Projects 1950 Studebaker business coupe gasser

New to the hamb, thought Id start a build thread on my current project. 1950 Studebaker business coupe. I'll go ahead and call it a gasser but really just more of a hot rod heavily influenced by gassers(probably wont ever see a track). Speedway straight axle, 283 chevy bored .060 over with a comp XE268 cam, hooker fenderwell headers, early edelbrock 4 barrel intake all going to a ford 9 inch. Trans is a turbo 400, I know its way overkill for a 283 but I got it dirt cheap and will allow a more wild engine in the future. Also considering a 4 speed in the future.

when I first got it...

inspiration..

getting started...

more to come as i get more time. just got the coil springs out tonight and am glad there are no holes in my garage wall haha

 

fun times project

 

Keep us clued in to your progress.

 

Studebakers are Wild...Welcome to the Hamb....Look forward to your adventure...the inspirational pic you posted is awesome...

May I will suggest just one thing...get some eye protection on...there are a few threads on here about what's the worst thing that happened in the garage and some have stuff stuck in their face...

You're young...I'll never forget this saying on a very large old Sign hung up high when we walked in the main doors at an old Aircraft Plant I worked for many years 'You can always get more Safety Glasses but You are on Your Last Set of Eyes'...

 

A good friend of mine had a stude like yours with a blown small block. his went up in flames when his shop burned down. I have the rear end in my Morris Minor. About the only thing that was salvageable.

 

Great cars....a buddy has one identical to yours. I've been trying to buy it but he won't sell.

 

I was a little too eager to get started cutting I admit, usually Im better about wearing glasses. Any time under the car or with a cut off wheel I always do.

 

Got my dash painted and had fun mocking a few things up. Planning on black diamond stitch door panels. Seats are vw bug on the original stripped down stude seat bottom. Got a bad ass gold metal flake steering wheel and a vintage speed products gas pedal.

 

thought i'd show a few pics of the engine. 1967 283 bored .060 over, comp XE268 cam, edelbrock TR-1 intake (is that an early torker?) and stock power pack heads. The gold velocity stack was on my dads 57 chevy when he was about my age.

 

What tires are you running...

 

probably pie crust haha. Been thinking about towel city since Radirs are a bit pricey and I kinda want blackwalls all the way around.

 

Got most of the original front end out. Should be ready to start mocking up the straight axle soon. Looks like I should be able to re use the original steering box. Just hoping the front of the frame is long enough for the springs.

 

Cool build, there was a bullet nose Studebaker gasser build thread on here about a decade ago where the guy drove it from the midwest I believe all the way to the ocean in California.
It was a light blue in color and one of the car magazines picked up on it and published an article about the trip.

 

Just for an idea

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/sgv/cto/d/1952-gasser-street-rod/6746746944.html

 

A few things id do different. I really like tilt front end though, might have to consider doing that

 

Got some progress on the front end and the always present set backs. Passenger side leaf spring is mocked into place (I'm bolting everything together and then having somebody that can weld finish it up properly). Ran into trouble on the driver side. The frame is boxed on the bottom by a plate of metal that ended up being rusted out where I needed to mount the rear spring perch. I cut out some thick plates of metal to make a doubler plate. Just waiting for help to have the plates tack welded so I can bolt up the other side. Also had to do some face surgery to make room for the shackles. Didn't want to have to cut anything but its a hot rod not a resto.

The good side


The bad side

 

This car (noted above) was at the In-N-Out / Hot Rod Magazine show at the Pomona Raceway this weekend.
While it's just a sheet metal swap to a "Bullet Nose", I've never liked this front sheet metal.
I didn't look close, but not bad looking in person. Also didn't know it was for sale.



Mike

 

I'm thinking that cam is kinda small for that 283..Either that , or the carb and manifold is too big. Looks like a good way to kill the limited amount of torque you'd have.
What are you using for a converter and rear gear?

 

I chose the cam I did out of fear of over camming the engine. Ive been told before smaller engines like my 283 dont like wild cams unless its an all out race car. I know the big single plane manifold wont help bottem end torque much but I plan on using steep gears, either 4:11 or 3:73. Having a highway speed of 55 to 60 doesn't bother me any. I only plan on taking 2 lane roads if I take it out of town. Not sure on the converter yet but maybe one with a bit of a stall speed. I figured a steeper rear end could help overcome the lack of torque hopefully. I want to be able to drive "swiftly" but won't ever get too stupid with it.

 

Ditto on the eye protection. As the shop safety rep in a ironworker shop for 18 years I saw horrendous injuries that were preventable. I always address my safety when working in my shop by myself. It takes seconds to loose your eyes, a finger, break a bone or what ever. A life time of, "I should have been more safe just ain't worth the regret ".

 

I would tend to agree about the cam selection, but still I'd say you would need a 3000 stall speed converter at a minimum, to make that package half way work
The manifold is actually o/t for this site, but would wouldn't be the first offender in that respect.

 

Hey PCR...
I gotta 51 I just finished a few months back... The body looks ok.. lots of bad welded metal but not bad for a bomber... But floors all gone, frame rusted out... But I just welded everything I found bad, replaced the floor and trunk area... I put in a S10 rear... 3.73 ($200).. I found a 354 early hemi which seemed about as crazy as the car, so in it went... 11.5 to 1, wild cam, and a turbo 400... I made all the interior in my basement... not the seats(bought them)… It's a fun machine

 

Here's a few more

 

A few more as time progressed

 

It all evolved into a 100 little projects as each problem reared it's head
….enjoy

 

last few... If I can help I'll try... I just done the best I could with what I could and afford...haha

 

I like it.... I will be following this one..... I am also doing a 50 Studebaker Champion.... I bought it in stock form drove it for 5+ years lowered it but it got boring so out came the old and now it's getting a 327 that's full of goodies including tunnel ram with 2 Holley's ,that will be moved back 10" ,M-22 with scatter shield,with a Dana 60 4.10 's and spool on leaf springs , floaters and ladder bars...I'm currently fitting a speedway 4" drop tube axle with coil-overs/4-bars..I'm building the new front frame stubs to look like the original frame so that it all matches..when finished it will have the plate on the bottom of the new frame section that will tie into the existing frame....also the rear quarters will be opened up.... I'm going for the down low with a slight nose up stance on mine....

Sent from my QTASUN1 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Hey whats up.... Hey you know the M 22 has a pretty hi first gear...2.20...Gm only put them in 4.10 or lower rear gear cars... A m 20 has a 2 .56 1st gear

 

I would have loved to put a straight axle under mine but I couldn't afford it....But that big hemi sat rite down in there behind the bell crank ok... I cut the firewall back about 3 in behind the motor and added bout 2 and a half inches height to the tunnel

 

what are you using for a rear??? A s 10 is a perfect fit... All I had to do was drill a pin hole just inside the alignment pin hole on the spring pads... and a 8 degree wedge will give you 4 degrees down pinion angle...