Hot Rods Putting V-8 Into 1948 Studebaker Commander Starlight Coupe

My son recently bought this car and we yanked the Boig Six out along with the tranny and the overdrive.\ We have a 350-cid Chevy V-8 and a chance of getting a 1955 Studebaker V-8. We would prefer to keep the stock frame and suspension and not to cut the firewall. Does anyone have advice or experience putting a V-8 into this type of car. There looks like plenty of room in the engine bay, but there is a huge front crossmember
John "Gunner" Gunnell
www.gunnersgreatgarage.com
[email protected]
1-715-281-5925

 

Well, the V8 Chevy engine probably weighs about the same as the Studebaker Big Six, and is likely no longer, so should not create problems in those areas. Are you suggesting the 'huge' front crossmember is in the way?
Does your Stude have the transverse leaf spring front suspension?

 

Yes the '49 has the transverse spring up front. There must be someone who either did such a swap or could not do it. I think it can be done in the larger Commander body. Is your car a Cord?

 

My avatar is a 'real' Cord, but is a photo I picked up on the net. The photo in this post is my Cord replica, 289 Ford powered.

 

My Grandpa put a 350 in a 52 stude, no problems

 

Have you asked over on the forums of Racing Studebakers or Studebaker Drivers Club?
They got answers....

 

The tradition is to put a Caddy engine in, so a SBC should fit loose in there.

 

Studebaker chassis design, the front end in particular, changed with the '51 models and remained the same through the early '60s.

The Studillac engine conversions by Bill Frick began with the '53 models.

 

The brakes and front suspension will need to be upgraded also. I'm not sure if later V8 car parts will inter change with the 48. This is a good question for the Studebaker Drivers Club forum.
http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/forum.php

 

No, they do not......see post 9 above. A Fatman frame stub kit would be about the easiest way to replace the original transverse spring setup.

 

My son has very little left to invest in anything that cfosts a bunch. Also, we hate to chop up the original car. It is much easier to put a V-8 in a 1950-up Stude. But there is plenty of room in ours. BTW ours is a '49 rather than a '48. I do not know how to edit that. We did just join the Studebaker Driver's Club.

 

John, I think it's '51 up that the major frame/suspension changes were made.....also '51 models got the then new Studebaker V8 in the Commander series.

Nonetheless, I would think a small block Chevy or Ford would fit in place of the Stude 6 in your '49, without frame mods, especially if it was the 'Big Six'....i.e. 245 cubic inch engine.

A tape measure is your friend.

By the way, I love the Iola Old Car Show.......attended in 2012 and 2013 and was enroute to 2014 when a problem with my RV put the kibosh on that trip.