Matt's (aussie hawk) new car

[packardHawk58]

[IMG]http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae194/packardhawk58/Matts%20Car/P1010654.jpg[/IMG]

I unloaded Matt's new baby today, a 51 Starlight Coupe fitted with a later 289, 4 barrel engine. It should put a smile on his face, he needs something to brighten his life up, they have taken a hammering with the floods in Queensland.

[63r2]

Looks very nice.
Congratulations Matt.
There's room for an Evinrude on that back bumper.
pb

[HAWK64]

Brian,
Well done on bringing in that fine example to Australia. Nice that it is going to Matt in Queensland where there are still some great Studebaker examples from the fifties, thanks in part to Des Skinner's efforts back in the eighties.

[candbstudebakers]

Brian, I see some more sitting at the shipper waiting to go down under for you and Leon, also Tony has his share, and then there is the other guy, his go out next week they should be loading today...Bob

[Milaca]

Wow, that's a great looking car! But why are the exhaust pipes and trailer hitch at the front of the car??
Looks like you got the cream-of-the-crop there Matt, enjoy it!

[Bob Andrews]

Congrats on the new wheels buddy! Hope you don't need to fit pontoons to it Best of luck!

[Aussie Hawk]

Thanks guys. And a big thank your to Brian Greenall for shipping it from SF for me, and unpacking it, and storing it until I can organise the final 1,000 mile leg of his journey home.

I've been hunting for the '51 Starlight for years, which are pretty scarce on the ground down here. A couple of years back I bought a '51 Champion as I though I would never get a Starlight, which needs a lot of work. Brian convinced me to bring one in better condition in from the US, even though I have a aversion to LHD on RHD roads. So, while we were over there in June at the Glendale Meet I put feelers out to find one, Chuck Tubens from Tacoma emailed me in July that he knew someone who was interested in selling his. I contacted Bruce Lantz from Olympia....and the rest, as they say.

What really sold me on Bruce's '51 was that he had done everything and more, that I was planning to do - fit a 289 engine, tranny and brakes from a '62 Hawk, he also fitted a TT diff. Bruce won the Reno 'Hot August Nights' with this car in 2000. I'm going to drive it for a while LHD, but have already started to assemble the parts I need to convert it to RHD. The '51 Champion is being sold complete, even though it needs a lot of work it's too good to cannibalise for the steering parts I need.

[Studedude]

Xxnice!!
............

[barnlark]

Got a preview of that one the other day. Very, very nice, Matt. Nice color. Good luck on the RHD switch over. Looks like tons of work done with which you won't need to bother. Smart plan.
Enjoy and keep it on high ground when you get it. Stay safe down there.

[63r2]

Thanks guys. And a big thank your to Brian Greenall for shipping it from SF for me, and unpacking it, and storing it until I can organise the final 1,000 mile leg of his journey home.

Matt
It looks good enough to fly down and drive home.
pb

[okc63avanti]

I'm going to drive it for a while LHD, but have already started to assemble the parts I need to convert it to RHD. The '51 Champion is being sold complete, even though it needs a lot of work it's too good to cannibalise for the steering parts I need.

Matt,

We Americans and Canadians were both former british colonies and we learned how to drive with LHD, so just convince your Australian Parliament to make the switch as well ... I'm sure they will do that in order to help save you some money

[Aussie Hawk]

Barnlark: Brian had pointed out a few other '51's he'd come across, but for one reason or another they just weren't right, then this came up, I just couldn't pass it up. Don't be concerned about it getting wet, I'm leaving it in Melbourne until all the flood waters have emptied into the pacific :-)

PB: The idea of flying to Melb and driving it back was raised, but the last thing I want is to be stuck on the side of the road somewhere in the bush with a broken Studebaker. To ask a 60 year old car to travel 1,000 miles in our summer is a bit much, the $800 or $900 to have it shipped is well worth it.

As for our Govt changing the drive side of the road over just for me...... ;-( I'll just have to trust my passenger implicitly when going to pass a truck or RV, when I can't see oncoming traffic. :-0

[Stude Mick]

Very nice car Matt. I think you will find driving on the left side isnt that hard or bad and it will just become second nature to you.
My Avanti is still left hand drive and i have no trouble at all driving it.

[Daan]

I take it there isn't a rule about what side you HAVE to drive on, is there? It isn't required to have the steering on the "correct" side for you? And good luck with your terrible flooding down there, I hope everything gets back to normal for you guys soon!

[63r2]

I take it there isn't a rule about what side you HAVE to drive on, is there? It isn't required to have the steering on the "correct" side for you? And good luck with your terrible flooding down there, I hope everything gets back to normal for you guys soon!

You can licence Lhd cars in Australia depending on there age and significance( every Stude qualifies). New cars imported must be converted to Rhd unless significant. Eg A 66 Mustang can be Lhd but a 2011 Mustang must be converted.
pb