Graham’s Studebaker Blog

I’ve been having issues with my ’74 Dodge 360 motor. It doesn’t want to idle well at all no matter what I do. A friend suggested the timing chain might be worn. Sure enough when I did some measurements it was over double the acceptable limit of 3/16″. So now I’m doing that job which is slowing my work on our “66 JT project.

The choke tube was missing so I used another from a different carb. It took some bending and I also had to ream out the manifold end to fit over the heater tube. A piece of clear fuel line joins the heater tube to the carb air horn.

I bought a set of spark plug wire looms for the project. I earlier removed the tin cable holders from the tops of the valve covers for a cleaner look.

Here is one installed on the right side. Fortunately it clears the dipstick tube.

Another little job is hooking up the PCV valve with a short length of 3/8″ fuel line. The manifold opening will be used for the power brake vacuum hose. I need to get a nice neat 90 deg brass fitting for the job.

Time to unwrap the (dirty) wiring harness.

I will be trying to lower the wiring harness on the fender apron and otherwise neaten everything up some.

Moving ahead albeit slowly!

I didn’t like the way the new CarQuest heater hose kinked with the slightest bend. So I whet to NAPA and checked out their brand. It’s wall thickness is 1/32″ greater and the OD is 1/16′ smaller. This is the new hose (bottom line) and it kept its shape through the clamp without trying to kink and collapse.

The top photo is the old hose with a kink starting, the second hose is the same hose with a gear clamp at the kink to force the hose into a round shape and the third photo is the NAPA hose with no kinking in the same location.

My band clamps arrived. I needed six to cover both sides. The size is 2″ on the small side and a bit over 2″ on the large side to slip over the joining pipe. I also have two 2″ regular clamps to fit over the end of the tail pipe and the rear hanger.

I noticed in the ad for the band clamps that metal sealing tape was used on the joints. Seemed like a good idea so I covered each joint that took a band clamp with aluminum duct tape.

I put the pipes and muffler together and then held up the muffler to the underside of the floor. The idea being that when all the clamps were in place and the jack removed the system would sag a minimum distance. That worked pretty good as the mufflers are barely visible from behind the car. With the system held up I installed the band clamps and hanger clamp. I rotated the clamps so the large screws were up out of sight. The tough part was tightening each clamp to 50 ft lbs. The sale ads specify that the clamps need to be tightened to between 40-60 ft lbs! That’s what it takes to make the joints immovable.

Exhaust in place-whew! Quite a job working with just jack stands. This is a complete original Studebaker system – except for the mufflers and the tail pipe extensions. 2″ pipes from the engine to the the tail pipe and 1-3/4″ tail pipes. I may up the tailpipes to 2″ sometime down the road. It seems that Hawks had the 2″ tail pipes.

Getting close to engine start up. Next is a bit of carb work, then the rad goes in and the wiring harness is re-installed. In the meantime I am changing the timing chain in my ’74 Dodge Adventurer SE truck so that will slow things down a bit.

The original fan used on Studebaker V8s. I’ve installed the fan for the engine break in. I had to remove the Sanden compressor so the fan would clear it – even with the original fan spacer it was hitting. But that’s not an issue. I have a large puller fan which I will be installing after the break in is done. I’ve also removed the PS belt. I’ll get that going, again, after the break in process.

The electric fuel pump in place. Not in the photo is the nickle copper line I formed to follow the frame over the axle. I then ran a short piece of 3/16″ rubber line to the tank. The white blob on the left is the pump ground. I ground off the frame to bare metal, drilled and mounted the ground with a large sheet metal screw and then smeared silicone around the contact to keep it from rusting. I still have to run the power line to the oil pressure switch.

All the lines hooked up to the oil pressure switch. Power from my accessory power point is run to one side. The other side is connected to the pump. Also on the pump side is a power line from a press-on button under the dash.

The button is between the hood release and the vent knob. It will supply power to the fuel pump from the accessory side of the ignition bypassing the oil pressure switch. That way I can fill the carb after the car has been sitting for days or even weeks. To the right of the vent knob is a 12 volt relay. I have run a lead from the accessory side of the ignition switch to the relay. To the right of the relay is Studebaker junction block ( I forget now where it is normally used). I decided to use this setup to take the load off the ignition switch as I will be adding a fuel pump, AC and an electric fan to the circuit in addition to the rest of the electric accessories.

Here the AC drive belt has been installed. A Stude friend gave me an old very long fan belt which I cut, wrapped around the pulleys and then marked. With the tensioner adjusted out a bit the length came to 52″. I also picked up a 53″ belt just in case. In the end the 53″ turned out best leaving me enough to easily go over the pulleys and still leave lots of adjustment room for the tensioner.

