bifda Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 Yesterday I bought this 1925 studebaker big 6 roadster.It was imported into England in 1989 from Portland Oregon, by a guy called Terry Rowing he bought it from a Mark Hoegland? (not sure of spelling) apparently it was used through the war and up until 1987 by an air club in Portland for towing planes about.The car I believe was originally a duplex roadster however there are some holes in the panel behind the doors, which have been welded up and could have been for a soft top frame. The car is in very good condition but I do require two rear fenders as the ones supplied are wrong and rotted.I also could do with someone who owns a roadster that would be willing to take some pictures so I can see how the sheet metal around the dickey seat should originally be.Any information on this car would be appreciated, also if anyone owns a similar car please get in touch as I may need to pick your brains!!Wayne Smith - Bristol, England Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stude8 Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 I don't have any roadster photos at the moment but attached are some pages from the 1925 Studebaker Standard 6 advertising folder cards I have.Stude8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stude8 Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 After browsing the 1925 Studebaker Brochure I have on file it is apparent Studebaker did not build "Open" roadster models for 1925. They did build two Standard Six models with the word "Roadster" in the description but they both had fixed roofs. Those pages are attached here.Stude8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stude8 Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 I just reread your post and noted the description "BIG SIX" and suspect what I thought was a 1925 brochure is actually a 1924! They weren't marked by year at that time? The dealer cards had a cover card that shows the 3 model lines, Big Six, Special Six and Standard Six by wheel base length 127"-120", 120" & 113". What is the wheel base of your car? The radiator shell has the embossed face used on the Big Six chassis card.Stude8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bifda Posted July 18, 2012 Author Share Posted July 18, 2012 Stude8 thanks for the pictures and information. The car I have bought is a 120" big six. I was told it is 1925 although 1926 was mentioned at one point. The guy I bought it from imported it in 1989 and actually had a 1925/6 big 6 touring car as well. He did sell both to a friend at one point, before buying them back. Whilst the friend had the cars he sold the body from the touring car as it was pretty rough along with the carburettor and wheels, I have bought the chassis, engine, axles and steering box from the other car along with a lot of small parts. The touring car body was on ebay here in the UK 3 weeks ago and I have been in touch with the seller however he sold it outside of ebay and no longer has the buyers details. I will put an advert on ebay to see if I can track the buyer down as it would be nice to re-unite the running gear with the body.The car doesn't have a chassis plate on the chassis however this maybe in a box somewhere as the chassis has been sandblasted and painted (so was probably removed) On the firewall there is a plate which is stamped 235. Does this mean anything?Originally this car had wood wheels but the gearbox, axles and wheels were swapped with the touring car so that it now has 4 wheel brakes which are assisted through the gearbox hydraulics.Is there any sure fire way of telling the year of the car with out the chassis plate? Also where would the engine number be stamped? As there are two engines I am not sure which is the original but I would like to date them both if possible which may then help determine exactly when the car was built.RegardsWayne Smith - Bristol England Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studerex Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 The motors will have the date code cast in them. The first letter is the year and the second letter is the month and next number is the day. The letter code starts in 1921 at A and goes by calendar year not model year. Example, E 4 12 is april 12 1925. This will work on all Studes to 1942 that I know of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stude8 Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 WayneMy book on Studebaker serial and engine numbers has a listing that shows all 1925 and 1926 Big Six cars were model "EP", 75hp 120" or 127" wheel base with chassis serial number 2,060,001 thru 2,073,000 for 1925 and 2,073,001 thru 2,102,299 for 1926. Engine numbers were EP-1 and upward for 1925 thru 1926. The engine number was stamped on the starter motor support.Just in case your engines are not marked "EP", from 1922 thru 1924 they were marked "EK" and in later 1927 if in a President model they were marked "ES-43,301 and up. If in a Commander model they were marked "EW-1" and up.Stude8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Good Old Days Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Hi Wayne!Fine purchase you made! I hunted one down in 2009 on EBay in the US, but it was sold to some one else! They are quite rare I think! Here some of the pictures I kept from that (very) original car! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bifda Posted July 23, 2012 Author Share Posted July 23, 2012 I have now had chance to look around the car and I have found the engine number is EP32404 there is also a tag on the firewall which has 235 stamped into it. The guy I bought the car from thinks he has the original chassis plate in an envelope somewhere so I have my fingers crossedWayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dictator27 Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 Is that firewall tag on the passenger's side? Usually that tag would have the model, apparently EP in this case, a body symbol - R for roadster or J for sport roadster and an assembly line sequence number (which is not model specific). If 235 is that number, then that is a very early EP.Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bifda Posted July 23, 2012 Author Share Posted July 23, 2012 Terry the tag is on the passengers side, on the engine side of the firewall, it is approx 1 1/2 inches long x 3/4 inch wide and just has the 235 pressed out. I will take a pic and post it on here tomorrowWayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studeq Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Terry the tag is on the passengers side, on the engine side of the firewall, it is approx 1 1/2 inches long x 3/4 inch wide and just has the 235 pressed out. I will take a pic and post it on here tomorrowWayneThey did not have the model designation on the body (firewall) tags at that time. It came later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dictator27 Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 (edited) They did not have the model designation on the body (firewall) tags at that time. It came later.I stand corrected. It can't have been much later as my 27 Dictator's tag has model and body codes on it. Terry Edited July 26, 2012 by dictator27 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bifda Posted August 3, 2012 Author Share Posted August 3, 2012 Yesterday I went back to where I bought the studebaker from to collect a spare engine and the original axles and gearbox from my car. The car currently has had the axles and gearbox changed for those that have 4 wheel brakes and disc wheels. I also bought from the guy a pair of stop lights but one has the stop glass broken, does any one repro these? Also I bought some door handles, books, shop manuals etc. He let me have the original ELGIN clock for the car and he had found the import documents and chassis plate, the original chassis number is 2079946. The best buy from him was an original double sided dealers porcelain enamel sign, in orange with the studebaker wheel logo and service underneath.Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bifda Posted August 4, 2012 Author Share Posted August 4, 2012 A picture of the studebaker sign, this sign is double sided and in pretty much the same condition both sides. Is this an American sign or an English version? Any ideas on dateWayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Good Old Days Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 (edited) Hi Wayne! Congrats with your lovely sign! Was this guy a Studebaker freak of some sort?!Here a picture where your serial number plate should be mounted! Edited August 4, 2012 by Good Old Days (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bifda Posted August 5, 2012 Author Share Posted August 5, 2012 Thanks for that, I have 2 other studebakers, a 1928 GE dictator and a 1929/30 GJ commander and both of their plates are on the chassis leg behind the front wheel like in your picture. The original plate I now have is quite faded and the number itself is hard to read however I have the import paperwork from 1990 when it was imported and that has the correct information on it.How old is the sign that I have bought, I guess it is 1920's but I suppose it could be 30's or 40's. Terry who I bought everything from was a Studebaker fan and in the past had owned several early cars including a chummy, 1927 Dictator a 1918 touring car the roadster I now have, and a 1925 phaeton, amongst others. He has decided to get out of studebakers and down size his collection. He also has for sale an original Atalanta with thread to attach to the radiator, she has her hand tip broken but he has it, it is an original one not a repro but the mazak has cracked in places, the detail is far better than I have ever seen so I assume most mascots are repros! He also has an original studebaker scripted motometer but that also has cracking. Hence why I didn't buy these 2 itemsWayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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