                  1951 Champion Biz cpe
                  1963 Daytona project FS
                  No deceptive flags to prove I'm patriotic - no biblical BS to impress - just ME and Studebakers - as it should be.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    It is an Automatic I believe. What are the horsepower and torque numbers off the 6 and the 8?

                    Right now, I am mainly concerned with the condition of the floor. A lot of it is rusted out, which leads me to be concerned with the rest of the frame. How much of a concern is this going to be and would it still be worth restoring? the car is sitting in about 3-6 inches of dirt.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Sounds like you havent picked up the car yet??
                      You might want to go out there and see if the car has enough frame left to get it out of where its sitting( I have seen cars and heard of many others that did break in half when picked up to move.)before making big plans for it.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I found a great way to repair rotten floorboards. My 63 T-cab looked like somebody shot it with a shotgun a couple times. I just welded sheetmetal on the bottom part of the cab and fabricated pieces to fit the original contour of the cab. Then I fiberglassed the whole floorboards and now its not only strong but it will last because it can't rust. I am also going to linex the underside of the cab to keep it from rusting. Just a tip if you are interested.
                        -Varozza

                        Keep them studes runnin'

                        1958 transtar 4x4
                        1958 transtar 4x4
                        1963 Avanti R2
                        1963 3/4 ton T-cab
                        1948 1.5 ton M-series
                        1962 Lark Daytona

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          With our luck, the darned thing will twist and snap when we pull it up. Thats only step one of the bigger tasks. Restoring it is almost as crucial. Its sitting on the axles, so much of it is just sitting on top of the topsoil.

                          Heck yeah thats the way I was thinking for preserving whats left... fiberglass and linex or something similar to rhino.

                          Where does the Champion sit on the reliability scale (in its day)? I suppose the other question is, how hot of a car was this in its day also?

                          FYI - 18 year old here going through automotive technician classes.

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