1940 COMMANDER HELP

[SANDY'S CHOICE]

Hi cschnepf

I'm writing to you because we share a common interest and need.

Your inquiries have already helped me a lot.

You mentioned you got trim pieces for your car from a local junkyard. 

I need a pair of front spring control links for my 1940 Commander. Studebaker part no: 193723

This is a four door sedan in glorious black with black and more black, but mostly rust at the moment!

The vehicle was used by a Doctor from Cassilis, a small town in country New South Wales, Australia.

She delivered over four hundred babies travelling a lot miles to do so. By fate, I met one of those babies about fifteen years ago. He was 72 then.

I fear my engine also has a stripped timing gear.

The only other parts I need are interior door handles and winders. The rest (rubber etc) will be all part of the restoration process.

Look forward to talking to you (privately)

Regards

Bryson

 

 

[Gary_Ash]

Do you need the gear on the crankshaft or the one on the cam?  Both are available from Studebaker International and other vendors.  The crankshaft timing gear is p/n 183898, about $80 (U.S.).  The camshaft timing gear is available in aluminum, p/n 532128X, about $160.

[Spinneyhill]

The fibre camshaft gear is the one that breaks. It knocks for a while before finally breaking. Mine did, anyway.

 

In 1981 or 2 I visited a Studebaker wrecker near Brisbane, Caloundra perhaps? I would imagine it is in other hands by now and I have a feeling it was shrunk and moved. Some of the stock may still be available. I was looking at '39 Commander and Coupe Express - he even had an Aussie bodied CE, with a snake sunning itself where the seat should have been.

Edited May 23, 2016 by Spinneyhill (see edit history)

[SANDY'S CHOICE]

11 hours ago, Gary_Ash said:

Do you need the gear on the crankshaft or the one on the cam?  Both are available from Studebaker International and other vendors.  The crankshaft timing gear is p/n 183898, about $80 (U.S.).  The camshaft timing gear is available in aluminum, p/n 532128X, about $160.

 

Thanks Gary

After owning the vehicle 29 years, I am only now starting the process of restoration. In the last 14 years I have collected bits and pieces from eBay and swap meets. All I know of the motor is that it is seized (frozen), has no generator and no carburetor. The vehicle rides beautifully on the back of a tilt tray tow truck! It needs a total restoration and I've got ten months to do it. It may be making it's first appearance resplendent in new black paint and powder-coated chassis; if not under it's own power, it will be on a trailer. It's barn mate 39 President may have to donate the pair of control links, but I'll eventually need another pair. The President is a much bigger and longer job.

As you can see, I like to chat!

Regards

Bryson

[SANDY'S CHOICE]

3 hours ago, Spinneyhill said:

The fibre camshaft gear is the one that breaks. It knocks for a while before finally breaking. Mine did, anyway.

 

In 1981 or 2 I visited a Studebaker wrecker near Brisbane, Caloundra perhaps? I would imagine it is in other hands by now and I have a feeling it was shrunk and

3 hours ago, Spinneyhill said:

The fibre camshaft gear is the one that breaks. It knocks for a while before finally breaking. Mine did, anyway.

 

In 1981 or 2 I visited a Studebaker wrecker near Brisbane, Caloundra perhaps? I would imagine it is in other hands by now and I have a feeling it was shrunk and moved. Some of the stock may still be available. I was looking at '39 Commander and Coupe Express - he even had an Aussie bodied CE, with a snake sunning itself where the seat should have been.

moved. Some of the stock may still be available. I was looking at '39 Commander and Coupe Express - he even had an Aussie bodied CE, with a snake sunning itself where the seat should have been.

Hi Spinnyhill

The yard you speak of was probably Walter Ireland's, at Strathpine, north of Brisbane

At the time I was an on and off ghost member of the SCCA Newcastle club.

I saw photos of some of the cars. Restored Cars also did an article and showed a photo of three front clips from 1939 Commander / Presidents that were mis-labelled as Lincolns. Close, but no cigar!

The yard went to scrap as Brisbane's expansion put demands on Mr Ireland that he was unable to meet. Something like "Sell us the land NOW"

Regards

Bryson

[Spinneyhill]

Ah, thanks for that. Yes that is the name I remember. I thought someone (his son?) had taken some of it somewhere. Too bad.

[Spinneyhill]

Now there is a funny thing. That part is not listed in the parts book for 10A or 6C. In fact that group 1511 has nothing for them!

 

I have a pair for 9A & L5. Not sure of condition; from memory one is bent, maybe both. I'll have a look at them soon.

Edited May 24, 2016 by Spinneyhill (see edit history)

[studeboy]

As far as I can tell they did not use those links on the 1940 commanders. My car does not have them. I lost 5 points for not having them at the Lancaster show. Later that day I checked out the 1940 commander business coupe that got a near perfect score because the owner was so rich he paid the way for his private mechanic to accompany him from Florida. It lost no points for not having them but it also did not have the links.I guess the judges were so impressed with the opulence they forgot to actually check the car. I went home and checked my 1940 commander parts car it did not have the links either. I have since checked 5 other 1940 commanders and none of them had the links. There is no listing for the control arms for the 1940 commander and president in the parts book probably because studebaker did not put them on at the factory. They must have decided it was a bad idea as they went back to them in 1941. Regardless the who incident made me decide to never have a car judged at a studebaker event again.

