More background on the car here: I bought a 1963 Lark Daytona convertible February 28th near St. Louis Missouri! - Studebaker Drivers Club Forum
Found advertised in the November 2022 issue of Turning Wheels, I purchased the car near St. Louis (Antonia) Missouri back on February 28th.
On Tuesday (March 14th), I rented a 20-foot enclosed car trailer and towed it down to Missouri and picked the car up Wednesday morning. By 9 pm that night, I was back home and I then unloaded and backed the car into my garage.
The cost of the trailer rental, the gasoline consumed and renting a motel for one night came to a little over $900 for the 1300-mile round trip. Towing a 20-foot enclosed trailer in windy conditions is not a pleasant experience (especially when being passed by semi-trucks as they make the trailer sway) and the wind greatly reduced my fuel economy.
Such a relief to have that journey completed, as my rusty F-150 snow-plow truck (23-years old with 173,000 miles) lost a front brake pad on the way down there (I haven't torn the truck apart yet, I believe the bonded lining separated from the steel backing and fell off. This happened several years ago with a rear brake pad due to rust separation). Every time I applied the brakes, I could hear metal to metal contact and eventually the ABS warning light came on. I continually maintain my old truck, but bad things can still happen.
I was in a rush to return home as soon as possible as the weather was forecast to turn really bad Thursday morning (today). I felt it safer to drive without one brake pad then to wait one day longer to tow the trailer and car on slippery roads. I got the trailer returned back this morning before the rain turned over to snow and all is well.
The Daytona had not been driven for approximately five years and I have been finding plenty of things that need my attention since retrieving it.
When I first applied the brakes (while parked in the previous owner's garage), the pedal went to the floor. I checked the master cylinder and the rear chamber was empty. I filled it up, pumped the pedal, and I had brake pressure.
Next, I tried backing the car out and discovered that the front brakes were locked/froze and it took me a few attempts to get it moving so that I could load the car into the trailer.
I had issues again with the front brakes after unloading it onto my ice-covered driveway last night. Despite it having Twin Traction, both rear tires spun and the car would not move until I scattered some gravel under the tires.
When I walked into my garage this morning, I found a huge amount of coolant on the garage floor (frost plug leaking above the starter) and a huge oil puddle (rear main seal leak). Looks like I will be removing the engine to address these leaks. I will remove all of the frost plugs and flush out the cooling passages. I will replace the front timing cover oil seal also while I am at it.
Though the car was originally equipped with a six-cylinder, I was told everything had been upgraded to a V8. Whether the front coil springs are weak or they are still the 6-cylinder springs, I definitely need to replace them as the car sits very low in front.
With all that said, so far so good!?!
Upon arriving home last night:
Here is my old F-150 (the Studebaker transporter) prior to returning the trailer this morning:
Looks like I need to clear some space on my work bench. Here is the car in my garage (notice the coolant on the floor and the low-stance of the front-end):
Found advertised in the November 2022 issue of Turning Wheels, I purchased the car near St. Louis (Antonia) Missouri back on February 28th.
On Tuesday (March 14th), I rented a 20-foot enclosed car trailer and towed it down to Missouri and picked the car up Wednesday morning. By 9 pm that night, I was back home and I then unloaded and backed the car into my garage.
The cost of the trailer rental, the gasoline consumed and renting a motel for one night came to a little over $900 for the 1300-mile round trip. Towing a 20-foot enclosed trailer in windy conditions is not a pleasant experience (especially when being passed by semi-trucks as they make the trailer sway) and the wind greatly reduced my fuel economy.
Such a relief to have that journey completed, as my rusty F-150 snow-plow truck (23-years old with 173,000 miles) lost a front brake pad on the way down there (I haven't torn the truck apart yet, I believe the bonded lining separated from the steel backing and fell off. This happened several years ago with a rear brake pad due to rust separation). Every time I applied the brakes, I could hear metal to metal contact and eventually the ABS warning light came on. I continually maintain my old truck, but bad things can still happen.
I was in a rush to return home as soon as possible as the weather was forecast to turn really bad Thursday morning (today). I felt it safer to drive without one brake pad then to wait one day longer to tow the trailer and car on slippery roads. I got the trailer returned back this morning before the rain turned over to snow and all is well.
The Daytona had not been driven for approximately five years and I have been finding plenty of things that need my attention since retrieving it.
When I first applied the brakes (while parked in the previous owner's garage), the pedal went to the floor. I checked the master cylinder and the rear chamber was empty. I filled it up, pumped the pedal, and I had brake pressure.
Next, I tried backing the car out and discovered that the front brakes were locked/froze and it took me a few attempts to get it moving so that I could load the car into the trailer.
I had issues again with the front brakes after unloading it onto my ice-covered driveway last night. Despite it having Twin Traction, both rear tires spun and the car would not move until I scattered some gravel under the tires.
When I walked into my garage this morning, I found a huge amount of coolant on the garage floor (frost plug leaking above the starter) and a huge oil puddle (rear main seal leak). Looks like I will be removing the engine to address these leaks. I will remove all of the frost plugs and flush out the cooling passages. I will replace the front timing cover oil seal also while I am at it.
Though the car was originally equipped with a six-cylinder, I was told everything had been upgraded to a V8. Whether the front coil springs are weak or they are still the 6-cylinder springs, I definitely need to replace them as the car sits very low in front.
With all that said, so far so good!?!
Upon arriving home last night:
Here is my old F-150 (the Studebaker transporter) prior to returning the trailer this morning:
Looks like I need to clear some space on my work bench. Here is the car in my garage (notice the coolant on the floor and the low-stance of the front-end):
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