Engine: Building a stock 289 into an R series engine

[Replacementdisplacement]

Hey everyone. I am building a 1963 lark. This car is no special vehicle. Its a 4 door originally had a 6 cyl. I'm trying to build a wealth of knowledge about these vehicles.

I'm building this up as a family car and a sleeper. I've got two 289's that have never been touched. I've read dozens of articles about these engines and I understand that these are damn impressive. I want to build it as an r2, r3, or r4. I'm looking for someone who can educate me about the finer details.

Is it possible to build a stock 289 into an r4?

Is it realistically possible to get heads for an r3 or r4?

What are my options for grinding the cam to the right specs?

Does anyone make reliable parts for these engines?

What do I need to know before I start?

Please don’t berate me for dumb questions I'm trying to learn here and I'd like to make some friends and connections in the studebaker world. I live in colorado.

[Mike Van Veghten]

How big is your bank account ?


ANY...R3 or R4 parts will cost 8 to 10 times as much as more "normal" R series, Stude engine parts. Add to that, said parts are VERY hard to come by.

But...is it possible...possibly..!?

Mike

[Replacementdisplacement]

My bank account is not big. Im partly trying to gauge the cost as well as availability in order to make my decision. I may build an r2 for now and and an r4 for later so i can take the time to do it right and find the right parts.

[swvalcon]

To build a R-2 you still are going to need a supercharger and everything that goes with it. Not going to be a cheat build. If you are just looking for a great little sleeper save yourself a lot of headaches and money and just find a 6.0 ls out of a gm pickup that runs good add a better camshaft, a set of headers and a few other odds and ends and you are set to go for way less than half the money with twice the power. If you want build a engine cover like the hot rod guys do that hides the complete engine and paint it yellow and put Studebaker decals on it.

[PackardV8]

To build a R-2 you still are going to need a supercharger and everything that goes with it. Not going to be a cheat build. If you are just looking for a great little sleeper save yourself a lot of headaches and money and just find a 6.0 ls out of a gm pickup that runs good add a better camshaft, a set of headers and a few other odds and ends and you are set to go for way less than half the money with twice the power. If you want build a engine cover like the hot rod guys do that hides the complete engine and paint it yellow and put Studebaker decals on it.

No one can argue with that logic. Take it to the logical conclusion; why not just buy a used Corvette for cheap and forget about a Studebaker. It will run/stop/turn/attract girls better for less money.

Oh, yes, this is the Studebaker Driver's Club Forum. We're about Studebakers.

It's easy and somewhat affordable to build an R4 clone which wow the troops when you open the hood at shows, will run strong and last forever.

Forget about the unobtanium R3/R4 heads. A pro-built set of stock Studebaker heads will work fine and cost not-so-much.

jack vines

[Studebakercenteroforegon]

Maybe you should focus on building an R1 equal. No supercharger required, and is likely to have plenty of power for street use.
Please ignore the thought of using a Chevrolet engine.

[Jessie J.]

If you wish to stay with Studebaker power, there is a lot of untapped potential even in the common non-supercharged Studebaker V-8, and it doesn't require breaking the bank with unobtainium R-3 or 4 parts either.
I advise you to go to "Racing Studebaker's" and read what has been accomplished by well experienced guys like Richard Poe, Bill Hann and others
Just type in "63larkr1", "Limes" or "Skeeter Hawk" to see what these guys are accomplishing with their common 'low performance' un-supercharged Studebaker engines.
Hundreds of pages, and thousands of posts with information by hands on experienced Studebaker engine builders and racers.

[StudeRich]

To build a R1, Your "289" Block will need:

Flat Top or Shallow Dish Avanti Pistons (Approx. 10.25 to 1 Comp. Ratio or 9.0) or the oversize or not, to fit your block.

A pair of casting number 1557571 Cyl. Heads ('63/'64 Lark/Hawk)

A '63/'64 AFB 4 Brl. Size Intake Manifold.

A 1685777 Aluminum Cam Gear.

A R1/R2 Camshaft.

16 Avanti Valve Springs.

Chrome Valve Covers with Oil Caps.

A Reproduction R1 Air Cleaner.

The Oil Pan, with windage trays, Crankcase Breather Pipe, Dual Point Distributor etc. etc. and other Cosmetic Details are hard to find, expensive Options not needed to create the almost Jet Thrust Engine "Image".

[Studebakercenteroforegon]

I’ve been trying to sell a ‘62 Daytona Convertible project car - an intact car with 4 speed and full flow 259”. For some reason the engine has a R1 type vibration damper as used on Larks/Hawks, and has an Avanti oil pan and pan breather on it. If someone buys this car from me they can sell these unique items. I’m not removing them - it’s running engine.
(see ad with pictures at <sdc-nw.com>)

[mbstude]

If you are just looking for a great little sleeper save yourself a lot of headaches and money and just find a 6.0 ls out of a gm pickup that runs good...

Yea. But that’s boring.

[swvalcon]

Nothing wrong with building a Stude engine and that's not what I was trying to say. Sorry if I gave that impression. I just listed an option if money wasn't available. If I where to build an all out Studebaker engine I would have to do my home work but better rods aftermarket pistons are a must. You will need a roller cam. I think I would also look at getting a belt drive made up for a cam drive. Do you plan to street drive this or make it a trailer queen? Make a big difference on what you can do and cost plus hp output. If it's to be a trailer queen I would shoot for 14-15 to 1 Comp. and put it on alcohol with twin turbos.

[PackardV8]

I think I would also look at getting a belt drive made up for a cam drive.

Just wondering why this would be a necessity?

Most consider the Studebaker V8 gear drive literally the best cam drive available on any post-WWII OHV8.

The compounding factor is a belt drive would reverse the cam rotation, requiring a custom distributor and oil pump.

jack vines

[Replacementdisplacement]

I appreciate you guys. I do have a 351 chevy with a roller cam and roller rockers, but i just cant bring my self to mount it in. Every single car at a show has some variation of chevy parts. I dont hate chevy's but as long as i live i want to be sure not a single chevy part is put in my studebaker lark. Granted i am putting mustang front suspension and a ford 9 inch in the back but i really want this thing to appear studebaker from the top and these 289 are sooooo cool, their history is rich and they kick ass. Money is definitely a factor but I'm not in a rush, I want to take the time to do it right. Now i dont necessarily want to keep it 100% original parts. So i most likely will never search for the unobtainable parts like the heads. Yknow this is never gonna be a pure stock car like the famous tomato. But id like something that at least resembles an R engine. Having 2 of these 289s id like to do one as a supercharged r2 or r3 for my family vehicle to keep it drivable, and one as an r4 for an unknown project.

[swvalcon]

A very good friend of mine felt the same way about his 67 mustang. Then he had me build him a 351W ford for it for all out drag racing. It had offset ground crank to chevy bearings 6.200 aftermarket chey rods and Ross reworked chevy pistons. His heads had over length chevy valves. Car ran 9;50's. Always kidded him how I was going to sneak into his pit area and slap a bow tie emblem on his air cleaner. But he said he would know you did it.

[mbstude]

Here you go. From the Studebaker Swap site.