This tome will likely be longwinded, so I am apologizing before I start.
In his excellent (as usual) article in the August TW, Fred Fox says that one of the reasons he hadn't dealt with Studes of the late twenties before was because of Studebakers "no model year" policy. They changed things whenever they felt like it and this can make restoring - and categorizing - them difficult.
As the owner of a late 1927 Dictator, I know whereof Fred speaks! Case in point is the radiator and rad shell used between 1925-27. The design was changed 4 times, but the appearance wasn't. If you are looking at one at a swap meet, you need a tape measure to tell the difference, because they all look the same off the car. The only easily recognized difference was that early ones were nickel plated and later ones chromed. Each one requires a different core. Likewise, the engine hood changed each time the rad shell changed. Again, a tape measure is required because they all look the same.
The one that has me tearing out what little hair I have left has to do with the distributor. Early 27 Dictators used Wagner electrical equipment. The distributors were called "fully automatic" because they did not have a manual spark control on the dash. As Fred states, this was changed to a "semi-automatic" spark control using a manual control on the dash and supplied by Remy(Model 626K), but not at the number Fred says in his article(sorry Fred!). The change to semi-automatic actually occurred at engine #EU40799. But, at #EU40909 - the number Fred lists - it was changed again to Remy Model 636P! A little simple math will reveal that only 110 engines left the factory with 626K distributors!!
I have a 1930 Chilton interchange manual. The name Wagner is not mentioned even once in relation to electrical equipment. Studebaker can't have been the only company using it. The manual lists some far more obscure names such as DeJon and Dyneto, but Wagner just vanishes. What happened? Of the dozen or so 1920's Studes in my neck of the woods, all of them have Wagner ignition - except mine. I have a Remy 636P distributor. Electrical parts books of the period don't list a 636P! Aaargh @#$%!!! It is the correct one for my car. These are only a couple of the dozens of running changes Stude made to the Dictator. Canadian production was only 1877 cars. That would mean very few were completely identical. Anyway, thanks for letting me ramble, guys. Believe me, restoring post war Studes is a walk in the park by comparison.
Terry
1927 Dictator Custom sedan
1954 Commander Starliner
In his excellent (as usual) article in the August TW, Fred Fox says that one of the reasons he hadn't dealt with Studes of the late twenties before was because of Studebakers "no model year" policy. They changed things whenever they felt like it and this can make restoring - and categorizing - them difficult.
As the owner of a late 1927 Dictator, I know whereof Fred speaks! Case in point is the radiator and rad shell used between 1925-27. The design was changed 4 times, but the appearance wasn't. If you are looking at one at a swap meet, you need a tape measure to tell the difference, because they all look the same off the car. The only easily recognized difference was that early ones were nickel plated and later ones chromed. Each one requires a different core. Likewise, the engine hood changed each time the rad shell changed. Again, a tape measure is required because they all look the same.
The one that has me tearing out what little hair I have left has to do with the distributor. Early 27 Dictators used Wagner electrical equipment. The distributors were called "fully automatic" because they did not have a manual spark control on the dash. As Fred states, this was changed to a "semi-automatic" spark control using a manual control on the dash and supplied by Remy(Model 626K), but not at the number Fred says in his article(sorry Fred!). The change to semi-automatic actually occurred at engine #EU40799. But, at #EU40909 - the number Fred lists - it was changed again to Remy Model 636P! A little simple math will reveal that only 110 engines left the factory with 626K distributors!!
I have a 1930 Chilton interchange manual. The name Wagner is not mentioned even once in relation to electrical equipment. Studebaker can't have been the only company using it. The manual lists some far more obscure names such as DeJon and Dyneto, but Wagner just vanishes. What happened? Of the dozen or so 1920's Studes in my neck of the woods, all of them have Wagner ignition - except mine. I have a Remy 636P distributor. Electrical parts books of the period don't list a 636P! Aaargh @#$%!!! It is the correct one for my car. These are only a couple of the dozens of running changes Stude made to the Dictator. Canadian production was only 1877 cars. That would mean very few were completely identical. Anyway, thanks for letting me ramble, guys. Believe me, restoring post war Studes is a walk in the park by comparison.
Terry
1927 Dictator Custom sedan
1954 Commander Starliner
'33 Rockne 10, '51 Commander Starlight, '53 Commander Starlight
!
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