With the belts in place and the heater hoses test fitted, I then found a good spot to feed the gas line to the carb. I opted to put a second filter in the line to catch any debris from the original line which still runs back along the frame.

I used nickle copper 5/16″ line as it is so much easier to bend. A 25″ coil of this line is very expensive so I opted to buy a 7′ brake line of the same material for a whole lot less. Does a nice job and the brake line fitting fits the carb as well. Looking at this photo I see I need to hook up the choke heater line.

This is the inside of the frame rail on the right side. It is just below where the exhaust hanger bracket normally fits. I’ll mount the electric fuel pump here. It is about even with the bottom of the gas tank.

Beware of new 3/4″ heater hose. The wall thickness seems thinner and the pipe itself is quite soft. It won’t take corners well at all. Here is where the hoses need to go to connect up the heater. The firewall holes are right behind the heater motor and the pipes have to squeeze by. Sharp upwards bends are needed to connect to the heater core and climitizer valve. There was no way I could get the upper hose to connect to the core without the new pipe collapsing. I happen to have an old NOS heater hose with a 90 deg bend. I fitted itwith a used a length of 3/4″ brass pipe and a short piece of the new heater hose to reach the core. Kind of busy with all the gear clamps, but at least it’s out of sight. The lower hose is the new type and I was able to just make it fit, but with one spot where it is starting to kink.

I used yet another gear clamp over the kink spot to bring the hose back to round. Not very elegant, but hopefully it will work OK when the hot water starts to pass through.

Final shot of the PS pump lines. I have added the second support bracket under the frame. It is a Studebaker bracket normally used to hold the heater hoses to the fender apron. Holds the pipes up but not tightly.

The exhaust pipes and tail pipe are original Studebaker items. The muffler is from Silvertone Exhaust and is meant for an Avanti which is about 10″ shorter than needed. Also, the tail pipe is only 1-3/4″ while everthing else is 2″. I couldn’t find a listing for a larger size tail pipe in the Studebaker parts books. So I assume they didn’t use them. I have the 1-3/4″ units so I decided to use them. I can always have 2″ pipes bent later on. The pipes have been sanded and painted with POR 15 High Temperature silver.

I cut off 10″ from some 2″( 1/16″ thick) exhaust pipes. I then cut off two collars about 1-1/2″ long from some 1-3/4″ pipe (also 1/16″ thick.) The collars fit over the exhaust pipe ends and the extension slips over that with the other end fitting inside the muffler outlet pipe. The extensions will also get a coat of silver POR 15 high Temperature paint.

I have test fitted both sides. It wasn’t going all that well until I figured out that the right exhaust pipe had to be rotated 180 degrees from the left side’s position. The left side arch – see above – fits between the parking brake cable and the floor while on the right side it fits under the parking brake cable and cable tensioner.

This is the electric fuel pump I’m going to install. I bought it from Canadian Studebaker and it is a 2.5 to 7 lb pump. It will be installed on the inside of the right hand frame rail as close to the gas tank as possible.

Another oddity of the ’66 models and maybe the ’65s too, is that the fuel line runs down the right frame rail rather than the left. The gas tank outlet is also reversed being on the right side of the tank. Here you see where the gas line pops out from under the front cross member on the right side. The AFB carb inlet is also on the right side. All I have to do is figure out how the run the line up to the carb. I will need to buy some 3/8″ fuel line to make the run. The fuel pump has a small filter on the inlet side, I will add one just before the pump as added insurance in case rust flakes come from the line between the pump and the carb.

Final routing of the PS lines. All four curve back towards the front going under the frame and forward between the spring and the frame. I have installed a bracket to hold up the lines to the bottom of the frame (loosely to allow a bit of movement as the control valve moves back and forth.) It is the round bracket in the photo. I had to drill a hole in the bottom of the frame to mount it.

Left and right turn lines in place. If you position the lower line incorrectly on the control valve it will not line up properly. The end will face downward instead of towards the ram. Both lines should face the ram if installed correctly on the control valve. Not shown is the clip holding the lines to the frame – just the right of the photo. Studebaker still left the hole in the frame to mount this clip.

A few years ago I put PS in my Avanti, but I couldn’t remember how the PS pressure and return lines were run. After trying many routes I couldn’t seem to find one that didn’t have excess hose running underneath or that ended up with the pressure hose end facing the PS pump. Nowhere on the web could I find a photo to help. Finally I noticed an opening between the frame and the ram. That was the path to take and I recalled that was as it was in the Avanti. All the extra hose was taken up and the pressure end faced the pump. Whew!

Time to install the parking brake cable. Here is the mount I made. It is installed on the left inner frame. The original mount was on the extra cross member needed when the 283 was in the car. It held up the back of the trans as mounts were not used on the bellhousing as was usual for Studebakers. I removed the extra crossmember as it would have been in the way with the new engine/trans setup.

