Daytona is well again

[53k]

I have posted stories before about how I was so disgusted with what my "friend" did to my Wagonaire when I let him freshen it up that I just put it in the barn and left it (way too long a story for one post). Well, I finally had to get it out because of having sold the property. I drove it on to my car trailer, brakes dragging and all, and took to Abe Witmer in Ephrata, PA (near Lancaster). I told him to just fix it. He is a long time Studebaker owner and mechanic with a great reputation. He called me several times to ask me what I wanted done about some things we hadn't discussed, but I told him to just do what he thought was needed. He called me this past Wednesday and told me the car was ready. I had asked him earlier about fixing my Avanti power steering and some other issues, so he told me to bring it up. I loaded the Avanti on the trailer and started to Ephrata, not a wise idea on Friday (horrible weekend traffic and road work, etc.), but I made it, unloaded the Avanti and loaded the Wagonaire. The only unfortunate occurrence was loading the wagon. Abe's son was guiding me on the trailer. He told me stop, back up and move more to the left. My move to the left caused my left front tire to roll again the sharp corner of my angle iron stops. The tread cleared it, but the sidewall didn't- poof, explosive deflation. Abe was going to help do something with the tire, but after all he did without charge, I told him not to worry. The Firestone radials were probably old enough to be dangerous so he may have done me a favor. Since there is no way to match the ruined tire, I think I'll spring for a whole new set, maybe even Diamond Backs. I would list all the things he corrected on the car, but it would make the post too long and his price was way fair.
Why would I go to so much trouble with a tired old car? Well, this car is special. I ordered it through our dealer who arranged factory pickup. I went to Hamilton, Ontario, picked up the car and drove it home in Kansas. Clearly Daytona is a member of the family and it deserves some TLC after such a tough life. I can't wait to jump in and start driving it again.

[GrumpyOne]

Nice looking wagon Paul... Narrow whitewalls are reasonable price tires so best just to bite the bullet and get 'er done!

[StudeRich]

It's YOUR Wagonaire, BUT... I would never put Diamond Back Wide Whites or whatever on a '63 and Newer Stude. since they never had wide white walls and D.B. Tires are a waste of money for inferior Tires, if you do not NEED them.

http://us.coopertire.com/Tires/Passenger/TRENDSETTER-SE.aspx

Narrow White Walls ARE available from the ONLY American Owned Tire Co.

P205/75R15

97S

440 A B

STD

WSW

5 - 7

5.5

8

26.97

20

1598

10.5

[53k]

It's YOUR Wagonaire, BUT... I would never put Diamond Back Wide Whites or whatever on a '63 and Newer Stude. since they never had wide white walls and D.B. Tires are a waste of money for inferior Tires, if you do not NEED them.

http://us.coopertire.com/Tires/Passenger/TRENDSETTER-SE.aspx

Narrow White Walls ARE available from the ONLY American Owned Tire Co.

P205/75R15

97S

440 A B

STD

WSW

5 - 7

5.5

8

26.97

20

1598

10.5

I had not had time to research Diamondback when I made this post. I was under the impression that they did a one-inch whitewall, but apparently they don't. I would NEVER install whitewalls wider than original. Yesterday at our chapter spring picnic a friend told me that Cooper was the only American tire maker offering whitewalls (probably the only maker). When I put 215x75x15s on my Avanti I was able to buy Hankooks, but they don't do 215x75x15 tires at all any more. I have used Cooper in the past so I have no problems going to them (before they discontinue whites too). And, I use 215x75s instead of 205s because 205s are smaller than the original 6.70s. With 215s on my Avanti I find the odometer reading to be 1/10 mile off in a 10-mile measurement on the Interstates.
Before I get dinged for using Magnums on my Wagonaire I should explain that I got tired of losing wheel covers on the standard wheels (and I have tried just about every trick to keep them on). I had a set of Magnums so I said "so what". The last time I took the Wagonaire on the road with regular wheels I saw one of my full wheel covers come off and go over a bluff where there was no chance of recovering it..

