best transmission swap?

[LeoH]

Pics! If it's an early 61, it's got the flathead six still and later in the year, they switched to the OHV engine. As for driving habits, I credit the 70s gas crisis, as well as learning to drive a 20 year old car, for my habit of driving to the car instead of making the car drive how I want it to move. As for your driving situation, I guess, you're already tuned into driving slow and steady at least!

I don't know about the speedo issues. Mine is off too. Basically, I'm 10mph under
when I pass a radar sign and then look at the speedo. I've also noticed I'm 3 tenths higher on my odometer going by the highway mileage signs. I believe the issue is most likely a matter of getting the correct speedo gear tooth and swapping. Off the top of my head, I know the 2 speedo gears are listed in the Stude Lark manual, but I don't have one handy to say which 2 there are. It's not something high on my priority list, since I drive it 10 mph off and just live with it. Some day I'll remember to crawl under there and count the teeth on the gear there.

I did buy a cheap VDO tachometer and mounted it on the steering column just so I'd have an idea of what a wound out motor sounded like. I still rarely drive it at 3K and my redline is 3800rpm. IIRC, hp and torque numbers for the V8s are around 4500rpm and the motors can rev higher, but likely start floating valves around then. ymmv.

[JoeHall]

haha, I love it! That's pretty much how I drive. I was a driver in Iraq so I'm constantly watching my surroundings and never too close to the vehicle in front of me. My rear brakes are slightly warped so I need to find somewhere to get those taken care of too. I also need to get my speedometer fixed, apparently when I'm going 55 (according to my phone/gps) I'm going 70 (according to the car) and 60/65 is anywhere from 80-95... it's all sorts of out of control.

Yep, the speedos were very "optimistic" back then. Yours sounds typical in the amount of optimism. Just trust your GPS
BTW, WELCOME HOME from Iraq

[Skybolt]

Welcome,

Your question has the potential to open up a can of worms. Many opinions and recommendations will come forth and the main concern is to work out what you need and want and glean from the responses what you can afford to do and what your mechanical capabilities can bring to fruition.

Here are some things to consider.

Considering you have a 61 with a Skybolt six it can be made to do quite well around town and on the freeway. I have a 59 but did swap in an OHV six from a 63, basically the same engine as yours, and did many things to it and the rest of the mechanicals to make it more drivable.

I highly recommend the disc brake conversion. Many might say you won't be going that fast but others around you will indeed stop much quicker. It was one of the first things I did. There are other upgrades to the braking system but first things first.

Basically rebuilding your stock suspension, if it needs it, and adding some swaybars, front and rear, with some good shocks will make it a adequate car for most task you will encounter. Try to get some wider wheels and new tires. Something as wide, or wider than, a 205 and no need to go wider than 235. This will be a all you need if your suspension is not shot. Make sure your backspacing is correct on the wheels if you get some new ones. There are many post on the subject, with wheels from many makes that will do the job. Depending on what your springs are like, front and rear, putting a set of Mo0g CC655 coils up front and adding an extra leaf out back can make your car sit at a height that is acceptable and carry the passengers you might want.

To make it more drivable the stock carburetor really needs to be changed to a more modern and reliable unit. This again is covered in forum posts. I have used a Holley 1940, a progressive 2bbl, and a also a 4bbl carb with great results. If you are, as you mentioned, not mechanically inclined, then a simple 1 bbl carb will work well. The factory unit supplied from Studebaker has some inherent flaws and leaves a lot to be desired.

Upgrade the ignition to a breakerless unit like a Pertronix, that is once all distributor has been checked and brought back to spec, if needed, or if you want to get a bit better performance a MSD CDI type unit can also be added. This will also mean new plug wires and a better coil.

Depending on whether or not you want to keep it auto or could drive a manual transmission can make a big difference on drivability. For your engine, some swear by the standard trans with overdrive. One can also use other more modern transmissions like a 3 speed with synchromesh in first, 4 speeds, and the most favorite for swaps is the T5 5 speed. I have a Ford 3 speed from a 68 Mustang that I was going to put behind my OHV six but decided to swap in a Studebaker V8 and 4 speed. Anything that you read about transmission swaps for the Studebaker V8 can also be done to a 59-64 Studebaker 6 with the right engine plate. One was available so the OHV six could be used in trucks and the V8 transmissions put behind it. I have one so I am familiar with it. Mine had a standard 3 speed and a 3.54 rear axle ratio and it was a pain on the freeway. I put a 4.10 and a 3 speed with overdrive that all came with the 63 OHV engine and it was like night and day. I still prefer a fully synchro transmission with an overdrive.

