First vintage truck... a Studebaker

[Skip Lackie]

Skip,



That would be great if I could try your horn out. Can I simply test it by attaching the horn wires to the battery? Positive is ground, negative is hot on this 6 volts system.

Thanks!

Mark

PM received and sent.

[truckguy]

You have a wonderful truck to work on, congratulations. I want to stress my agreement to replace the entire brake system. This is a single type system so if any part fails, you will have absolutely no brakes. One other note is that if you go with radial tires, you should also put on modern wheels. The Studebaker rims were not designed for the harder radials and there are reports of wheels cracking when radials are used Have fun!

[mkibler]

... I want to stress my agreement to replace the entire brake system.

Truck Guy,

Thanks to you and the guys for the advice about making sure the brakes are functional. As logical as that seems, I doubt I would have thought about it in the excitement of getting my 'new' old truck. Thankfully the older guy I got it from did the brakes and rebuilt the carburetor. But I will have the brakes double checked anyway.

Also, while the truck runs OK the carb does need some adjustment to smooth it out and to idle better. That's also on the to-do list

Happy New Year all

[jackb]

If your truck, like mine, has the automatic adjusters on all 4 wheels, you must have all adjusting parts installed for any real braking performance. My truck had oversized shoes and I made larger washers to achieve adjustment = it never worked. I finally got all the parts, installed them (had to drill out shoes for wear tab)... and now finally have good brakes.

[cavanbound]

I will not try to talk you out of converting to 12 volts, but will suggest that before you give up on your 6v system, you replace your battery cables with quality, heavier units. Many 6v systems provide poor performance because they are trying to push their electrons through cheap, half-sized cables that were designed for 12v systems. A welding shop or a battery store can probably make up a set of 00 cables that might make a big difference.

Seat belts were not available on Stude trucks until the 1956 models, but were then listed as fitting earlier models. I recently installed belts in my 3R6, and had no problems, once I made sure I wasn't gonna drill though the top of the fuel tank. Any universal belt designed for a flat floor will do fine.

I appreciate that - I've not read up yet on the conversion, and I'll avoid it if I can. I'll try to figure out if I've got a cable issue. I suppose I should say too that my cranking/starting issues really have only emerged since the temp dropped below 20 degrees here - otherwise, it's a great Winter chore truck. Thanks again.

[TWChamp]

I appreciate that - I've not read up yet on the conversion, and I'll avoid it if I can. I'll try to figure out if I've got a cable issue. I suppose I should say too that my cranking/starting issues really have only emerged since the temp dropped below 20 degrees here - otherwise, it's a great Winter chore truck. Thanks again.

These Minnesota winters are tough on equipment. Even my 1999 Olds cranked pretty slow this past week, then yesterday the heater fan quit. It's too cold now to diagnose the problem and repair it, so I'm stuck in the house for a bit. Good thing I'm retired. I'll clean up my Commander gauges and see if I can make them light up better.

[Mrs K Corbin]

If you do decide to go with an Overdrive, first find a donor truck with the Overdrive that you need. Then Rob the Overdrive, Driveshaft, relay, throttle linkage (from foot to engine), kickdown (part of throttle linkage), and cable. However the thing that really matters is the OD tranny and the Driveshaft. the rest you can fudge, but being a newbie, I wouldn't.

Myself, I have all of the components installed in mine, however I am running a single wire and a switch to the solenoid, as it's too cold and I'm too lazy to properly fix the thing.

I did, several years ago, disassemble and clean the entire tranny and overdrive. I don't recommend this, as it was 2 weeks and tied up my shop. You have to be incredibly meticulous to do it, and I no longer am.

[Mrs K Corbin]

Check the inside of the door bottoms, inside the rear of the front fenders, back fenders and inside the cab corners for rust. Seek, Strike, Destroy.

[mkibler]

Truck photos

Thanks for the advice about seeking and destroying rust. Your advice is well taken.

My apologies for not posting these photos of my new used truck sooner but I had major surgery on my shoulder just before Christmas and it's hard-- and painful-- typing. So here are the photos and I welcome any comments about my truck, its condition, any observations you make, and further advice on how to proceed.

How much should I insure my truck for and what is a fair retail price for it as it sits?

Thanks to one of the guys for mailing me a horn, too~! I very much appreciate it and now I have to get it working and installed.

Mark in Ohio

[jackb]

For your value.... the insurance folks will be all over the field with amounts. If your truck was totaled, as is, I doubt you could get $2K for it. I could be wrong, but it is unrestored and not especially valued and appraised by a legitimate broker (Hagerty and others) with premiums to match. You could place a personal value and pay premiums on that amount, but that isn't what you'd get at the time of settlement.....

[RadioRoy]

This truck already has an overdrive. It's got the knob and the relay.

[mkibler]

Where's the relay?

This truck already has an overdrive. It's got the knob and the relay.

.
RadioRoy:

Where do you see the overdrive relay? (I didn't know that there was such a thing.)

Thanks,

Mark

[RadioRoy]

.
RadioRoy:

Where do you see the overdrive relay? (I didn't know that there was such a thing.)

Thanks,

Mark

It's on the firewall next to the overdrive kickdown switch. The kickdown switch is on the accelerator linkage.

Have you purchased the parts catalog yet?

The shop manual has a great wiring diagram of the overdrive.

[TWChamp]

I think you have a great survivor pickup, and it's a real bonus to already have overdrive. Do you think you could replace it for $6000 if it's totaled?
That's what I would insure it for, and be careful to not get in an accident, because I doubt you'd find another that nice for $6000.
I underinsured my 50 Champion for $6000, and I know I could never replace it for that. I'd be lucky to get just the chrome and upholstery for that.

[Mrs K Corbin]

#1. You're starting with much better than I did. MUCH MUCH BETTER>
#2. Talk to someone like Haggerty on the insurance. I believe it's agreed Value that you're looking for.
#3. A rewire is in order. You might get by with taking several rolls of tape, cutting the old cloth covering off carefully and recovering it, if there are no bare spots.
#4. Rust; Seek, Strike, Destroy. POR-15 is your friend. places to seriously check are inside the doors, cab corners, inside fenders.
#5. Carefully Remove the rubber floor mat and clean up and paint the floor pans before reinstalling. I'm not sure, but Floor mats haven't been made in a while, so you may not find a new one.
#6. Change every fluid possible.
#7. Rebuild your brakes from front to rear. All of it. Replace every hose, line, MC, Wheel Cyl, etc, then go with DOT5 silicone fluid. (Do not remove the rear hubs without the Special Puller.)
#8. Left side lugs are LEFT HAND! Wish I had known that when I got mine.
#9. Looks like you have an overdrive already, take a picture of your transmission and post it, I'd bet my paycheck you already are good to go there. Get the book tho.