Studebaker Champion Overheating

You've got to have a passion for cars in order to own a 59 year-old automobile, because when things break, and they will ...

you might as well rip out your heart, stomp on it a few times, and stick it back in your chest haphazardly. Then, withdraw thousands of dollars from the bank and flush them down the toilet. But ...

when your classic car is repaired - and purrs - you suddenly forget about the heartache, the money, and the frustration. Your heart beats back to life and your brain falls in love all over again with the hulking mishmash of parts and toxic fluids.

Today, my heart is still on the floor. My Stude is a pint low and in need of a fluorescent green transfusion. There's a wound on the radiator that needs cauterizing and a quadruple bypass in the repair plan. I can tell you what's not the cause of the escalating heat issue:

- Thermostat (replaced)
- Rust in the engine block
- Water pump impeller (pump OK)
- Radiator cap (right size)
- Gas in the crankcase (I pray not)

Yes, it's just a car, but it's my Studebaker. Until next drive.

Studebaker Headliner Installation

As with any project, there are many roads to completion. Below is a link to a great Studebaker Drivers Club Forum thread about installing a new headliner. There are some good techniques and products noted for this tricky task.

View this conversation about headliner installation on the Studebaker Drivers Club Forum.

1950 9G Studebaker Champion Engine - Mystery Solved

The ongoing task of identifying my Studebaker Champion's engine has been solved by Dwain at alt.autos.studebaker.

"Yes sir, a 1950 engine, the original engine probably. Now that we know that, I'm not so sure whoever installed the later ('55 - '57) head did the right thing. That 536180 head was designed to deliver 7.5 to 1 compression ratio on a 185 engine. When installed on a 170 engine it probably delivers at least a half point less, maybe as low as 6.5 to 1.

That's not a great big deal, so if you are okay with the way the car runs now, I wouldn't change anything. If you do want a little bit more power and mileage you could try to find the 1950-54 head #529279 or the 1960 head #1549218."

View this discussion on Google Groups.