My 54 is on its way, (updated 10.24)

[Mike]

Finally "looks" like I'm getting something done.
The crossmember's done and in place, not actually bolted down..., but it's now holding the trans. up..! Got the coil mounted, had to fully sand and repaint the right side inner fender, as some rust was beginning to come thru. This I don't understand.
Redid a couple of things. As things go together, I find I don't like the way I did something else. One was the accelerator return spring mount. That's now different, along with a couple of other small things.
I'm also finding that the Stude firewall really isn't that big..! Sometimes difficult to find where to mount things. Glad I put the MSD box inside the car.
Will measure and find a place to build me a driveshaft next weekend. Will try to make the existing crossmember (that held the bearing for the driveshaft) a driveshaft loop. I doun't think it will be NHRA legal, but better than nothing.
Also need to order a trans. cooler and fittings. Along with some line and fittings to connect the oil pressure gauge.

All this little stuff...tons of it..!

Mike

Oh yea...anyone interested in the "roll control"..or whatever Stude called it ? I've got the cylinder and linkage for anyone that may want it. No clue if it works or not.
For shipping cost, it's yours.

[Mike]

Well...I actually have been working on the wagon, something every weekend. A little here, a little there. As I found this weekend, it can take a while to complete one thing.
I've been working on a lot of little things, not worth mentioning by themselves.
This weekend I was hoping to complete the brake system. Well...It took about a half a day yesterday (Saturday), and most all day today just to design, cut pieces, weld up a bracket for the new master cylinder. Then, I made it a bit larger than I "thought" I needed. So...then to witteling it down to fit where I wanted it. Then I realized tht I needed to shorten the pushrod (pedal to piston), trim the bracket si the cylinder fits closer to the bottom of the frame...and on, and on...
Also removed the brake and clutch pedal, cleaned, detailed the brake pedal, the frame, painted it all and reassembled the brake only. I may or may not put the clutch pedal back on...
Now it's too dark to work. And no, I didn't get the last two lines run..!

Mike

Oh yea, I did call about a driveshaft. I have to send in the new yoke so the driveshaft can be balanced as a whole. AND...because it's so long (one piece), It has to be 3.50" in dia. It's gonna be a REALLY tight fit. I may have to move some floor...

[Mike]

Nuthin major to report. Just been worken away, doing a lot of small stuff that most likely few will even notice...cept me.
Rained some of my four day Thanksgiving weekend, and out of respect for the day and the neighborhood, I stayed out of the garage and from making a bunch of noise on Thursday..!
I'm getting real close to being done mechanically I think...then I have no excuse but to hit the electrical hard..!

Mike

[Mike]

I've still been worken away, some weekends not so much, some weekend day a lot. I think "most" of the meachanical work is done, though the master cylinder and mounting bracket is still in the box..!
I bought a box of Deutsch connectors to be able to make nice water tight connections where required. Like for the fans. To remove the radiator (with two fans attached), just a single connector and both fans (four wires) are disconnected.
Here are a few new pictures of what's been happening -

http://public.fotki.com/-Mike-/54-conestoga-ii/

Mike

[Mike]

The 55 hood is now a permanent part of the 54 hood. Now for some careful grinding to dress the welds down.
Nothing else the last two weeks, just the hood work. I may add another row of weld to keep the application of plastic to very little to zero. Since the rest of the body is a little ruff in places, I may just put some filler primer on it and what ends up, ends up...
I plan on a closeout for the scoops back edge, but I need to make sure the hood and windshield don't come into contact before I do anything. Havent done that yet.

http://public.fotki.com/-Mike-/54-conestoga-ii/

Mike

[Mike]

Been slacken off a little.
Though doing something every weekend.
I made clips and redrilled a pair of 1950 Chevy headlight rings for the wagon. VERY light stainless steel rings. Simple and clean. No eyebrow. Fits the fenders nicly. Also still scraping the undercoating/sound deadener from the underside of the hood. That's a task in itself, getting everything clean around all the details in the nose. Hope to paint and install the hood next weekend.

[Mike]

Lightly raining right now, so no finishing the hood.
But yesterday, I was thinking that why am I doing all this "finish work". It's a driver, not a custom or show car. BUT, at every turn, I'd think, just a little more, just a little more.
So..while it's still not show quality, it's much cleaner and currently in primer/sealer than originally planned..!

Don't remember if I mentioned, the 50 Chevy headlight rings are also in place.

[Mike]

Well...I'd say it's about freaken time... The hood is on the car......
The underside is clean and painted and the top is a single color of light grey primer/sealer.
I had to order a 1/2 round body file to file the welds to a decent shape, won't be here for a week to 10 days, so I'm not gonna worry about it right now.

BUT IT'S FINALLY BACK IN ITS RIGHT-FULL PLACE BETWEEN THE FENDERS.

At this point, I think I need to make the proverbial "list of things to do".
I know of many things, but I know I'll forget some, so a list with a coupla spaces between lines for..forgotten additions. It seems like a small thing, but I see it as a big step forward.

Mike

[hi-per al]

Great to hear Mike. Back to roadworthy? How does it run? When is the maiden voyage or is that still a little far off?

[Mike]

Hey Al -

Oh yea, still a ways off. Summer sometime..."hopefully..!"
Gonna put the battery and main battery cables in this weekend. The battery is going under the rear seat, where the cushion goes when you drop the back seat down. Going into a battery box. Got some "O" cable to run the power to the solinoid, then the starter. Having the ground cable make a couple of stops on its way to the engine.

I talked with an MSD guy a bit at the Winter Nationals. He said the biggest problem "they" with their equipment...is people not doing proper grounds in their cars. Interesting thing, space vehicles (what I work on) and aircraft, are grounded to death (so to speak). So I'm gonna take the MSD guys advice...

Actually, the Studebaker engineers did a good job of this for back at that point in time. Most people start taking that stuff off as soon as they start modifying things. I know I did when I was a kid... "One good ground is all you need.."
Well, with age comes wisdom...as they say..! Plus that "programable" MSD box I have is a computer in itself along with the crank pickup sensor (has its own ground)...so...

Mike