Thread: Stude M5 build

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I had to download a photo resizer to get the pictures in. The quick and easy rotisserie worked really well, just an old engine stand at one end and a piece of plywood with a hole in it at the other. Sandblasted and painted everything with summit urethane primer and hotrod black, wow that was a lot of work!

".......wow that was a lot of work!......"

Yup, been there done that. but when it's in the shop and you start bolting pieces on it it makes it all worth while.


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I am looking forward to that!

Definitely looks great and for sure a lot of work. Been there too and will be back down that road again soon.

Thanks, it felt like I cleared a major hurdle on the project. Next hurdles will be building the bed and doing the body work (arrgg)

Nice work, body work is the worst for me, can't stand it. No mater what mask I use lately I can feel it in my lungs the next day after I paint. Good enough reason for me to hire it done now. PS. You guys that don't need a heated shed suck

I'm really considering getting the fiberglass fenders instead of straightening the beat old fenders. All the compound curves on the old vehicles makes for some very challenging body work. I agree with the breathing issue, I have a home made remote fresh air supply but it still is not perfect, I think it drys me out and maybe a little fumes still get in around the mask. When i used to use a filter mask the smell was really powerful, not good. Then there's all that bondo and primer dust too. How do people do it for a living?

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So I have been reassembling the explorer chassis, its been slow and tedious but fun to be bolting on new parts that I've had for ever. When I installed the gas tank I went doh!, I made my cab mounts with the tank conveniently out of the way but with it back in there I can't mount the one side of the rear mount! I don't know what I was thinking leaving that out when I fabbed that stuff, I guess I was enjoying all the extra room, the tank is huge. So now I'm going to have to figure out a way to mount that side of the rear.

Originally Posted by v8nutz

I'm really considering getting the fiberglass fenders instead of straightening the beat old fenders. All the compound curves on the old vehicles makes for some very challenging body work. I agree with the breathing issue, I have a home made remote fresh air supply but it still is not perfect, I think it drys me out and maybe a little fumes still get in around the mask. When i used to use a filter mask the smell was really powerful, not good. Then there's all that bondo and primer dust too. How do people do it for a living?

I would double check on using fiberglass fenders. I bought some rears for my 53 and after talking to the body shop, they all but told be that I would regret using fiberglass due to stars developing in the glass coat due to flying rocks. They also were not happy with the glass coat on just about every glass fender they've ever ordered and spend a lot of time re doing the glass coat. I was lucky enough to sell my glass ones in a couple of days and got some new steel fenders and was very happy with the quality of them. I had my front fenders and hood repaired at the shop for the same cost as if I bought new, maybe a bit more but I wanted as much of the original steel on as I could. The rear fenders could have possibly been fixed but they were in pretty tough shape.

Originally Posted by v8nutz

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So I have been reassembling the explorer chassis, its been slow and tedious but fun to be bolting on new parts that I've had for ever. When I installed the gas tank I went doh!, I made my cab mounts with the tank conveniently out of the way but with it back in there I can't mount the one side of the rear mount! I don't know what I was thinking leaving that out when I fabbed that stuff, I guess I was enjoying all the extra room, the tank is huge. So now I'm going to have to figure out a way to mount that side of the rear.

A hammer to the tank sounds the easiest, maybe somebody else has a better idea I think I'd look for a different tank in reality, that looks like the easiest solution to me.

Originally Posted by 53 Chevy5

I would double check on using fiberglass fenders. I bought some rears for my 53 and after talking to the body shop, they all but told be that I would regret using fiberglass due to stars developing in the glass coat due to flying rocks. They also were not happy with the glass coat on just about every glass fender they've ever ordered and spend a lot of time re doing the glass coat. I was lucky enough to sell my glass ones in a couple of days and got some new steel fenders and was very happy with the quality of them. I had my front fenders and hood repaired at the shop for the same cost as if I bought new, maybe a bit more but I wanted as much of the original steel on as I could. The rear fenders could have possibly been fixed but they were in pretty tough shape.

Hmm, that's good to know. I've had reservations about going with fiberglass because I can imagine them developing cracks. Two of my fenders are in really bad shape. Sadly there are no steel reproduction ones for my year stude. Finding decent old ones is almost impossible.

Originally Posted by 53 Chevy5

A hammer to the tank sounds the easiest, maybe somebody else has a better idea I think I'd look for a different tank in reality, that looks like the easiest solution to me.

When I finish assembling the frame I'm going to have to put the cab back on and see what can be done. I think I can find some other solution other than the big hammer.

Sometimes we use what we use for the limited budget or alternatives. I will be putting Beebops fiberglass running boards on my truck because I don't have an extra$ 1000.00 dollars for Chinese steel ones. I imagine the results may be less than great, but in order to finish my project compromises must be made. My truck will not be show quality, but for me, so whatever evolves will be o.k. At some point I can fix or replace what doesn't work.

The problem I've had with later repairs is I can never match the paint exactly, makes me crazy but it is a skill that I don't possess. Even with a solid color and a factory pack paint it didn't match. The best luck I've had is having paint color matched and mixed and don't even try to use the original mix. Of course temperature, humidity, spray technique all has an effect on it. Color matching and blending is an art in my opinion.
There's people on the studebaker forum that have used the fiberglass fenders and like them, but I don't know how long they've been using them.

I hear yah, and when I look at the cost and time for paint, I'm even more inclined to stay with an epoxy primer!