Looking great! Keep it up!
CK5
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picked up a 1960 studebaker
- Thread starter hd44blazer
- Start date
hd44blazer
1/2 ton status
Made some floor progress superbowl weekend, and won $1000 which was awesome, but anyway tacked most of the bracing in place and laid out and drilled my seat locations.
I also got my AC compressor bracket and compressor from dirty dingo but I need a shorter belt because of the underdrive crank pulley. I tried to use some cheaper bent fittings but will have to also go with the billet adapter from dirty dingo to route the lines properly.
Tonight I started working on the firewall pocket and decided I'm going to build a frame using more of the rectangle tube I used for the floor. The 1/2x1" has proven to be a very versatile size without looking bulky or out of place like say a full 1x1" square might but still provides more than adequate strength.
I plan to frame in a structure for the firewall that will allow me to heavily insulate between the tube but still cover over it cleanly and the tube will also create mounting surfaces I can screw into without going through into the engine bay.
I've had 4" in mind as the amount I would need to pocket the firewall so I used 2x4s as a starting point to space out the mockup tube so I could see if it would give enough clearance around all the sensors, fittings, and fuel crossover at the rear of the motor.
I also got my AC compressor bracket and compressor from dirty dingo but I need a shorter belt because of the underdrive crank pulley. I tried to use some cheaper bent fittings but will have to also go with the billet adapter from dirty dingo to route the lines properly.
Tonight I started working on the firewall pocket and decided I'm going to build a frame using more of the rectangle tube I used for the floor. The 1/2x1" has proven to be a very versatile size without looking bulky or out of place like say a full 1x1" square might but still provides more than adequate strength.
I plan to frame in a structure for the firewall that will allow me to heavily insulate between the tube but still cover over it cleanly and the tube will also create mounting surfaces I can screw into without going through into the engine bay.
I've had 4" in mind as the amount I would need to pocket the firewall so I used 2x4s as a starting point to space out the mockup tube so I could see if it would give enough clearance around all the sensors, fittings, and fuel crossover at the rear of the motor.
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How much clearance do you have for that top bellhousing bolt?
Martin
Martin
hd44blazer
1/2 ton status
In that picture about an RCH but that's not where that bar will ultimately end up, the tunnel will start higher up in order to leave clearance around the bolts.
An old rodders trick, which I used on my Willys wagon for the smallblock transplant, is to use a small wheelbarrow bed for the firewall bump out. It works rather well, looks like it grew there and is a nice heavy gauge of steel.
hd44blazer
1/2 ton status
I've seen that done and even on another Studebaker build I came across, but I wouldn't have done it how they did it, they dished out a large section of the cowl and I think even removed the entire wiper motor but they were building more of a track car so aesthetics may not have been at the forefront.
Not that it's not a good way to achieve the clearance, I have a concept in my head that I want to try and make work with some bead rolled reliefs in the recess panels themselves. I saw a build by Sadistic Iron Werks and really liked how it looked. https://www.instagram.com/p/BP_WbQ_A3Mo/
That does look nice
hd44blazer
1/2 ton status
Updates!
I fit the passenger side firewall panel and the trans/driveshaft tunnel is beginning to take shape.
The tunnel will run all the way back to the rear of the back seat and tie into the trunk bulkhead and will have at least 1 1/2" of clearance all around the transmission.
Also you may have noticed a crossmember under the transmission. I mocked up a design with cardboard and had a local shop water jet the multiple pieces to form the I-beam shape.
I tried to keep it as light but strong as possible with the extra holes cutout, all the plates are 3/16"
It fit surprisingly well going from a cardboard template I just need to work out how to mount it now.
The bottom plates will have four bolts per side that go through the flange on the frame but it still needs something to secure the top plate to the frame.
I've also been trying to think of how to do the center console and I'm not really sure how I landed on mid 70s camaro consoles but I ended up buying a used one off ebay to see how it might fit because I figure they have similar sized transmissions and whatnot and they're readily available new from OER products. Also B&M makes a shifter made specifically to fit these consoles which is another plus.
And last but definitely not least I got the dash clock for the passenger side panel to match the other gauges and engine turned plate.
The little beer mug is to remind me when it's beer thirty on those long drives.
I fit the passenger side firewall panel and the trans/driveshaft tunnel is beginning to take shape.
The tunnel will run all the way back to the rear of the back seat and tie into the trunk bulkhead and will have at least 1 1/2" of clearance all around the transmission.
Also you may have noticed a crossmember under the transmission. I mocked up a design with cardboard and had a local shop water jet the multiple pieces to form the I-beam shape.
I tried to keep it as light but strong as possible with the extra holes cutout, all the plates are 3/16"
It fit surprisingly well going from a cardboard template I just need to work out how to mount it now.
The bottom plates will have four bolts per side that go through the flange on the frame but it still needs something to secure the top plate to the frame.
I've also been trying to think of how to do the center console and I'm not really sure how I landed on mid 70s camaro consoles but I ended up buying a used one off ebay to see how it might fit because I figure they have similar sized transmissions and whatnot and they're readily available new from OER products. Also B&M makes a shifter made specifically to fit these consoles which is another plus.
And last but definitely not least I got the dash clock for the passenger side panel to match the other gauges and engine turned plate.
The little beer mug is to remind me when it's beer thirty on those long drives.
That crossmember is art!
hd44blazer
1/2 ton status
Thanks! My original tube idea I was messing with would make your stomach turn compared to this final design. I was inspired by Roadster Shop and the way they utilize a lot of flat plate in their chassis designs without them looking bulky or dated.
hd44blazer
1/2 ton status
I've lapsed in updating this build here because I'm more active over on pro-touring.com and also because I hadn't worked on it for a month or so and kinda lost steam but have since gotten back on track and made some good headway.
Just to fast forward here's what's been done over the couple months or so.
Made some upper radiator mounts.
I ended up buying a different set of tires because the 255s were just a little too tall and wide in the front but not wide enough in the rear. Now it has 235s up front that are also about an inch shorter and 275s out back which are about a half inch shorter than the 255s.
I went crazy for a few weekends on the floor and pretty much have it all squared away except for some finish welding.
Then I went to work on the tunnel first creating a paper template then transferring it to metal and adding some bead rolled recessed features. This is two separate sections the front most is one then the rear two are the other.
And somewhere amidst all this I bought another project...yeah I know but it was cheap, it runs and it's smog exempt. However I'm not touching it until the Studebaker is at least drivable.
It's a 1970 MGB GT
Just to fast forward here's what's been done over the couple months or so.
Made some upper radiator mounts.
I ended up buying a different set of tires because the 255s were just a little too tall and wide in the front but not wide enough in the rear. Now it has 235s up front that are also about an inch shorter and 275s out back which are about a half inch shorter than the 255s.
I went crazy for a few weekends on the floor and pretty much have it all squared away except for some finish welding.
Then I went to work on the tunnel first creating a paper template then transferring it to metal and adding some bead rolled recessed features. This is two separate sections the front most is one then the rear two are the other.
And somewhere amidst all this I bought another project...yeah I know but it was cheap, it runs and it's smog exempt. However I'm not touching it until the Studebaker is at least drivable.
It's a 1970 MGB GT
Awesome work man, looking great as always!!
Great stuff!!! The new project looks awesome. Keep up the great work!
So pictures are lost, but any updates?
He's posted some updates on IG.
Is anybody in contact with him? I have Been thinking bout some of his builds lately.
