Cowtown Commander

The parts book has the same illustration number (2117-35D) and drawing for the exterior door handles for both 1938 & 1939 autos. However the 1938 door handles have part number 2675540W while the 1939 door handles are part number 270055W. Does anyone know what the differences are between the two door handles. How do you tell which handle is which and can they be substituted one for another? Thanks

Sent you pictures showing mounting of the filter on the left front of the engine. There are two pipes that connect to the filter, one on the side runs under the water pump then behind the fuel pump and looks like it either fastens to the oil pump or the block right near the oil pump. I'm softy but I can't see from the top and don't have a lift to check from the bottom side. The second line attaches at the bottom of the canister and looks like it attaches to the block somewhere near the oil fill tube. Page 12 of the parts book has a good illustration but doesn't show where the tubes attach to the block. I just noted that page 2 of the parts book show where the side canister pipe attaches to the block and it screws into the block midway between the fuel pump and oil pump - right at a "rib" in the block.

Good to hear from you Bob - Glad that your out of the hospital and on the road to recovery. Take care and best wishes for a speedy recovery!

You've also got the "problem" that your car was positive ground and I've never encountered a 12 volt positive ground. Electricity is something "magic" to me so I I don't know how the polarity difference will effect what your trying to do but it's something you might want to investigate.

In Sept they put the windshield in my 1938 Coupe. It was a struggle for a professional shop who deal with glass installation every day. They did install it from the inside. The 1938 Shop Manual had no information on the installation so if your shop manual has information on windshield installation I would sure get a copy of the manual. The manuals are not that expensive and will help on many other items on the car. The center rubber for the M Series truck has the same cross section as your car. I would guess that yours is shorter so you will have to trim the rubber piece. Watch when you trim it down that you retain the proper spacing of the bolt holes or else you will have to fab a new metal section for the interior.

Did the former mayor of Mokena get the city to use Studebakers during his term in office?

As I recall there is a firm that will custom build cables. I looked at their website when I was restoring my 38 Coupe and found that the emergency brake cable was frozen on the right side. Luckily for me I was able to get one of the cables from my parts car to free up by socking it in evaporust for a couple of days. As I recall they advertised in Goodguys and cater to the Hot Rod guys. I will look and see if I can find their ad and update my post later.

Thanks for including the interesting history lesson, what engine and transmission? The wife and I visited Portland in fall of 2015 and had a great time. Someone on this site recommended the WAAM museum and it was a most memorable trip.

Thanks for including the photo of your truck. It looks like you have an excellent original truck. I'm unfamiliar with Arrow what is a 1943 Arrow.

If Tom were a bit further South he would be below sea level, but since he's just outside the "Next Great City of the South" at an elevation of 114 ft it appear should be near the specified 105.

What an interesting photo. Thanks for posting it and Happy Thanksgiving to you!

I recently had to send some shocks back to Apple because the arm was improperly positioned on the front shocks for my 1938. They told me you should have 45 degree action in both directions (both up and down). It had been years between the time that I had the shocks rebuilt and when the problem was discovered but Apple repositioned the arms at no charge and everything works fine. Give them a call and send a picture ---bet they will get the problem resolved.

Mike one of the fellows recently had the gas tank in his 8A four door replaced and I think they used a 1939 Chevy and relocated the fill pipe. An other solution that I saw on TV recently was to put a small tank inside the original tank and all the mods were on the top so couldn't be seen. How bad is your tank? I took mine to Kirby Radiator here in Fort Worth and they boiled it out and fixed the filler pipe which was loose. Both of my parts cars had leaks in the top, it was only after I discarded them that it was pointed out to me that the top and bottom stamping so are the same thus I could have used two bottoms to make a good tank. I will get you the e-mail of the owner and the shop that did the work, hopefully some pictures too.

I'm not an expert but an owner of a 1938 Commander Coupe ( Model 7A ). The 1938 Studebakers came in three series 1) Commander with 116.5 inch wheel base, and 227 cubic inch 6 cylinder engine. There were 4 models of coupes, 3 models of two door sedans, 3 models of four door sedans, and two models of four door convertible sedansa, with a total of 19,260 produced. 2) State Commander again with a 116.5 inch wheelbase and the same 227 cubic inch engine. As far as I can tell the difference between the Commander and State commander was the use of cathedral headlight, and chromed steel around the windows, and fancier seat material. Your car is a 4 door cruising sedan with trunk mounted spare (model W3) and there were 18,039 of this model made. It was the most popular model made in 1938. The number below the 8A-W3 on the firewall tag will indicate what your body number is. Body numbers started with 1 and ended with 18,039. As your car is right hand drive, it could have been made that way in the South Bend plant our assembled overseas. I would suggest that you contact the Studebaker Museum in South Bend and give them your cars serial number ( located on the frame rail behind the left front wheel ) and the body number and they should be able to let you know if your car was made in South Bend or not.

Master Catalog of Body Parts All Sixes and Eights 1936-1946 June 1 1950. Page 184 ends parts index, numerical index starts on 185 and the standard parts starts on 193. I'll check some of my other manuals to see what date they are.

Went to the upholstery shop today but clips were different. I'll make copies of the missing pages and drop them in the mail. Haven't had anyone mention Herman in years, he and Stan Ferrel were the best guys to deal with.

Bob - look at page 197 in the 36 to 46 master body. Looks like part # 1642x1. Part # 28290 x doesn't show up in my 1965 parts price pages. Looks like a clip that was on the window surrounds on my 38. I think I have a few left at the window shop and if looks like your photo I'll send it to you.

Paint work is done on the 1938 Stude, glass is supposed to be installed this week as it is off to the uphostry shop next week but one of the arm rests has been lost. Does anyone have a spare arm rest for a 1938 Stude? 1934-1946 parts book does not list part number or indicate how many years interchange - just inform us that 1936 to 1939 arm rests are not available. Please advise if you have an arm rest available. Send a PM if you have one. Thanks!

I have a 38 Commander Coupe with disc wheels that use the 189819 spring. I have been looking for springs for 4 years and not been able to find any. I think our best chance might be to find someone to make these springs and then do a group purchase.

Does anyone have a source to get a replacement gas tank send unit or have one rebuilt? Any suggestions appreciated.

No it was a Commander Coupe but it was about 20 years ago. I have been going though some of my literature lately .....you find 25 year old lost letters from Raymond Loewy in your stash, I found letters from a school teacher in Illinois.

Thanks Richard. I stopped by to see the painter working on my 1938 Coupe. He is making some nice progress and had a surprise for me - a documentation of the restoration of a 1940 Coupe that he helped his brother with in the late 1990's. Second page was information you had provided to them. You've been providing answers for Studebaker owners for a long time - Thanks for all you do!

Have a 1938 Coupe that I'm restoring - it had nothing in the trunk tool compartment. I've got two parts cars and the tool compartments were also empty - infact none of the cars had a jack. Can anyone tell me what was included with the car when it was new? Thanks Cowtown Commander

Have my 1938 Coupe in for paint. I would like to install some hinge mounted mirrors but that will necessitate removal of the hinge pins. A couple of Questions: 1) Original Hinge Pins are Part # 266851 and 266852 - will I need an alternate pin (longer than the standard pin)? 2) Since these pins do not seem to be readily available does anyone know of a suitible substitute - will something from a Ford or later Studebaker work? Thanks

Looks like Studebaker part number is 182073 and is used 1934 Dictator, 1934 & 1935 Commander and Presidents - or at least approx 3000 cars with free wheeling after serial 5,200,001