I just looked at the ford tranny, its fw and clutch and compared it all to the mb clutch and fw. I don't have any benz stick trannys lying about. The ford bell housing is attached to the front of the tranny. It is very wide with a 14" fw. the benz fw is 11 7/8" the ford clutch looks to be between 9 and 9.5", the mb clutch is about 8.5". The 240 motot i got with the tranny has the ford clutch and fw adapted to it, using 6 bolts where the benz uses 12 bolts on the fw. The ford fw gives me the willies as it is and drilling six more holes to mount it with 12 bolts looks dicey too. Now I am thinking of using the mb fw and clutch along with the mb starter.

As a comparison, the clutch I got with my Coupe express is 10.75" diameter!

I also got to looking at the ashtray and found a key in it which looked really old. It is an advertising trinket from the B J Borgen International dealer in Badger Minnesota. I suppose the studie may have come from that dealer at some point.

I like the idea of the taller fourth gear and a bigger clutch but the slightly fishy flywheel and the mass of the truck tranny give me pause under the cab of the coupe express. The studie tranny in it is pretty compact I think. First gear in the ford trannny is pretty identical to the first gear in the mb five speed I have in the 300TD.

I am heading out to Odessa NY this afternoon to collect my 39 Studebaker commander parts car. I am crossing my fingers on the weather as I will have to pass along the shore of lake erie. The forcast is for light snow but I am not sure the snow in "Buffalo is ever light.

I plan to spend friday night in watkins glen ny. Perhaps I can squeeze in a visit to the venerable race track!;)

Once you get that car trailered up you need to take a few laps in the snow around Watkins glen trailer and al!:)

I made it back to colombus oh with the 39 commander. i spent about the last four hours driving on slippery pavement with snow blowing.

The 39 has a radio and speaker mounted above the inside mirror. I imagine that may be pretty rare. Love the art deco details in the interior!

I have been looking at the commander the last two days and am having feelings that it needs to survive instead of being a donor car.

Yikes!

Art Deco is a great look.

I need to post up some pics of it.


The finger lakes region is lovely. I had a cozy evening in Watkins glen, staying at an ancient Inn, eating at a nice campy restaurant, and buying some racing souveniers at local shops. I plan to return with the mrs and our camper.

Why did I have the feeling that you might have that feeling? :D

It just started talking to me.;)

That's probably the same feeling that doctor has when he starts taking that heart out of one guy to put into the other.:D

Well, yeah, if the heart donor was still alive and had a functioning brain!

Did you at least drive the original road course? Its all public roads, and well marked out. That initial long upgrade would have been a test for those early cars. Last time I was there, i drove the parts away from town as fast as i could---buy since i was driving a non turbo F250 diesel ( 170HP!!!) that weighed about 7200 pounds--no one but me knew I was racing.

Next time maybe. My concern was getting in and out with the car and not getting snowbound. I want to go back though with the mrs and the travel trailer.;)

Tom, up here in eastern Canada. If unhappy with your insurance adjuster. You have an option of hiring your own. Then the matter goes to arbitration. The arbitration is mediated by a private insurance board. How fair this system is is beyond my knowledge.

I have a feeling This may be universal by now. I really dislike dealing with insurance companies from personal experience. It really made me pay attention to the newest concept marketed to my knowledge. Buying another policy to pay the differance between what a person gets from their insurance company versus what it should have been. I will not be buying that additional policy.

Old Studebakers have brains? No wonder you're smitten with them.