I bought my F150 in late March of this year, and at the same time retired my '58 Commander from being driven. Driving it everyday was taking its toll on the car and the transmission was slipping so badly that it made me cringe. First I parked the car in the very back of my yard; out of sight and out of mine. Then I decided to sell it.. So I trailered it to my granddad's shop, got it running enough to drive onto a trailer, and forgot about the old car again.
The car has been sitting outside at my granddad's shop for months now, waiting for me to decide what I want to do with it. The paint was oxidizing badly and the thought of the car going further downhill wasn't a happy one. I kept telling myself that the car is for sale but whenever that opportunity arose, I found some excuse to keep the car. It may not be a desirable Golden Hawk, but it is a goofy, unrestored Studebaker and the first car I ever bought with my own money. And I'm the second registered owner. The car took me all over the Southeast last year and lots of memories were made.
So.. Yesterday I cleaned out my barn, went to the shop, got the car running, drove it on the trailer and pulled it across town to my house. Drove it off the trailer, into the barn, and called it a day. This morning I got up at 7 AM like I always do and walked out to the barn and polished stainless until lunch. Every time I walked over to the buffer, through the door way, there sat the '58... After lunch I backed the car out, polished out the paint and drove it around the neighborhood, making a mental list of things that it needs. A trans rebuild is foremost and the brakes need some attention. Lots of goofy things to keep me busy for quite a while. I'm leaving the paint just as it is, as they're only original once and I love the "patina" that is all over the car. Plus the factory paint runs are a sure way to make me laugh every time I see them. But I do want to replace the front and rear window gaskets, replace the door window "fuzzies", and redo the whole interior. The door panels, headliner, and seats all need to be redone and it needs sound-deadener and carpeting. Heck, I might even redo all the stainless. I'll plug away little by little and do a couple of things when I get the extra cash or motivation. No need to rush.. The car doesn't eat anything and it's under a roof now, out of the weather. I've found that having to walk by the car countless times a day is great motivation to want to work on it.
And this photo is a pretty good description of why I call her "Christine"... Menacing, eh?
The car has been sitting outside at my granddad's shop for months now, waiting for me to decide what I want to do with it. The paint was oxidizing badly and the thought of the car going further downhill wasn't a happy one. I kept telling myself that the car is for sale but whenever that opportunity arose, I found some excuse to keep the car. It may not be a desirable Golden Hawk, but it is a goofy, unrestored Studebaker and the first car I ever bought with my own money. And I'm the second registered owner. The car took me all over the Southeast last year and lots of memories were made.
So.. Yesterday I cleaned out my barn, went to the shop, got the car running, drove it on the trailer and pulled it across town to my house. Drove it off the trailer, into the barn, and called it a day. This morning I got up at 7 AM like I always do and walked out to the barn and polished stainless until lunch. Every time I walked over to the buffer, through the door way, there sat the '58... After lunch I backed the car out, polished out the paint and drove it around the neighborhood, making a mental list of things that it needs. A trans rebuild is foremost and the brakes need some attention. Lots of goofy things to keep me busy for quite a while. I'm leaving the paint just as it is, as they're only original once and I love the "patina" that is all over the car. Plus the factory paint runs are a sure way to make me laugh every time I see them. But I do want to replace the front and rear window gaskets, replace the door window "fuzzies", and redo the whole interior. The door panels, headliner, and seats all need to be redone and it needs sound-deadener and carpeting. Heck, I might even redo all the stainless. I'll plug away little by little and do a couple of things when I get the extra cash or motivation. No need to rush.. The car doesn't eat anything and it's under a roof now, out of the weather. I've found that having to walk by the car countless times a day is great motivation to want to work on it.
And this photo is a pretty good description of why I call her "Christine"... Menacing, eh?
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