It mostly comes down to your budget. Time is money. If you take your time and do one thing at a time so you can drive it, do some work on it, then drive it, then do some more work, it will take time but you will always be driving it. If you do, like so many of us have done before and do too many things at once it can take a long time to get it back on the road. Some take so long that people loose heart and part with their cars, usually at a loss, and with a heavy heart. If you have some cash that you don't know what to do with it then work out what you want done and drop it in a shop. That my friend is an expensive job but for some it is the only way for them to enjoy being able to drive their car. Nothing wrong with that as we all can't do everything. That's why most of have a job, to pay for the stuff we can't do ourselves.

Keep asking questions and I'm sure you will get many more answers.

Len

[DougHolverson]

Does this also apply to Silver Hawks?

[Mrs K Corbin]

Too bad you're not in Shelbyville, Tennessee, i'd send you to Allen Carter.

Welcome home from the Sand-Box.....

[r1lark]

Pics! If it's an early 61, it's got the flathead six still and later in the year, they switched to the OHV engine.

I had not heard this before. The Parts Manual does not indicate that the flathead was used in '61, at least that I can see. In fact, the OHV was the biggest "new" feature in Stude early press releases prior to the release for sale of the '61s. Please post any documentation you have of the flathead being used in the earlier cars, and what the serial number break was when the switch was made.

[Skybolt]

Does this also apply to Silver Hawks?

If you are referring to a Flathead six being able to use V8 transmissions then that would be a yes, as long as it's the later Flathead from 59-60. I had the parts for the OHV six to do the trans swap and was told that the last of the Flathead sixes used the same bolt pattern and crank to cam distances, so the plate would indeed line up with all components and centers. I have no more sixes in my garage to confirm this and the plate has been loaned out for reproductions to be made.

As I like Ford Toploader transmissions I use the Studebaker V8 bellhousing with the Ford pattern. Then it's a simple matter of getting the front bearing retainer housing machined down to fit the bellhousing and installing an alternator bearing in the flywheel, of course that would be a V8 flywheel. So all major parts are Studebaker except the transmission.

Len

[LeoH]

I had not heard this before. The Parts Manual does not indicate that the flathead was used in '61, at least that I can see. In fact, the OHV was the biggest "new" feature in Stude early press releases prior to the release for sale of the '61s. Please post any documentation you have of the flathead being used in the earlier cars, and what the serial number break was when the switch was made.

I could be wrong. I know the body style switched, from early 61 to later 61 so I assumed the engines likely were still 170s until they ran out. I only know the body switch happened because I don't care for the dual headlight front ends so I found out there are single and dual headlight 61 model cars, early and late 61.

[Skybolt]

I could be wrong. I know the body style switched, from early 61 to later 61 so I assumed the engines likely were still 170s until they ran out. I only know the body switch happened because I don't care for the dual headlight front ends so I found out there are single and dual headlight 61 model cars, early and late 61.

I was under the impression that one could order either dual or single headlight models in 61. Not a time or series difference just an option for the buyer. Mostly lower models with the single and upper models with duals.

Len

[km420]

Pics! If it's an early 61, it's got the flathead six still and later in the year, they switched to the OHV engine. As for driving habits, I credit the 70s gas crisis, as well as learning to drive a 20 year old car, for my habit of driving to the car instead of making the car drive how I want it to move. As for your driving situation, I guess, you're already tuned into driving slow and steady at least!

I don't know about the speedo issues. Mine is off too. Basically, I'm 10mph under
when I pass a radar sign and then look at the speedo. I've also noticed I'm 3 tenths higher on my odometer going by the highway mileage signs. I believe the issue is most likely a matter of getting the correct speedo gear tooth and swapping. Off the top of my head, I know the 2 speedo gears are listed in the Stude Lark manual, but I don't have one handy to say which 2 there are. It's not something high on my priority list, since I drive it 10 mph off and just live with it. Some day I'll remember to crawl under there and count the teeth on the gear there.

I did buy a cheap VDO tachometer and mounted it on the steering column just so I'd have an idea of what a wound out motor sounded like. I still rarely drive it at 3K and my redline is 3800rpm. IIRC, hp and torque numbers for the V8s are around 4500rpm and the motors can rev higher, but likely start floating valves around then. ymmv.

[Skybolt]

As for single headlight and duals: http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...gle-headlights

[LeoH]

Hm. Thanks for the clarification. I was not aware of all those variations in the 61s.

[LeoH]

km420, I hope the previous owner took as nice car of the car and engine as it appears they did with the detailing on it. Nice OHV.

[km420]

Single headlight here

[LeoH]

Nice.