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**N8N** · 03-03-2007, 01:46 PM

Those must be the old repros... I'm guessing you've had them at least a couple of years? I did fit a set and they actually looked pretty darn good if I do say so myself. Here's how I did it.

First, remove the front seat and carpets and set the sill plate in place. Tap into the channel with a rubber mallet. work from one end to the other. The part you've already put in will pop out, no fear, this is just "proof of concept" making sure that the lip isn't screwed up, rusty, etc.

Now if that went OK and it is about where you want it in the door opening, tap it into final position in the front. Run a screw through it to secure it near the front. (if your floors are original, you might even be able to find the original hole.) Now take some shop rags, wad them up on top of the sill plate in the rear so they will sit between the door and the ridge on the sill plate. Slam the door shut. If you got it just right, the rags will put enough pressure on the sill plate to curve it into the body. If you haven't installed the weatherstrip on the rocker panel, it will be easier to see if it's fully seated. If you like how it sits, get in through the other door and screw it down. (this is why you took the seat out.)

that's it! put the carpet and seat back in and enjoy.

hope this helps

nate

PS - the new ones should not have this issue, but I have not put them on my car yet. I figure I'll drive around with the old beat up ones until I get serious about making the car look nice.

--
55 Commander Starlight
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

**Eman** · 03-03-2007, 02:36 PM

Thanks Nate. I'll try it out. Sounds kind of scary slamming the door on them though.[:0]

BTW, I got these from Stude Int'l in October.

[img=left]http://www.bulletshots.net/images/stella3.jpg[/img=left]1951 Commander Starlight Coupe (aka "Stella")
www.bulletshots.net
www.bulletshots.net/blog
www.alabamastudes.com

**N8N** · 03-03-2007, 02:48 PM

I bought one of the new sets at Reedsville last year; they appear to be embossed and also do have a curve to them. Are you saying that they didn't get the curve right?

nate

--
55 Commander Starlight
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

**klifton1** · 03-03-2007, 03:23 PM

Are these sill plates embossed or etched?
Klif

55 Speedster
42 Champ Coupe

**Eman** · 03-03-2007, 03:33 PM

I guess these are etched. They are as straight as a nail and came in a big mailing tube.

[img=left]http://www.bulletshots.net/images/stella3.jpg[/img=left]1951 Commander Starlight Coupe (aka "Stella")
www.bulletshots.net
www.bulletshots.net/blog
www.alabamastudes.com

**klifton1** · 03-03-2007, 03:39 PM

Etched is the old style.
Klif

55 Speedster
42 Champ Coupe

**3rdGenStude** · 03-05-2007, 07:05 AM

quote:Originally posted by Eman

I bought some door sill plates from Studebaker International awhile back. I tried putting them on the other night and they don't fit quite right. The car is curved but the plates are not. Is there a way to curve the sill plates? Is there some other trick to fitting them in?[8]

Are you talking about sil plates for 'Stella" ? SI has sill plates for 50/51?

There's nothing left of mine in my '50 LandCruiser. I don't have an SI catalog yet, and with no search function on their web site, it's a little hard to find stuff.

Paul

1950 Land Cruiser project

**garyash** · 03-05-2007, 02:20 PM

Actually, the complete Studebaker International catalog is on-line in PDF form on their web site, though you have to know the trick to find it. [Ed Reynolds, you should put a link on your home page!]

On the home page at http://www.studebaker-intl.com , click on the ORDERS button and scroll to the bottom of the page. The various catalog sections are listed there. The Table of Contents is in Part 1, the numerical and alphabetic index at the bottom.

If you Google the parts you need with: studebaker xxxxxxx
where xxxxxxx is the actual part number, Google will take you right to the item in the Stude Int'l catalog or other Google-indexed Stude vendor site that has the part.

[img=left]http://www.studegarage.com/images/gary_ash_m5_sm.jpg[/img=left] Gary Ash
Dartmouth, Mass.
'48 M5
'65 Wagonaire Commander
'63 Wagonaire Standard
web site at http://www.studegarage.com

**N8N** · 03-05-2007, 02:20 PM

I just ASSumed we were talking about C-K sill plates. As I recall the 50/51 is similar though so I ASSume that the same method would work on those. Perhaps they haven't updated the tooling for those like they did the C-K's?

nate

--
55 Commander Starlight
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

**bondobilly** · 03-06-2007, 03:49 PM

Ed showed the Post War body Sill Plates at York, they look sharp.

There is an eaiser metod of getting the curve, just grind the threshold lip back to meet the straight sill plate.

BG

SAVE THE STUDEBAKER.....SAVE THE WORLD.

**3rdGenStude** · 03-06-2007, 06:57 PM

quote:Originally posted by bondobilly

Ed showed the Post War body Sill Plates at York, they look sharp.

That's great news. Do they make them for both two door and four door models?

(I DO have the 2006 SI catalog now, but these sill plates are too new to be in there, I guess.)

Paul

1950 Land Cruiser project

**Eman** · 03-06-2007, 07:40 PM

Just FYI... I spoke with Studebaker International yesterday and they said new sill plates are about a year away (at least for '51 coupes) and will cost more than the previous $100 price tag. Guess I'll see if I can make these straight ones work.

[img=left]http://www.bulletshots.net/images/stella3.jpg[/img=left]1951 Commander Starlight Coupe (aka "Stella")
www.bulletshots.net
www.bulletshots.net/blog
www.alabamastudes.com

**Jeff_H** · 03-07-2007, 05:29 AM

What is the difference between etched and embossed? I have some of the straight ones bought in '94 on my '53. The lettering and dots are rough to the touch. Are these etched?

Nates method wasn't working for me to curve them. The screws go through to the floor and the plate was springy enough that is just popped back. What I did is stick a "calibrated" wood shim between the plate where bends down to the floor and the similar edge in the floor pan. Theres about 1/2" or so gap. Put one of those on each end to force the plate to curve. Seemed to work OK.

Jeff in ND

'53 Champion Hardtop

**bondobilly** · 03-07-2007, 05:38 AM

quote:Originally posted by Jeff_H

What is the difference between etched and embossed? I have some of the straight ones bought in '94 on my '53. The lettering and dots are rough to the touch. Are these etched?

The "embossed" ones actually have the word Studebaker stamped into the sill, it is quite demensional in looks. They are curved and look more like the originals. As far as I know, during judging they don't take off for repro sill plates. Straight that is.

When I bought the HFH in the 80's it had repro sill plates, not OEM's

Bill

SAVE THE STUDEBAKER.....SAVE THE WORLD.

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How to curve door sill plates?

How to curve door sill plates?

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