1952 Champion Sedan

[alyssa719]

I am bringing home my first project car on Sunday - a 1952 Champion Sedan! I'm super excited and trying to plan out things that I can do to it... Since it has all original parts, I don't want to change the look/feel of the car at all, but here is the situation:

The body needs work, it has rust damage (trunk bottom needs replaced, rocker panels, and driver's side floor, the bottom of the passenger door also needs some love). This is fine for me, since I actually like doing this part.
The interior is basically completely shot (minus the dashboard which is in perfect condition). So I will be learning how to do upholstery (I sew, so I feel like it can't be that much different - ball gown vs. car interior).

So, I need to rebuild the carburetor, and find a 6 volt battery. Fine.
What I then would like to do is rebuild the engine to give it more power - so currently with the 7:1 ratio, I have been assured that it would go fast enough to take on a highway (approx. 80mph or so), but not fast enough to make me happy. So I am not sure if anybody has changed the ratio (maybe to 8/9), added a turbo, cam, etc in order to give more power while keeping the engine looking the same?

I'm obviously not so worried about the body work, assuming that it doesn't completely fall apart once I sandblast it (in which case I have been told the best option is to part it out...), but don't know (and can't locate) what the original color options were for this car? It has original rims, and they're red, so I found a starlight site that gave options of two-tone colors according to the rim color, but I'm not sure that these were the same for non-starlight ones??

The interior then... it's been hard to find decent pictures of what the interior is supposed to look like, and even harder to figure out what it would have been originally - so, whether they were entirely cloth as the years before, or cloth/vinyl mix like the years after, or what the situation is. While I do plan on changing the colors to something not standard, I would like it to remain the same style.

So, does anybody know, or know where to find the answers to these questions?? Please keep in mind, I'm a girl, this is my first project, and if you try to explain something in-depth (like the engine stuff), I need it in English (preferably small words).

Thanks!!

[fatboylust]

Welcome; stand by for information overload. The two links below will be helpful as you dig into your project. It may helpful if you add your location to your profile as there may be other enthusiast in your area who can help you in person or with local sources for parts etc.

http://www.studebakerdriversclub.com/

http://www.studebakerdriversclub.com/tech_things2do.asp

[alyssa719]

Ohhh... Yeah, I forgot to add that I'm changing the brakes from drum to disc (at least in the front, probably in the back).

Thank you for the links!!! I have added my area, although my car will be living in Clarks Summit, PA.

[52-fan]

Wow, lots of excitement. A 52 Champion is a fine car and you can have a good time with it , but some of you goals may need adjusting as you go along. I would advise just getting the basics squared away before starting to modify the car.
You will find lots of information about Champion engines and brakes as well as most other systems on this site. I hope you are planning to join the Studebaker Drivers Club. You will be welcomed with open arms.

[alyssa719]

What do you see as being a problem with my goals? I am (obviously) not just going to run along and put an interior in it on Monday, but just trying to map out a plan for what I would like to see happen with it... if I need to adjust them, I would like to know from the beginning so I don't have any surprises about what I will need to do. I am starting from "bare bones" so no system (brakes/cooling/exhaust/etc) is going to be left unchecked..

The first step for me will be (apparently) finding the battery, and doing the carburetor. Then ensuring that the engine actually still runs (since it doesn't currently).
I was told it's easier to make changes, and ensure that things are running properly with the engine before tearing apart the rest of it, so that is then when I should start thinking about whether or not to make modifications to the engine, or is this not correct?
After the engine is working, then I take it out, strip it and sandblast it, then start working on putting it back together...

Is this not the correct sequence of events?

[cultural infidel]

have you consider a 12Volt upgrade?

I think in the grand scheme of things that you have a solid start mentally. Get her running good then build it up.

[fatboylust]

No problem with your plan. You will work through the various systems and make the modifications and upgrades as you see fit. Please evaluated the body and chassis repairs before you invest a great deal of effort in other repairs/restoration. Get estimates for the work you will not be doing yourself so that when you get to the body/chassis work there are few surprises. Most here will want to help, were we can, so ask question about anything and be prepared for opinions, suggestion and the occasional fact. This link will give you a look at some of the materials available for the interior http://store.phantomstudebakers.com/index.php?cPath=7 . There are other pages on the site with other 1952 products.

[valleyguy]

Alyssa, many of us have been down the road you are starting; its really a good idea to get the basics taken care of first, then start having fun with everything else. You seem to get that from what I am reading. Thats good.
When I did my first restoration, I made the mistake of trying to do a hundred things at a time; played with the engine one day, did a little body work the next, worked on the brakes the next etc. I got very discouraged since no one particular thing got finished in a reasonable amount of time. Don't do that. Sounds like you already have a solid plan. Just set reasonable goals; everything is going to take longer than most folks plan for. I strongly recommend that you (1) get copies of the body/chassis and shop manuals for your car, 2) join the SDC and 3) participate on this forum where you will find experts on any issue you come across during your restoration.
Best of luck,

Joe D.

[alyssa719]

I was asking about doing the 12volt upgrade to it, since I thought it would make it better, but was told that if all is fine with the 6volt, and since it has everything already wired, that there's no reason to upgrade to 12 and that if there's anything that I wanted to add that required 12, apparently 2 6s could be installed instead? The only thing I can think of that I'm debating is the air conditioning, if this is possible, and I thought that used 12 instead of 6 but I haven't investigated it much since it could always be added later if I decided to go with it. I talked about the stereo, since my world plays off of iphone/ipod, but had forgotten that since there is a radio, if that works, there are also transmitters that would work with it. Are there other reasons I'm missing as to why to upgrade?

