Trial Balloon

[53Baker]

Hello ALL, I have a very nice 2R5 pickup that is perhaps 95% complete, I'm interested in selling this truck that has been my favorite earthly possession for the past 30 years, There are many things that don't show that are not stock, such as the front suspension is from a 1980 Chevy Van including the plush double A frames and disc brakes on the front, at the rear is a Chevy rear end at 2.75 ratio with very well balanced rear drum brakes from the same van. This was an Arizona truck that I bought while living in Escondido CA. The motor and transmission were harvested from a 1963 Lark in Lester Schmidt's field in Flynn Springs. I'm a machinist and spent many hours making custom parts for "my truck" at this point there were two things I had planned to do, the valve covers need breathers installed so the crankcase can breath better and I think the transmission is geared too low and could use a TH200R4 with a shifter kit and clutch upgrade installed, I just happen to have one in stock as well as the adapter kit I bought from Phil Harris which I never installed. The 289 motor runs good breathes through a 390cfm Holley mounted to a custom G9 manifold adapter/heat insulator, cooled by a Ron Davis Aluminum radiator in front of a Mahaffey Motorsports Custom Shroud has a double wound starter that I also purchased from Phil, which spins it over with ease, a 100 amp single wire Chevy alternator. If you want strictly stock this is not for you but someone will have an excellent daily driver that will lope along down the highway very comfortably at today's speeds, Oh and did I mention the new "Vintage Air" Air conditioning and heater system just installed. Brand new Red Leather upholstery that is great but with ton more padding would be greater, too many new parts to list. I'm selling it because I've started a new machine shop in Houston and I need the capital to buy additional equipment. I'm going to quit for the night but I'll put some pictures in here tomorrow, I very much welcome help of any of you on here who have given me such good advice in the past, regarding a ballpark selling price that you might think is reasonable. No I don't want to do this but I do have to make a living and machining is all I know. I'll simply make a million and buy another Stude ! Thanks, Don Davis

[DEEPNHOCK]

Awesome work!
I love great work....

[jclary]

... I'm selling it because I've started a new machine shop in Houston and I need the capital to buy additional equipment... Thanks, Don Davis

I'm sorry, but a little confused. What kind of machine shop are you planning? Automotive, industrial, general "job shop?" What are your current facilities? What equipment do you currently have in service? Lathes? Surface grinders? Blanchard? Milling? Drilling? Just curious, because in one of my past lives...I worked as an independent contractor with several local machine shops. In addition to selling the machine shops tooling, I represented them to local industrial companies for a small commission. I would find them jobs from companies needing special machine work that their shops lacked the time, equipment, or skills to do.

I admire your entrepreneurial spirit, and wish you well. However, I hate to see you have to liquidate such a hard earned labor of love, without exhausting other alternatives to achieve your goals. Whatever happens...best wishes.

[53Baker]

Thanks DEEPNHOCK, much appreciated.

[Sdude]

Somebody is going to get an awesome truck with all the Hard work already done. Can't wait to see pictures of it when it get's done.

[53Baker]

Hi John, For the last 10 years I had a one man "Wire EDM" jobshop in Wilton, New Hampshire where I did work for customers mostly in the New England area, for the 10 years prior to that I owned a CNC Milling and Turning jobshop in Milford NH where I also did wire EDM work but not as my main business. Currently I have a large capacity Sodick Wire EDM and a small CNC Knee mill I use to make fixturing for the EDM as well as doing any CNC milling job that will fit in it's rather small work envelope, I'm interested in purchasing a large capacity machining center that will allow me to do some milling jobs but I refuse to take a loan to do it because the economy is currently very slow in Houston and the last thing I need is another bill. I have been doing some work with some of my old customers but not many of them make sense due to shipping cost. I sold my equipment and gave most of my shop tools to my son because I was sure that I wouldn't be machining any longer, Man plans and God laughs. The one positive is, it doesn't take a great deal of work to keep one guy busy.

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks for you reply SDUDE !

[jclary]

OK...I have a better picture now. Still...what we have seen in the past couple of decades, besides the overall decline in manufacturing, is a huge shift in where, what remains of manufacturing, is located. I think you are strategically well located to pick up new work. Within a few hundred miles, there are relatively new automotive assembly plants, and the accompanying supporting suppliers are also moving in. While many of them have supporting suppliers following them, there is always room for competition. With a bit of business acumen, up front salesmanship, and only accepting commitments you can keep, you should do well.

