Engine goes back in the Lark! (Big pix)

[showbizkid]

Today was a good Stude day!

Dave Gahlbeck (StudeDave57) and John Dick came up and helped me drop the rebuilt engine and trans back into Barney today. Long day... we started about 11 and got done way past sundown, around 6PM.


We got the torque converter, bellhousing and transmission reunited to the block (and made one trip to the hardware store for fasteners) before lunch...


Dave and John graced my house for sandwiches whipped up by my awesome wife...


...and we got her back in, despite an engine lift with two wonky wheels and having to tussle with the transmission crossmember.

JDP, you were so right... working with that crossmember and lining up the transmission mounts was a booger [xx(] We spent nearly two hours, until the sun was way past down, lining up the trans mount bolts and getting the x-member positioned right. Getting longer bolts for the member-to-frame connection helped, but just getting it all lined up was incredibly frustrating. I'm afraid Dave got the worst of it [B)] He was in this position for the better part of two hours:



Upshot is, the powerplant is back where it belongs. Now I'll take a few afternoons to button things up (driveshaft, water and intake manifolds, connect exhaust, etc.) and, God willing, she'll fire up [:0]

Thanks Dave and John! It wouldn't have happened without you; I owe you big time.


[img=left]http://members.cox.net/clarknovak/lark.gif[/img=left]

Clark in San Diego
'63 F2/Lark Standard
http://studeblogger.blogspot.com
www.studebakersandiego.com

[8E45E]

quote:Originally posted by showbizkid

Today was a good Stude day!

Dave Gahlbeck (StudeDave57) and John Dick came up and helped me drop the rebuilt engine and trans back into Barney today. Long day... we started about 11 and got done way past sundown, around 6PM.


We got the torque converter, bellhousing and transmission reunited to the block (and made one trip to the hardware store for fasteners) before lunch...


Dave and John graced my house for sandwiches whipped up by my awesome wife...


...and we got her back in, despite an engine lift with two wonky wheels and having to tussle with the transmission crossmember.

JDP, you were so right... working with that crossmember and lining up the transmission mounts was a booger [xx(] We spent nearly two hours, until the sun was way past down, lining up the trans mount bolts and getting the x-member positioned right. Getting longer bolts for the member-to-frame connection helped, but just getting it all lined up was incredibly frustrating. I'm afraid Dave got the worst of it [B)] He was in this position for the better part of two hours:



Upshot is, the powerplant is back where it belongs. Now I'll take a few afternoons to button things up (driveshaft, water and intake manifolds, connect exhaust, etc.) and, God willing, she'll fire up [:0]

Thanks Dave and John! It wouldn't have happened without you; I owe you big time.

Good work! But why? Oh why didn't you take that front clip off? That would have made the job a whole lot easier!![B)]

Craig

[8E45E]

quote:Originally posted by showbizkid

Today was a good Stude day!

Dave Gahlbeck (StudeDave57) and John Dick came up and helped me drop the rebuilt engine and trans back into Barney today. Long day... we started about 11 and got done way past sundown, around 6PM.


We got the torque converter, bellhousing and transmission reunited to the block (and made one trip to the hardware store for fasteners) before lunch...


Dave and John graced my house for sandwiches whipped up by my awesome wife...


...and we got her back in, despite an engine lift with two wonky wheels and having to tussle with the transmission crossmember.

JDP, you were so right... working with that crossmember and lining up the transmission mounts was a booger [xx(] We spent nearly two hours, until the sun was way past down, lining up the trans mount bolts and getting the x-member positioned right. Getting longer bolts for the member-to-frame connection helped, but just getting it all lined up was incredibly frustrating. I'm afraid Dave got the worst of it [B)] He was in this position for the better part of two hours:



Upshot is, the powerplant is back where it belongs. Now I'll take a few afternoons to button things up (driveshaft, water and intake manifolds, connect exhaust, etc.) and, God willing, she'll fire up [:0]

Thanks Dave and John! It wouldn't have happened without you; I owe you big time.

Good work! But why? Oh why didn't you take that front clip off? That would have made the job a whole lot easier!![B)]

Craig

[StudeRich]

I am not of that opinion Craig! I hate taking all those screws out of their nut clips on the inner fender to body (breaking some) and fighting the rusty fine thread screws out of the door post.

I don't see the gain! The obstacle is the front grille panel and I have fought with putting the engine in at an extreme angle to avoid dropping the crossmember and that does not work on a Lark, only on a Hawk.

So dropping the crossmember is the easiest way, even though it's no fun. But usually Mike and I don't have much trouble reinstalling it and dropping the rear engine mount studs into the holes.

After Dave has done a few more he'll get it down!

StudeRich
Studebakers Northwest
Ferndale, WA

[StudeRich]

I am not of that opinion Craig! I hate taking all those screws out of their nut clips on the inner fender to body (breaking some) and fighting the rusty fine thread screws out of the door post.

I don't see the gain! The obstacle is the front grille panel and I have fought with putting the engine in at an extreme angle to avoid dropping the crossmember and that does not work on a Lark, only on a Hawk.

So dropping the crossmember is the easiest way, even though it's no fun. But usually Mike and I don't have much trouble reinstalling it and dropping the rear engine mount studs into the holes.

After Dave has done a few more he'll get it down!

