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53 Commander Skytop FS in FL

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  • Invalid User Name
    replied
    If anyone is interested, this car is now resting peacefully in Englewood Florida, about 8 miles south of me. I'll get more detals and pictures in the very near future.

    Doug
    Venice, Florida
    1950 Champion
    9G F1

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  • StudeMann
    replied
    Right you are, Bob.

    I had never looked up Studeman's profile before and I thought his last name was Lin because his signature has the logo that says Ray Lin restorations. Maybe Lin is his wife's name?

    Cheers,

    Jim

    "Ahh, a bear in his natural habitat...a Studebaker!"

    51 Land Cruiser (Elsie)
    Jim Mann
    Victoria, B.C.
    Canada

    Leave a comment:


  • bams50
    replied
    quote:Studeman (with only one 'n' is a well known Stude restorer Ray Lin.
    Just for clarification, his name is Ray Fitchthorn. Maybe he's not all that well-known!

    Robert (Bob) Andrews- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys)
    Parish, central NY 13131

    GOD BLESS AMERICA
    Ephesians 6:10-17





    Leave a comment:


  • HawkGT
    replied
    THANKS for the kind reply, Paul. Sherwood H. Egbert has always been a larger than life hero to me as well. But I never had the pleasure of meeting him.

    Since I gather that you are in Southern California, do you ever get to any of the SDC activites in this area? I'd love to hear you tell some stories about your work for Studebaker, especially your work for Mr. Egbert. I'm a technical writer by profession and could also help create an article like that for Turning Wheels -- if you haven't done that already. My personal email: gene.nagle@gmail.com.

    Gene Nagle
    1963 Hawk R1

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  • StudeMann
    replied
    quote:Originally posted by wcarroll@outrageous.net

    Hey Jim-

    Are you the Studeman that emailed me about my car? If so, just wanted to make sure you got my emails. Email just isn't as reliable as it used to be.

    You're right though, if my Commander knew I was checkin' out pics of a Starliner with a revealing top online I'd be in big trouble!!

    Hi Will,

    I don't recall emailing you about your 54 although I certainly did check out your project photos online. Studeman (with only one 'n' is a well known Stude restorer Ray Lin. He is a fairly active forum member so you can try emailing him through the forum or sending out a 'page' for him on the forum.

    Cheers,

    Jim




    quote:Originally posted by StudeMann

    Will,

    You already have a beautiful Starliner you could cut the roof out of for your board. You don't seem to be afraid of a torch!

    Jim

    "Ahh, a bear in his natural habitat...a Studebaker!"

    51 Land Cruiser (Elsie)
    Jim Mann
    Victoria, B.C.
    Canada
    "Ahh, a bear in his natural habitat...a Studebaker!"

    51 Land Cruiser (Elsie)
    Jim Mann
    Victoria, B.C.
    Canada

    Leave a comment:


  • paul
    replied
    Hello. To answer HawkGT: Installing the dual-cylinder, firewall mounted Master Cylinder was quite easy. I never appreciated the former inconvience of checking the fluid level as well as the ugly carpet plugs. Also, the visual cleaness and the additional safety feature was compelling. I did have to make wedge adaptors for both inside and outside of the mounting holes. This enabled the M Cylinder to be horizontal on the coupe's angled firewall. If anyone wants to do this, be sure to obtain or make the simple reinforcement plate for the wall, also.

    Yes, the battery was in the trunk, for transfer of weight and to isolate it from engine heat, as you probably guessed. It also did its part in cleaning up the engine compartment. I wondered if its absence would be noticed in the photo. My compliments.

    I was, indeed, in the S.B. Styling Department until Mr. Egbert took over. After he came aboard I worked directly for Him, until the end, doing special protype projects. It was a very exciting and a very busy time. He remains a real hero to me. Had He not become ill, I fully believe we would have made it, and accomplished it with style and preservation, and advancement of the company. He was quite a mover and shaker. - Paul McKeehan




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  • HawkGT
    replied
    My thanks as well, Paul, for your great information. I always wondered what it would take to put a late model Hawk rear seat into a '53 (never liked that "console" they put in to accommodate the drive shaft tunnel). And having just experienced the failure of the old frame-mounted master cylinder on my GT, I complement you on the conversion to the swing pedal and dual master cylinder on the firewall. Where was the battery mounted - in the trunk?

