Projects CUTTING UP A 54 STUDEBAKER PICK-UP.....OH YEAH!!!

This has been a really fun project to work on! It's really the best when your vision and the owner's vision come together! In our opinion this truck really lends itself to kustomization. This started as a chop, and has grown exponentially in kustom metal work. Therefore, I figured I'd post a build thread on it. This pick-up has sentimental value to Hugh and it is really important that it looks killer when it's done!

 

Man, you can not repair it with tape!

 

Not blue tape,...... but if you use duct tape anything is possible!

 

You Gotter use the green tape, like Mr Foose uses.

Bring on more, Studes sure are a great start for kustom work. I'm keen to see what you do to it.

 

Maybe some JB Weld?!

Oh yeah, I've seen entire Toyota bumpers held together with duct tape. That stuff works. Maybe we should use that and ditch the welder! What do ya think?

Oh yeah...well if Foose uses it, it's gotta be good right!

 

Cool

 

Try on 1/24 scale diecast model cars first

 

Looking forward to more ,keep it up.
Thanks,
Funk 49

 

The inside of your shop looks too clean and well lit. What's that like?

 

Here's one I'm doing right now. 1949 5/8 ton, will get a slight chop, custom lights, etc.

 

just realized ive seeen you in that ranchero , i assume leaving the shop. my girl works on ventura by your shop. really dig that ranchero. love me a stude pickup

 

Thanks!

It's crazy! Nothing like being able to find all of your tools too easily and seeing what you're doing too well!

Right on! The Ranchero is our shop truck....it's Clark's but I drive it a lot! (My daily is a 47 Pontiac Streamliner.)

 

I thought he was talking about me at first, I also have a custom Ranchero(62) as a shop truck. Great minds think alike.

 

Here are more pics of the Chop: There were some repairs that needed to be made & dents that needed to be fixed. Since the roof is shaped like an egg, we shaped a new roof panel from flat steel. The panel was approx. 48"x16" (Sorry these pics are out of order.)[

 

Nice to see the progress, keep posting pics. Good to do those roof repairs while you can have it upside down for better positioning and working.

 

Nice work .

 

You two do really nice work !

 

Thanks! Appreciate that.

Thank you!

Thanks, will do!

 

Has anybody chopped one but leveled the roof out? Chopped the front more?

 

We cut a little more off the front than we did off the back , if that's what you mean. We also moved the window openings around a bit.

 

Interesting work. Like to see where this goes.

 

Beautiful work !!

Just hope your customer is a really short dude. I've driven C-cabs for more than fifty years; I'm 6'2", always have the seat all the way back and my head hits the inside of the roof of a C-cab at stock height.

Don't know if you ever considered it, but I've always wanted someone to draw up a custom C-cab Stude with the cabin stretched 3"-4" for more leg room.

jack vines

 

I'm really diggin' it

Funk 49

 

With a helper like that on the English wheel it would be the first one to loose concentration and roll my thumb. Ouch!!!
Awesome work on such a big task though.
(Edit) Oops apologies for making an ass in my assumption in who did the work. I am am subscribed .

 

Well, hopefully you like where it goes.

Hi Jack, Thanks! No our customer is not vertically challenged. Clark is 6'4" and fits fine. You just need to lower the seat then your head won't hit.

Thanks!

Thanks, that's actually me. Thanks for the compliment though. I've got a pretty great view too!

More pics: Welding in the main panel and the beginning stages of metal finishing.

 

Damn that's some nice work on the chop.
Nice sleeves too.

 

Thanks! (O.T. thanks, most of my arms were done by Juan Puente.)

 

Here are more pics. It started as a chop, then Hugh had us shave the fuel filler, the door handles, some emblems, made a roll pan. The rear lights were terrible LED's so Clark had an idea to carry the beads from the tail gate into the tail light area and add some Studebaker car lights. Running them vertically and carrying some of the details from them into the roll pan area etc. Anyways...here are some pics.

 

Very nice love the tail lights . How do you weld in yor panele ? Hammer weld or mig ? I see no warpage !

 

I really dig the way you brought the beads from the tailgate into the end caps
for the bed. Keep up the good work.
Funk 49