Where is Bob Palma - Battery Hold Downs!

[Swifster]

OK, i'm ordering bits and pieces every week. I have to order these sooner or later...

Both the Daytona and Commander use the same hold down (1339477). But what holds the ring down? I'm
guessing that 1 or 2 'J' bolts are used (10-7/8) with the two wing nuts. The catalog and SI's catalog really
don't get specific. Anyone have a good picture of a '64-'66 J-Body or F-Body battery hold downs?

Bonus if the pictures are of Bob Palma's Daytona...

[StudeRich]

Only one "J" Bolt is required because there is a Stud on the inner Fender extension for the Outboard Wing Nut and washer.

The 800024 is a generic aftermarket Bolt that probably needs shortening to fit a Lark Type.

The bottom end needs to be round to fit the Hole in the Inner Fender Panel, not Flat.

Not Bob Palma, he is in Bed, but how about a REAL Factory Photo with a Real Studebaker Battery and LONG NLA Prestolite Cables, courtesy of Richard Quinn?

Not to be Commercially Sold or Distributed for profit under penalty of LAW!

[Swifster]

Rich, any idea on the length of the cables. These can always be made up. The problem with the factory manual is that it doesn't show the J bolts or give a length.

[StudeRich]

Well, enough length to reach the upper Water Manifold Bolt and the Solenoid should do it, sorry I do not know where my Original Prestolite Name Marked Cables are right now.

The 1337178 is the Hold Down "J" Bolt, they do list it, just no Picture.
Studebaker Drawing Numbered Parts do not have dimensions, only Standard Hardware does.
The Blueprint should be available at the SNM.

It has a Joggle in it to go inboard enough to allow the "hook" to enter the hole in the Inner Fender.

[Swifster]

Thanks Rich!

[jclary]

I agree with those who gripe and complain about missing battery hold downs. What I don't do, is fret about not having a so called "factory" hold down. From the early angle-iron "frames," to the later model over the top bent wire types...they all are probably the easiest to fabricate/duplicate parts of our vintage cars. I've made several old type frames using angle iron. For those of us with a cheap welder, a vise, and pliers...it is not too big a challenge to make a hold down. Same for the J hooks. Correct size cold roll rod (1/4 or 5/16) a thread die, and wing nuts will do the trick.

I suspect that whoever was the supplier to Studebaker for those items...probably assigned making those things to the most inexperienced employees in the shop. I once took an order for some elaborate hooks to be used on an overhead conveyor paint line. That customer's engineer made a prototype. I took it to a back yard machine shop. There were three generations in that shop. Grandfather, Father, and three sons. Those paint hooks were much more complex than any battery hold down. The Grandfather made a metal jig. The Father assigned his 15 year old son the job of bending the hooks using the jig. I made several thousand dollars commission on that order. I saved my customer a ton of money, and the small machine shop made out well too. I dealt with some highly educated engineers in large corporations. But...I probably learned a lot more from that little back yard machine shop after hours.

[52-fan]

I don't know that people who comment on missing battery hold downs are complaining so much as making a joke. Many of the cars commented on are for sale and the battery has probably just come off of a battery charger. Bob started quite an inside joke with the hold down thing.
As for your comment about the factory hold down, I agree. Any sturdy device should be fine for a car that is not being put back factory original. I need to change the hold down on my 52 because the original is actually too large for the 12 volt battery it now has. I won't be worrying about it being original, just neat and functional.

[Swifster]

I agree about Bob's battery hold down comment being tongue-in-check. I was just having a little fun with asking for a picture of Bob's hold down.

I don't need every thing to be factory, but if the parts exist...

My battery cables don't have to be Prestolite either. The Daytona I'm looking for original or what could be a replacement part. I just don't want it screaming
2015/2016. The same with the Commander. I haven't decided about putting the battery in the trunk or in the original space. With a Chevy engine, it may be in the trunk.

[BobPalma]

OK, here is the reproduction (I think) battery hold down sold by Studebaker International, as installed in my Daytona sedan, with "incorrect" big fender washers under the wing nuts. You will note the wing nut wings being aligned, however :



The fuzzy-looking material around the edges of the bracket is the edge of duct tape underneath it; I "lined" the part of the hold-down that actually contacts the battery with duct tape so's to reduce the possibility of corrosion staring.

(It had a goofy-looking red universal hold-down on it for years and I got tired of looking at it, so when Ed Reynolds had a sale of 20% off a $100 order last year, I bought two of them, among other items, to get the order up to $100.) BP

[jclary]

OK, here is the reproduction (I think) battery hold down sold by Studebaker International, as installed in my Daytona sedan, with "incorrect" big fender washers under the wing nuts. You will note the wing nut wings being aligned, however :


The fuzzy-looking material around the edges of the bracket is the edge of duct tape underneath it; I "lined" the part of the hold-down that actually contacts the battery with duct tape so's to reduce the possibility of corrosion staring.

(It had a goofy-looking red universal hold-down on it for years and I got tired of looking at it, so when Ed Reynolds had a sale of 20% off a $100 order last year, I bought two of them, among other items, to get the order up to $100.) BP

Well...the "aligned wing nuts" is probably an indication of your "proper" serfisterkated perfek qualities.

The DUCT TAPE...means you have, at least, a modicum of kinship with the rest of us rednecks! (somewhere there's a Jeff Foxworthy echo lurking)

I don't know how many re-coats of battery hold downs I've done using rustoleum rattle can enamel. They all seem to , sooner or later, re-corrode. I wonder how that "liquid tape" (insulation) stuff would do if you dipped the hold down in it?