[Spinneyhill]

Yep, both arms are bent slightly. Easy to straighten, in good condition otherwise.

 

I have often wondered what they were for. The seem to have two purposes: to control left-right position of the spring should it move in the clamps and to provide some fore-aft stability, but this must not be great because they are on rubber bushes and the parallelogram is too skinny.

[SANDY'S CHOICE]

Great.

Please email me at brysonpiddington1954@gmail.com if you're willing to part with at a price.

[studeboy]

I was once told the links were a safety feature in case the planar spring broke. ???

[Spinneyhill]

The main problem with the transverse spring as Studebaker set it up is the accumulation of wet dirt beside the springs, on top of the mounting plate, inside the inverted u-shaped cross member. The bottom of the cross member and the flanges rust away.

 

I'll send some photos of the arms later today.

[Spinneyhill]

Here are the arms. Ignore what I wrote on them more than 20 years ago.

 

 

[SANDY'S CHOICE]

Hi.

When you said bent, I thought you meant BENT, as in L bent!

Are you willing to part with them. if so, please do the deal through my private email address.

I got GIVEN a "Master Parts Catalog of Chassis Parts  All Sixes and Eights" dated December 1, 1947 in STUDEBAKER DEALER BINDER No. 5068G.

It beats what I can't find. I am once again indebted to Arthur, Club member.

Plate 15-4 says Models 7A to 12A, K5, L5-4C to 8C on page 464. Then PART NUMBER with NOTES about 9A, but no mention of use on 10A and 6C.

My Commander was assembled by T J Richards of Adelaide South Australia (who also did Dodge / Chrysler products and was subsequently absorbed by them, then eventually Mitsubishi). It has 1939 body with 1940 trim. The windscreens front and rear are 1939. The bumpers and over riders are 1939.

I like the idea that the control links may have been a "SAFETY FEATURE". I'm heavily into safety features!

[SANDY'S CHOICE]

Hi Spinney Hill (GF)

I was deleting spam when I noticed (too late) your private message.

BUT

I might be a bit slow, but when getting advice from experts, it most likely benefits to take that advice!

I was conflicted because I have 39 and 40 models with Australian bodies. The 40 is not sure what year it is because it's a compilation of parts from both years.

It does seem that it never has had control links.

It has significant front steering issues, like steering that moves through 180 degrees to move the wheels five degrees.

Another expert has advised me: Concentrate on one vehicle at a time.

My ten month time frame to do a total restoration is way too optimistic.

Pick something else.

Not necessarily Sandy's Choice, but she'll go along for the ride!

Thanks to all for your time and patience.

The excitement of finally having a partner who tolerates my dreams, having a shed (barn) to put them in and occasionally time and money to start work on them has me in a dither!!

Calm down, take deep breaths, listen to sound advice, then follow it!

Regards

Bryson

[Spinneyhill]

Hello Bryson,

No problem. It sounds like they used left over bodies and updated them to 1940. Does it have the two way 1940 grills and the sealed beam headlights? The L5 was like that from the factory: 1938 cabs on 1939 running gear and chassis. I think they must have used the new front layout on all of them coz mine is chassis number 14 and it has the new front suspension and steering set-up.

 

I also have more than one vehicle. It is far better to work on one at a time.

 

Ref 10 months for a total restoration... if your partner doesn't kill you coz you are never there and just bring home dirty washing all the time, you could get it done. I went to the 1997 meeting in South Bend. There was a guy there with a brand new green 1939 L5 Coupe Express. It was beautiful. This was in late July or early August from memory, maybe a little earlier. He started on a heap of rubbish in January! I asked his wife about what she did to help and she just said with some feeling "Well. I didn't kill him!" I think she might have felt like it at times. He was a detailer for a restoration shop. It featured on the cover of The Antique Studebaker Review in March-April 1998 (see the website if you don't have the magazine).

 

It will be interesting to learn what the problem is with the steering. It sounds like a lot of steering wheel movement before it actually turns the wheels.

 

Remember to take lots of photos from many angles in very good light, as you go. You won't remember how it came apart. All the best with your restoration(s).

[SANDY'S CHOICE]

Hello

I'll try and post photos of my sad, well-used 1940-ish Commander. It has 40 front, complete with sealed beam head lights and die-cast. 39 bumpers.

Inside 40 dash with 39 door trim. Front and rear windows are 39. Rear bumper is 39 with non-39 over-riders, but not exactly 40 either. Tail lights and handle and "S" badge on boot lid are 40.

Sandy's a keeper! She started to say: "I think you need to sell some of the Studebakers." (5 in total but could be 7, maybe 8...long story!) She saw the 39 President. Took photos. Showed them to all her friends; they all laughed and doubted my sanity! Then she saw the '34 Dictator and fell in love!

I'm off to work.

Cheers.