Mark Huston

Yes, it is. Many states used the year the car was first sold as the model year on the title. Example, my 1929 Studebaker President was built in late January 1929 (according to serial number and factory production records) and when I acquired the car the title listed the car as a 1930 model sold in 1930. I was able to get the department of motor vehicles, after documenting the car as a 1929 model, to change the title to show the car as a 1929 model sold in 1930.

This proves I should stick to Studebakers. Thank you for the correction.

The frame serial number applies to the 1917 ED Series 18 Studebaker. The frame serial number range for the 1917 ED Series 18 is: 207,501 – 233,495. The engine number range is: 9,580 – 35,966. I am not familiar with the location of the engine number on this model. Regarding the top, I was involved with the long distance transport of an early Studebaker touring that had been in storage for over 30 years. The top was in good condition but very old. We tried to prevent damage by folding the top and covering it, however, it still suffered damage in the transport. If you are moving your car on an open trailer, even if you put the top down, it will still flap around and cause damage where the top folds along the creases. I would suggest either moving the car in an enclosed trailer or removing the complete touring top from the car and storing it in the back of the pickup truck bed out of the direct force of the wind to prevent the top material from flapping. Unfortunately, if the top material is brittle it could still crack or tear when folded during transport.

1951 Ford

Padgett, Thank you for the advice. I will give that a try as soon as I am back on my feet. Laid up at the moment.

Yes, I am, however, all of the parts do come in handy when I need a part and I have an extra immediately available. Several years ago, I had the opportunity to acquire a parts car and stripped it of everything that was interchangeable with my car a 1929 Studebaker President. I now have a shed full of parts including a complete 337 straight eight engine. Some parts are very hard to find for the big eight Studebaker President. I feel confident that I am in good shape and don’t worry about replacement parts with the exception of the starter. I recently took my spare starter to get it gone through to ensure it was ready in case I need to put it on my car. The rebuilder discovered the Bendix drive is frozen and they could not free it up. Now I know my spare is unusable and I need to find a “rare” Bendix drive for a 1929 Studebaker President. The rebuilder did not have any sources for that part. So, with a shed full of extra parts, I still am hunting for an elusive part.

1929 Studebaker President sales publications state that the interior finishes are “German Silver”. It is my understanding that German Silver is a fancy terminology for a Nickel finish.

The color should be black. I am attaching two pictures that show the black firewall on 1929 Presidents. One President was original blue the other green.

A couple of years ago, I ordered the wiring harness for my 1929 FE Studebaker President from the same wiring harness company mentioned in this posting. I spoke to them on the phone being very clear that my 1929 Studebaker President is the 135 inch long wheelbase model. Not the FH President that is 125 inch wheelbase. When I received the wiring harness I started at the front end of the car installing it piece by piece. It was not until I was nearly finished that I was at the back end of the car and discovered that the wire for the tail light was about a foot short of where it should end. I was shipped a wiring harness for the FH President that has the shorter 125 inch wheelbase. The only thing I could do at that point was add a splice to the tail light wire up in the frame rail out of sight. Unfortunately, speaking to them on the phone and specifying in writing with the physical order, and payment, did not do any good. I guess someone thinks one size fits all.

No, I don't. The ones I have came complete with a 1929 President I bought. I have not found any of the parts separately.

The airplane hood ornament has resided in an old family trunk (used by the family since the 1840s) since my grandfather had it. I will be placing it back in the trunk for a another generation to discover buried in the old trunk with other family treasures. Other than that, don't know what else to do with it. Selling is out of the question.

Thank you Keiser. Another family story confirmed and now I know what once looked like.

I have been told, by my mother, that his is the airplane hood ornament that my grandfather had on one of his cars. My grandfather was born in 1889 and died in 1938, Canton, Ohio. My grandfather was a WW1 veteran who was an engineer and a successful businessman. I don't know what car, or year, this may have been used by him. Is this a child's toy or could it have been used on a car? It is in poor condition and looks to have been made of pot metal.

The black one looks like it could be the type used on the 1929-30 Studebaker President. Here is are picture of the ones that I have:

"FCQ-1 174" is the firewall tag that identifies the model, body style, trim level, and sequential number of body production. In this case FC indicates a 1930 Dictator with the 221 cubic inch straight eight engine. Q is the body style identification for a coupe. The number 1 after Q identifies this body as a regular model trim. The number 174 means that this was the 174th coupe body produced. In 1930 most states used the engine number as the VIN for the purpose of titling a car. For your car the engine number for the 1930 Dictator started with FC-1 and went up from there. The engine number was hand stamped on the engine block. I am not familiar with the FC Dictator engine to know the location used for stamping the engine number. On some models, in the 1929-1930 model years, the engine number was stamped on the smooth boss just below the engine head in the center of the engine block on the side of the engine. I don't know if this is correct for the FC Dictator and which side of the engine to direct you to look. Perhaps someone more familiar will chime in and give you the correct location to look for your engine number. When you find the spot you most likely will need to clean the area down to the bare metal in order to read the engine number. In addition to the engine number the frame also had an identification tag. This is a similar to the cowl tag, however, larger, and riveted to the left front side of the frame just behind the left front wheel. For your car the frame numbers started with 2,120,001 and up in 1930. I hope this helps.

Thank you Spinneyhill for the advice. I will check into your suggestion.

Thank you for the suggestions. I will follow up.

Galt is located in central California about 25 miles south of Sacramento.

I was a member of this form for about 14 years before joining the AACA. I have enjoyed both the forum and the AACA magazine. However, in this part of California there is no active AACA chapter. The only benefit I get from the AACA is the magazine and the forum.

I have a 1929 Studebaker President. I need a source for reproduction / remanufactured assist straps. I have attached a picture of the original assist straps from my car. Anyone know a source for these straps?

I previously had Nationwide car insurance. I had one car accident and they cancelled my policy. I have had Allstate ever since for the past 30 plus years home, auto, and life. I will not be changing to Nationwide just because the AACA endorses them.

In my opinion, no. Don't believe Studebaker ever built a car with exposed wood on the outside of the body around windows and doors.

My only collector car is a1929 Studebaker President Brougham that I purchased in October 2000. The President had been in storage for over 30 years, in non-running condition, when I acquired the car. I spent the first winter getting it running and road worthy. For the past 16 years, I spend every winter doing something to upgrade the condition of the car making sure that the project is completed in time for the next years driving season. So far, this has worked out for me and I have never been unable to drive it on a spring, summer, or fall meet. This method makes it possible for me to enjoy the hobby while slowly restoring the President. Here are pictures of the President when purchased and on a tour this past September 2016. The recent picture was taken at the top of a mountain pass in California when I drove the President 959 miles during a six day tour. The President performed flawlessly.

Yes, things are more expensive in California. I will continue to look for options and if necessary I will learn how to paint the car myself.

Out here in the late great state of California, near Sacramento, I tried to get my 1929 Studebaker President painted last year. The Studebaker President has the remains of a red repaint over the original factory brown and green paint. The red is mostly gone. I took my Studebaker to four paint shops, two restoration shops, and two reliable auto body shops, to get quotes on a new paint job. I told all four shops that I would dismantle the car, get the parts striped to bare metal, and then reassemble the car when everything has been repainted. All the paint shops needed to do body repair and paint. All four shops gave me quotes of $20,000 plus. My Studebaker will continue to be driven with the mix of an old repaint and the original paint as long as I am own the car. Who can afford a $20,000 plus paint job on a 4 door Studebaker? If I could find a shop in California that would give me a quality paint job for $10,000 I would jump on it.