Moving the parking brake bracket to the frame moved the cable a little to the front. But with the engine/trans one inch back there was lots of adjustment room.

Trans throttle control linkage painted and installed – except for the cotter pin on the front of the TTC extender. I decided to pop rivet the TTC yoke to the extender for better clearance. I flattened the rivet on the opposite side. We’ll see just how good it works when it’s time to adjust the trans pressure and later when I test the kickdown from 3rd to 2nd.

The four PS hoses installed on the control valve. The pressure hose and the return hose have U-bends at the control valve, but the manual shows straight leads to and from the PS pump ??? Should work fine anyway as I will need to put a loop in all the pipes to allow the control valve to move back and forth freely.

The AC pump pulley arrived from Stephen Allen’s. Another problem – the PS pump belt rubs against the back of the AC fan pulley. I will need to make up a 1/8″ spacer to move the AC fan pulley forward. When done this will actually line it up better with the outer crank pulley. My crank pulley setup isn’t as it was set up from Studebaker. I just added an extra pulley for the PS and the AC. So now I need to line everything up.

I could have gone to a machine shop and had the spacer made, but this is a budget project and time is not an issue. I had a piece of 1/8″ steel that was just right. I laid the fan pulley on the steel and made center punched a spot about the center of the middle hole that slips over the water pump flange. I used my old high school dividers to make the center circle. I then used the pulley again to mark the mounting holes and center punch each one. This is what it looked like after drilling.

I only had a 1″ drill bit and the flange is 1-1/16″. So after a bit of work using a fine grinding burr it fit the water pump nicely.

I rough cut off the excess steel and then mounted it to a fan spacer. I’ll use this as a guide as I grind off the excess metal.

After grinding and fitted to the water pump. Still enough flange to hold the AC pulley and I’ve changed the water pump pulley screws to stainless and a bit longer. This spacer will allow my PS belt to clear the back of the AC fan pulley.

My stainless muffler from Silvertone has 2″ inlet and outlets. The Studebaker pipes from the engine to the muffler are also 2″, but the tail pipe is 1-3/4″. I couldn’t find a Studebaker Lark tailpipe any larger for some reason. I could have new pipes made up from 2″ stock, but I’ll use the original Stude parts for the start. So now I needed to adapt the muffler to the smaller tail pipe. I bought two adapters, but I realized that the added length would likely be a problem as the tail pipes have a welded mounting tab at the back which needs to line up with the frame. The adapter is abt 6″ long and in the end it would likely extend things by 1″-3″. So I opted to use the adapters to make a collars to fit the tailpipes into the end of the muffler output pipes. First I cut off the 2″ OD ends.

Next I expanded the tailpipe some to better fit the inside of the collar which is abt 2-13/16″ ID. The tail pipe wall thickness is 1/16″. This I was able to expand fairly easily with the pipe expander. However at one point I tried expanding the adapter pipes small end. The adapter wall thickness is 3/32″ Not much thicker than the tailpipe, but the expander wanted to strip its end nut from the pressure. Mind you this is a cheap Chinese unit from Princess Auto and not a professional quality tool.

The collar fits easily over the tailpipe and inside the muffler outlet. The muffler clamp at the back of the muffler that also clips onto the rear hanger should squeeze everything together. I will cut a narrow slot in the muffler outlet pipe and I think I will cut a slot in the full length of the collar to make sure all is tight. The slots will only be the width of a hacksaw blade.

I have already installed the pump and now it’s time to get the rest of the parts installed. Not shown are the 4 hoses to connect the everything up. Power steering bellcranks have an extra arm and the reach rod is different as it connects the control valve hanging from the pitman arm to the bellcrank.

I didn’t install the bellcrank earlier because I didn’t want it in the way when I installed the engine. However I did install the bellcrank bracket. This now was a problem. I couldn’t get the bellcrank to fit onto the tower – the engine pan was in the way. I didn’t want to drop the tower out of the crossmember as it would be a pain trying to hold it up and fit the bellcrank on it while I tried to get the tower mounting bolts started. So I loosened the tower bolts one at a time, removed the lock washer and then twisting the nuts back on just a couple of threads. That done I was just able to slip the bellcrank over and onto the tower pin.

I had to install the reach rod to keep the bellcrank from moving too much when I torqued the pinch bolt to 65 ft-lbs. Also it calls for a lock washer on the pinch bolt nut, but the bellcrank surface seat is not machined and there is a chance the lock washer might not get a good bite. So instead I used a serrated locking washer which would catch good on at least two points.

Then next step is to install the tie rods. I kept them at the original lenghts after I took them off for cleaning and painting. They are the same length measured between the inner and outer grease nipples. I didn’t think I would be able to torque the inner tie rod ends, but if shifted all to one side there is just enough room fit a torque wrench.

