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Eye Candy for 12/20/11: Brand X-powered 53 Starlight

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  • Eye Candy for 12/20/11: Brand X-powered 53 Starlight

    Fall Waterdown show/swap, 2009. Only saw this car the one time; as I recall the owner had been stung by criticism about his car's switch from Stude to Mopar power, so wasn't in SDC...I remember telling him I'm in SDC and as far as I was concerned the car was terrific...and I doubt there's anyone on here who wouldn't happily drive it...

    EDIT: was looking at another pic of this car, a closeup of the engine bay, and to my surprise it was captioned as a Chevy engine...! The wheels on the 53 appear to be Dodge, so perhaps that's where "Mopar" entered the conversation between me and the owner...but it did stick in my mind that the engine was a Chrysler product. I'll post a closer view of the mill, which should allow a correct identification to be made. Sorry for the confusion! The owner's issues with negative criticism, of course, remain the same and just as unfortunate.



    (Posting a day early again because I may not be online tomorrow.)

    S.
    Last edited by Steve T; 12-22-2011, 07:07 PM.

  • #2
    I like it. He didn't mess with the lines and it's looking pretty straight. Lots of work and the result speaks for itself.
    Dave Warren (Perry Mason by day, Perry Como by night)

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    • #3
      Guess I better not show up with my 51 with Dodge Diplomat Police car setting under it. I have been in SDC for years and never had any body say anything about the Mopar. They just don't like the yellow paint on it.

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      • #4
        That 51 sounds cool...got a pic? Re the owner of the Mopar Starlight, I'm not even clear on whether it was definitely an SDCer he got the negative reaction from, but since it was a Stude person, he'd likely have, er, "dodged" SDC anyway...I remember him as very quiet, even taciturn, so quite possibly not a "joiner" anyway. And yes, the body on the 53 was superb. That non-metallic midnight blue is just as brave a choice as black, showing up every flaw in contour, and from what I could see this 53 was flawless...wish the owner would show it off more (and afford us the chance to woo him into SDC!).

        S.

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        • #5

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          • #6
            Hey, thanx for posting those...I like your faired-in treatment of those huge bumper mount tubes too.

            We could turn this into an "Interesting Engine Swaps" thread...around here for instance, besides the Mopar 53, there have been a 49 Land Cruiser with an early-90s Chevy 3.1 V6, and a spectacular pro-street 53 Starlight with an Aussie Holden Gen III V8...

            S.

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            • #7
              I love that color and the 2 tone. That deep blue with a purple/dark gray hue in it is beautiful. GREAT stance and simple clean looking wheels give a really great clean street rod look.

              I am going to go out on a limb here, at the risk of alienating or irritating a few people on here, and say NO ONE should pick on this guy for his choices. And for that matter, I am not a fan on picking or critisizing any one for their choices of modifications. I am often the first person to post an opinion on soemthing, primarily though when someone says "hey do you like or what do you think or why"???? No problem, here is my opinion. But it is exactly that, my opinion, and my opinions are like arm pits....

              I agree with the principles of the website of promoting Studebakers and even Stude power. But promoting is diferent than critisizing others choice on that.

              I forget who it was, but recently a member said something to the effect that if it wasn't for hot rodders, lots of great cars would not still be around for us to enjoy at all. I agree.

              There is definately something to be said about a modern, known commodity power plant and driveline under a beautiful vintage ride.

              I debated long and hard about dropping my cab on a different chassis and driveline. I would possibly be driving it by now rather than waiting on parts and fabricating things. It would still look like a vintage patina'ed '49 2R10, but be fairly new and reliable. Big choice.

              Most people seemed happy that I am keeping my Stude all Stude. But the reality is that it is still highly modofied and no where near original since the old flatty 6 is not there and neither is the 3 on the tree none OD trans that was in it. No one seemed to have a big problem with it, even though it is every bit as modified as dropping a SBC in it.

              I would to that Starlight and its owner on the site adding his $0.02 into our threads and am a bit bummed anyone would harass him for his choice. I even like that he went an alternative route than the typical SBC.

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              • #8
                Mine is so close. Same everything as the P.O. and the numbers match. I deviated with inner fender kit, WW radials and plastic zip ties to keep the repro wiring harness where it should be. I would lose points so the heck with 'em. The doggie hair on my upholstery would give a judge too much grief, so I'll let them off the hook and enjoy my Stude and ALL the others: modified, customized or trailerized.
                Dave Warren (Perry Mason by day, Perry Como by night)

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by ST2DE5 View Post
                  Guess I better not show up with my 51 with Dodge Diplomat Police car setting under it. I have been in SDC for years and never had any body say anything about the Mopar. They just don't like the yellow paint on it.
                  Now, Carl, that ain't right... I have always had something to say about those Mopar powered Studes of yours... I love 'em! I would much prefer to have Mopar power in my car!

                  And... the yellow looks just fine on that car!
                  sigpic
                  Dave Lester

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Studedude View Post
                    Now, Carl, that ain't right... I have always had something to say about those Mopar powered Studes of yours... I love 'em! I would much prefer to have Mopar power in my car!

                    And... the yellow looks just fine on that car!
                    Ditto. That yellow looks fine to me. I didn't even know Carl had the yellow car until Branson this year. It seems the business coupe gets most of the cruising.
                    If I didn't use Studebaker power, I would use a Mopar engine.
                    "In the heart of Arkansas."
                    Searcy, Arkansas
                    1952 Commander 2 door. Really fine 259.
                    1952 2R pickup

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                    • #11
                      Here's a closeup of the V8 in the beautiful midnight blue '53. Chevy? Mopar?



                      S.

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                      • #12
                        That would be a small block Chevy. Love the exhaust manifolds. All in all very nicely done. Notice how there are louvers in the inner fenders to let hot air out.

                        Pat
                        Pat Dilling
                        Olivehurst, CA
                        Custom '53 Starlight aka STU COOL


                        LS1 Engine Swap Journal: http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/jour...ournalid=33611

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Pat Dilling View Post
                          That would be a small block Chevy. Love the exhaust manifolds. All in all very nicely done. Notice how there are louvers in the inner fenders to let hot air out.

                          Pat
                          Yeah, always loved those Sanderson cast headers, but could never swallow the price. Do have advantages over tube type headers as in longevity, sealing, and loudness, but still many $. Perhaps just as many hours go into the making a pair of these as compared to welding tubes together...don't know, just always felt they should not be so expensive. http://www.sandersonheaders.com/Sand...eader-Set.html Nice clean build on this car, perhaps one day my engine compartment will be so clean and detailed. Regards, Junior.
                          Last edited by junior; 12-24-2011, 06:54 AM.
                          sigpic
                          1954 C5 Hamilton car.

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                          • #14
                            I met a guy with a modified Stude in the Hamilton area, and asked if he was a member of the local club?
                            He replied with much the same , that he had recieved grief from members, because his car was modified, so he said to hell with them.
                            So maybe there is some of that going around?

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                            • #15
                              John--

                              That's curious...and of course disappointing to hear. It seems especially odd, in that a number of the Hamilton Chapter cars are modified, including '38 Commander and '40 Champion rods (both SBC-engined), 62 and 65 Daytonas, and a nice Wagonaire that actually belongs to a past Chapter president! Of course this fellow could have got grief from Stude (or general) purists who aren't actually in SDC, too. If you don't mind my asking, what was the car in question? (I'm the chapter's membership guy, so am interested in "bridge-building", and maybe I can do some of that if I recognize the car at an event next year...)

                              Cheers

                              Steve
                              Last edited by Steve T; 12-25-2011, 01:24 PM.

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