[BobPalma]

Cool beans, Paul; it's good to see your Wagonaire back in the air after the dormancy. BP

[8E45E]

Before I get dinged for using Magnums on my Wagonaire I should explain that I got tired of losing wheel covers on the standard wheels (and I have tried just about every trick to keep them on). I had a set of Magnums so I said "so what". The last time I took the Wagonaire on the road with regular wheels I saw one of my full wheel covers come off and go over a bluff where there was no chance of recovering it..

You can always do what Ken does here---------> http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...-National-Meet

Keep a set of stock bias-ply tires and wheel covers on its original rims for show, and the current set of Magnums with modern radials for driving.

Craig

[Swifster]

Paul, I actually like the Magnum 500's...

[53k]

You can always do what Ken does here---------> http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...-National-Meet

Keep a set of stock bias-ply tires and wheel covers on its original rims for show, and the current set of Magnums with modern radials for driving.

Craig

I might just do that. I have all five original rims and a fair number of good or NOS correct wheel covers. Right now the rims have on bias ply tires I bought in 1969. I do like the Magnums though.

[53k]

I had not had time to research Diamondback when I made this post. I was under the impression that they did a one-inch whitewall, but apparently they don't. I would NEVER install whitewalls wider than original. Yesterday at our chapter spring picnic a friend told me that Cooper was the only American tire maker offering whitewalls (probably the only maker). When I put 215x75x15s on my Avanti I was able to buy Hankooks, but they don't do 215x75x15 tires at all any more. I have used Cooper in the past so I have no problems going to them (before they discontinue whites too). And, I use 215x75s instead of 205s because 205s are smaller than the original 6.70s. With 215s on my Avanti I find the odometer reading to be 1/10 mile off in a 10-mile measurement on the Interstates.
Before I get dinged for using Magnums on my Wagonaire I should explain that I got tired of losing wheel covers on the standard wheels (and I have tried just about every trick to keep them on). I had a set of Magnums so I said "so what". The last time I took the Wagonaire on the road with regular wheels I saw one of my full wheel covers come off and go over a bluff where there was no chance of recovering it..

Last Saturday I took off the destroyed Firestone radial (date code 04 07) and put on one of my 1969 bias ply tires on the original rim so i could get the car off the trailer and in to the garage. Monday afternoon I found a garage that sold Coopers so I called. The man that answered said Cooper hadn't made whitewalls for a long time. But he was sitting at his computer looking at what he could get and he was surprised to find that Cooper did still make whitewalls. So, told him I needed four 215x75x15 whitewalls. He told me they would be in the next day and they were. I went over first thing today and took the destroyed tire on its Magnum wheel along so I could have four tires (three old Firestones and one new Cooper) to drive the car over. Then I drove Daytona back to his shop where they installed and mounted the other three. I was a little concerned that the whitewalls might be old, but they had a date code of 02 17 so I was satisfied. First time I had driven her on the road in about 10 years. Felt a little strange, but was great to wind up in first, shift to second and wind up, let up so the overdrive would kick in (which it did), then fun to wind up in second overdrive.

When I took the car to Abe I had him install a set of quick steering arms that I had for many years. I really couldn't tell much difference, but there had to be. When I ordered the Daytona I left off power steering because the '61 Cruiser I traded in steered so easy that I thought the wagon would too (WRONG). I did put on power steering a few years later, but was stuck with the five plus turns lock to lock. Anyhow, the bill for four tires, mounting, balancing, tire disposal charge and tax came to $410.26. I feel good.

[ndynis]

Paul: Great to hear that the Wagonaire is back on the road again. As for the Magnum wheels, I like them.
Thanks for registering your Wagonaire on the Registry as well. Great story!
Nick

[60ragtop]

Last Saturday I took off the destroyed Firestone radial (date code 04 07) and put on one of my 1969 bias ply tires on the original rim so i could get the car off the trailer and in to the garage. Monday afternoon I found a garage that sold Coopers so I called. The man that answered said Cooper hadn't made whitewalls for a long time. But he was sitting at his computer looking at what he could get and he was surprised to find that Cooper did still make whitewalls. So, told him I needed four 215x75x15 whitewalls. He told me they would be in the next day and they were. I went over first thing today and took the destroyed tire on its Magnum wheel along so I could have four tires (three old Firestones and one new Cooper) to drive the car over. Then I drove Daytona back to his shop where they installed and mounted the other three. I was a little concerned that the whitewalls might be old, but they had a date code of 02 17 so I was satisfied. First time I had driven her on the road in about 10 years. Felt a little strange, but was great to wind up in first, shift to second and wind up, let up so the overdrive would kick in (which it did), then fun to wind up in second overdrive.

