SANDY'S CHOICE

Hi Gary I took your advice. The early bird catches the worm! When it arrives in Oz, I'll have it copied, enlarged, laminated for the wall of the shed. For everyone else, if RTQ is interested, if there's a demand, I'll post it back to the US for copying. The CRANK HOLE COVER is the only part I'm missing for my 1934 Dictator. So, to all, there's a WANTED TO BUY with that! Cheers Bryson

Credit where Credit is due: The photo of the 1937 President Convertible Sedan with body by Salmons and Sons was Posted on September 12, 2012 by junior member: mfells Matt's wife is the baby in the photo! I was being polite with thirty years; Matt gives his wife's age away! The story is currently on page 58 Salmons and Sons was eventually taken over by TICKFORD who, funnily enough, did a collaboration with FORD Australia in the late 1990's and early 2000's.

Greg I guess the same number does make it yours!! A lot of deterioration in, say, thirty years. Bryson

Hi Greg Thanks for the story. A very nice car. Somewhere in the car's history, someone made it two tone green. Did it always have maroon upholstery? My President was iridescent dark green but painted over with a flat light green. It had dark green leather seats and dark green door trim. It's a restorable wreck, but it's a President. When guys in Sydney spend $50,000.00 on a Hyundai, it's still a Hyundai! (Insert 1990's anything for Hyundai. Sandy owns a Hyundai!) Once again, if I put Studebaker door handles in a Studebaker, is it any less a Studebaker? No, Studebaker door handles don't fit; but I like them better than TJR plastic ones. Months ago, I googled T.J.Richards. In 1915, they became the exclusive agent for Studebaker automobiles. A son, H.C. started a separate business dealing with Oakland, maybe that's where the GMH history came in. H.C. took over TJR and sons when dad died. TJR was eventually absorbed by Chrysler Dodge and eventually Chrysler Australia and eventually Mitsubishi. I will probably continue to make mistakes and be corrected by experts. So far all I've done is collect rusty Studebakers as retirement projects. Two of them actually drove under their own power while I have owned them! I found the picture of the Salmons convertible on the Forum when I read all the entries. I don't think it's yours because it doesn't have the fender parking lamps. Something to aspire to. I need all the help and advice I can get. Of course, like everyone else; I'll not necessarily take advice!! Just ask Sandy!!

Hi Bob The Nurse in me says take care of yourself first. My cars have gone without handles and winders for many years, a little longer won't bother them or me! All the very best. Bryson

Hi I had just finished work this morning and checked on emails. I sent you a reply but, like sometimes happens, I got it wrong and it did't deliver. I had a chat with Bob when I bought the timber oil seals.. Told him I'd read all 1700 odd pages of the Studebaker Forum and knew of his stroke, his heart attack and him falling off the roof! That would be enough for most guys. He's super human! If have sent an e-mail to Bob about the 1940 Commander inside handles and winders. I've had the 34 for forty-two years, the 39 President for coming up thirty years, and so it goes on. I bought them all as retirement projects. Now that I'm nearly there, I'll be working past retirement age to support my obsession. So I'm in no rush to get parts. There's always a price for anything you need! There's bound to be the parts out there to find. The search is on. Thanks for the heads up Bryson

Hi Greg I've been an off and on ghost member of the Newcastle club for 42 years. I'm now with the newly formed Hunter Valley Studebaker Driver's Club. I'd see you write stuff in StudeNews like Stude's in movies. It still excites me and annoys the crap out of Sandy when I yell out: "There's a Studebaker!" Just a good memory for some stuff that interests no one! Toronto Ontario or Toronto NSW. I'm at Anna Bay. If you're close by, you could come and see my cars and doubt my sanity like everyone else does! All three cars have a big TJR stamped into the front fire wall. The President, besides its body tag, also has an upside down shield with a kangaroo on it marked TJ Richards. Actually, only the 34 and 39 have The Black factory plates. The 40 Commander has a smaller zinc plate with just the number. Sane people have said to me: "You should sell yours and buy one that goes" but mine are different. Another Lark or Hawk turning up at a meet is another Hawk or Lark. A 34 Dictator or 39 President, now that would be something. A 42 President, even more something. I imported it thinking it was the only one in Oz. Turns out a guy in Grenfell has an ambulance or something. Haven't read the article in "Rotating Spokes" yet. It arrived wet and sat on the lounge room floor drying. Only just picked it up the other day. As you can see; I'm prone to "havachat"! Cheers Bryson (Piddington in the phone book / whitepages.com.au)

Hi Barry I checked the body parts catalog and the ones pictured above may have been used in 1939 as well as in 1938. The BPC says that the 39 had same looking handles with tenite knobs, not die cast. I need four inside door handles and four window winders. Can you help me out? From Google Images, 1940 handles and winders are the same as 41-42. I have a 42 President. I have asked Robert Kapteyn if he can help me out with these. Cheers Bryson Pictures would be good. Thanks.

