unfortunately they don't have female protuberances like the old caddies did.....;)

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1934 1937 Art Deco Streamlined DeSoto Chrysler Airflow C7 Steering Wheel | eBay

Cool wheel Robert!

Thanks!

Today I pulled the brake drums on the ford 9". they show no ridge at all so it makes me wonder how many miles the rear has on it. the brake shoes are riveted though so are most likely replaced. I imagine in 77 they would have been bonded from the factory.

Today I measured carefully the 617 and the CE engine compartment. I found that the engine will not fit down between the firewall and the front crossmember. I am not at the moment planning to relocate the crossmember so it looks like back to using the studebaker 259 v8 motor.

Drat!

I wish I were there Tom, with my cutting torch and crackle box. I could modify that crossmember somehow. Don't you have a lunch buddy or somebody that welds?

Yeah that's a good sign, but remember that most of the effective braking is done by the front.

Well, At the moment I am planning to use the stock front suspension and add an antisway. It is independent but uses a transverse leaf so relocating the cross member is not really feasible. I appreciate the thought but do have some pretty talented people available to help me here locally so whatever i can imagine they can build for me.

As for brakes I am pretty aware of the overall design of them. I am planning to install discs on the front as big as I can wedge into the 15 or 16" rims. I will probably need an adjustable brake bias device. I might even use one that self adjusts according to my load in back.

I thought that somewhere along the way you said it had an independent front. My mistake.

In the old days there were several adjustable proportioning valves on the aftermarket for the hot rodders. I expect that there still are, but if you could work out the right dual master cylinder it would be better. Tough to do on a grass roots basis though.

I think there is a dual circuit mc which will bolt onto the stock mounting place.

I took the CE down to Anderson In to my favorite race car builder, Studebaker restorer and Corvair expert today. He is pretty excited about working on it. We talked in generalities about what is to be done.

While there another fellow car nutzo suggested a Hemi would be nice and called a friend who had some. The fellow offered me a 56 Dodge Red Ram 241. The block has been frozen but he says it can be sleeved, needs new pistons along with the usual, says it has good heads, includes a bell housing, clutch and FW and the intake and exhaust manifolds. He wants $2500 for it. Yikes! Is it worth that much?

Any Hemi experts in the house?

I brought home the seat. It is an amazing thing, with a heavy Oak frame and full springs like an old fashioned sofa. the heavy vinyl covering is mostly intact (it could be used as is), the plasticy coating is kindof rolled up into little balls. I may have finally found an upolstery material stronger than mb tex! There is some evidence of Mice tenants but the stuffing feels pretty good to my azz;).

My Grandpa Lauren built them to last (he worked in the upholstery shop at Studies in 1939.)

Leather was optional, vinyl standard. I think I will go with a simple brown about the color of chocolate, with vinyl on the sides and leather on the seating surfaces....and vinyl on the door panels and headliner. (no kidding it had headliner from the factory unlike most later pickups which had bare metal.

It does have an independent front suspension with a transverse leaf spring.

Michael the metal maestro is going to add some reinforcing to the upper A arm and a sway bar.

I just won a bid on ebay for a 58 corvette floor shifter which I will use on the truck. I was searching and found it and noticed it said it had one minute and 43 seconds left. I have never done the last minute bid thing. I put in a bid for 75, outbid, then 100, outbid then 125 and won it for 114.50 plus shipping. That was kindof exciting.;)

I just sent a deposit for this Studey v8 motor.

Wooo hoooo!

At the risk of sounding heretical, what about a 616 or a 2.5 from a 190D turbo?

616 would fit but would not have enough beans for what I want to do. The 2.5 602? I doubt it would fit either. It lacks about 3" of length in the engine compartment of fitting the forward oil pan on the 617 down behind the front crossmember with a rack installed on back.

I would have preferred the 617 turbo if it had fitted. This little studey v8 is about 240 cubic inches and with the rear end and 30% OD I expect to get 20 to 22 mpg highway. The 617 would likely get mid to high twenties so the fuel savings would be negligable. The studey v8 will appeal to the studey crowd if I ever wish to sell it (although they are nearly as thrifty as we are here!);)

Have you considered this oil pan for the 617?

A-MB102 Oil Pan Assy

Or maybe a slant-5 configuration?