1939 Studebaker coupe express - Page 82 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

charliebob · #**1216** 02-25-2017, 12:00 PM

Could be. And the filter could be really dirty. I filled mine, ran it, then drained a couple of times before I got reasonable clear fluid. I'm using PS fluid, although many recommend ATF. It may make a difference in your colder climate.

t walgamuth · #**1217** 02-25-2017, 01:08 PM

Thanks Charlie!

Tom

t walgamuth · #**1218** 03-05-2017, 04:23 PM

Over the weekend I received my inside mirror. It is one designed for a jag xk120 and has an adjustable head. Its a lovely little thing, just the right size hopefully for my diminutive rear window.

Tom

Dan Stokes · #**1219** 03-05-2017, 06:06 PM

Does it mount on the dash or the windshield header? Just trying to picture it.

Dan

t walgamuth · #**1220** 03-05-2017, 08:43 PM

OK so I found this mirror with the night lights adjustment but no base. In my mind I say, Oh looks like something from an old Jag. Then a week or so ago I started searching and found this new one with the adjustable base as a replica and bought it thinking it might work with the old one I have. So just now in searching for images for this response I searched jag mirrors and found the one with no base like the one I found two years ago. I have not tried it yet but it looks like it will work with the new base....screwed on the dash.

Dan Stokes · #**1221** 03-06-2017, 07:52 AM

That should oughta work - and look good doing it.

Dan

t walgamuth · #**1222** 03-06-2017, 11:01 AM

It looks period appropriate design wise.

t walgamuth · #**1223** 03-17-2017, 10:35 AM

Today I appeared in Superior court 4 to get the judge to order the BMV to issue me a new title. The Judge has a bit of a rep for being tough so I was mentally prepared for anything.

She asked for a few things then said "How did you get it here from Minnesota?". I said "I took a trailer". She smiled and stamped my paperwork.

Wooo hoooo!

charliebob · #**1224** 03-17-2017, 11:42 AM

Just in time for cruisin' weather!

Great news.

Dan Stokes · #**1225** 03-17-2017, 06:01 PM

YEAH!!!!!!

Dan

t walgamuth · #**1226** 04-03-2017, 01:40 PM

With my convalescence from the left hip replacement I took the time to write this Article for Studebaker turning wheels:

Modified Studebaker section:

A few years ago I found myself in the position I could afford to do something I always wanted to do: Build a car from the ground up (well, almost).

I have admired the Coupe Expresses for a couple decades. Prior to my enlightenment about them I favored the 53 Loewy coupes like the one dad had when I was a kid. Dad, Granddad and Uncle Glen all worked at Studebaker when I was a kid.

But the CEs seemed non existent. I never had seen one for sale up to then so one day I posted a thread in the SDC forum about making one from a sedan. I had some interest on the thread and suddenly there were CEs for sale here and there. Bob Reining in Delano MN pmed me and said he had a CE for sale. The price seemed reasonable and the truck looked fairly solid.

I rounded up the cash and headed up there with my truck and trailer to pick it up. The trip home was relatively uneventful aside from losing a rear fiberglass fender on the highway (I did not realize how slippery the bubble shaped fenders were and how averse they were to being lashed down). I also had trouble finding a room in Minneapolis as I discovered I had left my wallet with id and credit cards at home in Indiana. First place blew me off as a potential terrorist but the second place I stopped worked with me and I slept inside that night.

My plan was to leave the body as it was, with the original black paint showing between the areas of rust, dents and cracks. I was originally planning to put in a Stude v8 with a stick and overdrive. My goal was to upgrade the mechanicals so I could drive it anywhere and pull a light trailer if I wanted so good brakes were a priority. I wanted it to drive as well as a 90 something half ton Ford or Chevy pickup.

I took the truck down to Anderson to LeVaire Engineering and Restoration, owned by Michael LeVeque who I have gotten to know through my SCCA autocross adventures. We discussed the build at some length and with that “budget” in mind they went to work.

I began gathering parts. I got a truck three speed T89 from Joe Hall, a bell housing from another Stude forum member, a built 2 carburetor 232 V8 from another enthusiast from Wisconsin (IIRC). I got a Ford 9” from a 77 half ton from Craigs list and Michael went to work on the CE front end. I got parts to rebuild the king pins from SI and bought a SAAB rack from ebay. All seemed swimmingly fine now, but soon there were problems: First the SAAB rack needed attention and no parts were to be found. The only person who could supply disc brakes for the CE front end wanted $1,400 plus for the kit and the brackets for power steering and AC for the Studie proved tough to find. Also the confines of the CE engine bay are narrow and not very long.
So I decided to order a Mustang 2 based front end kit from the Fatman with stainless A arms, rack and pinion, 1” sway bar and 12” ventilated discs. About the same time I found a kit on ebay for converting the Ford 9” to disc brakes so it has 12” ventilated discs too.

