Studebaker's and Rust and Rust

[DEEPNHOCK]

Pat Skelly was musing to me today about the Ebay tire kickers asking him the ritual rust questions about his Hawk up on auction right now...
http://tinyurl.com/Pat-Skelly-Ebay-Hawk
I told him to tell people the front fenders have absolutely no rust on them...
(They are nice fiberglass units)

But the conversation reminded me of a Hawk we looked at in Savannah a few weeks ago...
There's rust...and then there's rust....
Jeff


Believe it or not, the fin is still attached....barely

....

[Jerry Forrester]

That'll buff out.............................. not.

[jclary]

I noticed that Hawk when I checked in on Ebay yesterday. I had clicked on the "Nearest first" button and the finned Hawk popped up. I would really like to have a finned hawk, but I am afraid Pat wants real money and that is the only tiny technicality holding me back.

I was not bothered so much by the rust...but a little needling about why he can't focus his camera is well deserved!

[DEEPNHOCK]

The weather was cruddy out when Pat shot the pic's.
Even he admits they could be better.
But he has this Hawk up cheap, with a very low reserve....
It is not perfect by any means, but it is a good car for what Pat is asking for it..
Send him a note.... It's not much money, and not an awful Hawk.
John Polous sold it to Pat a few years ago and Pat did the round tuit deal with it...
Jeff

I noticed that Hawk when I checked in on Ebay yesterday. I had clicked on the "Nearest first" button and the finned Hawk popped up. I would really like to have a finned hawk, but I am afraid Pat wants real money and that is the only tiny technicality holding me back.

I was not bothered so much by the rust...but a little needling about why he can't focus his camera is well deserved!

[FlatheadGeo]

The new, modern, politically correct word for rust is: PATINA!!!!

[52 Ragtop]

SCREW politically correctness!! <G>

Jim

[kmac530]

My truck has plenty of "Patina"...

[DEEPNHOCK]

Gonna be a ground every time, Jim... Every time
Jeff

SCREW politically correctness!! <G>
Jim

[JoeHall]

If it casts a shadow, its restorable.

[hausdok]

Rust Hidden Under Hawk Fins

Hi,

Yeah, there will be a lot of rust under the fins. I recently purchased a P.H. and have been breaking it down for a frame off. The rear fins are screwed on top and bottom but tack welded at the front edge and then leaded in. The back quarters looked fine until I began loosening the screws along the bottom of the fins and then piles of rust began sifting out - probably enough to fill a half gallon jug for each fin.

After I'd melted off the lead and cut the tack welds I discovered that the top of the fender beneath the fin, as well as the underside of the fin, were raw metal - hadn't even been primed. In the little valley next to the trunk opening on one fender the valley was completely rusted through. I'd contemplated not removing the fins and just cleaning them up and repainting those dent-free quarters. Guess it's a good thing I'd decided to go all the way.

There's going to be a lot of welding in this "relatively rust-free" (dealer's words, not mine) car.







Mike O'Handley
Kenmore, Washington
hausdok@msn.com

[johnod]

Rust, Studebaker?
Just a myth.

[studegary]

hausdok/Mike - I believe that that is the least rust that I have ever seen under a removed Hawk fin (but I usually work on NY/NJ Hawks).

[cultural infidel]

There's going to be a lot of welding in this "relatively rust-free" (dealer's words, not mine) car.

I'll venture a guess that the dealer didnt pull the fins off to check for rust. Was there much rust elsewhere on the car?

[starliner62]

I have a feeling that my 58 Commander will have rust under the fins. It looks like mine are welded all the way around. We will see when it is time to paint the car.

[Johnnywiffer]

"...hadn't even been primed..."?

I wasn't aware Studebaker primed under the fins, although, knowing the tendency to rust in other hidden places, it would seem they should have.

The alleged quote from some high-mucky-muck in Studebaker, something to the effect, "Let 'em rust. That way they'll buy new ones." would seem to be true in spirit, even if not an actual quote.

I've seen pix of other manufacturers who actually DIPPED the body in some kind of rust proofing glurp, half way up the window frames. Don't know if it worked any better but sure SEEMED like it would have. I have often wondered why Studebaker didn't do this.

John