"Nate Nagel" > wrote in message
...
> Ed Price wrote:
>
>>
>> "Nate Nagel" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>
>>> Ed Price wrote:

>>>> Having owned both a 49 and 55 Studebaker, I can assure you that they
>>>> should only be recommended for calibrating crash-test dummies.
>>>>
>>>
>>> I'm not sure I understand that comment - by '55 Stude had better brakes
>>> than anyone else on the market, and the V-8 engine was near bulletproof.
>>> (the Champion six was a good engine but underpowered, and tended to only
>>> last 100K miles or so before burning oil) Rust was a killer tho.
>>>
>>> By comparison, the brakes on a six-cylinder Dart are pathetic... 9"
>>> front drums? sheesh!
>>>
>>> nate
>>
>>
>>
>> Having never owned a Dart, I can't comment on it. OTOH, both of my
>> Studebakers were straight six engines; about 230 cu inch IIRC.
>
> 170 cubing inches of ragin' performance. Or 185 in certain years, I
> forget which. 230 was the GM/McKinnon motor used in '65-66; if you had
> had that you wouldn't be complaining, that's a decent engine.
>
>> Underpowered? Hmmm, yes.
>
> Perfectly adequate for the car for which it was designed. In 1939.

The Studebaker buffs wax nostalgic because they visualize the Commander or
President (?) with the V8. You are right about the six, my various Chevys
were 230 cu inche sixes; 175 or so sounded right for the Studebaker. IIRC, I
had Champions both times, and the 55 had a "hill-holder" (brake lock at full
clutch depression) and overdrive (unless you needed to go UP-hill).

>
>> I was once beat going up a hill by a bus.
>
> All mine have been V-8 models,

>> How about the idea of placing the distributor somewhat low on the left
>> side of the engine, so as to maximize the probability of a splash of
>> water shutting you down?
>
> V-8 didn't have that problem either.

>> I don't recall the 55's brakes being any better or worse than those on,
>> say, a 60 or 63 Chevy (although the Chevy was a bit heavier).
>
> They were 11" finned drums on all of mine, although I think the sixes had
> 10" drums. The V-8 brakes are really the next best thing to discs (and
> they did introduce discs in '63)
>
>> And rust; well, rust was a factory option.
>>
>
> yeah... I can't argue with that one.
>
>> If I had owned my Ruger at that time, I would now be able to tell you if
>> the engine truly was bulletproof.
>>
>> Ed
>
> LOL... Does it make you feel any better to tell you that if you'd popped
> for the V-8 you might have felt better about your car? No? Oh well... I
> feel your pain, it's not like I've ever made a bad automotive decision in
> my life...
>
> nate

If I would have had a V* in either of those cars, I would have probably
killed myself several times over. The Studebaker 6 taught you humility.

As for bad car decisions, I later bought a Chevy 350 police car at an
auction, a 65 Chevy II 6 Powerglide station wagon, and a Fiat 850 spyder.
Yeah, I got a lot of mental problems!

Ed