That time of year again (darn!)

[rockne10]

Anyone here tried a set of Firestone Winter Force? Saw them today and the tread looks like a superb snow traction. They are directional. My Studes no longer get to see the snow and salt but, I think these will be my next tires on the S10.

[SN-60]

TO:Joe Hall,----The 56J is one of My favorite Studes.....but that SNOW thing!......as far as those six winters....I really didn't have much choice, as it was a very good car otherwise, and, more importantly,
at the time I couldn't afford the luxury of a second 'winter beater' type car. I just 'WENT FOR IT'!!!!!!!!

[JoeHall]

TO:Joe Hall,----The 56J is one of My favorite Studes.....but that SNOW thing!......as far as those six winters....I really didn't have much choice, as it was a very good car otherwise, and, more importantly,
at the time I couldn't afford the luxury of a second 'winter beater' type car. I just 'WENT FOR IT'!!!!!!!!

Ed, we definitely share a passion for 56Js.

Oh to be young again. If you were like me back then, winter and salt damage to our cars was last thing on our minds. Biggest concern was whether the car would start up in the cold winter morning. We'd think nothing of nosing up behind another car, bumper to bumper, to push'em outta the snow either, or receiving a push from someone else ! Nowdays, we act like they're gonna break or something.

I like a sign I saw in a picture, that Matt had on his fire dept pickup truck for kids. It said something to the effect of, "Of course you can touch it. Its just an old truck!" I still don't appreciate people leaning on my Stude, but I get it, as far as Matt's point, that they're just nice old vehicles to have fun with.

[Colgate Studebaker]

Two comments here. 1) Ed, I really like the look of your Avanti with the dog dish wheels. Hopefully you don't get a lot of salt on the roads you drive in your neck of the woods. 2) Brad, I have a 2001 S10 that I have used a set of the Winterforce tires on for the past several snow seasons. They are VERY GOOD on snow and ice! I'd highly recommend them to anyone driving in snowy conditions. B.V.

[jlmccuan]

We're up to 20" in two snowfalls since Christmas night and more forcast in the next few days. For folks out driving to work and linemen I hate it, but for myself it's been great having winter like I remember as a kid. I live 3 miles from the house I grew up in and it's been a while, but we once missed 21 days of school after Christmas break. My Dad took the tractor and made a 1/2 mile sled run on the farm. We had every kid who could get there by walking, riding a tractor or bum a ride from someone there racing our run complete with side by side runs, bridges, jumps and one lane turns. We had thermos' of hot drinks, a snow cave and an iced over pond to skate and finish the sled run on. Probably the most memorable month of my youth. No Studebakers involved, but quite memorable anyway.

[SN-60]

To; jlmccuan,---Sounds like You're area is way ahead of eastern Mass in snowfall amount so far this winter....and that '21 days off from school' winter story sounds wonderful....something that You would, of course,
never forget!

[JoeHall]

We're up to 20" in two snowfalls since Christmas night and more forcast in the next few days. For folks out driving to work and linemen I hate it, but for myself it's been great having winter like I remember as a kid. I live 3 miles from the house I grew up in and it's been a while, but we once missed 21 days of school after Christmas break. My Dad took the tractor and made a 1/2 mile sled run on the farm. We had every kid who could get there by walking, riding a tractor or bum a ride from someone there racing our run complete with side by side runs, bridges, jumps and one lane turns. We had thermos' of hot drinks, a snow cave and an iced over pond to skate and finish the sled run on. Probably the most memorable month of my youth. No Studebakers involved, but quite memorable anyway.

Jim, I see you are from Marion, IL. Per Mapquest, that is only about 70 miles south ofan old friend of mine who lives in Odin, IL. He has a 56J, and enjoys driving it. Maybe you will bump into him on the road sometime. I doubt he is driving it in the snowy weather IL is currently enjoying though.

[COMMANDERPINK1]

Anyone here tried a set of Firestone Winter Force? Saw them today and the tread looks like a superb snow traction. They are directional. My Studes no longer get to see the snow and salt but, I think these will be my next tires on the S10.

These are a great snow tire, have them on my 66 multi colored Stude and I prefer to drive it then the 4X4.
Tom

[SN-60]

One thing I would like to mention about driving this '83 Avanti in snowy conditions, is the EXCELLENT ground clearance this (these) cars seem to have. This car doesn't try to 'dig into' the snow....just the opposite...it seems
to ride up over it which (I believe) means everything if the road hasn't been plowed, and You're confronted with 5 to say 10 inches of new fallen snow. Most all new passenger cars are low to the ground, and snow will
'pocket' under the car slowing it down right away....If new cars were still for the most part 'rear drivers', I don't see how they'd stand a chance driving through the 'heavy stuff'!

[Chris_Dresbach]

Here in Indiana we have been getting a fair amount of snow too, enough that my brother and I got out the snowmobile. The Studebaker is parked for the winter though. The salt would kill it and since it's RWD and somewhat tall and heavy, it's difficult to drive on ice.
I really like the four wheel drive and ABS my Jeep has to offer...
I wouldn't mind having a "beater" Champ pickup or some kind of truck. Clean the entire under side so it's rust free and cover it with roll on bed liner and call it good.

[Deaf Mute]

Ed,
I finally had a chance to get back on the FORUM and saw your photos... Thanks for posting them.
I plowed through a lot of snow in the late '50s with a '51 Commander 2 door with snow tires and chains. The front would ride up on packed drifts and the chains would churn their way through with the 232 just chugging away. It got me to Marshall, Minn. high school and work at the Red Owl every day. Mom's '57 Mercury sometimes didn't want to start but the Stude and Dad's 1947 Dodge pickup fired up every morning... and the Dodge had to sit outside (sometimes with a trouble light equipped with a 100 watt bulb on each side of the engine & a blanket over the top).
I don't really miss those "good old days".

[SN-60]

To: Deaf Mute,---You jogged an old memory with Your 'Dodge' story.---Years ago when I drove a 56J year round....the first (original) Packard engine in it was very tired....It REFUSED to start when the temp got down
below 10' F. So I bought one of those dipstick oil heaters and a cheap 3 amp battery charger and they would be put on the old girl every cold night.....that usually did the trick....if it still didn't start, a 'high' speed
'white knuckles' push was the only alternative!

[rockne10]

[Sam Ensley]

The last blizzard we had in north Ga mountains was in 1993. Over four feet of snow and no power for nine days. We were lucky. Some mountain folks were out of power for over two weeks. We're not ready for that kind of weather.
I bought a 1964 2-dr Commander on ebay after reading about it from 53K here on the forum. It is pretty much a rust bucket, but I have most of the sheet metal NOS. I realized why it was so rusty when I got the trunk open and found, besides the usual spare, two snow tires, mounted, with lugs. Those tires aren't allowed in Georgia.

[rockne10]

two snow tires, mounted, with lugs. Those tires aren't allowed in Georgia.

Assume you mean with studs, as in "studded tires". Upon my first reading of you realizing why it was so rusty and finding "two snow tires, mounted, with lugs", I was picturing the rusted lugs that would have held the wheels to the drums! Now...that would be one very rusted chassis.