"New" 1952 Indianapolis 500 Stude Photos

[Carl Purdy]

The 52 Convertible Pace car was at Menomonie Meet. I showed a picture of it but I guess nobody saw it.

[Studebaker Wheel]

I cannot add anything to the mystery of the race engine that prompted Bob's initial post however I believe I can add materially to the general topic of the cars Studebaker provided for the 1952 race. Besides the two pace car there were 20 other Commanders broken down as follows: 6 - State Starliner hardtops (K2), 5 - Four door Land Cruisers (Y5), 4 -State Sedans (W5), 2 - State 2-door sedans (F5), 1 - State convertible (S2), 1- State Starlight Coupe (C5) and 1 - Regal 2 door sedan (F3). In addition there were three Champions, an S2 convertible, a hardtop and a Regal 4-door sedan. There were also 3 - 2R5 pickups and one 2R10. I have the names and positions of each person to whom the cars were assigned. As for that Starlight Coupe shown in Bob's first post it was assigned to C. M. Rigsbee Asst director of timing and scoring (serial #8249851, Body 3H C5 1646). After the race he purchased the car for his own personal use. In total then there were 25 cars and 4 trucks that went to Indy. After the race most (not all) were purchased at discount by the local Indianapolis dealer Charlie Stuart and sold as low mileage used cars. Oh, all cars except one Commander hardtop (serial 8250693) were painted Maui Blue and it was finished in Sand Rust. All trucks were painted Cherokee Red. As far as is known none of the 25 vehicles has survived.

[BobPalma]

Thanks, Dick; interesting material.

Have we ever published the Serial Numbers of all those 1952 cars, to see if any of them are now living "unbeknownst" among SDCers. Even if we published them years ago in Turning Wheels, they ought to be published again as people come and go, and acquire cars not previously owned by SDC members.

One thing that has impressed me in researching this engine is the incredible importance The Indianapolis 500 Mile Race formerly enjoyed in not only motor sports, but in the entire motoring culture de jour. Anything and everything that was going on at, or planned for, "Indianapolis" on a given year was Big News, eagerly absorbed and promoted by the press.

That seems to be why several magazines wanted the scoop on this engine...and may account for conflicting details that must now be sorted out! BP

[Studebaker Wheel]

Yes Bob, they are all listed in my April 1999 T.W. Almanac column.

[bezhawk]

I've tried to put the DOHC Stude story together, but there's little solid evidence and a far bit of myth. We know the top end was designed by Leo Goossen and constructed at Meyer-Drake. The block was apparently Studebaker production, little modified. The crank may have been a Studebaker part with extension welded on, or a new custom, but welded, piece. Rods have sometimes been described as stock Studebaker or Cadillac parts, but in the photos it's obvious they were custom machined H-section, probably made at M-D.

For certain Clay Smith laid out and made the cams, did the final assembly, maybe with help from Willie Utzman, Bud Winfield and others, including Stu Hilborn who did the fuel injection. Clay did the dyno runs.

Early on Clay apparently saw about 470 HP @ 7700 rpm, and lots of oil foaming which he knew would destroy the bottom end, so he laid out new cams for peak hp @ 7000 rpm. That produced solid oil flow and about 400 hp, as good as the best of the Offys would do back then.

The Stude also weighed something like 150# more than an Offy, and had less mid-range torque, so, if the Stude had stayed together and qualified and run, it would have probably been mid-pack at best.

Of course it never qualified or ran, so there's plenty of room for conjecture.

The other question which I have never seen addressed is who convinced Aggie to undertake this hugely expensive experiment? For what he spent on the engine, he could have bought a team of Kurtis-Offys.

My guess is Bud Winfield. Remember, Bud's the guy who convinced Lew Welch to come up with 250K 1936 dollars (probably Ford's money) to finance that other DOHC V8, the mighty Winfield aka Novi engine 15 years earlier.

In my research there were several different itterations of this engine. One had custom made tubular rods, the other used modified Oldsmobile rods.

[Buzzard]

Terrific pics Bob-Thanks. The one pic shows how well magnesium wheels stand up in a fire.
Bill

[Dwain G.]

Photo taken on Notre Dame campus?

[BobPalma]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]38178[/ATTACH]Photo taken on Notre Dame campus?

Dick Quinn posted and described that photo in an earlier thread, Dwain. Craig Parslow will probably link us to it! <GGG> BP

[8E45E]

Dick Quinn posted and described that photo in an earlier thread, Dwain. Craig Parslow will probably link us to it! <GGG> BP

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/showthread.php?30971-1952-Studebaker-Pace-Car&highlight=1952+notre

Craig

[jnormanh]

In my research there were several different itterations of this engine. One had custom made tubular rods, the other used modified Oldsmobile rods.

Could be there were multiple sets of rods. As best I can tell, two complete, running engines were assembled, and there were at least most of the parts to assemble a third, plus a few parts towards a fourth.