Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[bsa500]

I have acquired a Studebaker 1948 Champion engine(170 ci/2.8 Litre). Six cylinders of simple sexiness. My question is are there any engine part suppliers in the UK. There are plenty in the USA but if possible I would like to source as much as possible here.

[stuchamp]

I'm sure this group could give you some leads.
http://www.studebakerownersclub.org.uk/

[V8 Nutter]

Buy a copy of Classic American, many of the advertisers in there should be able to help. Take a look at the Rockauto website they are in America but their service is second to none. The Pre 50 A.A.C. are very good for older Americans. They had about 15 Studebakers at their main rally last year.

[bsa500]

Thanks for the replies. The engine is seized at the moment, nothing to serious just due to sitting about. Had the head off(only took ten minutes how simple is that) and a little rust around two pistons. Poured in plenty of plus gas so should move soon. Just need a carb, fuel pump glass bowl and some sort of generator. I will go for a 12 volt alternator so any suggestions?. Long way off as I have to tidy up and weld a bit on the chassis.

[V8 Nutter]

Many years ago there was an old guy lived near Leighton Buzzard, he has probably passed away now, but he called his house Studebaker Ranch and he had sheds full of Studebaker parts.

[Mog]

Place a block of wood on a piston and give it a bump with a heavy hammer. It should then move with the impact.

[baconsdozen]

Plus gas is good for freeing off stuck pistons. Pouring really hot water in the block helps too,see if you can scrape the muck out above the top ring with a feeler gauge etc so the freeing agent can penetrate better.
Use a wooden block just smaller than the piston but tap gently,you should hear a different note when the piston is free.
_________________
Thirty years selling imperial hand tools for old machinery(Now happily retired).

[Ashley]

In the past I've rarely had any success freeing seized pistons, even using a press has distorted forged ones! It doesn't take much for the rings to rust onto the bores, but it takes all hell to free them safely.

However I was talking to a chap who's just retired from P & A Wood in Essex and he told me that they free off lots of old Rolls-Royce's by pouring boiling oil into the plug holes and rocking the car back and forth in top gear. He described the method as amazingly successful.

[peter scott]

The problem with freeing seized engines is that you are often trying to un-seize more than one cylinder at a time since they are all connected to the crankshaft.

If this proves difficult then it helps to take the main bearing caps off.
You can try taking the big end caps off but inability to rotate the crank may limit the number that can be detached.

Peter
_________________
https://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[BigJohn]

Keep an eye on the classifieds here for parts:

http://www.hemmings.com/