Kit car?

A friend of mine has a 59 Studebaker Hawk with a real nice frame and running gear, but the body is really rusty. His sons are trying to repair it for him, and they're good with sheet metal, but this seems like a hopeless project to me. About the only solid pieces on there are the roof, trunk, and hood. I was thinking about the "old days" when there were these neat Devin and other companies making sporty or hod rod bodies and Studes were one of the frames that were sometimes used. Does anybody still do this kind of stuff? I googled for kit cars and found some companies, but nothing really looked all that interesting. Any ideas?

 

Speaking from experience, if the body is that bad- the frame WILL have issues.

 

In the 50's every new issue of Car Life or Mechanics Ilustrated had pictures and articles on some homebuilt "sportscar" that someone was building in their backyard. Some were pretty cool and some were pretty weird, but it was great because people were being creative and working with their own two hands.

With todays modern products like fiberglass and some of the foams that can be shaped and glassed, it would be much easier to build one than back then. I think it would be a fun project and if you took your time it could come out really nice. You would probably need to shorten the wheelbase a little, depending on what look you were after, but that isn't a huge project.

You might be an inspiration for others too.

Don

 

Ypu can buy the hole damned body in stock configuration in glass these days. Go to the Studebaker club site and look around for an ad.

 

Several threads here, just search DEVIN or KELLISON

Also check out this site, lots of info here

www.forgottenfiberglass.com

 

I've seen this ad before and did a quick search, still for sale.

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/cto/2691632852.html

 

Thanks guys, khead47 - I know it sounds impossible, but the frame is real nice. The previous owner had done some part swapping between cars. It seems like he put a bad body on a good frame and then sold it. Who knows why. That Devin body looks GREAT! I don't know if I can talk my friend into doing that, but it would be a heck of a lot neater than that crappy rust bucket will ever be. I've seen Devin sports racers at Road America, but they would make a good street car too.