1961 Studebaker Champ, restoration

[8E45E]

I think I know what you mean...... bringing old parts back to life is so rewarding. It will certainly be fun driving the pickup around, but I know I will miss working on it like I have been.

What will impress others are the photos in an album of YOU and your wife doing the work on it in your own garage when attending car shows.

There are people who spend tons of $$$ having all the restoration work done by someone else, but its totally not the same as you working on it yourself.

Craig

[62champ]

I found those shock brackets! Had them already painted and ready to be installed.... just forgot all about them. Thanks again for the heads up.

Mike

No problems - comes from working on or around cars for 30+ years. Nothing worse than tightening the last screw back into a carburetor to find a check ball rolling around in the pan you had disassembled it in... you do, however, get good at taking them apart and putting them back together!

[ChampCouple]

There are people who spend tons of $$$ having all the restoration work done by someone else, but its totally not the same as you working on it yourself.

Thanks. Yeah, I know driving it around will be satisfying, but doing the teardown, cleaning, rebuilding, is just as satisfying to me. Some of the little triumphs in figuring out a problem, are only known to us. But that's ok, it just adds to the learning experience.

Course, on the flip side, if anything goes wrong with the rig, I will know exactly who to blame, lol!

Mike

[ChampCouple]

Been making some progress of late. My wife has been sanding the hood.


I'm afraid if she keeps up doing such good work, someone will steal her from me!

Couple weeks ago, bought some 16" wheels, and a couple roller tires. What a difference that made when looking at the frame!



Actually starting to look like something.

Last couple days, been trying to prep the engine for removal. And working on the steering gear box. But the steering column I got with the '62 is damaged, and not the right one. And the one in the pickup has the wrong end on it. So, couple steps forward, one back..........

[jetboat]

Have you ever checked out the champ setting at junction of 58 and I-5 ,on the north side by the quansit hut looking building?

[ChampCouple]

Have you ever checked out the champ setting at junction of 58 and I-5 ,on the north side by the quansit hut looking building?

No, I never have. I've thought about it, but kept figuring as long as it's been there, owner must not be willing to part with it. I think last time I drove by, black berries over the top of it.

[jetboat]

Those were my exact thoughts

[ChampCouple]

We finally got the engine pulled, along with the transmission. I didn't think it would be that long of a project, but turned out longer than I had anticipated. At one point, I really thought, this pickup just isn't going to happen. But, we kept at it.



This engine I just want to do a basic warm over, hope it at least runs. So will order new seals and gaskets, have heads spec'd, and hope it runs long enough till we get the HD engine fully rebuilt.



Started cleaning engine parts. The flywheel on the HD engine, does not look real good, teeth worn and chewed up on the inside. Fortunately this one looks better.

[62champ]

The flywheel on the HD engine, does not look real good, teeth worn and chewed up on the inside. Fortunately this one looks better.

There is an old "farm" trick to get extended life out of those ring gears. You will note that it is only worn in a couple places - not all the way around because an engine usually tends to stop in a few spots. You can remove the ring gear and turn the newer teeth to where those worn ones are and the starter drive will hit on those better teeth. When that gets worn down, you can also flip the ring gear over and start over again.

[tsenecal]

I'm happy that you "kept at it" and got the engine out. Sometimes the difficulties pile up and take the fun out of a project, but once you have the engine freshened up, back in and running, it will all be worth the hassle. Good Luck with it!

[StudeRich]

It looks like the Engine that was in the Truck is a 259, not a 289 like the H.D. one.

[ChampCouple]

It looks like the Engine that was in the Truck is a 259, not a 289 like the H.D. one.

Thanks. My dad thought the truck one was a 259, but being he installed it late 60's, he wasn't sure. Possible someone replaced it after him, but we kinda doubt it.

[ChampCouple]

I'm happy that you "kept at it" and got the engine out. Sometimes the difficulties pile up and take the fun out of a project, but once you have the engine freshened up, back in and running, it will all be worth the hassle. Good Luck with it!

I kinda figured there would be moments when I would question my sanity in this process..... but still look forward most everyday working on it. Thanks.

[ChampCouple]

There is an old "farm" trick to get extended life out of those ring gears. You will note that it is only worn in a couple places - not all the way around because an engine usually tends to stop in a few spots. You can remove the ring gear and turn the newer teeth to where those worn ones are and the starter drive will hit on those better teeth. When that gets worn down, you can also flip the ring gear over and start over again.

Thank you for the information. I had to look up on YouTube to see how ring gears were removed and installed. I had no idea they aren't mechanically locked in.

[62champ]

I had no idea they aren't mechanically locked in.

I have only seen it done once - shade tree mechanic style. Put the flywheel, sans gear, in the freezer for 24 hours or so. Hour before you want to install the ring gear, put ring in the oven and set it to as high a temperature as the oven will get. After time is up, the flywheel was sitting on the sidewalk and the ring gear was dropped on and tapped down to where it belonged. After they were room temperature, that ring was not going anywhere.