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Thread: 40 Studebaker street rod
          
   
   

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  1. #1
    40$tude is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
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    Car Year, Make, Model: 40 Studebaker Champion
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    40 Studebaker street rod

     



    Hi, I'm Roger and just acquired a 40 Studebaker Champion 2dr Sedan to street rod. I have been in the autobody and paint industry for nearly 40 years now and am retired. I have built quite a few nice cars over the years both for myself and my customers. This will be my first street rod. I have a usable body on the original frame modified with a Mustang II front suspension and steering. Rear is simply a Chevy rear axle on the original leaf spring set up. At this point engine and trans are up in the air, the car is set up for a small block chevy, but I might like something different. I have a fresh olds 330 I'd like to use, but that remains to be seen at this point. Also considered buying a c4 Corvette and robbing the front and rear suspensions and drive train. Debating a top chop as well. Would appreciate and feedback to my plan and of course all good advice. I live in northeast florida, I have a large backyard shop with a lift so I'm gathering info to make this happen. Thanks.

  2. #2
    Mike P's Avatar
    Mike P is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
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    Car Year, Make, Model: 57 Ply, 68 Ply Valiant, 83 El Camino
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    Sounds like a great project!! Lots of experience and opinions here. Be patient your first few posts especially if you try to post pictures (I think the pictures need to be approved by the moderator for the first 10 posts or so) and we love pictures here

    Welcome.


    .
    I've NEVER seen a car come from the factory that couldn't be improved.....

  3. #3
    firebird77clone's Avatar
    firebird77clone is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
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    Sounds like fun. It also sounds like you've got things well in hand. I look forward to the build.
    .
    Education is expensive. Keep that in mind, and you'll never be terribly upset when a project goes awry.
    EG

  4. #4
    rspears's Avatar
    rspears is offline CHR Member/Contributor Visit my Photo Gallery
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    Car Year, Make, Model: '33 HiBoy Coupe, '32 HiBoy Roadster
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    Welcome. I'd say that C4 'vette idea is good, especially if you can get one of the 375 horse LT5/ZR1 models. Looking forward to your build, and like Mike advised be patient, and don't be shy about posting "stuff" to get past the ten post threshold which proves you're not a spammer, and eliminates much of the oversight from the moderator.
    Roger
    Enjoy the little things in life, and you may look back one day and realize that they were really the BIG things.

  5. #5
    Dave Severson is offline CHR Member/Contributor Visit my Photo Gallery
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    Car Year, Make, Model: '67 Ranchero, '57 Chevy, '82 Camaro,
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    Welcome, a fun project indeed! Good having you on here, always good when someone comes along with a really unique project to build!
    Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, Live for Today!
    Carroll Shelby

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  6. #6
    glennsexton's Avatar
    glennsexton is offline CHR Member/Contributor Visit my Photo Gallery
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    Welcome to CHR!

    Love the look of the '40. That grill makes quite a statement and you just don't see to many Studebaker hot rods out there.

    Sounds like the skill set is in place as well as a nice large shop - we'll look forward to pictures.

    I'd second the C4 Corvette rolling chassis. It seems like there are plenty available from salvage yards.

    Good luck and once again, welcome
    Glenn
    "Where the people fear the government you have tyranny. Where the government fears the people you have liberty." John Basil Barnhil

  7. #7
    Bob Parmenter's Avatar
    Bob Parmenter is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
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    Car Year, Make, Model: 32, 40 Fords,
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    Lots of yak over the years about, Ford in a Ford, Chev in a Chev, and so on. With a Stude you've got a cool option. Their last couple years of production they used first gen sbc......................almost a factory swap!
    Your Uncle Bob, Senior Geezer Curmudgeon

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  8. #8
    Mike P's Avatar
    Mike P is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
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    Funny how life goes sometimes.

    Ok, I'll admit I had to google a 40 Studebaker to get an idea of what the car looked like. Anyway a little while ago I went over to a friends speed shop because they had the mobile chassis Dyno set up today and were running a few cars across it.

    As I'm standing there guess what pulls up?


    39 stu by M Patterson, on Flickr




    Turned out it was a 39 Studebaker instead of a 40, but there doesn't appear to be much difference. I talked to guy who owns it. It's running a 421 Pontiac TH 400 and Chevy 12 bolt.




    39 stu 421 by M Patterson, on Flickr



    He was on his way up to Tucson for the Nostalgia Drags so he was just there for a little bit.......I'd forgotten all about it being this weekend otherwise I'd be headed there too.



    .
    I've NEVER seen a car come from the factory that couldn't be improved.....

  9. #9
    40$tude is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
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    Car Year, Make, Model: 40 Studebaker Champion
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    Yep, that's it alright. Have seen pics of one with a chopped top, but will look at it after suspension mods to see if I like it. Thanks to all.

  10. #10
    techinspector1's Avatar
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    Just so you know my stand, not that it will make any difference to you, but I hate chopped tops. It's like monkey see, monkey do and the eyeball of the car is ruined forever. Only possible exception to this is a '49-'50 Mercury done in the Barris style. Just sayin'.....
    .
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  11. #11
    40$tude is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
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    And a lot of work for sure. Not sold on the idea. Let's see what I can do with suspension. Right now it looks like an overblown version of an old London taxicab.

  12. #12
    40$tude is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
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    Thanks. ( there's one)

  13. #13
    53 Chevy5's Avatar
    53 Chevy5 is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
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    Welcome to the forum and I love the sound of your build, I also like the sound of using the 330 Olds for the engine. I also agree with Tech on the chop, few and far between to I like them, but that's just me.
    Seth

    God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing. C.S.Lewis

  14. #14
    40FordDeluxe's Avatar
    40FordDeluxe is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
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    Car Year, Make, Model: 40 Ford Deluxe, 68 Corvette, 72&76 K30
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    Welcome to CHR! It definitely sounds like you are up to the task and you definitely have a car that you don't see very often.
    Ryan
    1940 Ford Deluxe Tudor 354 Hemi 46RH Electric Blue w/multi-color flames, Ford 9" Residing in multiple pieces
    1968 Corvette Coupe 5.9 Cummins Drag Car 11.43@130mph No stall leaving the line with 1250 rpm's and poor 2.2 60'
    1972 Chevy K30 Longhorn P-pumped 24v Compound Turbos 47RH Just another money pit
    1971 Camaro RS 5.3 BTR Stage 3 cam, SuperT10
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  15. #15
    40$tude is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
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    Thanks to all for the words and advice. After inspecting the car for a while, I've decided my best route may be a frame swap using a 68-72 GM A body frame. It would need modification for sure, but many of the dimensions are very close. It would need to be shortened 1-1/2" to establish a wheelbase. The stude says 110, but looks more like 111 or so. This would give me the proper mounting for the Olds drivetrain I plan to use. The stude frame is both a perimeter and an x frame, and the x could always be grafted back on for more rigidity. I would like to find a complete junker so I can also salvage parts like brake and throttle linkages as well as some wiring and the fuel system, e brake, etc. If anyone knows of one for sale in the N Fl. or S Ga. area, let me know. Thanks, and let me know what you think. Always on the hunt for good advice and personal experience.

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