Checklist

BODY & CHASSIS

Hands up all who are surprised to learn that replacement body panels for Stude wagons aren’t hard to find. Me too, however one large supplier in the USA is offering virtually every piece of sheet metal a restorer could want. The stuff isn’t cheap and checking fastidiously is still the cheapest and best way to ensure you get a car with minimal rust. New floor sections are available at US$450-600 per set while the complete rear floor section for wagons is currently under $1000. Lower tailgate skins cost $350 with freight extra. You can even buy a new electric lift assembly for the tailgate window. Before falling in love with a Wagonaire, check that nifty sliding roof panel. If it has been welded shut or the vendor doesn’t want it opened, assume there is a major and costly problem being concealed.

ENGINE & TRANSMISSION

Studebaker built its own engines and they were durable but, unless supercharged, not especially powerful. The 289 cubic inch unit is almost identical in displacement to a 4.7-litre Ford but without the wealth of performance parts available for that motor. Oil leaks, fuel leaks and good old wear and tear are the main issues affecting Studebaker engines. Thumps from deep inside the engine or rattling from the top end denote a motor ready for a rebuild which could add $3000-6000 to your purchase cost. Some parts are available from local suppliers but the array in the USA is immense. Manual transmission cars were available with overdrive and that, providing it works, is a big bonus. Most will be automatic; 1965-66 cars with Chevrolet-supplied 283 cubic inch engines.

SUSPENSION & BRAKES

Pretty much everything you need to rebuild a creaking Studebaker front end is available, including power steering gear. Not cheap though; for a rebuilt power steering pump, ram and control valve expect to pay A$1500 exchange. Pairs of front coils are available at US$205 but new heavy-duty rear spring sets made specifically for the wagon cost US$595. Studebakers of this age will normally have all-drum brakes with a power booster. They can be touchy at first application but lose efficiency very quickly. V8 Lark sedans routinely led Bathurst 500 races during the 1960s until the brakes gave out. New parts are still available and disc brake conversion is viable.

INTERIOR & ELECTRICS

Searching local sources for new items of Studebaker trim proved a fruitless exercise. Except for the usual array of ill-fitting moulded carpet sets, items that a buyer might need to refurbish the interior of a Daytona were thin on the ground. Checking again the US spares market turned up practically anything needed, however some prices will encourage buyers to bargain hard when buying a Stude with sub-par trim. When inspecting, ask to see the rear seat folded, wind down all the windows – including the tail-gate – listening for crunching noises from a binding, perhaps damaged mechanism.