Firewall question for '47-'52 owners

[Chris_Dresbach]

I have a couple questions about some mysterous things on my '53 with a '47-'52 firewall, still trying to figure it out.
First up: Anybody know what this bracket is supposed to be? It is located at the top part of the firewall just under the hood. It has a twin on the other side.

Next, are these welds stock?

[mbstude]

Chris, given that your car is a full one-off styling study, I wouldn't count anything as "stock production".

[Greenstude]

I have a couple questions about some mysterous things on my '53 with a '47-'52 firewall, still trying to figure it out.
First up: Anybody know what this bracket is supposed to be? It is located at the top part of the firewall just under the hood. It has a twin on the other side.

Next, are these welds stock?

These reinforce the firewall where the pulley brackets for the cable-operated windshield wipers are mounted inside the car, behind the dashboard.

[dean pearson]

I have no idea but on my car there is only one on the driver side.
52 hard top.

To add I have no welds in that area either.

Dean.

[bezhawk]

On my 50 Land Cruiser, there was radiator braces that "Xed" from the firewall to the radiator support. Also, the horns are mounted along there too.

[Chris_Dresbach]

To add I have no welds in that area either.

Dean.

I had a feeling the welds were't stock. I bet they took out a section of metal out and shrunk down the firewall.

[Champ51]

Like Dean Pearson, I only have one of those brackets welded to the firewall on the driver's side. Since 51s didn't have pulleys for the wipers, I would have thought Studebaker would have eliminated it during the new model year. Since there is only one, the idea that a brace would run offset to the radiator seems strange. Did export cars get a rad brace? Was it just a stiffener for a weak point of the firewall?

[Michidan]

Seeing as that bracket was still there, even in 1952, it was a handy spot to anchor a bracing strut for a suspended brake pedal. So in my car at least, it has a use.

Chris, isn't that whole prototype "sectioned"? I'm guessing that's how they made the relatively tall 52 body into a lower 53 study. Your firewall welds are likely where they removed some height, and the modified dash shows that the steering column was laid down also. Are there areas in the door jams where you can see more work done?

[Chris_Dresbach]

The door jams are very difficuly to figure out. I need to measure the back section to see how tall it is and compare it to a stock '47-'52 door. The doors themselves are too rotted out to tell if anything was changed on the bottoms. Seeing that the firewall section was dropped down, that would explain the steering column up into the dash. I'm estimating that the firewall was lowered about 3".

[dean pearson]

Chris,
you going to restore that car ? The pro's around here say if it casts a shadow it can be done.
It would for sure be a worthy project.

Dean.

[Chris_Dresbach]

Chris,
you going to restore that car ? The pro's around here say if it casts a shadow it can be done.
It would for sure be a worthy project.

Dean.

Well, I recently found a '48 Land Cruiser that would make a good donor car for this one. It could happen but it would take a LONG time. Since taking ownership I've been looing around, gathering parts and seeing what's available for '51 Commanders like what this car started out as. I don't know if what I can do would be a restoration or an attempt at grafting the thing back together, making it look good, and get it operational for show. Heck, there is more to work with here than there is the model N so....