The check went out in the mail this morning. The car will hopefully be delivered in a week or so. I'll post more when it arrives. For now, here's a teaser..
Lucky guy!!! I just saw one at an Indiana cruise night a few weeks ago. Old guy (over mid 80's), who had originally built the car in mid to late 50's, then put it away. After his retirement, he pulled it out and repainted. Not a hardtop like yours, but the post style. Sure would like to buy it from him, but.........he's driving it. Have fun with your new toy.
Tom McCahill road tested a Studillac in late 1953 and was very impressed. Bill Frick was turning them out as a turn key job. The conversion included, in addition to the Cadillac engine and trans, a Mercury rear axle, heavy duty radiator and other details described in the road test.
A quick search turned up this http://blog.modernmechanix.com/mi-tests-the-studillac/ McCahill's road test in MI. By the way Ted Tappet was Phil Walters racing name.
Color me jealous, great buy, enjoy it. Can't wait to see it when you get it and get it cleaned up! Of course we will be patiently waiting for more pictures.
MB: Your Studillac looks like it will be a real beauty. One of the best all time body designs and the motor just is the frosting. See Pat Ganahal's article on page 12 of TRJ #66. Your Stude looks much more trad and historic. Enjoy. TEB
This was taken about 10 years ago when it was first pulled out of the barn. The engine has been cleaned up and painted Cadillac Blue since then, but I don't have any recent pics on hand. This was taken the last time the car was driven. About 4 years ago.
I was reading in a different Mechanic's Illustrated or some similar 1950s magazine where they showed how Frick made up the exhaust systems for the Studillac. He bent the pipes by trial and error until they cleared everything and he was happy with them. Then he built a long, shallow box and filled it with plaster of paris....made imprints of the pipes in the plaster and let it dry. That was his pattern. From that point, all he had to do was bend up the exhaust pipes for the next cars until they fit in his mold. He knew they'd fit the car. Saved a bunch of time.
As long as we're talking about Studillacs, I thought I would post a few pictures of mine that I bought as a Christmas present for myself. It's a 1960 Hawk, with a 1953 nose. It has a1974Cadillac 500" engine and Turbo 400. The top is chopped 2" in the front, and the rear fenders are extended with 1961 Cad tail lights.
Tasty. Are the fenders steel, and if so , did you weld up any holes that were for bumper brackets? Working on a 55 with a 53 nose.feeling it all out.
Randy, The fenders are steel. I didn't build the car, so I don't know if any holes were welded up. or not. Bob
I forgot I started this thread...! Upon arrival: The dog helped with cleaning out the cobwebs on the inside. The car showed up a couple-three weeks ago.. It's a weekend project (at least until the weather cools off and my bank account recovers). So far we've rebuilt an old AFB for it, rebuilt the Dist'r, and fired it off... I'm lucky to have a couple of "old guys" that have been doing this stuff for 40+ years to help me along.. I didn't expect it to run as well as it does. It's a strong old Caddie.. Language warning.. The car has ran "occasionally" during the last decade.. But mostly it's sat in various garages and sheds for the last 30 years. It needs wiring, brakes, suspension rebuild, engine reseal and detail (that rattle can gold and blue has to GO..), and, and, and... The paint was lousy when it was put on in the late 80's. Chrome is shot. Interior is original.. Basically, it's "worn" enough that if I get a scratch in a parking lot or get caught in a thunderstorm.. It won't bother me too much. Plan is to get it safe and dependable mechanically.. And drive the snot out of it. A full wiring harness is next on the list, followed by brakes and fuel system redo so I can at least get it moving around on its own.
The Studillac was even namechecked in one of the James Bond books - Diamonds are Forever. The author - Iain Fleming - was apparently impressed enough by an actual car that his friend William Woodward Jr owned to include one in the story. The chapter was called "Studillac to Saratoga".
Jealousy is not an endearing trait, but this Studillac makes me green with envy. I love it, wish it was parked in my garage, I would drive the shit out of it, too!
Tom McCahill remarked that the Cadillac engine in the light weight Studebaker was just loafing, and should have the life span of a new born colt. It has already exceeded that, but if it is in decent shape and you take care of it should last for years yet.
Very nice. I remember as a kid reading hand-me-down copies of Mechanix Illustrated as a kid, late 60's, early 70's. Tom McCahill had a very unique way of writing his articles that I still enjoy.
The Jalopy Journal
