Any studebaker experts on here?

[skidmarks]

Any studebaker experts on the fordbarn or know of were i could look for information?

Question is about a 1939 studebaker champion coupe.
The car has floor rot and i located a 1941 studebaker champion 4 door as a possible donor body to fix the coupe.
Not having much luck finding information.

[Old Redneck]

I have a 1939 2 door sdn. but I am no expert.

[KGS]

Have you tried the Studebaker Drivers Club?

http://www.studebakerdriversclub.com/index.asp

[blucar]

I have had a passing fancy with the Studebaker cars/trucks since I was about 12. In 1946 my father had a friend that had a 37 Studebaker President, can clearly remember speeding down a highway and the odometer was on the high side of 100 mph.
Had a neighbor when I was a teenager, Paul and his wife had no kids, they took me under their wing when I was a troubled teen, thinking my parents were out of touch with the modern world.
Paul had driven Studebaker's since the 1920's, Paul liked to drive fast, and I liked that. My wife to be had a '46 Stude Champion coupe when I met her in '54, the engine had blown up so I put a new engine in the '46 for her.

The '46 and '39's were basically the same car. I would think that the floor pan, etc., would be very similar, cpe to sdn. I have a very nice book on the Stubebaker's, 1933-42, lots of great pic's, not much text.
I had a cousin who just passed away, two weeks ago, Kent lived and breathed Studebaker's. If it would be any help I can contact his son and see if he has any manuals, etc., on the Studebaker's.

Almost forgot, I have a '42 Skyway 4dr sdn, nice un-molested car that someone took the engine/trans out of before I bought it.

[skidmarks]

Thanks for the info. The 39 coupe is pretty complete and stock but the front floors are bad from a leaky shed roof and raccoons but the rest is decent besides the tool tray(just like a 40 ford, rot)
The over shape of the tail pan looks close to a 37 chevy so i might be able to buy one for a chevy amd slice and dice.
Found a decent 41 4dr. Thats half apart and solid. Hoping that i could use the floor out of it.

[DavidG]

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Off track by a mile, but the only non-Ford product I have ever owned was a '53 Commander coupe. If I had the room, I'd love to have a '63 Avanti.

[Old Redneck]

You surprise me Dave. The one I have I bought it to resale but it drives so nice. Also has Overdrive.

[Aarongriffey]

I’ve worked on a few Studebakers.
The 259 and 289 V8 engines were designed by the same guy that did the Cadillac engines. That is why they look so simillar. I rebuilt a 289 super charged 63 Avanti back in 89 and a 289 Hawk in about ‘95.
When Packard joined Studebaker they started putting Packard engines in some of the Hawks . But they got broken frames because the engines were so heavy. They cured that problem by using Studebaker engines with McCullah superchargers. more power, lighter weight.
When they quit making Studebakers in the U.S. the Canadians went on one more year with Chevrolet 283 and the Chevy 6 engines. The small one for Chevy 2. Maybe 196.
I had a customer with a 1950. I think it was a Commander. It had 52 grease fittings.

[Aarongriffey]

The Chevy 194 was used in the ‘67 Studebaker along with the 283 Chev engines the final year in Canada which I’m sure was 1967. The U.S. was 1966.
In ‘05 Studebaker made electric cars. A friend of mine has a running one.

[tubman]

Originally Posted by Aarongriffey

The Chevy 194 was used in the ‘67 Studebaker along with the 283 Chev engines the final year in Canada which I’m sure was 1967. The U.S. was 1966.
In ‘05 Studebaker made electric cars. A friend of mine has a running one.

Is that 1905 or 2005?

[Aarongriffey]

1905. It looks a lot like a 1904 Ford.
When I saw it last 4th of July I was so excited I forgot to get a few pictures of it.
I’ll take some this coming July, unless he buys something more rare and exotic.
My friends who have modern electric cars hate to hear about it.
They all want the world to think they personally have the worlds first electric cars.

[Aarongriffey]

In 1966 I went to work in San Francisco at the MG, Jag, Rolls Royce, etc. dealer.
At Christmas time I heard a Jag mechanic say to the machines,”louie, we’ve been shaken hands at Christmas time for 46 years.
The building was once a Studebaker wagon factory.
The guys both started there as manure pitchers to keep the service entrance clean as well as the three factory floors above.
As the wagon factory closed and the building went on to be a Buick dealer, and a Chrysler dealer and finally a British car distributor they both stayed on and became technicians for those cars. Louie was an excellent Jaguar transmission mechanic and Henry a machinist.
The place was a Dodge dealer, last I checked. I stay out of scum towns these days.

[tomcarman]

I have a soft spot for so called orphan cars. Have a '49 Nash 2 door. Been in the family since I was maybe 6 years old. The beauty of it is it's ugliness. Gramps had a 57 Studebaker Hawk I can remember riding in as a little kid. I still keep my eye out for one like it. Not too many left. Styling wise among many of my favorite prewar cars are the 33 Ford 3 window coupe and the 33 Nash. On topic, you can also contact the Nash Car Club of America (NCCA) as they also interface with Orphan car clubs including Studebaker. Certainly someone can point you in the right direction.

[Brian]

I once owned an 1886 Studebaker. Seriously! I sold it years ago at a swap meet here in NZ....

