UPDATE....56J LS1 Resto

[mike super]

Posting a few shots of our Golden Hawk. Installed the LS1 and 4L60E trans. The numerous new wires from motor and trans to the televoric panel has been secured thru the cabin ...running in the center console to the computer and wire station located between trunk and rear of back seats. Rear seat bases and backs will be built from 3/4 inch 6 ply finish plywood and secured to the body using closed cell foam to form the rear buckets to match the front 6 way GTO seats. Kent replaced the manual rear steer rack they supplied with the IFS with a power steering unit for 1/3 the price they wanted for a Flaming River remote pump unit. Hopeful to have assembled and running by mid month with installation of the Custom Entropy radiator, condenser and electric fans.

[Dick Steinkamp]

Beautiful!

All the class of a Golden Hawk and the drive ability of a modern high performance car.

[Pat Dilling]

Very nice work. Your car will be a ball to drive once you are finished.

Pat

[2R5]

Lookin' good Mike !

[EssexExport]

Impressive.

[sals54]

[mike super]

Here are a few shots of an interior completed last week by John Miller, owner of Sullivan Upholstery. He will do the interior in this Hawk in matching red leather to the original romany red and snow cap white exterior scheme on the 56's. First photo is a 53 champion I traded John a few years back for ....next two are of the car today. The last two are shots of a center console and rear bucket wood bases. Next post are finish shots of the interior. Will give you an idea of how his 53 and our 56J will look complete .......center console front to rear ...with 4 bucket seats.

[EssexExport]

Okay, slightly confused here. So the last two shots are of John's '53?

[Pat Dilling]

I don't think the last two shots are of a Studebaker, certainly not a 53. They do show the concept nicely.

[mike super]

Okay, slightly confused here. So the last two shots are of John's '53?

Pat is absolutely correct. Sorry for the confusion.....I sold John the 53 shown in the first. He had a fellow use 56J moldings...frenching the headlamps, rear lamps and two tone painted the car. The last two shots are of a 49 Ford he did. Posted it so show what we are doing in each Studebaker for our interiors....full length consoles and 4 bucket type seats.

[woodysrods]

Being a Ford guy before Studebaker, I too picked up on the last to pictures.
But it is probably a 51 Ford, unless they have changes out the dash and the door handles??
Loving your 56. As it is similar to what I am doing to my 56 Power Hawk.
I too have changed out the trunk lid to a 55 trunk lid, will have the lower styled fins (mine will be custom fabricated even though I do have a set of 56 Golden Hawk fiberglass fins), frenched headlights, 53 hood, grills, bumpers (front & rear)......etc. etc.
You are a man after my own heart.
Love your wheels.
And the rack you changed out....what was it and what did you use to replace it ?
Good Roads
Brian
PS
Wish I was working on mine again instead of my wife's 61 Hawk!

[WilburV]

Great looking build!
I was curious which oil pan you used as I'm considering the same swap and debating between the F-body pan from a Camaro/Firebird or the 'batwing'-style Corvette pan. It looks like the F-body pan hangs quite a bit lower and would susceptible to damage on a lowered car.

[mike super]

Great looking build!
I was curious which oil pan you used as I'm considering the same swap and debating between the F-body pan from a Camaro/Firebird or the 'batwing'-style Corvette pan. It looks like the F-body pan hangs quite a bit lower and would susceptible to damage on a lowered car.

I use the shortest pan available. This LS1 was came with the Corvette pan. I have used number of low mileage 5.3 cast iron ....vortec LS motors in my Packards. I am going to purchase three 2006 and 2007 LS2's with..... 13k....21k and 31k miles Monday if they agree to my price or are close. You cannot beat these low mileage...high torque 400 HP all aluminum motors. When you buy them in quantity one can get an excellent price per engine/trans.

[mike super]

Here are shots of the finished 49...51 Ford interior....done by John Miller...Sullivan Interiors....419..929 1400

Look past the bling the owner desired. His interiors are of the utmost in quality, craftsmanship and design.

The two pieces of "luggage" are two 1/4 inch luan hollow boxes that are made to look like luggage.....just used to cover the spare tire.

[Andy R.]

The LS1 looks happy to be home - the headers are especially beautiful in there.
The footwell lights on the Ford are a nice touch. There are also some amazing interior lighting options with fiber optics and LEDs these days.