Then reluctantly I decided to go with the 82 Mercedes 300D turbodiesel engine with a (rare as hens teeth) 5 speed manual overdrive transmission. The Mercedes/Studebaker connection from the sixties always captured my imagination.
As for Mercedes, I have owned close to 40 of them, mostly old diesels so I am extremely familiar with the 617 five cylinder diesel. Once one of them is sorted it will run for decades without much more than routine maintenance. Also Mercedes has the reputation of being able to provide any part for any Mercedes ever built at any time so that is a good thing.

We ended up with the Mercedes front driveshaft and the rear driveshaft it turned out mated perfectly with a rear u joint from one of the many Corvairs Michael had lying about . (Michael is probably the biggest Corvair race car builder and an excellent historic racer in his personally built Yenko stinger.)
Michael then beefed up the rear section of the CE frame and installed Koni tubular shocks from one of my old autocross cars. We went with the Mercedes pedal cluster and steering column too.

I was missing some key parts for the dash and other things so I bought a Commander parts car from a forum member near Watkins Glen NY. The purchase included a thought to be rebuild able Stude full flow 259 v8 and some other things. I wanted to use the elegant original equipment instrument cluster but in the end too many parts were missing and Michael fabricated a panel and we used generic Stewart Warner style gauges inset into the large dash surround that fit the original cluster. In the meantime Bob found the instrument cluster lense so I have a pretty complete original dash which I can always use later or possibly sell. The dash from the Commander did not interchange so using that was out.

We decided to use a vintage air unit which I bought from Summit Racing. It fits under the dash like it grew there. We used a Painless wiring kit mounted to the left of the steering column. To the right there is a small panel that Michael fabricated that contains the starter key, an intermittent button for glow plugs and another to cut the fuel off to the Diesel.

By and by Michael got the body in good shape. There must have been a zillion small dents as it took him a lot longer to paint than originally anticipated. At the point of getting the body all solid I discussed how much it would cost to upgrade to a full new paint job and decided to go ahead with that. I chose a seventy something Volvo color…gray beige I believe it was.

We used the original 39 Stude headlights with halogen bulbs. We used 38 sedan tail lights and kept all the body stock including the trim and bumpers.

It is up and driving now but the interior needs doing and we are still working on some details such as smooth shifting and proper throttle operation.

My goal was to have a truck which could be worked, look good and not lose value. I expected it to handle about like a 90’s something half ton Chevy or Ford.

When I drive it around I have found to my surprise that young people seem to react the most. I expected old farts like me to love it so I am encouraged that the youngsters like it.
I ended up spending at least twice what I originally thought I’d have to but it is built to a much higher level of quality than I originally planned.

I don’t know if I can sell it for what I have in it now but some recent CE sales have been astonishing.
Salute to Studebaker for building such a lovely truck. I have been able to sell most of the parts I bought and decided not to use, including the 39 Commander which I sold to a Studebaker guy, Ken Fedor who is restoring it. (It turned out to be a 27,000 mile car I discovered when getting the paperwork together for Ken).

My emphasis in the article was toward the Studebaker guys. I could not have done it without all the help from my knowledgeable friends here at Peachparts!

Thanks guys!

ROLLGUY · #**1227** 04-03-2017, 03:01 PM

Great article. Knowing the history of this project in a nutshell, saves me much reading! Not a big deal, but I did find a typo: "I am extremely familiar with the 617 five liter diesel." Did you mean three liter of five cylinder?........Rich

Dan Stokes · #**1228** 04-03-2017, 03:29 PM

Maybe Tom did a BIG overbore!

(I've made that same mistake when discussing Mutt the Race Truck).

I agree - nice article. And a heck of a project. I'm surprised you didn't go with a Corvair drivetrain a la Tucker, given Michael's fondness (and parts pile). Mine would need a Packard 352 V8 but that's just me. Love your truck and I hope you know it.

Dan

t walgamuth · #**1229** 04-04-2017, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROLLGUY

Great article. Knowing the history of this project in a nutshell, saves me much reading! Not a big deal, but I did find a typo: "I am extremely familiar with the 617 five liter diesel." Did you mean three liter of five cylinder?........Rich

Good catch! I fixed that, though I wish I could bore it out to five liters!

t walgamuth · #**1230** 04-04-2017, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan Stokes

Maybe Tom did a BIG overbore!

(I've made that same mistake when discussing Mutt the Race Truck).

I agree - nice article. And a heck of a project. I'm surprised you didn't go with a Corvair drivetrain a la Tucker, given Michael's fondness (and parts pile). Mine would need a Packard 352 V8 but that's just me. Love your truck and I hope you know it.

Dan

Thanks Dan, I love Mutt too! I'm hoping one day we can get together and drive each others trucks!

There might be room to tuck a corvair up under the back of the bed

The packard would not be a choice for me. For that kind of gargantuan weight I'd have to go for an original Hemi!

There is a guy on the Studebaker forum who has hot rodded a Packard v8 though (Friggin wild man!). Most of the guys over there running the older v8s tend toward blown Studies.

Most of the street rodded Studes run Chebby mouse motors. I used to hate Chebbys in old cars but now having rebuilt a few oddballs the chebbys make a ton of sense and I feel more tolerant of them.....not tolerant enough to put one in my truck though