StudeRich
Studebakers Northwest
Ferndale, WA

[8E45E]

quote:Originally posted by StudeRich

I am not of that opinion Craig! I hate taking all those screws out of their nut clips on the inner fender to body (breaking some) and fighting the rusty fine thread screws out of the door post.

I don't see the gain! The obstacle is the front grille panel and I have fought with putting the engine in at an extreme angle to avoid dropping the crossmember and that does not work on a Lark, only on a Hawk.

Here in my neck of the woods, there's ususally a bit of rust repair to do where the lowest bolt is on the outer fender, so its one of those things you tend to while the car is immobile. Those crossmember bolts can be a real rusty nightmare to remove, probably even worse than the removing the fenders. But as you say, even just removing the front panel complete would have made the job a whole lot easier.

Craig

[8E45E]

quote:Originally posted by StudeRich

I am not of that opinion Craig! I hate taking all those screws out of their nut clips on the inner fender to body (breaking some) and fighting the rusty fine thread screws out of the door post.

I don't see the gain! The obstacle is the front grille panel and I have fought with putting the engine in at an extreme angle to avoid dropping the crossmember and that does not work on a Lark, only on a Hawk.

Here in my neck of the woods, there's ususally a bit of rust repair to do where the lowest bolt is on the outer fender, so its one of those things you tend to while the car is immobile. Those crossmember bolts can be a real rusty nightmare to remove, probably even worse than the removing the fenders. But as you say, even just removing the front panel complete would have made the job a whole lot easier.

Craig

[DEEPNHOCK]

Thanks for the update and the pic's.
I love the 'work in progress' pic's, and the other reality type pic's.
Shows the camaraderie aspecty of this lunacy we call Studebaker'ing..
Good show!
Jeff[8D]

quote:Originally posted by showbizkid

Today was a good Stude day!
Dave Gahlbeck (StudeDave57) and John Dick came up and helped me drop the rebuilt engine and trans back into Barney today. Long day... we started about 11 and got done way past sundown, around 6PM.
We got the torque converter, bellhousing and transmission reunited to the block (and made one trip to the hardware store for fasteners) before lunch...
<snip>

[DEEPNHOCK]

Thanks for the update and the pic's.
I love the 'work in progress' pic's, and the other reality type pic's.
Shows the camaraderie aspecty of this lunacy we call Studebaker'ing..
Good show!
Jeff[8D]

quote:Originally posted by showbizkid

Today was a good Stude day!
Dave Gahlbeck (StudeDave57) and John Dick came up and helped me drop the rebuilt engine and trans back into Barney today. Long day... we started about 11 and got done way past sundown, around 6PM.
We got the torque converter, bellhousing and transmission reunited to the block (and made one trip to the hardware store for fasteners) before lunch...
<snip>

[mbstude]

quote:Upshot is, the powerplant is back where it belongs.

Way to go!! Congrats on getting it back in there. [^][8D]

Matthew Burnette
'59 Scotsman
'63 Daytona
Hazlehurst, GA

[mbstude]

quote:Upshot is, the powerplant is back where it belongs.

Way to go!! Congrats on getting it back in there. [^][8D]

Matthew Burnette
'59 Scotsman
'63 Daytona
Hazlehurst, GA

[JDP]

It seems some of you guys just enjoy the extra work. Neither the front clip or the x member needs to be removed, especially if you have a helper to guide the tailshaft over the X member. I've done it by myself, but it's a piece of cake with help, takes maybe a half hour or less to set it on the mounts. I'll admit after doing a few dozen times, it might take longer for a first timer.

JDP/Maryland
63 R2 SuperHawk (Caesar)
spent to date $54,758.75
64 R2 GT (Sid)
spent to date $62,439.30
63 Lark 2 door
52 Starliner
51 Commander
39 Coupe express
39 Coupe express (rod)

[JDP]

It seems some of you guys just enjoy the extra work. Neither the front clip or the x member needs to be removed, especially if you have a helper to guide the tailshaft over the X member. I've done it by myself, but it's a piece of cake with help, takes maybe a half hour or less to set it on the mounts. I'll admit after doing a few dozen times, it might take longer for a first timer.

JDP/Maryland
63 R2 SuperHawk (Caesar)
spent to date $54,758.75
64 R2 GT (Sid)
spent to date $62,439.30
63 Lark 2 door
52 Starliner
51 Commander
39 Coupe express
39 Coupe express (rod)

[StudeDave57]

I helped take it apart, the least I could do was help put it back together...

StudeDave [8D]
V/P San Diego County SDC
San Diego, Ca
www.studebakersandiego.com

'54 Commander Regal 4dr 'Ruby'
'57 Commander DeLuxe 2dr 'Baby'
'57 Champion Custom 2dr 'Jewel'
'57 Parkview (she's a 2dr wagon...) 'Betsy'
'58 Packard sedan 'Cleo'
'65 Cruiser 'Sweet Pea'

[StudeDave57]

I helped take it apart, the least I could do was help put it back together...

StudeDave [8D]
V/P San Diego County SDC
San Diego, Ca
www.studebakersandiego.com

'54 Commander Regal 4dr 'Ruby'
'57 Commander DeLuxe 2dr 'Baby'
'57 Champion Custom 2dr 'Jewel'
'57 Parkview (she's a 2dr wagon...) 'Betsy'
'58 Packard sedan 'Cleo'
'65 Cruiser 'Sweet Pea'