Now how did he do that? Stude six in a Model A.

Ive been scratching my head for 4 days now --- ever since I hauled home an 82-year old's rodder's roadster in progress. The old guy died and his daughter called me telling me that if I removed the cut-down pickup from his garage within 3 days (so they could close the deal on selling his home) I could have the "running" rod for $175 - and get any old car parts there I wanted for free.
Naturally I didn't wast much time picking it up, but the part that baffles me is that this Model A roadster pickup has a Studebaker 6 from the late 40's sitting in the engine bay where the banger originally was, and it is mated up to the Model A bellhousing and tranny without any visible modifications or adapters! The frame and front wishbone were lengthened about 2 inches to make the swap possible but everything else through the rear end is stock-looking. Has anybody ever heard of anyone doing this engine swap "in the day"? Maybe this old rodder was just marching to the beat of his own drum, but with no adapters or mods visible between the straight-six Stude flatty and the stock Model A drivetrain, it makes you wonder if that much originality could have just popped into the old guy's head. I can't wait to fire the thing up!

 

Another.

 

Don't know if it applies to your set-up, or even that far back, but there are "standard" bellhousing bolt patterns. The only instances I know of are in heavy trucks and more commonly, diesel powered machines. Called "SAE #1", "SAE #2", etc.

Chris

 

Mod. A flywheel cover is flat enough on the engine side that he coulda had it milled just a tad and drilled new holes... making an early ford V8 flywheel fit on the stude crank flange was probably only slightly more difficult...

(V8 fly and stronger clutch was the shiznit for built bangers... uhm, I mean, mandatory...)

 

that is cool as hell what other parts did you get???

 

Haul that thing to a flea market, put on a sign that says "Barn fresh Model A", and spend an enjoyable day watching all the slow motion double-takes as people realize the engine looks a bit odd...

 

Well, Slazzen, I'm not through hauling parts home cause the place wasn't cleaned out by closing time on the sale, and the new owner has given me a week or two more to take what i want so they don't have to haul so much to the dump. But what I've brought home thus far (besides the Model A) included a pair of '42-48 Ford backing plates and drums, a vintage overdrive tranny (not sure yet if it is Lincoln, Ford, Stude or what, but think it's most likely Stude since there were lots of old Stude parts there. Also three extra solenoids for that overdrive tranny (hope they also fit my vintage 40's Lincoln and Ford overdrive trannies cause they're getting hard to find in working condition. Let's see, what else? Oh there was a rear bumper trunk from the 30's, '30 Model A roadster windshield post, a 23 T radiator shell, and a bunch of Stude mechanical stuff. Nothing really spectacular, but worth hauling home for free.