Dumb Stude Questions

[PackardV8]

Welcome to the forum and congrats on getting one of Studebaker's all-time best driving cars.

NO dumb questions. Then too, the 259 is a real good motor and, stock for stock, the 289's extra 30 HP is barely discernible most of the time.

Agree, Joe, the 259" is a real good engine. Disagree on the horsepower; despite the published specs, the 289" makes maybe 15-18 more at most. One can feel the 289"s increased torque around town more than the top end horsepower

with a T86 OD, if you aren't seeing double digit mpg there is an issue. With tall rear gears you should see mpg in excess of 23 .

Agree, high teens double digits are the norm. Only one example, but I put a lot of miles on a stock 2-bbl '56 Power Hawk and it never came close to 23 MPG; 16-18 most of the time.

Do not fear the 10% Ethanol, here on the West Coast we have been running that just fine in Hundreds of Studebakers since I think the 1980's,

Problems attributable to ethanol seem to be correlated to the relative humidity in the area. It's relatively dry up here in the frozen ass-end of nowhere; I run 10% ethanol in my '56 Power Hawk and '55 E12 (and a dozen small engine machines) with stock fuel systems and zero problems. An old car friend in Alabama, one of the most humid areas of the US, has continual fuel system problems.

jack vines

[Daan]

Not mine Dan, I collect Pictures of all the Colorful and Pretty Stude's that people post here and sell on eBay.
Among my Dozens of Studes, I do have a Red with White Top Power Hawk that my Dad sold New at the Dealer he worked for in Inglewood, CA. it has NEVER been stored outside since new.

Hmm, could I see a pic or 2 of your PH? Mine started out life Red and got (poorly) repainted white later, so it’ll need a complete repaint at some point. (Not til I can actually drive it first!)

[StudeRich]

Yes I see that yours is not Originally Yellow/Gold, and may NOT be an Original Color Re-paint.

Here it is, but the Paint is the Original FADED Romany Red and Snowcap White.


You can Click these 2 Times to enlarge.

I never was able to figure out if it was a Los Angeles Plant (Vernon) thing, or a replacement '57 Decklid, but it has the Crest Emblem and Nameplates in the lower Right corner instead of the "Normal" '56, Center location with the Chrome Shield around the Lock.

In the side view you can see that when I was 19, I went to the Local Dealer and bought the "Studebaker" Scripts that only Late '56's and '57 to '61 Hawks had.
Also the Late '56's had the "Commander 259" Plain V8 Emblem, but I had to have "President 289" Crossed Flags V8 Emblems to make it Cooler !

I am not responsible for those gaudy "Power Hawk" Nameplates on the Rear Fenders however, the Original Owner Mr. McKnight did that.

[JoeHall]

Yes I see that yours is not Originally Yellow/Gold, and may NOT be an Original Color Re-paint.

Here it is, but the Paint is the Original FADED Romany Red and Snowcap White.


You can Click these 2 Times to enlarge.

I never was able to figure out if it was a Los Angeles Plant (Vernon) thing, or a replacement '57 Decklid, but it has the Crest Emblem and Nameplates in the lower Right corner instead of the "Normal" '56, Center location with the Chrome Shield around the Lock.

In the side view you can see that when I was 19, I went to the Local Dealer and bought the "Studebaker" Scripts that only Late '56's and '57 to '61 Hawks had.
Also the Late '56's had the "Commander 259" Plain V8 Emblem, but I had to have "President 289" Crossed Flags V8 Emblems to make it Cooler !

I am not responsible for those gaudy "Power Hawk" Nameplates on the Rear Fenders however, the Original Owner Mr. McKnight did that.

That is definitely a 57-63 trunk lid. Never seen a 56 Hawk of any kind that came with a 57-63 lid. Besides, the LA plant closed down in 56. Nice lookin old school PH though!

[jpepper]

I really didn’t want to “jinx” anything by posting on here so soon, but... I sure am buying a 56 Power Hawk. The $ has been sent, and a shipping company has been hired to get the car from California (where it’s been sitting for 20+ years) to Wisconsin where I am. The seller says the classic “ran when parked” but I know it’ll need brakes and probably the fuel system. Oh, and some floor work. I’m just too excited about finally getting a Hawk of my own to not start asking questions about it.

Your local SDC chapter is the Wisconsin Region SDC. We do several club events a year. http://www.studeski.com/wrsdc/wrsdc.htm
Also check out our facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/search/top/...epa=SEARCH_BOX
We have a technical seminar next Saturday in Manitowoc. You are more than welcome to attend. I have just finished putting floor pans in a Lark. You are welcome to come and look at it. I am not too far away in the Town of Vernon. Feel free to contact me with any questions. jimpepper60@gmail.com or (414) 587-5797
And yes, a block can be converted to full flow but it takes machining skill to do it. It really is not needed. The partial filter collects much of the internal dirt. The key is to keep the engine clean with proper maintenance and it will be fine. My 259 powered 55 coupe with straight 3-speed and 3.73 rear end got 18 MPG on the highway. With an OD you should do better if the car is in good mechanical shape.
The V8 drum brakes were one of the best in it's day. They work very good if in good condition. A disc brake conversion might not gain much. A modification to consider is a dual master cylinder for safety reasons. Turner brake sells a very good kit to install one.

Jim Pepper

[Daan]

Yes I see that yours is not Originally Yellow/Gold, and may NOT be an Original Color Re-paint.

Here it is, but the Paint is the Original FADED Romany Red and Snowcap White.


You can Click these 2 Times to enlarge.

I never was able to figure out if it was a Los Angeles Plant (Vernon) thing, or a replacement '57 Decklid, but it has the Crest Emblem and Nameplates in the lower Right corner instead of the "Normal" '56, Center location with the Chrome Shield around the Lock.

