This was a Fun Studebaker Day.

[jclary]

For the first time since probably 1954...this 1951 Land Cruiser has a beautiful Steering Wheel with no cracks. (I believe the originals cracked in the spoke stress areas early on)

[Pat Dilling]

Good to hear you got her running and got the new wheel on. I had a fun Studebaker day too fitting and welding the drivers floor.

[R_David]

Great story John. Made me feel good just reading it!

[southbend]

I wondered where the water on the driver's side floorboard on my '50 was coming from. Thanks for the clue. Time to buy a tube of silicone. And all those minor "imperfections" tell the history of the car. Kinda like the wrinkles on our faces and the grey in our hair. Tinkered with my cars, too, yesterday. Felt good.

[LarkTruck]

Hi John, nice story. Saw you at the TF Dinner but time got away be we had a chance to meet. Nice to see your wife does allow you some "John time". Keep up the good work!
Jim

[raprice]

My fun day wasn't as complex. I haven't had my Lark out of the garage all winter because of all the road salt.
Yesterday, I took the Lark for a nice ride. She ran beautifully and it felt good to drive her. Now, I'm looking forward to the touring season.
Rog

[Sam Ensley]

Wow! I didn't know you owned a 51 Land Cruiser. How about some pictures of it?

[58PackardWagon]

That new steering wheel looks spectacular

[kurtruk]

A little suprised to see a L/C with an aftermarket radio in it. Do you know the history there?

EDIT: Maybe it is just a faceplate replacement. I see pushbuttons that look like Studebaker equipment, but not knobs.

[jclary]

Sorry 'bout posting this thread and bugging out. But since last night...I have made a nearly 380 mile round trip to visit my 93 year-old mother. Yesterday was a very pleasant "shirtsleeve" day. Today, was cool and rainy. Thanks for the kind remarks.

Regarding the radio...that was one of the few options this car didn't originally have. The radio, you see, is an after-market Motorola. However, (notice the knobs) it was targeted for the 1948 Studebaker. This particular radio was in my 1948 Business coupe. (That's why the knobs look familiar) While restoring the '48, I stumbled upon a correct NOS radio for it. I fabricated the faceplate you see in the picture with my very expensive sheet metal tools. (Actually, a vice, a couple of pieces of angle iron, and a ball peen hammer) At the time I was doing this work, I had the dash out of the Land Cruiser painting it. Therefore, painting my crudely made radio faceplate to match was easy.

There was a couple of working '51 Radios for sale at the York swap meet. However, after spending so much money on the new steering wheel...well there is only so much violating of monetary principles a true CASO can take at one time! It was tempting though...my excuse for not turning loose of the money was that the chrome was too pitted. After all, nobody really cares how well an AM radio sounds...only how good they look!

For you...Sam Ensley....(Thanks for the CD at Maggie Valley...your Bluegrass music was just the thing to play last week as I drove by "Fancy Gap")

[Deaf Mute]

I spent today celebrating St. Patricks Day with bellow Big 6 River Bend Chapter members... but yesterday I was welding on a replacement fuel tank from a mid 50's Buick making it over to fit my 1953 Commander Starlight Coupe. All done except for moving the filler neck. Ah, love the smell of brazing in the shop!