Conestoga parts for the better good!

[Mike]

Not absolutly positive....but I believe they are different...

Also the Champian frame of the time was of the thinnest material.

I'd put a note or two on other sites...if no one get's back to you...T O R C H !!

[hi-per al]

May 01, 54 Chassis parts catalog lists 2 frames for Wagon only. Same frame for Champ and Commander. Only difference listed is for Left hand drive or Rite hand drive. My local Stude Guru is away at this time but I will quiz him when he returns tomorrow if you so desire.

[Conestogaman]

I presume the part numbers for the sedans are different than for the wagons?

I would appreciate the guru quizzing...

[hi-per al]

Howdy…Just got of the phone with our resident Stude Dude and this is what he thinks the situation is. He says that he is not an expert on Conestogas but he is very knowledgeable on Stude wagons in general. He thinks that the frames are the same for Conestoga, as well as 2 and 4 door sedans for 54 & 55. He thinks that the differences in frame part numbers is the placement of the riveted body supports in the frame. He says that if you inspect the frame you should see that there a number of unused holes for moving the body mount placement around to suit the applicable model. Does this frame sport these extra holes?

He also says that he does not think that there were any differences between Champ and Commander Frame thickness back then. He says that they were all weak in the upper A-Frame/Shock tower areas from 53 to 55 and that the fix was to install a reinforcing plate in the tower. He states that there definitely was a thickness difference between 6 & 8 cylinder frames upon the advent of the Lark

Hope this helps. Let us know what you find.

[Mike]

I'll measure the material thickness in mine...

54 Conestoga
59 Lark VIII, 2dr wagon
60 Lark VIII, 2dr wagon

With the weather....it may take a few days...not into cold rain and wet ground!!!

Yea, yea...I know....wimp!

[hi-per al]

We just went through the 3rd driest winter in history here. We got exactly no snow until Feb 27. Now Mama nature wants to payback. 15 inches of dump this past Saturday! At least you shovel it. Cant say the same for cold rain.

[Conestogaman]

Howdy…Just got of the phone with our resident Stude Dude and this is what he thinks the situation is. He says that he is not an expert on Conestogas but he is very knowledgeable on Stude wagons in general. He thinks that the frames are the same for Conestoga, as well as 2 and 4 door sedans for 54 & 55. He thinks that the differences in frame part numbers is the placement of the riveted body supports in the frame. He says that if you inspect the frame you should see that there a number of unused holes for moving the body mount placement around to suit the applicable model. Does this frame sport these extra holes?

He also says that he does not think that there were any differences between Champ and Commander Frame thickness back then. He says that they were all weak in the upper A-Frame/Shock tower areas from 53 to 55 and that the fix was to install a reinforcing plate in the tower. He states that there definitely was a thickness difference between 6 & 8 cylinder frames upon the advent of the Lark

Hope this helps. Let us know what you find

This is encouraging in that I don't have to worry about 'saving' a Conestoga frame as they're all basically the same.

If only I had a bigger place so's I coulda just stored it.

I'm guilty of 'saving' this car by cutting it up before the crusher got it.

Either way, there's one less Connie available to the masses (he says, feeling remorseful...).

[hi-per al]

Nowwhere near all of it is going to the crusher. You are to be commended on your efforts to save what you did. You da man! What are doing with the seriel tag off of it? If not being used or spoken for I would put dibs on it.

[Conestogaman]

Even though I wanted to keep the tag (to put on the 'nose' section), I was in a rush to get rid of the scrap, and forgot to extract the tag before I unloaded at the scrapper.

Also, the bill of sale had no 'numbers' on it either...

The car is now just a ghost ship...

I did save the numbers from the car for further research, however.

VIN# G929862

engine# 1112250

Build# 15GD3- 1988

Also, I got more history on it than my other 2 cars put together.


It looks like the frame has generated interest in Georgia. I'm still waiting for confirmation.

Thanks for all the support! It helps! Especially when everyone around me already thinks I'm nuts for collecting the first 2 cars...

My wife certainly doesn't get it. And never will. By the way, I never told her about it, preserving the marraige a bit longer...

I did all the work at my buddy's house and only brought home a few pieces at a time and stuck them right into storage. They look like the stuff I already had stored there from the 4dr sedan I bought and stripped years ago.

Also, I'll start boxing up the requested parts and send all of you who asked for them an email (or PM for those that don't have one) of the shipping costs.

Take care and...