Maiden Voyage

[Deleted User]

On the road, finally! In retrospect, I did not in reality wait a lifetime to drive her, it just seemed like it. After that 7 1/2 month engine rebuild I hoped to just drop and go, things never work out the way you want them to. She started, she stopped. Busy day for the old gal, she attended her first birthday party and made her first trip to the grocery store then home safe and sound - a few iffy moments and a garage floor covered in antifreeze when we got home (overfilled...) but all things considered, running smooth. A bit more tweaking is in order - clutch and timing adjustments and probably a new carb is in order (no speedo or gas gauge - may not even be hooked up). For all of you folks doing ground up restos, all those years of anticipation will be rewarded. It may have only taken a year to get my baby on the road but in reality this was a dream many years in the making - the day I saw my first crusty, dusty Terraplane in the back corner of a barn 13 years ago. She haunted my dreams ever since and now she is all mine!

lostmind

Great - you'll enjoy it. One of the best driving cars made by Hudson.

Jon B

The secret to these cars is to put a lot of miles on them so that 1) you become relaxed behind the wheel and used to the quirks of driving a 75-year-old car, and 2) the bugs start to get worked out. Get someone in a "chase car" (or a roll-back truck!) and have them follow you as you drive a few miles the first weekend, then further the next weekend, and so on. You'll soon know how to separate the comforting, normal noises that the car makes, from the bizarre, foreboding noises that mean it's time to call the AAA. (And by the way, if you do plan to put some miles on the car, joining the AAA is a great idea, if only for the free towing!)

The worst thing to do would be to drive it initially so that it SEEMS to run fine, then garage it for several weeks, and then drive it again for a short time. Things go bad when the car just sits. And, you really need to get some wear on all the newly-rebuilt parts so that any problems will manifest themselves soon, rather than on a trip that takes you far from home.

Uncle Josh

Good Job! Love mine altho she's off the road for a bit to do some needed work. If she's on the road, I want to drive it with the time I have and can't get anything done.

[Deleted User]

You are right on the money Jon B! Aside from the fact that the engine had to be rebuilt because of the knock, I would have wanted it stripped down and redone anyway because I do want to just hop in and drive her, confidently, whenever I so desire and by "whenever" I mean all the time. That was the issue with the '55 Stude President. After putting a new rebuilt engine in it, the shop we had do the work wrecked the pumpkin (2x) so the tranny did not work consistently, so in the garage it sat. This is the oldest car I have owned, but not the oldest I have driven. I drove a 64 Valiant through college and a 67 Belvedere to my first real job. I started working on a 60 T-Bird but quickly fell out of love with that project...I'm accustomed to strong-arm, sloppy steering and mashing my foot to the floor to be able to bring a massive chunk of steel to a stop, ha! Or in the case of the Belvedere, not being able to stop - lost my breaks driving down one of the busiest streets in Buffalo in the middle of the afternoon. Pulled into a convenient store parking lot with a upwardly sloped parking lot with concrete bumpers - empty master cylinder...and yes, I had an extra bottle of brake fluid in the trunk! Most assuredly I need to spend some quality time to get a feel for her but the first trip felt pretty good - scary, exciting good (and yes, fire extinguisher in the back seat). We have a picnic on Sunday for our Studebaker club so I'm going to show her off then - an orphan is an orphan!

Richie

Great story Joyce, enjoy your nice car. Richie.

jjbubaboy

Yes indeed joycescheetz! I can relate oh so well. Went through the same with my 'girl'.
And yes you will drive and discover bugs to work out. I sure did. And still am!
But at the point now that I just hop in and go and it is great!
Keep at it and good luck.
Jeff

[Deleted User]

Even with the rebuild, I was fortunate to find her in the condition she is in - circa 1970's resto of interior and body (albeit with a few whiskey burns and busted up bondo fenders from her previous lives). There is no rust whatsoever, complete with the exception of the fins for the hood ornament. A bit more tweaking of mechanical (new carb) and electrical and re-installation of heat shields and firewall insulation for the summer - definitely more driving before the snow flies - then it's sourcing of rubber, painting of hubcaps etc.

Uncle Josh

Never fear. Mine came with the lower chrome piece only. Get out your jack knife and a piece of pine and whittle one like I did in the first pic. The cigar was a piece of broomstick.

Then I was fortunate to get a nice one from the late Bill Albright and my wife got me the plastic cigar from the club store.

Edit - Oops, on second look I see yours is a 37. Mine's a 36. Maybe Jon can provide a good pic of the ornament for that.

[Deleted User]

The Bakelite "carrot" I have, its the three fins I need...

Jon B

Joyce, you sound like a very capable person. So carve them out of brass, with a band saw, file, and buffing wheel, as I did. Then insert welding rod as studs, and have them chrome plated!

[Deleted User]

Winters are long up here in Western New York, I suppose I could give it a try :-? need to find someone I can "borrow" a set from first to measure and mic...I think I will clean up and paint the hubcaps first.