    Your modifications were so tastefully and professionally done that the current owner probably does not recognize many of them as non-stock!

    Also -- the TW article mentions that you were a Studebaker stylist. Were you working in the design dept. in South Bend? It must have been a somewhat frustrating but still exciting time to be there in the early 60's, with all the work Sherwood Egbert was having done both inside and outside the company to come up with innovations that would turn things around. The Wagonaire, the Avanti, and the Brooks Stevens prototypes are still full of fresh ideas today.. Guess that's what keeps so many of us interested in those last years of Studebaker.




    Gene Nagle
    1963 Hawk R1

    Leave a comment:


  • paul
    replied
    Bob Andrews (bams50) and you other Forum members.

    Hi again, The Skytop was factory new, as well as all the later-model parts that were installed, except the rear seat floorpan that was needed for the later model, single piece, rear cushion. That type of cushion was only made possible by the adoption of the single piece drive shaft ('58-64), as I'm sure everyone knows (no need for a tunnel hump in that area any longer), so please pardon me, I don't mean to insult anyone's knowledge. Regards, Paul McKeehan

    P.S. I believe this could be important info, if that pan portion is one of areas that needs replacement, however. I would feel badly if an '53-57 piece was purchased, and found to be unusable after being welded in. If I recall correctly, only the center portion required substitution for the cushion to clear it, but I am not completely certain.

    Leave a comment:


  • Bullet
    replied
    Paul, thanks for finding us and answering all the questions. You built a beautiful car(s) and to hear about them from you makes it even better. Thanks also for the authencity information. Wow.

    Mark


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  • bams50
    replied
    Fantastic information! Thank you for making the effort to register and share this with us. Many of us are fascinated by this car, and after hearing your description that has only increased. If you have any pictures we would of course love to see them!

    I'm sure a car of this caliber will get into good hands and returned to its former glory.

    One question: Was the Skytop transplanted from another car, or bought as a new kit?

    Robert (Bob) Andrews- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys)
    Parish, central NY 13131

    GOD BLESS AMERICA





    Leave a comment:


  • paul
    replied

    Leave a comment:


  • Bullet
    replied
    I will talk to him tomorrow and see what he can remember. It was just a casual conversation from this afternoon when we talked and I had printed the listing/forum discussion. Paul was written up in TW several years ago. He loves to talk Studebakers, Paul that is. And I like to listen. I will let you know what I find out. John his son, just remembers his Dad having alot of cool old cars around and having to ride in them. Nothing special to John.

    Mark


    Leave a comment:


  • wcarroll@outrageous.net
    replied
    Hey Jim-

    Are you the Studeman that emailed me about my car? If so, just wanted to make sure you got my emails. Email just isn't as reliable as it used to be.

    You're right though, if my Commander knew I was checkin' out pics of a Starliner with a revealing top online I'd be in big trouble!!






    quote:Originally posted by StudeMann

    Will,

    You already have a beautiful Starliner you could cut the roof out of for your board. You don't seem to be afraid of a torch!

    Jim

    "Ahh, a bear in his natural habitat...a Studebaker!"

    51 Land Cruiser (Elsie)
    Jim Mann
    Victoria, B.C.
    Canada

    Leave a comment:


  • barnlark
    replied
    Originally posted by Bullet

    I just talked to my neighbor, John McKeehan (Paul's son). From the pictures and ebay listing he confirmed that it was his Dad's car in the day.
    Mark, this is great news. Please ask him what the interior was finished in fabric-wise when he had it. It looks like it's either white leather or vinyl in those black and whites, but could have been anything. Also, is the current instrument panel original to his design? Does anything else look exactly how he designed it and what has been changed?

    Leave a comment:


  • bams50
    replied
    Wow, knowing more about this car, I bet it does a lot more than it currently is at[] Remember, the high bidder will own it!

    Robert (Bob) Andrews- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys)
    Parish, central NY 13131

    GOD BLESS AMERICA





    Leave a comment:

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