Studillac rebuild progress

[53 Studillac]

Figured I would start a thread to keep ya'll up to date on the Studillac.  This car looked pretty good, but after owning it for 2 years (2 years today!) I know that it can be better.  Seemed like every time I drove the bitch something would scrub, rattle or break, not to mention running hot.  It just wasn't built to my standards.  So time for a major rebuild.  New front clip to make more room for that big ass Cadillac engine.  Getting rid of the leafs in the rear, perhaps doing a custom 3 link rear suspension with some bigger tires, 285 60 16s on 16 x 9.5 rims.  5 speed manual trans and hopefully a hot fuel injected Potter motor.  There'll be a lot of little custom changes along the way and I'm sure most of you have some good ideas that I might be able to use.  I started tearing it apart a couple weeks ago and I guess the engine and tranny is next.  I ordered the new front clip from FatMan today.  One great thing, there is no rust at all under this car! 

Pray for me!
Dwayne 

   

[MTS Marty AKA Nashillac]

It is such a beauty!! It seems a lot of times that they can be no fun if you keep having problems. I think you can make this Stude a lot of fun with your efforts. Good luck and good times 

[73 Century, April aka Jeff]

Now I can respect a guy that takes a great car and tears it apart to make it "better"...

[Maddog]

Everytime I see this car I flash back to high school. Buddy of mine's dad (sort of like Terry Cadillac512 with his deliberate thoughtfulness) ran the laundry truck repair yard for the largest service in Miami. Probably 50 trucks on the road. Smart guy, and thought completely out of the box. So he gets a 61 Studabaker Golden Hawk, snatched the driveline out and in goes the absolutely most wicked 302 Chevrolet I had ever seen. We're talking 1975 here and a camshaft at 700 on the intake. Just completely wild. Huge domes on the pistons, flycut in the backyard. The sound it made revving was sick. So he crafts on this for a year and off to Hollywood Speedway, now closed. One slow pass, feels good, and now the line lock comes on, the burnout is done and the tree falls. At probably 7000rpm, he leaves with the wheels in the air, the ford nine inch doing its job. 9.8 seconds later at 135mph he is home. But wait----whats that. A fire. The block was windowed at the line, the oil started a huge header fire. But he pulls the fire system that he designed in the backyard, and all is well. Engine never made another pass, but others did. Noone ever believed him when he told them it was a 302 chevy---which it really was. Thanks for the memories. And great luck on your renewed project. Charles

[terrible one]

That is a work of art man! 

[53 Studillac]

Thanks for the kind comments all!  I got the engine and trans out today and I have to tell you that I had second thoughts when it came out! 
The only thing left of the running gear is the 9" housing and it's going soon.  I sure hope I can get it back to where it needs to be... Check out
the picture of the convertor nose.  Looks like it didn't go into the crank far enough and wallowed around.  That's the kind of stuff I've been up
against...  Was it the bop to chevy adapter that caused this or wrong converter?     

[MTS Marty AKA Nashillac]

Why would the convertor go "into" the crank at all??
The flex plate would position the convertor in relation to the crank and all three move together at the same rpm.
Not sure why taht would wear like that.
The adaptor SHOULDN'T have anything to do with it.

[cadillac512]

  The converter does look like the adapter moved it out of the counterbore of the crank.The converter must be located at least 1/8"....and preferably more....into the crank to properly support it or wear like this and broken flexplates will result.That's why race cars with a mid-plate need a longer hub on the converter. Looks like you did the right thing by checking it out. Stuff like this is what a lot of builders fail to catch when assembling a car,and it makes all the difference.

  Terry

[73 Century, April aka Jeff]

I agree with 512.  I suggest getting a BOP case and get rid of the chevy case and adapter.

[nova50073]

When I change engines in the nova, I changed the converter also, to a PTC unit. When I went to install it I found the converter nose was too short, would not engage the crank, and had to send it back to them , they made it 3/16 longer and it has worked fine for 2 years now.
Funny thing was they didnt know why it was too short, said it should fit the cadillac engine, but they have run into this before , because they have a sleeve to fix the problem.

[Darius]

I agree with 512.  I suggest getting a BOP case and get rid of the chevy case and adapter.

 


While a BOP case might be easier in certain cases, some of us won't have that option. My 4L80E transmissions are a Chevy only case. No BOPs were ever built. That is why I went with the Transdapt adapter. Their item #0055 is designed to fit over the nose of the torque converter and extend it to make up the difference in thickness of the adapter.

There are simple, cost effective fixes.

Darius

[MTS Marty AKA Nashillac]

So the adaptor requires spacers between the convertor and the flex plate the thickness of the adapt. to position the convertor to the trans and this moves the conv away from the crank. Makes sense that this could happen

[Darius]

So the adaptor requires spacers between the convertor and the flex plate the thickness of the adapt. to position the convertor to the trans and this moves the conv away from the crank. Makes sense that this could happen

Marty,

Yes, that is what happens. The Transdapt kit includes the adapter, the spacers and the extension for the nose of the torque converter. I had tried an adapter from another manufacturer that was purchased through Summit. That adapter was thinner and required no spacers, either at the torque converter nose or between the T.Q. and the flywheel. The overall fix was poor and that unit was returned. The Transdapt bolted on without incident.

Darius

[STDog]

Thanks for the kind comments all!  I got the engine and trans out today and I have to tell you that I had second thoughts when it came out!  The only thing left of the running gear is the 9" housing and it's going soon.  I sure hope I can get it back to where it needs to be... Check out the picture of the convertor nose.  Looks like it didn't go into the crank far enough and wallowed around.  That's the kind of stuff I've been up against...  Was it the bop to chevy adapter that caused this or wrong converter?     

