New to Scene. Got a few Questions...

[Jfinster82]

Hello all. I am new to this site and the Studebaker scene. I recently gave up my passion for VW Kubelwagons and have started a 1951 Commander 4 door project. I will get pictures up for your pleasure some time soon. My father passed away last year and he never got to finish any of his Studi's so I have adopted the Commander off my Sister and plan to have some fun. Got her going and have had so much fun thus far tooling around the little town I live in. I have some general questions if they can be answered by anyone.

1) Does anyone know if there are dual exhaust headers manufactured or fabbed by anyone out there? For the Commander V8 232?
2) I thought I had my brakes dialed in after replacing the liners and dealing with the head ache the rivets caused but I gained very little stopping power. Are the Studi's famous for the "push and pray." Cause I don't know how an old lady could have stopped this beast, I of course may be a little lead footed.
3) Is there a San Diego branch of Studebaker Members?
4) I already love this car. Who says they are ugly....

[Mark57]

I'll make a start, others will chime in for sure...

Welcome! I suggest you join the SDC to get the most out of your Stude ownership... the great monthly magazine which has lots of vendor and technical info is worth the membership alone. You can join online here: http://www.studebakerdriversclub.com/joinsdc.asp

Several vendors manufacture exhaust parts for Studes... check out this site for a partial list: http://www.studebakervendors.com/

There is a Chapter in the San Diego area, here are the details: http://www.studebakersandiego.com/

Brakes on Studes before the 1954 models were definitely not the greatest... you can upgrade however, (I'll let others provide the details! ).
Good Luck!



<h5>Mark
'57 Transtar Deluxe
"Star Performers with Saving Ways!"

Vancouver Island Chapter
http://visdc.shawwebspace.ca/ </h5>

[M15 Trucker]

Jim,

Welcome to the world of Studebakers, we're always looking for new members. If you haven't already you should join the International Studebaker Drivers Club. I think first year membership is cheep at less than $10.00 IIRC. As for local chapter you can find the on the SDC home page http://www.studebakerdriversclub.com/ look on the left hand column for local SDC chapters and use the pull down files for CA and SD. BTW if you live in Valley Center, isn't that closer to Escondido than SD. Anyway good to have you onboard as they say.

Mike

[Jfinster82]

Thanks Guys. Out of work today due to rain so this has already been fun for me. I will join ASAP. About the san diego chapter I think they engulf me in their terretory. I do not think Escondido has a chapter. May be wrong though. Thanks again...

[Kurt]

I too have a 51 commander 4 door. It is a wonderfull old car. I put dual exhaust, but not headers. i also put on the later heads. They have larger valves. Those mods really woke up the 232. As for the brakes, they are not that great. They should stop the car, it just takes more "room" than you might be accustomed too. Upgrading to the 54 up brakes would be an improvement

66 Commander R1 Clone
51 Commander 4dr

[wayne]

I have a 51 4 door and have enjoyed it a lot. I upgraded the brakes from a 60 hawk and it made a great improvement. It is a easy a bolt on and easy to do.

[55s]

FYI:

The stopping distance for a 1955 Studebaker with the upgraded brakes is roughly equivalent to my formerly-owned 1990 Lincoln Continental with 4 wheel disc brakes. Big improvement.

[nibbs53]

San Diego Chapter.

http://www.studebakersandiego.com/

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3219

[HawkGT]

Hi JFinster82 and welcome. We are having a Studebaker Night at the Escondido Cruisin' Grand event on Friday April 16th. It would be great to have you. We will park on Broadway, south of Grand, any time after 4 PM and through the evening.

The San Diego County SDC chapter meets the second Thursday of every month down in a section of San Diego called Allied Gardens. Email me for details: gene.nagle@gmail.com

Your 51 sounds neat, and this is the place for a lot of good advice as you can tell!


Gene Nagle
1963 Hawk R1

[StudeRich]

Those Lockheed Style eccentric adjuster brakes were really not BAD compared to others in the day when working right, in those days no American car had "strong" brakes.

The trick to making them work well, is having good not oversize drums and all of the little pieces of the automatic adjuster system in place & correctly installed.

Studebaker Vendors sell all of the dozen or so pieces required.

Of course a '54 & up Commander system is better, and so is a Disc. Brake conversion kit, but the stock system can be made to work quite well.

StudeRich

[JRoberts]

I too was going to suggest the disc brake route. Check here:

http://www.turnerbrake.com/

Joe Roberts
'61 R1 Champ
'65 Cruiser
Editor of "The Down Easterner"
Eastern North Carolina Chapter