54 Commander

[studegary]

I own one of those terrible modified 53 coupes. I started out to build an original and the old hot rodder in me took control. I think you have a very nice car. One to be proud of. Here's the "BIG THING" If you like it, that's what matters. Drive and enjoy

I have owned several/many '53/'54 C/K models, both stock and restomod. I like them both. I was simply referring to the "original" car statement in the first post. I agree that it is a nice car.

[J_Cole]

Thanks everyone. And no disrespect. There are a lot of nicely modded ‘53’s as well. I’ve come to accept mine isn’t quite as original as I thought but more original than most for sale.

after reading the comments, I think I’m going to first convert the car to a 12 volt system. It already has a few electrical gremlins from sitting so instead of fixing them I’ll just upgrade the car to a 12V. Then switch the car to a more modern transmission.

I do absolutely love the car and am beyond happy with it. I still can’t believe that it’s mine. I’ve got a few things on the to do list but that’s part of the hobby I guess :-)

[J_Cole]

So i drove it to Cars and Coffee last Saturday (around 45 miles round trip) and now it won't start. ran great that day... Was already having intermittent starting issues so I think i'm going to bite the bullet and start doing a few larger projects now sooner than I had originally planned. I'm looking at vintage auto garage's 6V to 12V conversion kits and it has two questions I'm not sure the answers to. the first one is transmission manufacturer, Autolite or Delco (long or short case). Which one should it have on it? The second one is alternator pulley size; 3/8" pulley or 5/8" pulley.

Eventually I'm planning on changing the transmission to an 80's GM transmission so i'm not sure how important the transmission question is? But the alternator pulley seems to be an important one. Any information would be greatly appreciated!

I also just ordered a carburetor rebuild kit but plan on eventually adding fuel injection to the car :-)

The windshield wipers are also not working; does Studebaker International sell replacements or is there a kit I can purchase to rebuild the one on it? Same with the starter; I'm thinking about rebuilding it.

[StudeRich]

/Cut/I'm looking at vintage auto garage's 6V to 12V conversion kits and it has two questions I'm not sure the answers to. the first one is transmission manufacturer, Autolite or Delco (long or short case). Which one should it have on it?

The second one is alternator pulley size; 3/8" pulley or 5/8" pulley.

Eventually I'm planning on changing the transmission to an 80's GM transmission so i'm not sure how important the transmission question is? But the alternator pulley seems to be an important one. Any information would be greatly appreciated!/Cut/

The windshield wipers are also not working; does Studebaker International sell replacements or is there a kit I can purchase to rebuild the one on it? Same with the starter; I'm thinking about rebuilding it.

The "Transmission Mfg." is Borg Warner, it is a T-86 Short Tail due to the 2 Piece Driveshaft with the Center Support Crossmember & Carrier Bearing.

If it was the "Generator" you were asking about, you have the Correct Delco Remy (GM Mfg.) GENERATOR, it should be a 6 Volt Positive Ground System.
But, if it all is being removed, does it matter?

The Crankshaft Pulley and Generator Pulleys should be Common, Standard 3/8" and can easily be measured and Belts purchased for them.

The Starter is also a Common Brand and Type as on GM Cars, a Delco Remy, so you can get Bearings, Brushes and Brush Springs or have an Auto Electric Shop rebuild it, but it probably does not need a full rebuild to last until you replace it all with 12 Volt.

To repair the Wipers, first you need to do some testing to determine if you need a Switch, better connections, Wires, a "Park Switch" on the Motor or a Small Motor Shop to rebuild it.
But again WHY, if your plan is to go 12 Volt?

[Dick Steinkamp]

What do you mean by "now it won't start"? Does the starter turn over the motor? At the normal speed? Does it crank but not fire? What are intermittent starting issues? Let us know more about the starting problem(s) and we can guide you through some troubleshooting. Don't replace anything or change anything until you know what the problem is. Changing parts or making adjustments before the problem source is known just adds complexity to finding out what needs to be done.

I think you mean what type of DISTRIBUTOR, Autolite or Delco. If there is a little metal "window" built into the cap that you can raise to set the dwell, it's a Delco.

You don't have an alternator unless someone has replaced the original generator. Why is the pulley size important to you?

Rich, the car is an automatic so it wouldn't have a T86

These cars start and run great on 6V so that's not your starting problem. You can change to 12V but IMHO there are not enough advantages in doing that for the cost and time involved.