When I took the car to Abe I had him install a set of quick steering arms that I had for many years. I really couldn't tell much difference, but there had to be. When I ordered the Daytona I left off power steering because the '61 Cruiser I traded in steered so easy that I thought the wagon would too (WRONG). I did put on power steering a few years later, but was stuck with the five plus turns lock to lock. Anyhow, the bill for four tires, mounting, balancing, tire disposal charge and tax came to $410.26. I feel good.

Paul, You should feel good. I paid more than that for TWO Coker Classic WSW for my '60 convertible. Will you be driving the Wagonaire to Sully Plantation this weekend?

[53k]

Paul, You should feel good. I paid more than that for TWO Coker Classic WSW for my '60 convertible. Will you be driving the Wagonaire to Sully Plantation this weekend?

Sorry Frank. The car still needs a lot of cosmetic work and I was having some strange things going on while I was driving. For one, the ammeter kept jumping from no charge to strong charge and then back to zero. And the gas gauge worked its way up to show about what was in the tank then it suddenly dropped the needle well below empty on the gauge then moved around erratically.
I had thought about trying to find the correct one-inch whitewall, but decided that I really needed tires now and the narrower white stripes seem to be acceptable.
I'm almost afraid to say it, but there is nothing dripping under the car anywhere. Abe did a great job of sealing things.

[Milaca]

Paul, it is nice hearing about a Studebaker from the original owner. Do you have photos of it from when you purchased it? How many miles are on it now?

[53k]

Paul, it is nice hearing about a Studebaker from the original owner. Do you have photos of it from when you purchased it? How many miles are on it now?

Thanks. It's hard to believe that we are both that old and have such a long term relationship.

I'm sure I have photos from those days, but they were pre-digital and even pre-35 mm. Finding them will be a problem, but if I can, I'll see if I can dig some up.

The car has approximately 130,000 miles on it. The odometer shows a little over 24,000 but it traveled from somewhere in Arizona to Massachusetts with a broken speedomter cable.
It's largely original, but has plenty of battle scars- a chip in the windshield in less than 24 hours of ownership, woman backed a truck in to the right rear quarter panel at one week, hit in the rear by a small truck when I was sitting at a red light then hit again at the body shop when a truck backed across the alley from the body shop, sideswiped along the street in front of my house by my alcoholic neighbor when I left it on the street one night instead of pulling it in to the garage, numerous parking lot door dings and so on. Even so, about 2/3 of the paint is original and all of the interior is original and surprisingly nice (carpets are ratty, windlace is worn, one headrest has some cracks, dash and seats are still near perfect. It's on its third overdrive tranny.
It didn't live a soft life- carried a refrigerator, a dishwasher, a live tree and even a load of loose playground bark, pulled an 18-foot travel trailer in California, had four people square dancing in the back in a parade in California, flat-towed my '53 Starliner 2,000 miles when we left California and much more.

Pictures from 20 minutes ago:

[candbstudebakers]

Paul I remember the wagon well and also the trailer since we both pulled trailers back then, you with the wagon and me with the champ truck. about the wheels the 500's look good on the car in fact they look good on any Studebaker and the fact it is your car put on what ever you like and want. After taking the 52 to a good guys car show last week I am thinking of getting some American racing wheels for the 52 hardtop and new tires but will put the stock wheels and wide whites away for later if needed or wanted, the sq. wheels and no power steering is a little much for an old guy like me. might even put duel exhaust on the car as I like the sound of the 232 with duels and glass packs.