Just saying hello

Hi Tom, Welcome to alt.autos.studebaker!

I've often read your posts over at rec.antiques.radio+phono, where I hang out, too. For history and suchlike, I could do a lot worse than to direct you to John Poulos' website,

He has a lot of good info posted there, and also has links to the Studebaker Web Ring, and to the website of the Studebaker Drivers Club. John also posts here frequently, using the handle, JP.

The first postwar Studebaker car that could be considered "high performance" was the 1955 President Speedster, whcih came with a 259 V9 with 4 barrel carb and dual exhausts. In '56, it was succeeded by the Golden Hawk, which got a 352" Packard engine, courtesy of the Studebaker-Packard merger. With the closure of the Packard engine foundry, the '57 and '58 Golden Hawks got a supercharged 289" Studebaker engine, which made the same power as the

352, but weighed less.

High performance took a hiatus until the '63 Avanti was introduced in mid '62, with a variety of upgraded Studebaker V8s. The R1 engine was 289", with a 4 barrel, and dual exhausts, slightly hotter camshaft, and a dual-point distributor, and was rated at 240 HP, as opposed to the 225 HP of the normal 4 barrel V8. The R2 was basically the same engine, with lower-compression heads, and a Paxton supercharger, and was rated at 275 HP, if I remember right. The R3 was a hand-built 304.5" counterpart to the R2, with special big-valve heads, and some other internal changes, and the R4 was basically the same engine with dual 4 barrel carbs, and no blower. All these engines were made available for the entire car line, as were the Avanti's Dunlop disc brakes. Relatively few R3 and R4 engines made it into production cars, but they could be ordered from Paxton Products for a number of years.

That's the Coles Notes version. I'm sure that some of the others here will fill in the gaps, and correct any errors on my part.

BTW, the Studebaker Drivers Club International Meet will be in South Bend, Indiana in June. If you are anywhere close by, take a day or so and come see the show. I expect there will be "unofficially un-sanctioned" Studebaker Drag Racing at the Michiana Raceway, and you ought to enjoy that.

Gord Richmond

was the 1955

courtesy of the

'57 and '58

rated at 240 HP,

same engine,

same engine

and R4 engines

for a number

expect there

Hi Tom! Glad you stopped in. Maybe we can turn you to the Dark Side!! LOL Nothing wrong with Fords BTW,I have owned many of their trucks. Please come to the Drag strip if you can.And feel free to hang around in here and share some knowledge!.....Rich

If you metioned where you are, I missed it (I have semi-fatal "crainialrectumitus), Stude meetings are usually a cross between revival meetings, AARP meeetings and funeral viewings, so best bet is to find a compatible personality and hang out with them.

LOL@ OCF!!!!!!!

Thanks for all of the replies fellas. I'm always looking to learn about various cars that I've had no experience with. Those were just the kind of things I was looking for. Part of my business is repair of electrical and AC systems on classic cars. If you think I can be of help with either of those things, just yell. I'll be lurking and learning.

Hi Gordon. Fancy meeting you here. I was recently talking with Gary Tayman (RAR+P) about the fact that many radio collectors are also into classic cars. A number of the guys over there are. I see you are too, that's cool! I'll see you over on the other group.

Car show season is getting close. If any of you are in the Cleveland area, I hope to run into you sometime. I attend a lot of car shows and radio meets along with my other passion:

. It's going to be another busy Summer.

if you ever have a Stude in your shop the wiring diagrams are available online at studebakerparts.com - just in case you don't have a Motor's manual or something with the right diagram that might help you someday

nate

(has them all saved to my hard drive, just in case)

Thanks loads Nate! I'm always looking for resources like that. Although most automotive wiring is pretty basic, having a diagram can help to figure head scratchers that may come up. It also helps when the colored fabric insulated wiring has all turned to various shades of brown w/brown tracers. ;)