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Flight Hawk Flew! *Pics added*

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  • Flight Hawk Flew! *Pics added*

    Well... if you call a top speed of 50 "flying".

    After a PAINFUL afternoon Saturday of having to walk away from the Super Coop after getting the LAST PART BACK ON (because we had a prior commitment to a barbeque), we got the brakes bled on Sunday (can somebody explain the screw being on TOP of the hill holder????) and gas in the tank and after sitting for a couple of weeks since starting the engine that first time, I pumped the pedal twice and she started right up!

    After a warm up and lots of checking for leaks we took the first test drive (really more about learning the column shift pattern) and drove her to the car wash. Then we cruised around and enjoyed the evening light.

    After a visit with family last night, I turned the key and absolutely nothing happened. I tried the lights and they still worked, so we opened the hood and looked for anything obvious. Didn't see anything, so I tried the key again and she fired right up.

    So we've got some electrical troubleshooting to do.

    It was scary to buy a car that I knew absolutely nothing about and had never even ridden in but the folks here and in my local club chapters have been absolutely fabulous and supportive and I LOVE THIS CAR!

    Sorry to leave you hanging, but I won't be able to post pictures until tomorrow.

    ~Rose

    (Favorite new quote... "She's not leaking oil, she's marking her territory.")

    Not 100% sure I can do this, but here goes...





    And here are links to the videos:

    Store your photos and videos online with secure storage from Photobucket. Available on iOS, Android and desktop. Securely backup your memories and sign up today!

    Store your photos and videos online with secure storage from Photobucket. Available on iOS, Android and desktop. Securely backup your memories and sign up today!




    Fayetteville, AR

  • #2
    Rose,

    Congratulations! As to your starting problem, I would suspect the battery cables (or the terminals on them) are bad. The lights draw less amperage than the starter, so they often work when the starter doesn't.

    Replace both the positive and negative battery cables with new ones. After all the years it is possible the cables are broken internally or that aftermarket clamps have been added.

    Gary

    Guido Salvage - "Where rust is beautiful" and real Studebaker horsepower lives

    See pictures here: http://community.webshots.com/user/GuidoSalvage

    Hiding and preserving Studebakers in Richmond, Goochland & Louisa, Va.

    Comment


    • #3
      Thanks for reminding me to ask... What are the "recommended" connection locations for the battery ground cable on the '56 6 cylinder engine? I knew I needed to replace the cables but I wanted to find out where the neg cable should go so I can get the right length.

      Everyone I've asked has had a different suggestion so it sounds like there's not a "right" answer.

      THANKS!

      Fayetteville, AR

      Comment


      • #4
        I am at work and going from memory, but I think it goes on the front left headbolt on the engine. If I am wrong, someone will correct me.

        Guido Salvage - "Where rust is beautiful" and real Studebaker horsepower lives

        See pictures here: http://community.webshots.com/user/GuidoSalvage

        Hiding and preserving Studebakers in Richmond, Goochland & Louisa, Va.

        Comment


        • #5
          Hey! Congratulations! I'd see if it's gonna make a habit of not starting before I went looking for gremlins. Could be something as innocent as dirty contacts in the ignition switch. Dirty from years of disuse. After some driving, it may cure itself. If not, the start circuit is pretty simple to diagnose.

          Miscreant Studebaker nut in California's central valley.

          1957 Transtar 1/2ton
          1960 Larkvertible V8
          1958 Provincial wagon
          1953 Commander coupe
          1957 President two door

          No deceptive flags to prove I'm patriotic - no biblical BS to impress - just ME and Studebakers - as it should be.

          Comment


          • #6
            I left a teeny, weeny tidbit out of the story...

            I think I mentioned in an earlier post that I'd had the starter rebuilt because it was seized up. I went ahead and replaced the starter solenoid, too.

            I live really close to work, so I decided to drive her in but leave an hour early just in case I had any issues...

            She started right up (running kinda rough 'cause it was 42 degrees) and after a minute or so I heard a little buzzing noise that started to get louder. I had the hood open ('cause that's just what you've gotta do first thing in the morning with a new car) and it sounded like it was coming from the starter. So I shut off the key and it kept buzzing. Grabbed a pair of pliers (got a bucket of tools in the back seat 'cause that's ALSO what you've gotta do) and disconnected the battery ground. When I touched it back quickly, it turned over.

            So we've gotta get that sorted out tonight ~ hopefully just a stuck solenoid.

            BUT I'M OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS.

