Racing Studebakers!

SilverHawkDan · R3/R4 Member Joined: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 258

I was looking at the pictures of the Burke car and I remembered some very interesting things that I observed while sitting in the car. First, you might have already noticed that both door panels are still there and intact. Second, the rear arm rests complete with ash trays are there. Third, the trim that runs along the roof line and covers the edge of the headliner is still there. Fourth, the back seat trim at the top of the seat at the rear shelf is there, complete with the Studebaker emblem. Fifth, the factory roll bar is there with it's cover. Sixth, the rocker switches for lights ect. is still there.

Remove the roll cage and dog house and it's almost stock. Amazing that they decided to leave all of these items in place when they built the car. Sure adds to uniqueness of this car. When we get the car home I will take some detailed pictures of these items.
_________________
Grew up Studebaker. Family had a maximum of fourteen at one time. Drag raced successfully in Southern California. Wanting to re-live the days. Going to be flying down the salt in the Burke Avanti in 2010. 200 MHP? maybe.

SilverHawkDan · R3/R4 Member Joined: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 258

Hey everyone,

I met with Jim Moore my crew chief. He is doing a lot better and is back in fighting mode. He is out of the wheelchair and today he walked 1.4 miles unaided. How's that for forty days of work. He is meeting with the doctors and has contacted my favorite cancer fighting place, my second home, The City of Hope to get a second opinion. I took him some things that will help him learn about this amazing treatment center. I also took him a bottle of my cancer fighting suppliment. He is really determined to beat this and he plans to go to Utah in August. This made my day.

He remembers the Bukre Avanti from Bonneville. He saw it run many times. He is concerned as I am about frame integrity. I assured him that will be the first issue addressed when the car gets here. Afterall if the foundation is not firm the rest is in jeopardy. So I have a lot of people looking for a place to work on the car and know something will break soon. I am so ready to get started but doing all I can to get the ball rolling. Stay tuned, more soon.

Silver Hawk Dan
_________________
Grew up Studebaker. Family had a maximum of fourteen at one time. Drag raced successfully in Southern California. Wanting to re-live the days. Going to be flying down the salt in the Burke Avanti in 2010. 200 MHP? maybe.

Reverborama · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2009 2:54 pm Post subject:

That's great news! We can't wait to get back to Utah either -- everything is covered with snow here. Greg and I really look forward to meeting you and your crew in person!

SilverHawkDan · R3/R4 Member Joined: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 258

GREAT NEWS EVERYBODY

This was a good day. I found a place to store the Avanti and it's only five minutes from my house. I will have access to the car anytime I need it. Got the Key. So part one is set.

I met with a guy who builds custom cars. He has a big shop and lots of cool sheet metal and welding tools. He is a master craftsman. He told me he needed to think on the idea of building the Avanti in his shop and would let me know after the holidays. His shop is my first choice. He wanted to know if his son could help me with the car and I of course told him yes. So keep your fingers crossed that he says yes. I have a couple of other alternatives but of course I would choose this shop first.

I hope to pick up the car on next Thursday. Look for more soon.

Silver Hawk Dan
_________________
Grew up Studebaker. Family had a maximum of fourteen at one time. Drag raced successfully in Southern California. Wanting to re-live the days. Going to be flying down the salt in the Burke Avanti in 2010. 200 MHP? maybe.

sbca96 · Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 8:19 am Post subject:

The original Turbostude · Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 4:59 pm Post subject:

Happiness is a warm shop with a bathroom nearby!
_________________
Greg
https://salt2salt.com salt-racing a 53' coupe
https://turbostude.com 50' with turbo-flathead 6
https://turbostude.com/Tribaker 37' threewheeler

SilverHawkDan · R3/R4 Member Joined: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 258

Today I made arrangements for the temporary lettering that will be used on the car for promotional purposes. Hope to get the word out about the project and raise some support. Local TV station is planning a featrue story and then follow up to Bonneville. NBC affiliate so maybe some national coverage. Have plans to take the car to car shows, events, festivals and other high traffic events. Offering people a chance to be part of the team by helping with expenses. So far response has been great and that's without the actual car for them to see. People are already lined up to make a donation to the cause just for the privilege of having their picture taken sitting in the car. Who would have known?

Waiting for word on the shop. I expect an answer by next week. I will be taking the car by the shop for them to see and that should do the trick. I am making arrangements for the rotisserie for January and February. Hope the under side can be cleaned and coated by then. I think I have everything needed to do a full mock up and that will allow me and the crew to build the mounts and headers. Fiberglass guy wants to see the intake set up before making any changes to the hood area. He is ready to make the repairs to the cracks in the glass. Still working on a paint scheme. I'll probably leave that to the painter. Just know I want mostly white as the Bonneville sun is HOT. So look for pictures beginning next week with weekly updates. I am so ready to get started.