[Brian]

It was a saddle! Genuine leather. Stamped into it was Studebaker 1886

[Aarongriffey]

Tom, you are dead wrong. That 49 Nash is a lovely car. I have ‘48 Nash Ambassador. It is shaped a lot like a ‘48 Ford or Mercury. It has a Ford 300 6 cylinder with a van or pickup column shift all synchro 3 speed with a 3.08:1 rear end. I also have ‘29 Nash landau sedan. It looks a lot like a big model A. It has a 2 liter Pinto engine, transmission driveshaft n rear end with 18 inch model B wheels. It’s geared too fast, gotta run in 3rd a lot.

[tomcarman]

Tom, you are dead wrong. That 49 Nash is a lovely car.

I love my 49 Nash. My brother does not. It's like eating an oyster, You either like it or not. No in between. Off topic for the Ford Barn site but Nash built some really nice and innovative cars. As stated earlier I really like the styling of the 33 Nash.

[38bill]

Originally Posted by skidmarks

Any studebaker experts on the fordbarn or know of were i could look for information?

Question is about a 1939 studebaker champion coupe.
The car has floor rot and i located a 1941 studebaker champion 4 door as a possible donor body to fix the coupe.
Not having much luck finding information.

There is a guy here in Minnesota that buys and sells Stude parts nationwide. Maybe he could help.


Henry at: 651-426-1610 [email protected]

[skidmarks]

Originally Posted by 38bill

There is a guy here in Minnesota that buys and sells Stude parts nationwide. Maybe he could help.


Henry at: 651-426-1610 [email protected]

Thanks for the information. Ill check into it

[TonyM]

I always liked the 1941 Skyway Commander.

[KGS]

edit: not pic but I'm working on it...



Since we're slightly off subject, here is one of the
most beautiful ever built. Of course, JMO.
Ken

[Aarongriffey]

I was wrong, Studebaker shut down the Indiana plant in Dec. 1963 and they ended building cars at the Canadian plant in 1966. I thought it was all a year later.
I suppose the engines for the Canadian cars were also buil in Indiana because when they shut down in the U.S. the Canadian plant used Chevy engines, including the new 230 that replaced the 235.

[slowforty]

There is a fellow around my area who has a 1934 Nash Sedan it has Factory Naked Lady side mount mirrors to go with the Factory Naked Lady Hood Ornament.

[Aarongriffey]

I was wrong about the end of Studebaker.
They shut down in Indiana in Dec. 1963. That ended all engine building.
When Canada ran out of engines they used the Chevy sixes and 283 V8.
1966 was the last year, not 67 like I said above.
The Excalibur, which was first built on a Studebaker chassis with the 289 Studebaker engine, was continued being built by the designer, in Brooks Stevens in Wisconsin. He used Chev 327, I don’t know what he did for a chassi.

[bssmnbll]

Look up Studebaker International, they sell a lot of parts. Also as mentioned, Studebaker Drivers Club, they have a Swap Meet like Ford Barn.
I have a 63 Avanti Supercharged, and a 50 Merc Monterey, and enjoy the hell out of driving both!

[Merc Cruzer]

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https://www.studebaker-intl.com/

the catalog is 369 pages

[blucar]

A very popular engine to re-power early Fords with in the early '50's was the Cad OHV8, it was light and compact. Olds V8's were also very popular, as was the Buick V8 nail-heads. However, not much is written about the '51 and later Studebaker V8's which were very popular in the Fords. The Stude engines were very light, compact and ran very well. As I recall the starter on a Stude was on the right side, where-as the Olds had the starter on the left side, therefore it interfered with the Ford steering. gears. Of course in time the aftermarket vendors came up with a bell-housing that relocated the starter.

[tubman]

As long as we're talkin' Olds engines, I surprised to hear that they are almost as heavy as Hemi's, 720 lbs vs. 760 lbs. No wonder people liked Studebakers. I looked for 3 years before I found a "starter switchover" for my '51 Rocket at a reasonable price. I could have bought one for $750, but I kept looking.

[tomcarman]

[QUOTE=tubman;1875735]As long as we're talkin' Olds engines

The Ford Barn threads have spurred many long and forgotten memories for me. My Avatar is of my Aunt and Uncle circa 1961 when the 3 window entered the family. There was a kid who had it and drove it back and forth to high school. My uncle had his eye on that car for a long time. Dad and uncle partnered together on many cars of the era. I guess they would fix them up and sell/trade them, I don't know. Anyway, there was a friend of theirs who had a Model A roadster with no interior or engine but a beautifully painted black body. I remember Dad saying it was like looking into a polished black agate. Somehow they ended up with the car and Dad put a "big Olds" engine in it. After completed Dad drove it and told my uncle, "we gotta get rid of that car, it's dangerous". Apparently the "big Olds" was way to much engine for that car. My uncle then traded it straight across to the high school kid for the 3 window. I can still hear Dad's voice in my head. "Son, don't ever sell one of those big Olds engines short."

[bssmnbll]

I highly recommend Stude drivers club! I own a 63 Avanti, and have been a member, these guys know Stude, I’m positive someone there can help you, if you are still interested.

[Newc]

Kind of Willys/ American car looks. Good racer body. Newc