I've had local machine shops take on work that paid for new (used, but new to them) equipment, with a single job contract. Except for normal maintenance, and operational tooling, all jobs from there, was mostly profit. The main caution, is that many of these large corporations, will also attempt to pass off slick wording in their contracts, that pass their "Product Liability" off to the sub-contractor machine shops. Make sure you avoid those guys.

I'm thinking that, as you build a reputation, located near the Gulf Coast, and other industries being attracted to the South/South West...Heavy/light industrial, and maritime work is available. Check with local Technical Schools. If there is a program that fits, you might want to offer your skills to assist in their "internship" programs. Find a few local tooling suppliers, engage in conversations, and hopefully, develop a network. Opportunities should open up. Again...best wishes.

[sweetolbob]

Beautiful work. I remember when we went from plunge EDM in the early 80's to a single traveling wire machine. World of difference in accuracy and less machining. Converted to 5-axis and it is the most efficient way to cut transition shape passages in extrusion equipment I've ever seen.

Let me suggest that Ebay with a reserve and, possibly, a Buy It Now figure is the best bet. We are a small, and appreciative audience, but Ebay reaches the masses like little else.

Good luck and stick around. I live vicariously through the creative work of others.

Bob

[Lothar]

I agree with others that you seem to do very good quality machining. Your problem with selling your pickup is that (from the pictures you posted) it doesn't appear to be reassembled, much less finished. No matter how much work you've done or how much time you've spent working on your truck, an unfinished project isn't worth a fraction of what a functional, complete vehicle is worth. We've all seen unfinished project vehicles on ebay and craigslist that struggle to bring more than a thousand dollars, even though their parts may be worth more than that. The problem being that the few people interested in those projects or parts are bargain-hunting CASOs, but thats the reality of the situation. Good luck with your business, but don't expect to finance it with this project truck.

[53Baker]

I've been driving the truck on the streets around my neighborhood, it needs next to nothing to be complete, many of the pictures were just what I had available on the computer but I totally agree with you and I sure as hell don't want to give it away, good input thanks for you thoughts.

[53Baker]

Thanks for the kind words Bob, I doubt I'll part with it until they pry it from my cold dead fingers, Credit to Charlton Heston. I think I would always regret selling it, like I do the two "T Cabs" I sold before it and then there was my 1975 CZ 380 Falta Replica motocross bike.

[53Baker]

John, I'm pretty sure I'm either missing a chromosome, ate lead paint chips or was dropped on my head as an infant, possibly all three, I can make most anything but money. When it comes to finding the income stream, I could not be more inept. I have stumbled into a few good situations over the years and suddenly my shop was doing great but on three separate occasions the companies who were supplying the lions share of the work were bought out by larger companies who already had shops they were dealing with and our excellent history with our customers gained us nothing. I once had a shop in San Marcos CA, a new guy opened a shop 3 doors down without our equipment or knowledge, he in a matter of months got orders to make putter heads for Hole Hunter Golf, he ordered a Haas machining center and we wrote the programs for him, set up the jobs and taught him how to set the jobs up in the future, his shop blew up to 4 units and 8 machining centers running around the clock, happy for him, nice to see someone hit the lottery.

[Colgate Studebaker]

I agree that you do marvelous work! I like to see the progress and workmanship of others projects, it's actually inspiring to me. I noticed you must have made some of the engine parts yourself, and wonder if you might be able to start a market for machined aluminum parts, e.g. pulleys, brackets, maybe even water manifolds and the like. I'd like to see some of those available, for the weight savings. I understand that costs vs. profits are a big concern, but I bet there are more than a few that would seriously consider purchasing such parts. Just something for you to consider. Best of luck, hope your business takes off quickly. Bill Van Alstyne

[53Baker]

Hi Bill, Making custom parts for Studebaker guys is something I would absolutely love to do, I'm not sure how much of a market there is out there from the notoriously "thrifty" Studebaker owners, however I would enjoy making parts for people who appreciate quality.

[StudeNewby]

Don, I was just thinking this morning how, as our ownership base grows older, our Studebaker vendors will be retiring, too. There could be an opportunity on the horizon.