The main thing I would have you keep in mind is that there are very specific steps in order you need to take when reassembling the body starting at the body mounts themselves. These cars had some fairly flexable frames under them, although I do believe the frame thickness was increased starting in 55. They also had a structural body pan that sets just on the outside of the frame. Check to see that these are solid. From your discription, I expect they are, but never hurts to check.

The 54 Cpe and the 53 Starliner I am presently building have very flexable frames. With the new suspension pieces I am using, the crossmembers add some regidity, but I still also put a layer of fiberglass and POR-15 on the floor pans. It adds rigidity to the completed car and also helps with sound deadening and insulating. The POR-15 penetrates the glass matt much better than resin and is much, much harder when cured.

Studebaker Hawk fiberglass dashs bolt right in, if you happen to run across any. There are also a couple of outlets for repo glass Hawk dashs that are blank so you can set guages up as you like.

Lincoln Versielles 9" with disc fits them nicely, as do the Ford explorer 8.8 and also the S-10's.

New windshields are still available for them, although a bit pricy. All other glass in it should be flat glass. By the way, the 94 to 02 Dodge windshields are almost an identical match on curveture.

Sasco still has many NOS parts that Dennis saved from the original studebaker warehouse.

If your son decides to go with it, we would certainly like to see it progress. Keep us posted.

Dean