Hi Greg Is that as in Greg Dxxxxn If so, you may be a junior member here but well known in Oz. I can say I have been wrong many times before. My 39 President, 40 Commander and 34 Dictator are all TJ Richards "King of the Road" bodies. Because the VIN plaque says Walkerville Ontario, I figured Canada was in there somewhere. Somewhere earlier in this feed I said I'd rather have a Studebaker with correct time jewelry. I certainly don't want cheap plastic pieces that were common to Fords and Chevs and Richards' specialty Chrysler products. It would be a lot more Studebaker than having a SBC motor.(although I do have some spare Magna motors; which is almost fitting because TJ Richards went to Chrysler, including Valiants and then to Mitsubishi!) I do remember seeing some of those cheap plastic handles at swap meets years ago and dismissed that idea then. The 39 President has no handles or winders. The 40 Commander has two broken stubs of those cheap handles; but it has 39 door stainless, the three verticle and one horizontal top bar. I'll put those in the President because it had been stripped of all jewelry; tail lights, dash gauges, everything removable and sellable at swap meets. I've probably even bought my own dash back at the Newcastle Swap Meet in about 1988! And now a question: Did you buy that yellow and black 1937 President with the Salmons body on eBay UK? That would be something to turn up to a National Meet in! Cheers Bryson

Hi to all. At 42, my dad left farming to become a Registered Nurse. I followed in his footsteps. He was 56 when I was born and I cared for him at home when he was dying of cancer. I fully expected that I would retire at 65. Now I'm happy that I work in an industry that supports senior Nurses working well past retirement. I have one colleague who's 74, working 56 hours a fortnight. At 62, I do 78 hours. Four nights a week; overtime when I can get it. It pays for the Stude parts off eBay!! As I work in Aged Care, I'll just keep working there till I can move in! Graham, in the pictures I've seen of 1940 handles, they're the same as 1941 and 1942. Only the door trim stainless varies I am ambivalent and conflicted about making my 1940 Commander look American, because it didn't when first sold in Australia. But it will be a 1940 Studebaker that looks mostly like a 1940 Studebaker, not a hybrid of 1939 and 1940 parts. It will still have a 1939 body!! When is a Studebaker not a Studebaker when it is all Studebaker parts, even it's 226 cu. in. heart! And I'm still having trouble deciding which car to start on. Sandy is not impressed that I'm buying parts, but not working on one. Fancy a woman trying to motivate a man to work on Studebakers. She's one in a million! And I've contacted Bob Kapteyn just in case there was a run on those timber oil seals! I think I could have made them out of the pailing fence I tore down, but I would never begrudge an 80 year old man anything when he is such a treasure to Studebakerdom. Thanks guys for the chat and the help. The search continues and the work will start. Cheers. Bryson

Hi I'm in Australia! So my chances of finding parts locally are minimal. I rely on eBay! I only know a little of the history of my President. It was a local car in Newcastle New South Wales. It was abandoned on a property north of the city. About 2004, I met a guy who used to drive it around a bush track until the motor gave up, when he was a kid. It's rough as.. but still a Studebaker President with an Australian assembled body. RHC chassis from Canada. I've bought most of the jewelry pieces off eBay. Now one winder down (same as yours), three more to go! It's one of four rusty old Studebakers I've found and acquired as retirement projects. Now I'll work past retirement to ensure their restoration. Meanwhile, they're rusting away loved. One day there'll be photos. Cheers Bryson

Thank you so much for taking the time to help. From checking the Body Parts Catalog the handles are the same. Now I know what to look for! The winders are different numbers, but if the handles match, the winders will look similar. The difference is the catalog lists tenite (plastic) knobs for 39, not die cast, as yours are. Again, I really appreciate your help. Bryson

If at first you don't succeed! I need close up photos of interior door handles and window winders for both vehicles. Both are four door sedans. Thanks.

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.

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

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!

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

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

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

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