"The Bruise" (65 Commander) is a runner!

[warrlaw1]

Good weather for it, today, Steve, but not for long. Cold front's moving in. "They found him there on the plains, his hands froze in the reins. He'd have made it.....but he couldn't leave "old Dan". Jim Reeves - The Blizzard.

[Steve T]

Yep, the temp's plummeting right now. With the '65 out of action for the moment I took the '62 out this afternoon for a while instead. Weirdly, the heater in the '62 suddenly works...not really well, but it works! And then I noticed that the steering wheel seems to have centred itself somewhat too. Could the '62 be feeling threatened by the '65...? :-)

S.

[2R5]

Steve , make sure you test that antifreeze before the cold gets here!

[stephenj]

No worries about the antifreeze, the rad was in the trunk when I picked up the car! We put in all new antifreeze.

[Steve T]

Yep, and I'll be getting and adding a bit more, as Neal has found a small rad leak. Better safe than sorry.

An update on the car, Neal thought I'd run out of gas, as none was getting to the carb; in fact the car's half-full, I refuelled the same day the car quit in Burlington, so next he thought fuel pump...turns out the problem is neither, but a blocked fuel line. Neal blew it out and the car ran fine...for a bit...then it quit again. I'm guessing there's a lot of crud in the tank and lines from all that static time--well over a year--and it's breaking off and plugging lines now that the car's being run and driven again. I'll keep everyone apprised, of course, but expect the car'll be properly operational again soon.

S.

[stephenj]

I had the same problem in my 50 Champion. I put in an inline filter & solved that problem, I have a spare in the garage for you.

[Steve T]

Quick update on the '65, the fuel pump was in fact faulty and has now been replaced...just in time for the nasty weather to hit. The car's running well now, and will shortly be taken to storage (as will the '62)...as soon as we get some decent weather. Today, though, seeing as the '65 does have snow tires on it, I drove it a bit, over to my folks' place for our family Christmas celebration, then back over to my place before evening. Here's a pic.



Merry Christmas all!

S.

[warrlaw1]

Ha Ha. Been a while since I drove a Stude in the snow. Enjoy and Merry Christmas.

[2R5]

Merry Christmas Steve, don't let those new fenders get all rusty !

[Steve T]

Well, the '65 is finally away for the rest of the winter as is the '62. Nice to catch up with so many of the Hamilton Chapter folks at Sunday's Jan meeting/card party. Whoever is interested in driving either car to Badenoch in April, give me a shout...I'm going to try to get that Saturday off work so as to be able to drive one of the two, but I sure can't drive both...

C'mon spring!

S.

[benaslopoke]

Learn something everyday.. I was not aware that the Canadian built cars had the stove bolt 6 cylinder engines when everything was moved to Canada.. I knew and have seen the Chevy V8's in them.. I wish I had known that when I was selling GM Targetmaster crate engines..

[Warren Webb]

Not quite Ben. The term "stove bolt" referred to the earlier Chevy 6. That engine was replaced by the new design 6 that the full line had by 63 (if my memory is correct the first Chevy II had it then it became available in the rest of the lines carrying in line 6 cylinders in 63). Studebaker used the newer design engine.

[benaslopoke]

Not quite Ben. The term "stove bolt" referred to the earlier Chevy 6. That engine was replaced by the new design 6 that the full line had by 63 (if my memory is correct the first Chevy II had it then it became available in the rest of the lines carrying in line 6 cylinders in 63). Studebaker used the newer design engine.

Yep brain fade!! I wasn't thinking about the old 216" series engines.. I was referring to the 194", which is related to it's big brothers, 230",250" and 292"(not available to Stude I'm sure)..

Ben

[Steve T]

Ben--

After the Stude foundry closed down (at least as far as casting Stude engine blocks) in '64, Studebaker Canada had to go in search of a new engine supplier; ultimately they settled on GM Canada subsidiary McKinnon Industries in St.Catharines, near Niagara Falls, who made Chev-design OHV sixes and V8s for Canadian Chevs, Pontiacs and various commercial vehicles. In the '65 Studebaker line the six was the 194 and the V8 was the 283; for '66 the 230 six was also available. When we thought the 194 in "The Bruise" was toast, we contemplated installing any of several replacements: another 194; a 230 as per a '66; a 283 V8; or one of the later 250 or 292 sixes as used in vans and trucks through the 1970s. We even mulled over a switch to Studebaker power, either a 170 six or a 259/289 V8, which would essentially have turned the car into a '64. As indicated above though the McKinnon 194 already in the car was actually pretty much okay, with that bent pushrod being its main issue. It now runs nicely and the car will get seen in all its variegated finery at many events in the spring!

Cheers

S.

[warrlaw1]

Mmmm. Badenoc. Coffee and doughnuts and Studebakers.