Dwayne,

Buddy down the road from me has a short tail 400 that was attached to a 425 undill recently (I took them appart and used the engine). He'd probably let me have it, if you want a BOP case.

If you need a hand let me know. (I'm out of town this weekend, 7,8,and 9) but during the week I could drive down. Gas is cheaper there too 

[53 Studillac]

I was just telling STdog about this and figured I would share it and add some info.  I drove my car to a hot rod shop over in Alabama a couple months ago.  I told them what I wanted to change on the Studillac's suspension and they gave me an estimate of $10k!  So I figure I can do  it myself and use very good parts for maybe half that.  And I will know it's done right!  The chassis changes will include the following: 

1-  A new front frame clip.  My 425 oil pan is right against the rack, and a regular full size oil filter will not fit.  A remote oil filter adapter won't even fit!  The rack is supposed to have 3/4" spacers behind it so the rack bellows don't rub the lower a-arm bolts.  These spacers were left off so a small oil filter would fit.  Of course the bellows are torn up.  Currently the car has Sanderson headers that fit good except the front tube on each side is dimpled in a good bit to clear the upper a-arms.  FatMan fabrications makes the subframes for my car.  I ordered a custom one with changes to better suit the huge Cadillac engine.  I am lowering the crossmember 2" effectively raising the car that much.  I will then add 2" dropped spindles for the same ride height I have now.  This should give me plenty of room for Potters oil pan, oil filter, and the proper spacers behind the rack.  Hopefully I can even move the engine back some too, giving me some needed fan clearance.  I also got them to make the crossmember 5/8" wider on each side.  This should give me plenty of header clearance.  I have 5/8" narrower a-arms so there won't be trouble with rack length.  Now the tires scrub my inner fenders so this will move them out and solve that issue also.  I have plenty of tire clearance on the outside, but I will use rims with 1/4" more backspacing so I will only net 3/8" wider track per side.  While I was changing things they are making the front frame horns wider (30.5" inside to inside) so I can fit a much bigger radiator.  Cost $850 for the stub and maybe $320 or less for the spindles. 

2-  I am planning on upgrading to 12" wilwood brakes on the front...

3-  On the rear I am loosing the leaf springs to fit larger wheels in the stock wheelwells.  I am confident that 285-60-16 tires will clear.  These tires are 29.5" tall with an 11.8" section.  I plan on raising the axle in the car about 1 1/2" for a net lowering of 1/4" with the larger tires.  I ordered them with 16x9.5 rims today.  When they get here (5-6 weeks) I will place them in the wheelwells and measure to see what width rear end to order.  The rear suspension changes have been a hard decision.  I have looked at several alternatives such as truck arms, triangulated 4 links, and torque arm designs.  I want a comfortable street car that can hook reasonable well and provide good exhaust clearance.  Right now I think I will go with a three link suspension of my own design.  From all accounts the 3 link on the new Mustangs is working well.  I'm looking at adjustable BMR lower trailing arms for the newer Camaros and a similar single arm on top of the rear end for the 3rd link.  This design gives me the most exhaust clearance and best articulation of other suspensions I have considered.  I will also need either panhard bar or watts link to center the rear end.  If the tires are really close I may go with the watts link.  I am also planning on using shockwave 9000 air bag/shock combos mounted in front of the axle.  Brent at FatMan recommended the shockwaves over regular coil overs if I planned on hauling folks and luggage so I can adjust air pressure to maintain proper ride height, while still riding soft for normal cruising.  The stock stude shocks are in front of the axle and it looks like I can use the same crossmember.  If they were behind the axle both trunk floor and fuel tank would have to be modified.  The new 9" rear end will use a tru track differential, 31 splined axles, and either 11" SVO disc or 11"wilwood disc for the brakes.  Will also run a rear sway bar as this seems to be a great way to make a car leave straight! 

4- clean, scrub and paint!               

[mario]

hi dwayne:
that sounds like a well thought out ride. it should give you many good cruising miles/memories.
good luck and keep us informed.
thanks again.
ciao,
mario

[MTS Marty AKA Nashillac]

Sounds like youv'e written a business plan and it reads quite well. Construction pics along the way are expected.

[phattpat]

Damn... I can't wait until my Stude looks that good!

[53 Studillac]

Not much happening yet, but I've got some parts and a few interesting things came today that some of you might like to see! 

BMR Extreme lower control arms and Shockwaves for the rear....

[53 Studillac]

Got the fuel rails and injectors today..50 lb/hr Rochesters (same as MSD).  This intake is huge.  It's the size of a 289 ford by itself!  By the time I get air filters, linkage, and all the plumbing and nitrous stuff on it, she will weigh more than a 289 too!  I'm still begging the guys at work to finish my throttle linkage, but they promised me today that they would get it soon.  And now I can get the rails bolted down and mount the TPS.  I'm not sure about the Nitrous direct port adapters.  I sent one to Kinsler to make sure I got the appropriate injectors and their tech guy doesn't think they will work well.  I bought them from Cold Fusion Nitrous, so I called them and started asking questions.  They told me to call HPE (Horsepower Engineering in Houston, TX) to see what they would say because they use them a lot.  Well, they said that they had used many of the adapters on LS1 engines and they performed quite well on the dyno up to about a 300 shot.  But just looking at them the hole in the adapters doesn't look big enough to me when compared to the spray pattern holes on the bottom of the injectors.  Do any of you have an opinion?  I guess if they don't work well, I will just have to remake the fuel rail mounts.