Thanks for the link, fatboylust.

I am not sure what I would not want to do myself... I know there's some metal work to make the panels that is slightly frightening (I have a fear of losing a limb on the side of a metal sheet), but the floor/trunk/rocker panels I'm going to buy prefab. The body is actually pretty solid for the most part (at least it seems this way, we will evaluate again Sunday afternoon), and I might need to find a replacement fender, but am not positive, so I think that would be the worst to try and find/pay for. I honestly have no idea what a chassis would need? I was told that it's straight, so I assume this is related to that? A worst case scenario for things I guess is that I would ask my boyfriend to do something for me, which would really suck...

[alyssa719]

Alyssa, many of us have been down the road you are starting; its really a good idea to get the basics taken care of first, then start having fun with everything else. You seem to get that from what I am reading. Thats good.
When I did my first restoration, I made the mistake of trying to do a hundred things at a time; played with the engine one day, did a little body work the next, worked on the brakes the next etc. I got very discouraged since no one particular thing got finished in a reasonable amount of time. Don't do that. Sounds like you already have a solid plan. Just set reasonable goals; everything is going to take longer than most folks plan for. I strongly recommend that you (1) get copies of the body/chassis and shop manuals for your car, 2) join the SDC and 3) participate on this forum where you will find experts on any issue you come across during your restoration.
Best of luck,

Joe D.

I'm sharing a garage with 2-3 boys (one has his car running, but he apparently sealed some sort of hole that he wasn't supposed to so he needs to fix it before moving out). I don't think they would *let* me jump from place to place doing different things. Minus the one that screwed up his engine, the other ones are really neurotic about their cars and how things should be done - and gave me an approximation of 4-5 years to finish it with my current schedule. I am not putting a timeframe around getting things done, I just want it to be done right, and perform and look great. I do need to still hunt the manuals for it, I wanted to wait until it actually arrived and got the final blessing before running out and buying things though.

[52-fan]

[QUOTE=alyssa719;578747]What do you see as being a problem with my goals? I am (obviously) not just going to run along and put an interior in it on Monday, but just trying to map out a plan for what I would like to see happen with it... if I need to adjust them, I would like to know from the beginning so I don't have any surprises about what I will need to do. I am starting from "bare bones" so no system (brakes/cooling/exhaust/etc) is going to be left unchecked..

The main thing I was concerned about was your goal for more power. The Studebaker Champion engine is a fine engine, but it is small and will not produce gobs of power. Being a flathead valve-in-block engine, you are limited as to how much you can raise the compression and going to a turbo will be limited by the small ports and valves. There are threads on this site and links to other sites that deal with these issues. You can read for a long time before exhausting the info.
I have driven many miles with a Champion engine and enjoy them, but one has to accept their limitations. A Champion can be really pretty and different when dressed up. I was going to post some examples, but this computer is acting up.

[alyssa719]

[QUOTE=52-fan;578789]

What do you see as being a problem with my goals? I am (obviously) not just going to run along and put an interior in it on Monday, but just trying to map out a plan for what I would like to see happen with it... if I need to adjust them, I would like to know from the beginning so I don't have any surprises about what I will need to do. I am starting from "bare bones" so no system (brakes/cooling/exhaust/etc) is going to be left unchecked..

The main thing I was concerned about was your goal for more power. The Studebaker Champion engine is a fine engine, but it is small and will not produce gobs of power. Being a flathead valve-in-block engine, you are limited as to how much you can raise the compression and going to a turbo will be limited by the small ports and valves. There are threads on this site and links to other sites that deal with these issues. You can read for a long time before exhausting the info.
I have driven many miles with a Champion engine and enjoy them, but one has to accept their limitations. A Champion can be really pretty and different when dressed up. I was going to post some examples, but this computer is acting up.

May I ask then - how fast does yours go with the Champion engine? I would be driving it partially in New Jersey and would prefer not to get killed for doing 55mph!! I would rather be able to raise the compression rate, like I said, to either 8 or 9, and was told that this should be fine with the engine and not cause any trouble, I know some people raise theirs to 12:1 or something like that, but I think that would definitely not work so well in this case. Do you think then it would be bad? I will check out the info I can find for this - we were throwing around ideas last night because I don't want to be someone who has a fancy, special car, but can only drive 25mph... especially after it being all my time and energy that made it fancy and special!

[rockinhawk]

My son has a 51 Champion with the original engine. It was overhauled 25 years ago. He recently followed me to a meet. I was driving his Mom's GT Hawk at 60-70 mph. He had no trouble keeping up. He got 30+ mpg while I got 18.

Does your car have overdrive? that will make a big difference on top end speed.

[52-fan]

My stock 52 would cruise happily all day at 70 MPH in overdrive. The main problem is the slower acceleration than modern cars.

[rockne10]

There would be no reason to convert to 12-volt unless needed for stereo or A/C.
The most critical system in the car is the brakes. Don't get it running until you are certain you can get it stopping.
I also think (my opinion) getting everything to operate as originally designed would be a straightforward task. Modifying from that point would be more satisfying.
As indicated, the Champion Six with overdrive can keep up with predominant highway traffic; just takes longer to accelerate. Cathcart's modifications can add a few extra horses as well.

Body, Chassis and Shop Manuals are available from many of our fine vendors.

http://www.studebakervendors.com/