By the way my wife and I are picking up Dave Bloomberg and taking him with us to get the car. I really need his expert opinion on the car and it's possibilities. I feel confident he can help me keep from making mistakes and having to do things over because of a misunderstanding of the rules. Since time is crucial mistakes need to be minimized. Should have some road trip pictures by next weekend including some garage photos of Chuck's awesome R3.

Silver Hawk Dan
_________________
Grew up Studebaker. Family had a maximum of fourteen at one time. Drag raced successfully in Southern California. Wanting to re-live the days. Going to be flying down the salt in the Burke Avanti in 2010. 200 MHP? maybe.

Sonny · Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2009 3:04 am Post subject:

Always informative and thoughtful Dan. Looking forward to many, many more of your addictive updates! Thanks a million!
_________________
Sonny

Dave Bloomberg · Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 2:58 am Post subject:

Hi everyone, here its New Years eve day and Dan and his wife Kathy just dropped me off at my house at 5pm. I spent the day with them, they picked me up at my house this morning at 7:30 am for the trip to San Diego to get the Bill Burke racing Avanit with trailer. It was very nice to get to visit with them during the 3 hr trip. We first went to Chuck's house (he is the owner of the Burke racing car) to see his beautifu red R3 Avanti. He had just installed a battery in it so he was able to start it up for us, it sounded great!! He has a original R3 engine that was never run, so it was completely tore down and rebuilt to orginal specs, he has only 125 mile on the new R3 engine. He took Dan and Kathy for a fast ride around the neighborhood, whille I video'd the event. Later he came back and let me ride with Chuck driving while I video'd the drive, it was very impressive. It put a big smile on us all. Later Chuck to us over to where the Burke Avanti was stored and we prep'd it for Dan to take to his home. We aired up all the tires on the trailer and race car, then off for my house. They took some more pictures of my race car and asked some questions about the Burke car and mine. I also took some digital still pictures that I will send to Dan my e-mail so he can post them on the Racing Studebaker Web site. I promised Dan I would make up a list of requirements and tasks that need to be performed for the car to be ready to race. It looks like his racing class could be D/CBGALT, which is how the Burke family raced it last. I believe that Dan is organized very well and understands the effort to make his dream come true. So we had a great day today seeing a car with all that history. They should be home tonight in about 3 hours. Take care and Happy New Year to all, Dave
_________________
Original owner of 1963 Avanti, race my Avanti at Bonneville, Muroc Dry lake & El Mirage, presently hold world records for D/CPS at Bonneville, Muroc & El Mirage race courses.
In 2006 became member of the Bonneville 200 MPH Club.

Karl · Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 4:10 am Post subject:

thanks for the update Dave Very Happy

_________________

sbca96 · Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 11:12 am Post subject:

Sounds great. Bringing a retired 'fighter' out of retirement to make dreams
come true ... sounds like a Rocky movie.....

Do I hear a theme song?

https://www.uvm.edu/~rgarbo/Songs/Survivor%20-%20Eye%20Of%20The%20Tiger.mp3

https://it.hule.harryda.se/itda04/edvbro/proj/Survivor%20-%20Eye%20Of%20The%20Tiger.mp3

Tom

SilverHawkDan · R3/R4 Member Joined: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 258

Well it's safely home and I am ready to begin....

Yesterday Dave Bloomberg, my wife Kathy and I made the long journey down to Oceanside to pick up the Burke Avanti. It was so worth the drive. You have no idea what it is like sitting in a truck for three hours with a man that has done so much in his lifetime. I was a student learning from the master. Dave is a wealth of knowledge and was so helpful in figuring out what were the best options for using of the Avanti at Bonneville. His years of experience will really help make this project go so smoothly.

First stop after picking up Dave was Chuck's house where we were greeted by the sight of his beautiful Avanti R3 sitting in the driveway. That told me that he had gotten the battery back and we could hear it run. I had no idea what lay in store for me but it turned out to be amazing.

The battery was indeed in the car and after looking it over for a few mintues and watching Dave's eyes grow misty Chuck fired up the beast. This car sounds amazing and powerful. Dave captured the sights and sounds of the car running and as soon as I can get the tape converted to DVD I will post it. The link above was taken by my wife on our camera and you can hear the car running in the background. If I had known she was videoing I would have called for silence from the crowd. After listening to the car run for about ten minutes Chuck said the magic words. Let's go for a test drive. This was my first ride in an R3 Avanti that was all original and not modified. I had long forgotten just how awesome these cars are.

