My 1950 Champion build/restoration!

[Troy's_50_Champion]

Hello Everyone, My name is Troy and i recently purchased a 1950 Champion 4 door sedan, i am 23 years old and this will be my first extensive car build/restoration. My lady Wendy and i just joined the Karel Staples Chapter of the SDC and are fortunate enough to be in touch with some awesome and talented people!

So i am posting this thread so everybody can sort of follow along on the progress of my car and give me feedback and any advice! it will be much appreciated and i hope you all enjoy!

This is the car as we found it
!

more to come soon... it will take me a while to get everybody caught up to where we are now... but i will do my best!

[Pat Dilling]

Troy, Great to meet you and Wendy this week-end. I love your enthusiasm. I'll subscribe to this thread, I know it will be fun and interesting. also glad to help if I can.

Pat

[Sdude]

Welcome again to the Studebaker world. I'm looking forward to getting to know you and Wendy better and looking forward to seeing what you do with your car.

Make sure to keep us posted on Peggy Sue's.

[Sdude]

BTW, for those of you that would like to see Troy and Wendy, check out their picture on the Karel Staple in Napa thread.

[BobGlasscock]

Welcome Troy and Wendy!! You're going to love that car.

There's way too much to be done at this stage for specific advice, but I DO have one thing to mention this soon. Be sure that anyone who touches your wheels knows about left-hand threading!

[Troy's_50_Champion]

Thanks Bob! rest assured, nobody will be touching the wheels but me! and I already figured that one out! haha the day i brought her home!

[Troy's_50_Champion]

alrighty... i'm back at it! its gonna take me a few days to get everybody caught up to the car as it sits in my garage now... lol


Pulling her out of that dreaded field!



Isn't she a beauty!



The engine hasn't seen the light of day in a while...

[Troy's_50_Champion]

finally got her home (this was in may 2011) and its time for the first wash in about 30 years! ...

[Sonny]

Lookin' like she needs a few TLCs, but it sure looks pretty darn solid! What things do you have in store for the old girl? Nothin' keweler than cruzin' a suicide door hot rod!

Welcome to the forums, Troy & Karel!

[woodysrods]

Love your enthusiasm for your car. You remind me of me when I was 23. Hauled home my model A and my 49 Ford that year.
But I don't want to soud negative here, but with experience comes wisdom.
When tearing your new car down, save all of the interchangable parts and lose the 4 door body, Find another 50 Champion with a better body style.
Ie. a Business coupe, Starlight coupe, or Convertible. Trust me you will be much more satisfied in the end, and happier about the money you will spend on this project.
Now on the positive side, work hard and enjoy every step. Most of the satisfaction comes from doing it yourself. Take pride in every step and you will be able to take pride in the finished product....which ever body style you choose.
And Welcome to the Forum.
Good Roads
Brian

[sweetolbob]

Love your enthusiasm for your car. You remind me of me when I was 23. Hauled home my model A and my 49 Ford that year.
But I don't want to soud negative here, but with experience comes wisdom.
When tearing your new car down, save all of the interchangable parts and lose the 4 door body, Find another 50 Champion with a better body style.
Ie. a Business coupe, Starlight coupe, or Convertible. Trust me you will be much more satisfied in the end, and happier about the money you will spend on this project.
Now on the positive side, work hard and enjoy every step. Most of the satisfaction comes from doing it yourself. Take pride in every step and you will be able to take pride in the finished product....which ever body style you choose.
And Welcome to the Forum.
Good Roads
Brian

Well!!!! That is certainly one man's opinion.

To me, you build what you want to build and enjoy that. I'm glad Jon Stalnacker (Sdude) didn't build one of those "commonly built" coupes, verts, etc and put together one of the nicer 50/51 cars on the forum.

Go for it,and enjoy!!! Also WELCOME!!

Bob

[55champion]

It is great to see a young man so excited about a Studebaker.....Do it your way and enjoy the ride..

[Troy's_50_Champion]

Thanks guys! i actually happen to like the bullet nose and big body style a lot! it is definitely one of the most unique cars ever built, (don't get me wrong, i love ALL old cars, but preferably pre mid-50's)

speaking of Jon Stalnacker (sdude) my girlfriend and i met him this weekend, we just joined the Karel Staples Chapter which he happens to be a part of, he is an awesome guy and he has one of the most well done and HIGHLY customized 50/51's i have seen as well!

This is my lady Wendy and i in front of Jons car at our club meeting last sun. Aug. 21st


As for my plans, i plan on keeping her mostly stock, with exceptions of hopping up the flathead 6, and probably a few cosmetic accessories here and there. My girlfriend and i will make a killer team, as she sews and is going to do the upholstery herself, I graduated tech school last may and have been a Mercedes Benz technician since Jan. 2010. i eat sleep and breathe cars. i will be doing all the work to her with the exception of bodywork and paint (not my forte). she is 99% complete and original, so other than fixing a few minor rust holes and a dent at the rear it should be a pretty enjoyable project and we plan on getting it running soon (ill tell you more about that in later posts, i want to stick to chronological order with photos!) and drive it with the patina for a little while and just enjoy it.

[Sdude]

Well!!!! That is certainly one man's opinion.

To me, you build what you want to build and enjoy that. I'm glad Jon Stalnacker (Sdude) didn't build one of those "commonly built" coupes, verts, etc and put together one of the nicer 50/51 cars on the forum.

Go for it,and enjoy!!! Also WELCOME!!

Bob

You brought a little tear to my eye. Thanks for chastising Brian so I didn't need to. Besides, it means more when it comes from someone else.

4 doors are cool cars and it was a delight to talk with Troy and Wendy about their plans for THEIR car.

Isn't she a beauty? Well maybe not in everybody's eyes right now but I'm sure she will get more love when Troy and Wendy get through with her. I could tell that she couldn't be prettier to Troy right now. He's not looking at what she is - he's looking at what she will become. Been there - done that - completely understand.

It's fun to re-live that excitement through someone else.

Shame on you Brian (lose the 4 door body......)

[Lothar]

...lose the 4 door body, Find another 50 Champion with a better body style.

In my humble opinion, the 1950 Champion four door sedan is the ultimate expression of Studebaker style. The public must have agreed, since it was the highest production Studebaker EVER! Besides, Woody, some of us have family and friends that want to ride in our old cars. If you have a four-door they can get in and out easily. Good luck on your build Troy, and don't hesitate to ask for help, advice, parts, whatever. Four doors four-ever!