51 pick-up upgraded???

[Ray Stewart]

1951 1/2 ton pick-up has the "eyebrows" over the door windows and the hood emblem is a twp piece "STUDEBAKER" fitting into a stamped opening into the hood. These two items I have seen on the Transtar 1957 pictures. Could these be original?....or transplants from a later than 51 model truck? Can the hood emblem be rechromed? or is there a source for them that I have not found?

Ray Stewart SDC
51 pick-up
57 silver hawk
62 lark

[studegary]

The features that you mention are way too new for a 1951. Are you sure of the year of your pickup? Perhaps someone read a "7" as a "1" somewhere along the way. Post the pickup's ID numbers and someone will give the year.

Gary L.
Wappinger, NY

SDC member since 1968
Studebaker enthusiast much longer

[Ray Stewart]

Title issued 1992 to prior owner VIN R566624 Year 51 Body Style TK an Indiana title. I now have a KY title for the truck and KY dropped the R on the vin to 566624. Will look the truck over again tonight but, as I recall, the ID tag on driver's side IDs the truck as a 1951.

Ray Stewart SDC
51 pick-up
57 silver hawk
62 lark

[StudeMann]

Ray,

IIRC, the transtar hood bulge was wider across the front than the earlier pickups. The earlier hood had a pronouced ridge along the centerline and narrowed toward the front. The 51 ornament was like a missle or comet going through a ring. I don't remember what a Transtar ornament looks like. It sounds like a PO might have swapped some parts from a later truck on to your 51.

I once had a very rusty 51 and a decent 56 pickup. But for some reason the box on the 51 was in better shape than the 56 so I swapped it over, not realizing that the 56 box was a little wider than the 51 box. I sold the 51 for parts and the 56 was sold to a mechanic and properly restored. I wonder if the new owner ever noticed the box was narrower than it should have been.

Jim

"Ahh, a bear in his natural habitat...a Studebaker!"

51 Land Cruiser (Elsie)
Jim Mann
Victoria, B.C.
Canada

[StudeMann]

Oh, I almost forgot, the 51 would probably have a 2 piece windshield but a 57 would be a 1 piece.

"Ahh, a bear in his natural habitat...a Studebaker!"

51 Land Cruiser (Elsie)
Jim Mann
Victoria, B.C.
Canada

[Ray Stewart]

The cab tag reads R5 66624 2R5-12 Engine 1R94815 Windsheild is two piece. Charging system is 12 volt (not surprised). The hood & "eyebrows" are like the 57 pictured on page 42 of this months TW and the front grill is four horizontal openings like the one pictured for sale in same issue. Papers in the glove box shop it titled 1951 as far back as 1991. Have I got the Johnie Cash Cadalac of trucks?

Ray Stewart SDC
51 pick-up
57 silver hawk
62 lark

[Skip Lackie]

The serial number is correct for a 51 2R5. Someone just put a later hood and the door visors on it. It's been done to a lot of Stude trucks.

The hood inserts came both chromed and painted. The chrome ones come up on ebay now and then, and tend to be expensive. If yours are pitted, it might be cheaper to buy a set of the painted ones and have them chromed.

Skip Lackie
Washington DC

[studegary]

To answer your question directly - yes.

Gary L.
Wappinger, NY

SDC member since 1968
Studebaker enthusiast much longer

[StudeMann]

Ray,

Your 51 would have originally looked like the truck on page 44 of August TW so your truck has at least the hood and grille from a later truck. It might even have newer front fenders as well although you couldn't really tell from the shape. I wonder if the truck had a big boo boo and everything on the front was replaced with newer sheet metal?

"Ahh, a bear in his natural habitat...a Studebaker!"

51 Land Cruiser (Elsie)
Jim Mann
Victoria, B.C.
Canada

[Mark57]

Don't forget that Stude trucks built from 1949 to 1959 (in pickups) and to 1964 in the 1 Ton and over categories are all "C-Cabs" and therefore most sheet metal will interchange.

<h5>Mark
'57 Transtar Deluxe
Vancouver Island Chapter
http://visdc.shawwebspace.ca/ </h5>