The cross member is a Hooker Black Heart unit designed for an LS swap into an S-10 Chevy. Racer-X Garage on YouTube found that it works for the Dakota chassis as well, since they are so close to each other. I believe it was meant to be used with a 4L80E trans, and I am using a 6L80E. Measuring found my pinion and was around 6 degrees - way too much. All of the research I have done states the same thing. No more than 3 degrees is ideal. I needed to raise the tail section and reduce the pinion angle. I found some 2" sq x .12" tubing and got to work. I put the tubing in between the cross member and the chassis rail. After tightening it all down, I remeasured the pinion angle. It came in at 2.9 degrees! Problem solved. I will take them out and weld end plates on both ends to increase their crush strength, prior to painting and final assembly.
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The chassis boxing plates were next. I needed to remake the plates using 3/16" steel. I had originally used 11 ga. (.130" thk) when I made them - then I read the directions closer on the 4 link rear suspension. In front and behind the forward link mounting brackets, a minimum of 2" front and rear of those brackets, had to be 3/16" or thicker. Okay, let's start over and make another set. The only tool I had to do these six plates was my 4-1/2" angle grinder, and a stack of cut off wheels. This was going to be a pain! I kept my eyes open, hoping to find a replacement for the plasma cutter I lost in the shop fire. Finally something popped up - a Harbor Freight special. 45 amp Titanium unit. The guy was an hour away from me, and asking half of what a new unit costs. This machine cut the labor to recreate the six plates by a factor of 20!! It goes through 3/16" steel like warm butta! I am really happy to have another plasma cutter in the shop.
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Looks like you really know how to use it.
BobBob
Welland Ontario
60 Lark Convertible
64 Daytona
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"They were meant to be driven ... so keep on cruizin"Comment
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As I work on my personal property claim (not on my truck), I have been knocking out other small projects that aren't so expensive. Here is the latest addition to Shop 2.0. My neighbors (best in the world!) made a sign for the new building. It is an actual old spoked car wheel, so it weighs over 50 lbs. He found a Studebaker hub cap to go on it. Another neighbor has a cnc plasma cutter, so he cut out all the text. Some clear coat for the weather, and mounted to a recycled plastic 2 x 4 to anchor it to the wall.
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awesome neighbors....... Looks really nice.Comment
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The neighbor who made the shop sign for me forwarded a FB Messenger ad for a Studebaker tail gate. The seller was located in Hawthorne, NV - about 2-1/2 hours south of me. The original tail gate this truck is beyond repair. The one he was selling looked really straight. He was asking $275. I noticed from the picture the passenger side chain bracket appeared bent. He told me he would cut the price due to the damage. My wife and I decided to take the drive since it was a beautiful day out. The gate is in a lot better shape, and easily repairable. I asked him how he came to have just a tail gate? (Open the honey hole!) He leads us to a quonset hut on his property. We passed two Studebaker vehicle walking to it, and he had three more inside. One was an all original '50 2R5 truck. He asked me if I was looking for more parts, and we dig through some boxes. I found the two piece nose emblem on the hood, and the passenger side emblem that I needed. A great find, a new source for possibly more parts, and a great day driving the country with all the fall colors. I ended up giving him $300 for the gate and emblems.
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Here are some comparison pics, and the progress from today. I got the bed floor out today. I will be raising the floor a few inches, and put wheel tubs in. A wood floor will be going in.
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