            ~Rose

            Fayetteville, AR

            Comment


            • #7
              Pull both of the small wires off of the solenoid - then touch the battery cable to the battery again. If it STILL wants to crank, yes, bad (stuck) solenoid. And new parts DO sometimes fail right away![xx(]
              If it DOESN'T crank, put the two small wires back on the solenoid and touch the cable to the battery again. If it now DOES crank, then it's likely you've got a problem in the wiring or the key switch.[B)]

              Miscreant Studebaker nut in California's central valley.

              1957 Transtar 1/2ton
              1960 Larkvertible V8
              1958 Provincial wagon
              1953 Commander coupe
              1957 President two door

              No deceptive flags to prove I'm patriotic - no biblical BS to impress - just ME and Studebakers - as it should be.

              Comment


              • #8
                Congrats Rose on your first drive. After reading your post I gotta get my butt in gear and put mine back together.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Updates:

                  It was a stuck starter solenoid so I got to drive the Super Coop to work today!!!

                  We were up until midnight replacing the fried toggle switch that had been installed as a headlight switch (my husband HAD to drive it around town while I was in a class last night and I'm glad he did so the switch had the opportunity to fail at a non-critical time). The wires that go to the stock switch don't match the colors in the wiring diagram but they come out of what looks like the original harness.

                  I already have a new harness for the firewall forward (hope I said that right), but it looks like we're going to have to redo all the dash wiring.

                  The wires on the non-working clock also don't match the wiring diagram. The wire for the light is a cloth-wrapped wire that's disconnected and then there's a yellow wire spliced to a red wire coming from the "circuit breaker" box???

                  I'm afraid to try the overdrive because it was bypassed. And when I get up to about 45 mph it sure sounds like it needs a 4th gear. Is that "normal"?

                  Thanks!
                  ~Rose



                  Fayetteville, AR

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    quote:Originally posted by OzarkPetunia

                    . And when I get up to about 45 mph it sure sounds like it needs a 4th gear. Is that "normal"?

                    Thanks!
                    ~Rose

                    Fayetteville, AR
                    Yep. In order to get out of their own way, these big heavy 6 cylinder coupes and Hawks needed stout stump-pulling gears in the rear end, so you're pretty much winding that little flathead out at 45 mph. You can either put in new gears in the rear end and have a car that does 0-60 in about 20 seconds and can cruise at 60, or get that OD working and have a car that practical for 21st century driving (barely!).

                    CONGRATS on getting the Hawk back on the road!!!

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Rose,
                      You're making me jealous! Seriously, I'm glad to hear that you're able to drive that Hawk. I drove the Daytona around the house to the lower garage yesterday and the brakes worked like they should. I also got my wheels painted so I can get my new tires this week.
                      On the down side, I am losing brake fluid somewhere(probably a loose fitting)and the muffler fell off the right side(bailing wire the PO used gave out), but it drove and stopped.

                      1952 Champion Starlight, 1962 Daytona. Searcy,Arkansas
                      "In the heart of Arkansas."
                      Searcy, Arkansas
                      1952 Commander 2 door. Really fine 259.
                      1952 2R pickup

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Rose,
                        If you "have a new harness for the firewall - forward", it should also take care of the instruments and controls on the dash. This "main (or chassis) harness" covers everything on the dash and forward - EXCEPT FOR the little, 3-wire generator harness.
                        On that fried toggle switch - could have been that it's inner contacts weren't rated high enough to handle the load of the headlites.[:I]

                        Miscreant Studebaker nut in California's central valley.

                        1957 Transtar 1/2ton
                        1960 Larkvertible V8
                        1958 Provincial wagon
                        1953 Commander coupe
                        1957 President two door

                        No deceptive flags to prove I'm patriotic - no biblical BS to impress - just ME and Studebakers - as it should be.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Thanks for the info on the wiring harness ~ all I'd heard up to now was that I'd have to splice into the dash wiring. I'm not looking forward to it...

                          I haven't had a chance to upload the pics so you haven't seen the spiffy new BFG white walls! I need some suggestions about the hubcaps. Some PO put on the speedster spokes with some random brand center cap. My hubby likes the spokes but I think they look silly. I really like the clean look of the huge ww and just a center cap. I don't think my production order said anything about hubcaps. What would be appropriate for the '56 Flight Hawk?



                          Fayetteville, AR

                          Comment


                          • #14


                            I think I have a set of these in the back of the garage. If I do and you like them enought to want them, they're yours for whatever you think is fair . . .

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Also don't forget the definition of "new" parts - Never Ever Worked!!

                              Georgiaboy
                              L. Moore

                              62 Vette powered
                              Daytona Hardtop
                              "black lightning"
                              (not famous Ga. white lightning)

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