Don't rebuild the starter unless it tests bad or weak. ALL cars run on good used parts

Don't tear into the wiper motor unless you know it's bad. Switch? Wiring? Troubleshooting is necessary before taking any further action.

EDIT: Bob Peterson tells me that there was also a Delco distributor in '55 without the "window" and that the other distributor available that year was a Prestolite. The Delco had a bigger cap than the Prestolite.

[J_Cole]

Sorry... I totally meant generator not transmission. And ill tackle the issues one at a time but want to do some advance planning as well.

if I switch to 12V, do I need to replace the windshield wiper motor entirely? I found a kit online that has a lot of the parts needed for like $430. Then they recommended a slightly bigger alternator for the vintage air setup down the road. Not necessarily looking forward to tackling it but the gauges are hit or miss and the lights and tail lights work one time and not the next. I looked under the dash and the wires all look pretty old... so my thought was to just get rid of rhe old wires and replace the entire system. But totally open to suggestions.

Next winter, I’d like to install a vintage air system and one of the major reasons behind the switch from 6V to 12V.

as far as the starting issues are concerned, I talked to the previous owner and he said he didn’t drive it often but every time he did he’d take the air cleaner off and spray gas into the carb and never had an issue getting it started. One of the first times I drove it, I tried to stop and the engine revs flared way up. I put it in park and The engine wanted to rev so I quickly shut it off and let it sit for a few minutes. Started it again a little later and it was fine. Then another day, I had a bunch of black smoke coming out of the exhaust but I had only started it and let it run without driving. Whenever I drive it there is no smoke. My guess is the carb has a bunch of gunk in it and leading to some of these issues? The car wanted to crank at first but would never catch and actually fire. The last time I tried, it cranked a couple times and then nothing. Turned the lights on and off and they came on and then shut off making me think the battery may also be old/weak?

[Hallabutt]

Sounds like you have a bit of debris under the needle valve. Just take off the fuel-line at the carburetor and remove the needle-valve. Careful don't loose it, it's small. You might be able to see the debris in the needle valve, seat. Clean as necessary replace the line. Don't over tighten the fitting, or it could put undue pressure on the needle, and the car will again not start. You might have gunk in the tank, so the problem may return. You might want to install an inline fuel filter to monitor the fuel coming from the tank.

[StudeRich]

These early Bendix Stromberg Model WW 2 Brl's. did originally have a small screen in the Seat (Fitting) which MAY be clogged.

If you check it as mentioned above, you will see that, and you can clean it if there is a screen in there.

[Dick Steinkamp]

Sorry... I totally meant generator not transmission. And ill tackle the issues one at a time but want to do some advance planning as well.

if I switch to 12V, do I need to replace the windshield wiper motor entirely? I found a kit online that has a lot of the parts needed for like $430. Then they recommended a slightly bigger alternator for the vintage air setup down the road. Not necessarily looking forward to tackling it but the gauges are hit or miss and the lights and tail lights work one time and not the next. I looked under the dash and the wires all look pretty old... so my thought was to just get rid of rhe old wires and replace the entire system. But totally open to suggestions.

A 12V C/K wiper motor from a later car will fit and work. A used one is probably $400 cheaper than the kit.

If the wiring is bad, you may want to consider the direct replacement harnesses from one of our vendors. 6V wiring is heavier gauge than 12V wiring so if you convert to 12V the new original type replacement wiring will be fine. Aftermarket re-wiring kits will not be "plug and play". You'll have a lot of figuring out to do to make a harness like that work. It is possible, but a lot of work and prone to mistakes. Your problems may not be the wires. You need good grounds, light sockets get corroded with age, if your gauges don't work correctly it could be the gauges, not the wiring. There is no "silver bullet" for electrical problems.

Next winter, I’d like to install a vintage air system and one of the major reasons behind the switch from 6V to 12V.

