Stude guys! Did I find something rare?

Well, let me start by stating that this was always out in the open but I was the first one to say "I want that!"...
Originally I was told it was a '32 chrysler, but it didnt look like one to me!

This cowl along with the front half of the car were mounted to run a belt for a sawmill at some point in its life.
I unbolted the cowl and brought it home yesterday, the rest of whats left (a complete motor and transmission and other do-dads) (no fenders or running gear) Im grabbing this week.

The VIN or serial number is 6026038, which I did a search and found (what I can gather) is a 1932 President 91 series. BUT this is a suicide door open car cowl!

So what exactly did I bring home here?

The funny part is that I found a 1925 Studebaker Duplex body less than a half mile away from this. At first I thought they were a long lost match but obviuosly they arent! But it does fit on the "Rude-A-Baker" nicely!

 

That thing is wicked.

sorry i cant help

 

Great find Bill

 

Dont be distracted by the "big picture" I stack alot of random parts on that old ford chassis as to not let the neighbors know how random the parts are!

 

Stan and Ollie seemed quite taken by thier's



some other info, looks like it should have had a straight 8

http://www.topspeed.com/cars/studebaker/1929-1942-studebaker-president-8-ar33264.html

think it might be a 31 or 32 by the grille shell.

http://www.oldcarandtruckpictures.com/Studebaker/

here is a model 55 with rear opening doors.

Might want to send an email to the Studebaker museum, they might be able to do a serial umber lookup for you. Probably weren't many 4 door drop tops made regardless of the year,

 

It does have a straight 8, but I have no idea what the back may have been (cuz its long gone) Is there a coach distinction tag or anything like that on these?

 

That I don't know, but a note to the Museum might tell you.

here another one from a concours in Ohio Good news though NADA say high retail it 50K. There were only 6300 Presidents made in 31/32, Don;t know if they were coach built or came from studebaker. The stuff I foud was that cowl and chassis were sent overseas to be bodied in Europe per owners specs, but it says export only.

The engine should feature 9, count em, 9 main bearings.

 

The main bearings may be one with earth! I havent lifted it up to see if the oil pan has rotted out or not...will find out when its excavated!

 

From what I see contacting the museum will cost me more than plugging away myself!

 

dont know if its rare but its pretty cool , post some pics when you rescue the rest of it ,

 

Well if you can find it, it might be worth a buck or two. The website I just read said they were sourced from Liberty Aircraft engines, so ther might be a market for it in the Air craft restorers arena.

Gotta love Studebakers Model line, Commander, Dictator, and President. In 39 due to world affairs, the Dictator line was dropped, commander moved up scale and champion took the low line name. Things may have been different if not for old Adolph.

 

will do CJ2! Its a wild looking motor (what isnt rotted off) but it is all there! The carb is bigger than my head! (thats pretty big)

 

Do not know a thing about Studies, but I do like the gauge cluster. It would look great in a hot rod.

 

You better hope my wife doesn't find out!

 

^^It'll be our secret!

 

The '32 Studebaker President is a AACCA Full Classic.
The same distiction bestowed on Auburns, Deusenbergs, V 12 Cadilacs, and other really high end motor cars. If you really want to know what your pieces are worth contact some one like "White Post Restorations" or the Studebaker Museum.

 

You could also check over on the forum of the Studebaker Driver's Club.
Lotsa willing and friendly help there.

 

2 things to mention.

As I recall on an AACA thread on their forum, the 32 President frames/axles were used for Indy racers. One guy on that site wanted a frame/axle for a racer. A half of a rare frame may be better than none

Also, you should check around on open-car body styles on those. They may only have had a convertible sedan by 32, as touring cars without side glass were getting outdated.

 

I see they called their "roadster" an all season roadster, basically a cabriolet with a fixed but openable windshield. the convertible sedan was shown above ( model 55). Im hoping I can get an idea by some tag or number that might be up forward on the car as to what the rest of it was once. The front cowls could be all the same, I dont know yet! Ill keep this going for a bit while trying to contact the other folks

 

Sometimes having and selling a goodly chunk of an AACA Classic Automobile can buy you a really nice car if it is the right chunk. Most open car bodies are the right chunk.

 

Well, I did some more research and am receiving some very interesting facts! This, indeed, is a 1932 Studebaker 91 President roadster!
The more I dig into this the more rare it seems to get!
I realize that its just a chunk of rust and sorta o/t BUT after several years of getting told "hey i got some old deuce parts here for ya" and they end up being air-cooled bug parts, Im reaally excited about this!

 

will do CJ2! Its a wild looking motor (what isnt rotted off) but it is all there! The carb is bigger than my HEAD! (thats pretty big)................................... '' WHICH HEAD''??????????????

 

I think you know...

 

Looks to be a phaeton with a hard top. Sometimes around here they were call California top sold by a supplier like Ames did for model T Fords. My 2 cents.

 

ya, skirtless, its a 1925 Stude duplex body... more on that here!
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=473629

but its the cowl that is now the topic. from what ive learned its a 1932 Studebaker 91 President Roadster. After finding out its rather rare Im putting an all in effort to find any and all info to see if any of the rest of the car or parts made it into local barns! Hey, ya never know! It probably went to the war effort but it doesnt hurt to ask.

 

Hey Willy, glad I could help identifying your find...it appears this frame is not stock, cause 32 Presidents had ball bearing shackles on the front springs and an anti-shimmy device on the left front shackle... also check your 8 spark plugs and if they are evenly spaced and NOT in groups of 2, then you have the big 336 ci engine. Also all 32 roadsters have suicide doors vs. 31's have rear opening doors. What's with the top? Appears to be from a 4 door.. and if you've stumbled onto a 4 door President convertible sedan, you're talking 2-3 known to exist!! The grilles on the 32 and 31 are different also with the 32 being v-ed at the bottom and the 31 being more squared off where they meet the 2 piece fender on the 31. Studebaker produced 2,399 Model 91 Presidents in 32 BUT this included 14 models (coupes, 4 doors, etc) and there is no known breakdown on each production numbers within these models... actually there were seven models and then 7 models with the STATE option which included side-mounts and chrome horns. Estimates on mine which is not a State, is 50 were produced.

Take a look at my profile and photo album and maybe you can see some comparisons to go by... also another rarity is the Presidents were all steel (except the roadsters) and NO wood except the top bows...the Commanders and Dictators had wood supports in the doors and main body. Hope all this helps and if I can help further, let me know...Joe

I have owned this 32 Model 91 5 passenger 4 door sedan since 1977 and restored it twice...She has 81,000 hot rod miles on her and always makes the purists cringe....they love it until I pop the hood!!

 

If you really want to know what you have, get the serial number and get the build sheet from the museum. Yeah, they car be a little pricey, but on the other hand there will be no guessing about what you have.

 

^^Ya, Im doing that as well! Awaiting some responses from them.

32STUPRES, dont get confused now! the body is a 25 Duplex, its on a 35 ford big truck chassis. Just the cowl and grille shell made it home so far, weathers not cooperating!

 

There's enough there, and it's rare enough, that someone would build the rest of it from scratch. It would be well worth the time to identify it all and figure out what's what as far as the frame, motor and so forth. We picked up about 1/2 of a '32 Packard Light Eight a few years back that had been cut down to power a belt-driven sawmill or something. Just half the frame with cowl, hood, grille, motor, trans. Ended up going for like $1000 and some antique toys worth about $2500.

 

^^^ It probably had the same drive shaft drum for the mill belt as this one!