Exhaust: Another Question About my 1956 Commander 4 Door Sedan

[noacronym]

I don't know if i should create 1 thread about the same car on here which contains all my questions, or if it's OK to ask various questions in different threads. This one is mainly about how to determine the engine size on my V8 engine. And yes, it's the original engine. Maybe somebody can give me an educated guess based on the following things: It has a 3 on the tree manual transmission, no overdrive. Aside from a heat and defroster, there are no options of any kind. No radio, power steering, no nothing. But here's what throws me off guessing the engine more than anything: The car is very "throaty" sounding. Sounds like a souped-up engine on a '60's muscle car that's been hopped up. The exhaust is dual, with the left bank running down the left side exiting under the left side of the rear bumper, and the right bank running likewise down the right side. Each pipe has it's own muffler. When I got the car, I instinctively knew a family sedan wasn't supposed to sound like a hot muscle car, so I had the mufflers replaced to make it sound normal. But it changed nothing. It still sounds like somebody has hopped it up. But it hasn't been. the engine has never been touched. The speedometer says 37,000 miles (I think), and my gut tells me the speedometer has never turned over. The whole car appears to be one that is completely original and just not driven a lot. But how often do you find a 70 year old car like that? So what engine is in it?

[gordr]

Photographs would help a lot. A '56 Commander should have a 259 V8. Period. If it had a six, it would be a Champion, and if it had a 289, it would be a President. The engine serial should be found on a machined pad next to the oil filler stack. If it is even a Studebaker engine.

[noacronym]

Did Studebaker ever use non-Studebaker engines (aside from wartime when every company of every kind used non-company parts)? Mu buddy who is a professional mechanic said it's an original Studebaker engine. I'll get some pics to post. I'm expecting the rebuilt AC fuel pump any day. Then I can get the car out of the dark garage to shoot some photos. The dadgum thing has sat there since August for need of a stupid fuel pump. Don't EVER buy an internet Carter fuel pump. Totally worthless.

[StudeRich]

Well you did order a Fuel Pump for a Studebaker Engine, so I am guessing if it fit and failed, it IS a Studebaker Engine !

[64LarkLover]

Concerning the exhaust, the 56 models had a one time set up where they exited through two ports in the rear bumper. It seems like the dual mufflers you mention fit this bill, but I don't understand why the replacement mufflers did not make the car quieter. Were the replacement mufflers used larger to quiet the car?

[StudeRich]

It sounds like your car had short, wide oval type "Turbo" Mufflers, and to replace them without charging for quite a bit of work and materials on the pipes, they left the lengths the same so they could install the same Short, Louder Mufflers that it had.

So the tail pipes were under the bumper before, instead of where they should have been, through the Bumper?

[acolds]

Concerning sound of level. On my clipper prior to my refreshing the stock exhaust with Midas mufflers Name was embossed on one muffler and was was quiet . First replaced entire system with a steel set . I did not care for fit and sound loud with supposed stock mufflers. Got a stainless system from Don Simmons with quiet mufflers. Don's system for 1956 sedans is a perfect fit to exit for the 56 sedan bumper cut outs as my brother has these pipes on his 56 President Classic. This system has a louder more healthy sound than I think is normal for a Packard. I have had a quite a few cars in my time even the 396 and Buick Stage one were quiet . Have considered adding a balance pipe to quiet system.

[noacronym]

To answer the last 3 questions, one of these photos is directly from the ebay ad for the "Carter" pump, which came in a box labeled Carter. It was about $55 or so, and it did not work on the car at all. The other photo is one of the tailpipes on my car. It's the same on the right side. As for the pump, someone on here was kind enough to give me a genuine AC pump that looks just like this one, and I'm expecting it back today from being rebuilt from Stephen Allen. Sure hope it works, because I've been through quite an ordeal on this problem. I bought this car as a working car 2 years ago, and it was. But I refuse to let it turn into a "project". I've been down that road before on a 68 Camaro for many years, and it controlled my whole life. Wish I had those years back.

[Dwight FitzSimons]

That's an Airtex pump, and they're widely considered to be junk. However, if the rest of your Commander is like the LR corner, it is a pretty car. I like the '56s.
--Dwight

[Hawkeye]

You shouldn't have any problem from a properly rebuilt genuine AC fuel pump. The current replacement pumps on eBay are made in China now, not the US anymore even though the tooling used to be here. They messed up something in the transition.
Generally speaking if your car was equipped with dual exhausts from the factory it would also have a 4-barrel carburetor, a Carter WCFB type.
But that's not a hard & fast rule though as over the past six or so decades a previous owner could have had a dual system installed by an exhaust shop that bends custom systems.
Anyway good luck, hope you enjoy driving your "time machine"!

[noacronym]

I don't know what kind of carb it has, 2 or 4 barrel. I believe it's a Stromberg. and the intake chute is at a right angle pointing towards the rear. So I can't see down in it. but just judging by the overall size of it, I'm guessing it to be a 2 barrel. The car seems to have plenty of "giddyup", though. And I can't see them putting a 4 barrel with a plain 3 speed transmission.

[Dwight FitzSimons]

It is a Stromberg WW and it is a 2 barrel. It is also a downdraft carb with a side air inlet (NOT a side draft carb). Stromberg 2-bbl carbs were common on Studebakers of this era.
--Dwight

[noacronym]

It is a Stromberg WW and it is a 2 barrel. It is also a downdraft carb with a side air inlet (NOT a side draft carb). Stromberg 2-bbl carbs were common on Studebakers of this era.
--Dwight

Well one thing is for sure. I am not going to touch this carb, or anything else on the engine for that matter. Until my fuel pump went bad, the engine was running perfectly. How often do you glom onto an old car like this that runs perfect? Anyway, I got back my AC fuel pump back late today from Stephen Allen rebuilding it. Tomorrow is the moment of truth when I put it on and see what I've got. Keep your fingers crossed.

[StudeRich]

The only reason I mentioned the Fuel Pump was that you asked if you had a Studebaker Engine, so this fuel pump tells you that it is.

And I see that your Tail pipes are not exactly Under the bumper as you said, but they are the correct Through the bumper type, used on '56 Studebaker Sedans and '56 Buicks and Cadillacs.