My 64 Commander.

[Jerry Forrester]

Is that a 3 groove water pump pulley you have? I guess that's one way to do it. It works, so that's ok.

[RyleeH]

Yup triple groove. Alt only lines up to front pulley, then 2 belts to crank. If I went single groove crank I'd still need the triple groove and have one useless groove in the middle water pump. Double crank, triple water makes it look more "meant to be" in my opinion. No tensioner and I'm not worried about it slipping. Muscled water pulley into place.

Just finished supper after getting back from exhaust shop now.


Driving it easy right now. But I need bigger tires for spring. I'll finish a bit of wiring tonight to have all lights work again. Tighten the manifolds due to a small leak. Have to find a different gear to drive the speedometer cable, it's working but not accurately. Making some good progress these last couple days, I like rain days.

[RyleeH]

Hi everyone! Been a little while, life gets that way. My little ranger has been my focus for most of the winter unfortunately. But I was able to get some new valve covers on the car this last month.


But as of Saturday night I believe I lost my daily driver. I was travelling home from work and a truck turned left into my door. Having a fun time with insurance at the moment. Scrambling to get my truck to a shop and the car out of storage mode.


While playing around with the car I've found it to be pushing out the cork gasket in the oil valley where block meets intake and my valve cover gaskets dont work well with my choice of covers. I'd like to replace my entire fuel line this spring before I drive too much as well. Thinking of grabbing holley 34-150 fuel line and facing it to firewall to hide line a bit and moving my fuel pump to my frame rail close to the firewall. Still have hopes of getting the d44 axle under my car soon too. I'm getting tired of not having door panels, that needs to happen this weekend.

The list grows as I check things off...

[RyleeH]

Door Panels! Just a test fit in this pic, I know that's a window crank in place of door handle.

Local chapter member George was kind enough to show me, and honestly do a large portion of the work, to get door panels I saved from a parts car onto new backing. I just finished them both tonight, I'm so happy with the way they turned out. I just need to find fasteners to get the arm rests bolted back on and new c-clips to hold all cranks on. Huge Thank you to George.

I borrowed a polisher from a friend tonight as well so I could start shining the car up for upcoming summer.

Was having a high idle/over fueling issue. I'm super beginner with carbs so another local chapter member recommended his cousin to help me, glad he did. Gave me a short lesson on carbs, I'm hoping that stuck.

What's everyone's opinion on the rubber seal kits from Studebaker International? $486USD(full kit without front/back windshield rubber) is pretty expensive to this Canadian right now. Is there any cheaper yet equal quality products to be found? Door and windows are my major concerns for car washes.

[studegary]

Avoid automated, pressurized car washes. Just try to keep rain water out if you occasionally get caught in a shower.

[RyleeH]

I've avoided those automatic car washes ever since a bad experience with a tail fin of a Cadillac. I'll be investing in the full rubber seal kit soon.

Yesterday was our local chapter meet, which was the same day as the Draggins Rod and Custom Car Show. Got my first picture with other studebakers! This was at the chapter meet.



The only Studebaker in the car show. Spotted another member walking around each day I was there, we ended up walking around the show and swap meet together, had a good time.


Oh and here's my car with a nifty graffiti wall background that's couple hundred feet from my house.



Spent 5hrs polishing the car and I'm so glad I did, it looks so much better. A few things to go yet, but I'm sure I'll always say that.

[RyleeH]

Yesterday I cleaned up the gasket holder for around the steering column and clutch linkage, painted it black, cut out a rubber gasket and put it all in. Haven't driven the car yet but I'm sure this should help the uncontrolled hot or cold draft(depending on speed and engine temp) aimed right at my crotch.


The other night my headlights flickered a few blocks from home. Last night I had no headlights and lost my dash lights. Looked under today to find this.


But nothing to worry about here. That was a parts car switch that had been obviously fixed before. I still have old non correct ones to get me around. Swapped it in, success. Yes, I also fixed the blue led not functioning on the left side of my speedometer as well in this picture.


Let's see what else I get up too yet. Daily driving the car right now as my truck is acting up again.

[thom]

Now all you need is some wheels and you'll be looking good.

