Lost & Found - Dad's '59 Studebaker Truck

Okay, Dad is officially haunting me.

Last weekend I brought home his '58 Chevy Truck and while perusing CraigsList for parts Monday morning, something 'made' me click on a listing for "1959 Studebaker". What I saw was a truck strikingly similar to a truck that my Dad had owned since he was a teenager and sold when I was just a wee little guy. Thinking not much of it I carried on looking for parts.

Fast forward to Monday evening. While Sara was making dinner, I was just flipping through a book of photos that we pulled out of Dad's garage. Then came three pictures of that white '59 Studebaker Truck, with Dad out front. I rushed to the computer, pulled up the ad, and damn spanky, its the same truck.

I called the guy listing it, and late that evening, ran up to look the truck over. While poking through the cab, I noticed a License Plate jammed in the door garnish molding. I pulled it out, and when it matched the plate in my photo, it verified 100% that this was Dad's Studebaker.

Long story short, in less than a week, I've come to own two of Dad's trucks. This can't be coincidence.

Well here it is, then...

 

And as of today...

 

That's freaking badass!!! Congrats on the find!

 

As you can see, she's a little worse for wear. When Dad owned it, it was nothing short of pristine. Not so much after almost three decades.

Plans are for a tune-up, new tires, and driving it while I look for parts to start bringing her back to her former glory.

 

Cool story, man. Now that my Dad has passed on I would love to have one of his old vehicles. Sounds like it was meant to be. This time, don't let it leave the family.

Have fun! E

 

Don't worry, after the weird, roundabout way this truck found me, there is no way it is leaving the family again.

Oh, and I forgot to write what the truck actually is, a 1959 Studebaker Scotsman 1/2 Ton Truck. The 1/2 Ton Scotsman was -the- cheapest truck you could buy in '59, so is especially odd to note that this thing was a factory 259-V8, Automatic optioned truck.

 

Some things are just meant to happen,
you got the double shot, Bam!
Congrats

 

Congrats on getting her back. I know the feeling of one gone, and the day it's back in your hands. Build it and make your pops proud

 

Yes, a V8/auto Scotsman is a rare piece. Congrats on bringing it home again.

The good news is most Stude truck parts from '49-64 interchange. The 259" V8s are unbreakable. The Borg-Warner automatic shares most parts with Ford and others. The Dana 44 axle is everywhere. Just be aware that many 5x5" car wheels don't fit the Stude. They'll bolt on, but the centers don't fit and put the metal in a strain.

go here http://www.network54.com/Forum/23885/ for questions and parts

jack vines

 

Great story! Congrats on the find.

 

you ever visit studebaker truck talk? the guys over there would love to hear about this. as well as add your dad's truck to the scottsman register!

 

wow....how cool is that...congrats....

Stude truck talk ?.....would they like a 2E7 factory V/8 and 5 speed...?

 

Thanks guys, I'll give the other Forums a look-see.

I spent the day fiddling with the truck. New Upper Radiator Hose, Thermostat, Plugs, Points, Cap, Rotor, and Condenser. The Choke cable is pretty 'difficult' and while I got the thing running, I ran it out of gas before I could call the tune-up complete.

I then tore out all the shady Sears stereo install (that went in after Dad sold the thing) and cleaned out the cab, and set to getting measurements to rebuild the flat-bed, it was apparently 'bumped' at one time or another, and is a bit tweaked. Its all angle and channel, so it should be an easy fix. Still need to get new tires (and probably two new wheels) before I figure I can start driving it.

In any case, we all like pictures, so here we go.

The plates from when my Dad owned the truck, with a few plaques accumulated right before, or right after he sold it...


The 259...


And an intake that I found in Dad's garage right after he passed. I always wondered what the heck he was holding on to it for, well, now I know...

 

What an awesome turn of events! Great to hear they are back in the family.

 

Awsome find!

 

Great story - you've got to post it here...

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=797546

 

Thats just cool.

 

Bet there are folks on the truck talk site that knew your dad and the truck.
Studebaker truck talk site:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/23885/

 

Very cool, glad they came home.

 

"Long story short, in less than a week, I've come to own two of Dad's trucks. This can't be coincidence." Its strange when that stuff happens. Some times we just have to go with it. Great truck and now its home where it can get the care it deserves.

 

There is just no way around it, that is a freaking cool set of happenings. I love those old Studebaker trucks. Not a better looking truck around in my opinion.

 

Cool story, can you use your dad's old plates when you register it ?

 

That's just simply great! I would love to have the 71 Chevy C 10 my Dad kept for 17 years. He bought it when it was a year old, sold it after I had left home. That Stude is for sure a keeper!

 

Great to see you have your Dad's truck back. Congrats !
If I could find my Dad ole XK Jag. I would be stoked!

 

Been a while since I've posted anything on this thread, but frankly it's been a while since I've done anything to the Scotsman. I made a place for it in the garage, took the bed all apart, and well, kinda just parked it...



...got carried away with my Model A tub, wife and I had a baby, life happened, yadda, yadda, yadda. Then, last week, I realized that life would be much easier with a functional truck in the fleet. So, I started back up on the ol' gal.

I have since acquired a good hood, a decent drivers side fender, and one if two wheels need to replace the bent ones on the truck.



And now we are getting the cab down to bare metal...





...the last pic reads like an archeology book. Original Studebaker Napa-Green, covered in Dad's Primer, covered in Dad's Pearl-White, covered in someone's Red Oxide, covered in someone's Primer, covered in someone's more recent white. Pretty neat, I say.


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And here's where we're headed:





These slides, developed in August, 1975, show the truck in what I would call its best version. Or at least the best version I know about.

Purple-Pearl over White-Base paint, chrome-reverse-wheels, black interior. And that's where I hope to bring the truck back to.


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Bare metal...



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You are one lucky fella.Nice truck.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

Great thread. My dad only drove "normal" cars after I came along. Canted quad Lincolns and 4 door suicide style 66-67 Lincolns. He's been gone since 78' and I doubt that I could ever find one of his old cars. I still look around though.

 

I dug out the scanner and enlarged these slides I had sitting in a box from Dad's house. Apparently these were taken at the SDC Western Canada Meet, in '75...