This is my handy wrench extender which if I remember correctly I got from Lee Valley Tools. I torqued each tie rod end to 50 ft-lbs and then used this set up to move the castle nut to line up with next cotter pin hole.

I used this setup to get the steering wheel and the tires in a straight ahead position so that I could set the reach rod to the correct length – it is screwed in or out of the control valve until it lines up with the hole in the bellcrank arm with the wheels in the straight ahead position.

The track of the rear wheels on this model of Lark is 56-9/16″ as opposed to the front which is 57-3/8″ – a difference of 13/16″ So I needed to block out the string abt 6.5/16″ to get a straight line from the rear sidewall to the front. Earlier Studebaker manuals used this setup to set the toe. I will do the same once the car is on the floor.

With the string just touching the sidewall of the front tire and the steering wheel in the center position I then adjusted the reach rod until it just fit in the bellcrank. I then tightened the reach rod pinch bold on the control valve.

A Stude buddy of mine installed an oil pressure gauge on the front of the engine. I thought it would be a good idea. Then I wouldn’t have to keep going back into the car to check the oil pressure when I break in the engine. I used a GT Hawk gauge with the mounting tabs cut off plus a nipple and union to get the gauge high enough to miss the head.

I’m going to install an electric fuel pump and I use an oil pressure switch to ensure the pump does not continue to work if the engine stops as a result of an accident. A good out-of-the-way spot is at the back of the engine where the oil gauge flex hose is attached to the head.

Here I used a nipple and a tee to fit everything in place. I sealed all the threads with Permatex airplane engine quality sealant.

Fitting of the R1 style air cleaner. Sadly it was taken from my wrecked Avanti 63R1630 – another one lost.

The throttle control arm from the 283/Rochester setup works OK once I straightened it out. Under it is a preliminary setup for the trans throttle control (TTC). I’m modifing the TTC bracket from the 283. the TTC cable end will need to be extended – I have made up a extension using a narrow piece of 3/16″ mild steel which is attached to the original yoke.

I have made up an adapter plate template for the AFB using a piece of thin tin. The location of the pin that will push the TTC cable has to be a specific distance from the center of the carb throttle shaft center. I took that measurement from the old setup and then put it someplace safe – so safe that I couldn’t find it again! So I’m guessing and also leaving some adjustment in the adapter to move it if necessary. I have tried to bend the original bracket to fit, but there is no way I can get it to line up even close.

The adapter plate TTC mounting pin was a bit fiddly to get in place. It will take copper spacers to allow the inside nut to miss the adapter place mounting nut & bolt and also to miss the throttle speed adjuster screw.

This is the final setup before painting. I used a piece of 1/8″ mild steel for the carb adapter plate. I had to extend the TTC yoke even longer. I also had to make up a two piece bracket to get the TTC cable bracket lined up. It is 3/16″ mild steel and will replace the original mounting cap – like the one towards the left. The throttle control cable will fit in the carb linkage plate hole just above the front of the new TCC adapter plate.

These are the parts I had to make up – except for the TTC cable mount. The oval hole in the adapter plate will allow some adjustment to change the total movement of the TCC cable. This part of the project took me a couple of hours a day for about a week – cutting, drilling, bending, adjusting and fitting again and again to get it right. The final test will be when I set the trans pressure and passing gear downshift.

While working on the carb linkages my crank pulley spacer came in. I needed to use a combination of two spacers to get the outer pulley in position. The inner pulley drives the alternator via the fan pulley, the center pulley drives the PS and the outer pulley drives the AC via a special second fan hub pulley – that is on order from Stephen Allen’s who have many hard to find parts. They were also able to supply an original ’66 evaporator for the project.

To take a break from the carb linkage work I installed the heater connection on the water pump manifold. I blocked off the original hole on the right side and tapped the boss on the left side. Rather than use the original style 90 deg 3/4″ pipe which is quite tallI decided to use a lower brass fitting with a 3/4″ short nipple (with the threads cut off) to accept the heater hose. I will run the hose behind the AC compressor and under the alternator for a cleaner look – at least that is the plan 🙂

I won’t be using a heat riser and I’m blocking off the heater passages in the intake in the hopes of reducing the chance of boiling the new lighter fuel in the carb. I got the block off plates and thicker composite style intake gaskets from Dave Thibeault. I modified the plate on the right of the photo so that the choke tube will fit.

All ready, but I think this is a good time to put in the oil pressure flex pipe.

Another glitch as a result of the 283/289 engine swap. The line from the gauge is too short. I will try to find a way to extend the tiny copper line.

I’ve installed the block off plates with a bit of red high temp silicone to keep them in place.

Intake in place with a heat shield with gaskets top and bottom.

Rebuilt AFB carb in place.

Next job will be to fit the accelerator and trans control linkages to the carb.