1948 Studebaker Starlight coupe project

[R32Jordie]

Love the intake manifold. Looks like it belongs there.

[neongreen]

This thing is way too cool! I love the idea of a 2.0L I6 that can rev to the moon.

[Stilettoman]

The body is mostly done, except for assembling the doors - I know that will be a real pain. I am busy adapting the Skyline instruments into the Studebaker cases. I still have to fabricate interior panels for the trunk. All the lights worked on the first try - hope that bodes well for the fuel injection computer. The driving lights are Hella halogens that I bought back in the 1960s, probably some of the very first ones available. For various reasons, I have never used then until now. They are a perfect match for the nice Hella headlights I bought.

[Centerforce]

What an incredible concept and build! Our favorite part is all of it. And the engine bay.

It's probably the engine bay.

[Stilettoman]

I finally took a break from the car and posted a summary of this project on my website. I will post some photos here when the car is finished, but in the meantime I will keep my website up to date regularly. There are no provisions for comments or questions on my website, but I will monitor this thread and answer any questions.

I hope to post some of my aviation photos and build info on the web site later this summer.

The Studebaker is in the Automotive section here: http://stilettoman.info/

[Stilettoman]

If I had not spent so much time building model airplanes as a kid, I don't think I would have had the patience to adapt all these Skyline instruments into the Studebaker instrument cases. The clock was replaced with the Skyline tachometer, and the digital clock in the tach was replaced with a digital boost gauge, so I have RPM and boost/vacuum in one gauge. LEDs are used for low fuel, low oil pressure, left and right turn , high beam and driving light indicators. The original Studebaker knobs were adapted to fit the various switches and controls in the dash. Everything has worked on the first try so far, including the engine computer, though it needs some tuning.



The corroded tail light sockets were replaced with two-element sockets from an RX-7, and very bright LED bulbs installed, all 4 for tail lights, outboard for turn signal, inboard for brakes. I used some segments of the reflectors from the RX-7 lights.

[Rat Fink]

Cool Project!

[jy211]

this is so cool!

[Z06killinSBF]

Very cool build! Are you planning on running those wheels or something different?

[Stilettoman]

My JDM supplier, Foreign Engines, Inc, sold me two sets of these Nissan wheels with tires. Their guy in Japan always throws a few extra things into the containers of engines and trannies - we don't know what model of Nissan they are from, but 4 of the wheels are in excellent condition, and we got 4 pretty good tires. I am refinishing the best wheels and will install them with the best tires. I have no plans to run any other wheels - it is a matter of preference, but I like the look of these. A friend gave me four Studebaker hubcaps, and we cut the centers out to make center caps for these wheels. These are epoxy bonded to the original Nissan center caps.



Foreign Engines also sold me another a very nice set of 17 x 7 wheels and tires from a Japan version of a Nissan S14, which we are using on a 68 Mustang we modified as described on another thread here. They are similar to the wheels on the Studebaker, but have a bit more style which I think looks good on the Mustang. These are all 5 by 4.5 bolt pattern. The Mustang has Skyline front brakes, Nissan Leopard (Infiniti J30) rear suspension and brakes, Skyline brake pedal and booster, Nissan 350Z master cylinder, and of course Mustang center caps. It is almost finished, and we made a video for the benefit of the owner, who is working overseas and has not seen the car since we started on it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BnegsrbB8s

[Peanut1959]

Updates, please?

[Stilettoman]

The rear package shelf and rear seat are installed - the rear armrests will be recovered in the maroon vinyl. The dash is very narrow, so I made some panels to hide the wiring and the heater - these panels are now covered with the maroon vinyl. I plan to fabricate some kick panels and cover them with the same material. The carpet pad is 1/2 inch closed cell foam, and pieces were used to fill in the numerous dips and low spots. The carpet is now installed - photos later.

[Stilettoman]

The trunk and doors are now installed - the trunk was easy, the driver's door was not. I drove it on the first long trip, almost a half mile, to my neighbor's annual Mazda rotorhead barbecue. I have subsequently driven it on a couple of local trips, excellent steering, ride, braking and reasonably good performance, but it needs some tuning. The cornering is quite limited by the bench seat, but it feels good.



I bought one of those expander wheels from Eastwood, with a selection of sanding and polishing belts, and it works really well. The gravel shields for the rear fenders were very beat up, but I patiently worked out the dents and then Sean sanded and polished them, likewise the long trim strips on the rocker panels. I will have photos soon of it all assembled.