[RyleeH]

I still haven't gotten everything together to swap a d44 under the car yet, until then no new rim/tire combos. As much as I hate the uni-lug rims they are now.

For now I keep plugging away on the small things to make it more studebaker. Yesterday I met up with local chapter member and he let me grab some parts from a very rotten 65 sedan. Smooth headlight switch, e-brake light bulb cover, door lock pin caps and windshield wiper linkage. Just take a gander at the next two photos...



While going in to change ebrake bulb cover I noticed the light was faintly on, guess I found my small battery drain. The ground on the mechanism is a bit loose, doesnt spring out when ebrake depressed.

I just love driving this car anywhere and everywhere. So glad I joined the club and local chapter. Thanks for the parts Grady! It's super encouraging to be around all of you.

[junior]

If you are swapping a Dana 44 with tapered axle shafts for the S-10 rear axle I'm thinking I would just leave the S-10 rear end in there. If the 44 has the flanged axles, then it would probably be worth your time. Right now your tire size and wheel combo looks like a good fit... one advantage of the s-10 rear is how narrow it is letting you run those rear wheels with hardly any back-spacing. Kind of adds to the retro-muscle look of your car. Don't know why the car has such long shackles on the rear springs (another retro-muscle car thing)...but if you go back to stock length then maybe you will get the stance you are looking for. just a couple of thoughts. cheers, Junior Btw...that 58 Stude hardtop is awesome!

[Flashback]

If you are swapping a Dana 44 with tapered axle shafts for the S-10 rear axle I'm thinking I would just leave the S-10 rear end in there. If the 44 has the flanged axles, then it would probably be worth your time. Right now your tire size and wheel combo looks like a good fit... one advantage of the s-10 rear is how narrow it is letting you run those rear wheels with hardly any back-spacing. Kind of adds to the retro-muscle look of your car. Don't know why the car has such long shackles on the rear springs (another retro-muscle car thing)...but if you go back to stock length then maybe you will get the stance you are looking for. just a couple of thoughts. cheers, Junior Btw...that 58 Stude hardtop is awesome!

I will agree with Junior on the S-10 rear end. I worked the spacing out on my 53 to get a pair of early corvette 8" wheels under it sitting a little lower than stock.

[RyleeH]

I always forget which d44 it is, but it came from a 65 Daytona with 283 and has the finned drum brakes, 3.07 gears. The main advantage I see for the swap is it "seems" more stock. At this point I'm fairly convinced the car was a 6cyl w/ d27 rear but only the production order will prove that. So other than seats it would look stock exterior.
So it's not so much of stance that I want, so much as a heavy duty stock suspension. Front is stock. I got my hands on some Studebaker traction bars to go along with the axle as well. Aluminum to be machined for front leaf spring bushings, drill a zerk into spring for greasing yet. Go back to the stock 4.5" shackles.

Today I went out to the 1/4 mile track for the day. Had some issues with the car that prevented me from making more than one run. But that didnt prevent me from having a blast! I was slower than last year as you'll see by the slips in pic. I was car 877 this year and comparing to my best three of last year as car 800. I spun the tires on the track until 3rd gear. But when I finally grabbed the car took off really well.


I'll solve my little temperature problems from today and be back at the track asap. I'm thinking lower temp thermostat and a shorter fuel rail to get fuel line to not touch my coolant line. I removed my 1/2" carb spacer since i was hitting hood springs with air filter.

[studegary]

The Serial Number will tell whether it started as a six or V8 and whether it was built in South Bend or Hamilton. You don't need the Production Order for that much.

[RyleeH]

Well according to a supplement I have, the car that was sold to me as a 64 is actually a 65 six cylinder car. But the production order will verify these things, tell me what axle(probably safe to assume d28 though) and and other specifics I might want to change back to. I'm curious if paint is correct colour for my car. Production order will help with a lot.

[studegary]

The Serial Number will tell whether it started as a six or V8 and whether it was built in South Bend or Hamilton. You don't need the Production Order for that much.

I looked at the pictures in your previous posts. I do not know why you refer to it as a 1964 Daytona or even a 1965 Daytona. The car started as a six cylinder (GM engine) 1965 Commander two door sedan (all 1965s built in Hamilton).