Turbo LS 6 speed 54 Coupe

[Schraders]

Here's my latest personal project, it's getting done as I find time between customer cars. It's a 2000 5.3 LS motor with a 76mm Master Power turbo backed with a T56 6 speed. I used the stock Studebaker frame mounts and made my own engine mounts from 1/4" cold rolled strap, The frame is totally uncut, although the crossmember is modified to fit the T56 and the tunnel is modified as well. The hood latch plate is also trimmed so I could lean the radiator a bit for clearance. I made all the turbo piping as well as the radiator (started with a blank core).

The car is a real nice survivor that was taken apart for restoration 18 years ago and never touched since. It's a factory six cylinder automatic that was black with a red interior. It will have a nicely finished interior but the exterior will stay black patina.

It's going to be mostly a street car but if the stars align (and I can afford it) it would be neat to run it at El Mirage and Bonneville to see what she'll do!

[junior]

Wow...that is going to be one quick car...let alone the eye candy one will be treated to when you lift the hood to reveal that oversized hairdryer. The best thing about the whole build besides being a Stude with old paint, is the fact that you have decided to go with a manual trans. I assume you saw the sick horsepower the guys at Hot Rod extracted from a turbo`d baby LS a few months back...well over the 1000 mark on a used engine with a lame cylinder? Thanks for sharing. Junior

[Pat Dilling]

We are getting some great builds going here. Really looking forward to your progress. I notice you have the tri star on the hood. That would make it an early '53. Do you have plans to strengthen the frame? What about the chassis?

Good luck with it

Pat

[kmac530]

Schraders,
I love the build. Great job on your fab work. You must have gotten a great deal on the engine and trans, OR, you have alot more expendable money than I do. Maybe both...lol.
Keep up the pics.

[ralt12]

Great thread. I'd suggest--if you really have El Mirage and Bonneville in the back of your mind--that you accomplish the roll cage requirements at the stage you're at now. You can get the 130 mph and 150 mph licenses, but higher speeds will require the cage. I thought long and hard about that as well as a Carrera Panamericana-capable car, but at the end of the day stayed with what will be a fast street car.

[woodysrods]

Hairdryer! Well put Junior.
They are not the prettiest motors for sure.
Best keep the hood shut on this one.
But it sounds like a great build and will certainly be fun to drive.
Look forward to watching the build.
Good Roads
Brian

[Schraders]

The car will have a cage for sure, mostly because I think it will be the least expensive way to stiffen up the frame. The motor should make a lazy 500 horsepower to the wheels on 10 pounds of boost but the turbo is capable of flowing enough air to make 800 at the wheels. I plan on using the stock front suspension and some Wilwood brakes, I have a set of 6 piston calipers and alcon rotors that I bought used off a Nascar surplus company. They fit under 15" steel wheels which I think will add to the sleeper vibe. I have an 8.8 Ford rear out of an Explorer, it has a posi in it and is exactly the correct width. Even the spring perches look to be in the right spots. I think it will bolt in with very little work. For my intended use I don't see an issue with the stock suspension, the landspeed guys have been going over 200 with it dating back to 1959. If I wanted the car to handle corners at all I would certainly look into a modified chassis, I've had great luck with the Morrison chassis on customer cars in the past. As for the model year it's titled as a '54 and has the egg crate grills, how can I be sure what year it is?

KMAC530...I have a little less than $5000 in everything you see in the pictures, the Explorer rear and the Wilwood brakes. Of course, everything is used. The 5.3 Vortec motors can be had all day long for $500-$600 complete with all sensors, harness and ECU. I have probably 125 hours in the car so far, which at my shop rate would bill out at $8125 but who's counting...

Ralt...Where in SoCal are you? I'm in the San Gabriel Valley, I'd love to compare notes on our builds!

[53 stude mod]

may I ask what front suspension you will be using . the reason i ask is that i used a 454 big block mounted on the original
studebaker mounts as you did, by fabricating motor mounts that bolt on the engine and used original rubber mounts on the frame.
i went to rack and pinion steering to get rid of the steering box...thank you joe dipipi....I am going to post pictures of my 53 stude if i ever get good enough with this computer.again thank you...joedipipi@msn.com

[studegary]

We are getting some great builds going here. Really looking forward to your progress. I notice you have the tri star on the hood. That would make it an early '53. Do you have plans to strengthen the frame? What about the chassis?

Good luck with it

Pat

The car is a 1954, not a 1953.
It does not have a tri-star on the hood. It has a V with an S for a Champion six cylinder car.
Even in 1953, the tri-star would not make it necessarily an early 1953 if it was a Vernon (LA, CA) built car.
If the owner posts the serial number and body plate information, we can tell him a little more.

[Flashback]

Hey, this kinda reminds me of "The Saturday Night Special". It has most of it's old paint and came black with red interior. Course, I got a bigger engine, LOL LOL LOL LOL

[Pat Dilling]

The car is a 1954, not a 1953.
It does not have a tri-star on the hood. It has a V with an S for a Champion six cylinder car.
Even in 1953, the tri-star would not make it necessarily an early 1953 if it was a Vernon (LA, CA) built car.
If the owner posts the serial number and body plate information, we can tell him a little more.

Correct you are, I should have looked a little closer at the picture.