ALL cars are compromises. The Vintage Air system is good, but expensive and probably needs a pro shop to install it (more money). You'll have to cut holes in your firewall. If you think the car is slow now, wait until that AC compressor kicks in. Maybe you just don't drive the car on the super hot days

as far as the starting issues are concerned, I talked to the previous owner and he said he didn’t drive it often but every time he did he’d take the air cleaner off and spray gas into the carb and never had an issue getting it started. One of the first times I drove it, I tried to stop and the engine revs flared way up. I put it in park and The engine wanted to rev so I quickly shut it off and let it sit for a few minutes. Started it again a little later and it was fine. Then another day, I had a bunch of black smoke coming out of the exhaust but I had only started it and let it run without driving. Whenever I drive it there is no smoke. My guess is the carb has a bunch of gunk in it and leading to some of these issues? The car wanted to crank at first but would never catch and actually fire. The last time I tried, it cranked a couple times and then nothing. Turned the lights on and off and they came on and then shut off making me think the battery may also be old/weak?

It sounds like your throttle linkage is hanging up. That can be a deadly problem, so solve it as a priority. Weak return springs, throttle pedal hanging up on carpet, linkage worn and binding, etc.

The black smoke could be the choke hanging up.

You probably have a dead/weak battery. Get it charged and load tested.

65 year old cars need lots of attention....especially those that have not been driven regularly. If the electrical system and fuel systems are having problems, the brake system probably is too. If you don't have the mechanical skills, get the car to a trusted mechanic that knows 65 year old Studebakers (they are few and far between) and have him insure the car is safe and roadworthy. It sounds like you could be endangering your life and that of other motorists.

[J_Cole]

Dick Steinkamp thanks for the advice I appreciate it. I’ll slow down on converting to 12V and listen to what you’re saying. Lots of great advice for sure. There is a classic car mechanic shop about a mile from me in Rockville MD and I’m going to go talk to them on Friday and see if they can take a look. Definitely want it to be safe first. It’s definitely my dream to own it and want to make sure it’s an enjoyable experience!

[Dick Steinkamp]

Dick Steinkamp thanks for the advice I appreciate it. I’ll slow down on converting to 12V and listen to what you’re saying. Lots of great advice for sure. There is a classic car mechanic shop about a mile from me in Rockville MD and I’m going to go talk to them on Friday and see if they can take a look. Definitely want it to be safe first. It’s definitely my dream to own it and want to make sure it’s an enjoyable experience!

I think it is perfectly OK to switch to 12V or put in AC or fuel injection or a different transmission, or any other mods you want. I'm hardly a purist . My advice is just to go slow with this new experience. Get it safe and running and driving well first. It sounds like it has been not used frequently in the past. Cars don't like this too much. It is tougher on a car to sit than to be driven regularly. It will probably take some sorting out to find all the things that need fixing. Keep a list going. Fix things (or have them fixed) as you put miles on it. When it is a dependable and safe driver, THEN consider modifications. Research each mod. Find out the total cost of the mod and what the downsides of each is. Remember that all cars are compromises. Your Stude will never be as safe, dependable, will not be as fast, comfortable, handle as well, as inexpensive to operate, as a newer car and will take more maintenance....but it will be a lot more enjoyable in other ways.

[Flashback]

You said you "wanted to get it safe first". Right approach, Then you think about other things !!

[J_Cole]

Flashback thanks! I ordered a bunch of new parts from Studebaker International after talking to a local restoration shop and once they arrive, I'll take it there to have them look at the car and go through everything. I knew it would need sorted when I got it; just wasn't sure what path to take. But I think I've got a good game plan together and am officially excited to see it completed and back on the road!

[J_Cole]

Moira is starting to come together even if it feels like I’m going backwards. The new rims and tires arrived! No more chasing down hubcaps along the side of the highway for me!

Removed the fuel tank and took it to be cleaned out, had some old gas and gunk (and the fuel sending it) at the bottom of the tank. The carb was cracked at the post so I think that’s why I was having starting issues so I ordered a new one.

looking to order new fuel lines this week along with a new fuel sending unit, distributor, and the tubing that goes from the vents to the interior compartment. Does Stephen Allen’s or SI offer the fuel lines to fit? I imagine they offer the other items but not sure if fuel lines are
offered to fit or require bending/cutting.

i also ordered new shocks and rubber bushings for the suspension as they are worn out. Should I go ahead and replace
the king pins or anything else in the suspension while I’m in there?

Thanks for the assistance! Can’t wait til it’s done and ready to drive.

[studegary]

Replace things as needed, not just because. For example, check the king pins for play, if excessive, it is probably the bushings/bearings and not the king pin itself. Lubricate the king pins being sure to get grease to come out the upper end (at the thrust washer.

I have no idea what post at the carb you are referring to.