In the side view you can see that when I was 19, I went to the Local Dealer and bought the "Studebaker" Scripts that only Late '56's and '57 to '61 Hawks had.
Also the Late '56's had the "Commander 259" Plain V8 Emblem, but I had to have "President 289" Crossed Flags V8 Emblems to make it Cooler !

I am not responsible for those gaudy "Power Hawk" Nameplates on the Rear Fenders however, the Original Owner Mr. McKnight did that.

Thank you for the pictures! I wasn’t sure what color I’d want to do my car in (many years down the road, I’m WAY more worried about being able to actually DRIVE it first) The Red is growing on me, though!

[Daan]

Your local SDC chapter is the Wisconsin Region SDC. We do several club events a year. http://www.studeski.com/wrsdc/wrsdc.htm
Also check out our facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/search/top/...epa=SEARCH_BOX
We have a technical seminar next Saturday in Manitowoc. You are more than welcome to attend. I have just finished putting floor pans in a Lark. You are welcome to come and look at it. I am not too far away in the Town of Vernon. Feel free to contact me with any questions. jimpepper60@gmail.com or (414) 587-5797
And yes, a block can be converted to full flow but it takes machining skill to do it. It really is not needed. The partial filter collects much of the internal dirt. The key is to keep the engine clean with proper maintenance and it will be fine. My 259 powered 55 coupe with straight 3-speed and 3.73 rear end got 18 MPG on the highway. With an OD you should do better if the car is in good mechanical shape.
The V8 drum brakes were one of the best in it's day. They work very good if in good condition. A disc brake conversion might not gain much. A modification to consider is a dual master cylinder for safety reasons. Turner brake sells a very good kit to install one.

Jim Pepper

Hey thank you for the great info! I actually was a member of the Wisconsin club, off and on for a while. All the events were on the “wrong side” of the state for me, I live 30-ish minutes from the Minnesota border. I can’t remember, does the Wisconsin chapter put on the Stude swap meet in Menominee? I’ve been to that a few times, too.

As far as the brakes go, the seller told me the brakes are “shot” so if I have to replace it all anyway, and I’ve never worked on Drum brakes myself... I may do the disc conversion because I’m more familiar with caliper-discs than I am with Drums. I know I have to replace all the lines anyway, so a Dual Master was definitely something I’d be doing.

Oh, and how did I grow up in Mukwonago and not realize there was so much Stude action and knowledge 10 minutes away? Of course after I leave I find out someone in Vernon “does” Studes!

[Daan]

The shipper says he’s picking the car up March 20th. I CAN’T WAIT to get it, and get to work!

[StudeRich]

The shipper says he’s picking the car up March 20th. I CAN’T WAIT to get it, and get to work!

This is not the car you described & we all thought you bought!
It was clearly Yellow/Gold and White over Original Red with a bent Gas Door, twisted rear bumper, missing Rt. Tail light and has no Grille, NOT White! What happened, the White one has a Lic. plate that appears to be Calif.?

[Daan]

This is not the car you described & we all thought you bought!
It was clearly Yellow/Gold and White over Original Red with a bent Gas Door, twisted rear bumper, missing Rt. Tail light and has no Grille, NOT White! What happened, the White one has a Lic. plate that appears to be Calif.?

Oops! That’s a picture from my old Photobucket account! I should either pay their ransom to get back in it, and/or delete the link in my signature (that honestly I forgot was there)
That P-bucket album is literally a picture of every Stude I’ve run across up to now. I was gonna start a new album with MY car, but I can’t add (or retrieve) any of the pics out of there until I fork over some dough (that I’d rather spend on my Hawk!)

[Daan]

8852506 serial
56B-C3... 4768 Body tag
VL I0000 engine number

[Daan]

It needs some floor work and the paint is shot. But it’ll be MINE!

[StudeRich]

Wow, you don't see THAT often; 10,000 EVEN, the 9,899th, Los Angeles Assembled Commander 259 Engine, they Started at VL101 in 1955!

The Los Angeles 1956 Commander 259 Engines Started at VL6301, that makes it the 3,699th. 1956 -259.

My Power Hawk Engine is VL9005.
I also own '56 Commander Engine VL8048 another Los Angeles 259 Block, but it is now 299 c.i.d.

[Daan]

Wow, you don't see THAT often; 10,000 EVEN, the 9,899th, Los Angeles Assembled Commander 259 Engine, they Started at VL101 in 1955!

The Los Angeles 1956 Commander 259 Engines Started at VL6301, that makes it the 3,699th. 1956 -259.

My Power Hawk Engine is VL9005.
I also own '56 Commander Engine VL8048 another Los Angeles 259 Block, but it is now 299 c.i.d.

I was wondering about that, if this was a replacement engine, and whoever put it in stamped it themselves. Or something. Did LA put THAT many together?
Did you do (or have done) the overbore, or did it come to you that way? I was wondering about if I had to have my engine rebuilt, if it was "worth it" to increase the CID, but since it's a driver I'd probably not worry about that.

[Daan]

https://www.amazon.com/Pertronix-1281-40011-Ignitor-Flame-Thrower/dp/B078TN46DG/ref=asc_df_B078TN46DG/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=416895641179&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14358532006803063723&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9019660&hvtargid=pla-872681014708&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=95673152084&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=416895641179&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14358532006803063723&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9019660&hvtargid=pla-872681014708

So I was talking to my Dad about my new treasure, and he was saying "What do you want to be messing with Points for", how he enjoys his next-to-no-maintenance modern car. I started looking around and found these kits, since I'm gonna have to replace all this stuff anyway, is it "worth it" to get one of these "points removers"? Or are they more trouble than just keeping it as it was?