Where have all the old jacks and lug wrenches gone?

[northern]

Maybe you are luckier than I am when it comes to jacks. But I don't recall the last time I bought a classic car that had the correct (or any) jack in the trunk. Is there a black hole somewhere in the universe where jacks fly off to when they reach a certain age?

Of course my "new" '54 Commander Starliner also came without a jack and lug wrench. A search has not turned up any pictures of what the correct parts would look like. Does anyone have a picture handy? Also, any ideas on where one might find these? Even though one would not actually use the jack, it would be nice to have the correct jack and lug wrench in the trunk.

[arthurc1946]

I must have some luck & didn't know it. Bought a 62GT last fall.Had 2 bumper jacks in trunk.A little rusty but very useable.The rest of them probably went overseas with the steel bumpers to melt down/mix with inferior other metal.Producing cheap/inferior tools/parts that do not last .

[jclary]

I don't have the answer...but, I wouldn't be surprised if, when you find them...they will be surrounded by a huge pile of single socks without a match!

[sweetolbob]

While I know you just want to have them for looks, I'll bet most of them ended up thrown in a ditch right where they bent or had the car slip off of them while changing a tire. I know my GM ones did. The first thing I bought after I purchased a car was a real jack.

Bob

[candbstudebakers]

I have a few left but a couple of years ago sent about 20 sets to Australia, the 61 plane Jane came with the stock jack in place even had the hold down spring, jack , plate and handle,the picture of the different jack are in the body manual near the back.

[northern]

I have a few left but a couple of years ago sent about 20 sets to Australia, the 61 plane Jane came with the stock jack in place even had the hold down spring, jack , plate and handle,the picture of the different jack are in the body manual near the back.

Are they all the same, from 1953 to the 1960s? I don't have the body manual, at least not yet. And what is a jack like that going for these days?

[Anne F. Goodman]

You really need a Bumper jack to change Stude tires, thats the only way they lift the body off of the axle so you can get the tire out. Thats for those of us that don't have a lift. All my cars have one and I think I have used every one.

[Deaf Mute]

When I bought my '53 in '63, it had a jack... and still does. My Avanti didn't have one when I bought it though, and it still doesn't have the correct one.

[studegary]

In my case, when I last moved I left them all (many) behind. Nobody wanted them, even for free, two decades ago.
I have always had a correct jack in my Studebakers. I also carried a small "bottle" hydraulic jack. As Anne said, I used the bumper jack to lift the body enough to get a rear wheel off and on. This was after lifting the chassis with the bottle jack.
The 1953 Commander Owner's Manual shows a correct bumper jack and lug wrench/handle in use, in a picture. I assume that the 1954 jack and Owner's Manual is the same.

[Skip Lackie]

Are they all the same, from 1953 to the 1960s? I don't have the body manual, at least not yet. And what is a jack like that going for these days?

They're not all the same -- in fact, they're all different. Section 18 of the chassis parts book has illustrations of what they look like. I probably will bring a few to York to sell (for maybe $25?).

[StudeRich]

You may want to see the "Other Post" about bumper jacks.

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...-for-a-64-Lark

However you do need the CORRECT Studebaker Chassis Parts Catalog: '53 to '55, for your '54 Commander "K" Body, it should be in the same Section 18.

You want one unlike the later models, it has a SQUARE Post and Base hole.

[WayneXG95]

Jack?
Oh Crap...

[Flashback]

"WHERE HAVE ALL THE OLD JACKS AND LUG WRENCHES GONE?"
I can't tell you where all them went, But, I have about 25 bumper jacks and lug wrenches left (just sold a hundred). And about that many screw, bottle, and sissors type. Just sold about 20 of those. Am I guilty of being the jack thief? LOL

[StudeRich]

You can't be accused of hording all the Jacks anymore now that they are gone, BUT it looks like you are well on your way to collecting a lot of Hawk Dash overlays!

[acolds]

I won't use one on my car they are hard on bumpers after having it rechromed I did buy one at York for $1.00 repainted it looks like new even the style the parts book calls for my 57. I have small floor jack in plastic case and blocks of wood in case I have to change rear tire fronts no problem.