The end of the ride was unreal as Chuck stood on it at about 30 in third gear and the car started accelerating and then the magic began. The Paxton kicked in and it was like an afterburned had been ignited. I was planted in the seat and a big smile came across my face as I let the magic moment sick in. That was a moment I will not soon forget. Keep in mind this is a 125 mile car. The engine was a museum piece that had never been run. It was diassembled and then carefully reassembled to factory specs. This engine will only get better and stronger as it breaks in. I hope you feel real jealous right now. Not just of Kathy and I, but also Dave. After we got back Chuck took Dave for a ride and Dave video'd the ride. Look for it here soon. I felt like a salesman had just given me a ride in 1963 in an R3 Avanti and I was ready to buy. This car is that nice.

Left to right that's Chuck, your's truely and Dave Bloomberg.

This is something that you won't see every day. A virgin R3 engine sitting in a pristine Avanti engine bay.

<- CLICK ON THIS PICTURE FOR THE SLIDE SHOW

After dinner I'll post the rest of the story. Enjoy and happy drooling. My wife wants to know when that silly grin is going to leave my face? Might be weeks.

Silver Hawk Dan
_________________
Grew up Studebaker. Family had a maximum of fourteen at one time. Drag raced successfully in Southern California. Wanting to re-live the days. Going to be flying down the salt in the Burke Avanti in 2010. 200 MHP? maybe.

SilverHawkDan · R3/R4 Member Joined: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 258

Here is a video of the ride we took. Only wish the wife had known he was going to jump on it, she could have recorded that ride.

https://static.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=https://vid125.photobucket.com/albums/p56/dieselguy2006/DSCF1406.flv

So now that we had all had our Studebaker fix, it was on to Escondido to load the Burke car for the trip home.

We took about a half hour to prep the car for transport. Securing the back window and then making sure nothing was going to fall off. Took some pictures and then hooked it up.

We made the long trip home with a full strategy session with Dave. He is working on the loose ends and will send me the agenda and flight plan. He seemed impressed with the car and it's overall condition. We dropped him off and took this picture of the "Blue Moon" with the Avanti in the background.

Kathy and I got home about a little after ten and crashed in bed. We had left the house at 4:30 that morning so we were worn out. Woke up this morning about nine and went over and got the car to bring it home for a bath and inspection. Seems to be mostly there and a good foundation providing the frame is solid. Next week it will go to the shop for a complete underbody inspection. Look for an update with pics. I am so ready to get started. Once I do I can assrue you it will be fast and furious if I get my way. Of course it will also be careful and precise. So stay tuned and remember that drool is bad for keyboards. Here's a shot of the car in it's new temproary home.

I'll post some pics of Dave's car in it's current state tomorrow.

Silver Hawk Dan
Or maybe it's time to change my handle?
P.S. Did someone really suggest putting the Chicken Hawk motor in the Burke car?
_________________
Grew up Studebaker. Family had a maximum of fourteen at one time. Drag raced successfully in Southern California. Wanting to re-live the days. Going to be flying down the salt in the Burke Avanti in 2010. 200 MHP? maybe.

sbca96 · Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2010 9:07 am Post subject:

Jeff Rice · Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2010 1:58 pm Post subject:

Drag engines are not set up for flats racing...
Different breed within a breed.
Some parts maybe....
And from what I understand, Ted had plans for it.

sbca96 · Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2010 9:28 pm Post subject:

SilverHawkDan · R3/R4 Member Joined: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 258

I am working on a slide show of the photos that Dave B. shot of the Burke car on Thursday. As soon as it is finished I will post it.

This morning I got another piece of the puzzle locked in. I have secured a Master Car builder as the shop that will allow me and my helpers to work on the car. His shop is located in Morro Bay and is Eddie's Custom Cars. He has all the trick metal shaping tools and welders and just about everything we will need to make the car race ready. The car will be going over there on Tuesday and if we can make room it will go in the shop that day. If not sometime during the week. Monday I hope to raise the car on a lift at Otis Auto Body where the car is located right now to do an inspection of the frame and under body with photographic documentation. Tomorrow I am going over to secure the rear window and some other things that need to be done to make the car ready for transport to Morro Bay. So things are moving along as planned and I am ready to go to work.

Here are some pics of Dave Bloombergs car in it's present state. Nice to see it in person. Learned a lot from looking at his set up.

So that's it for now. More later.

Silver Hawk Dan
_________________
Grew up Studebaker. Family had a maximum of fourteen at one time. Drag raced successfully in Southern California. Wanting to re-live the days. Going to be flying down the salt in the Burke Avanti in 2010. 200 MHP? maybe.

SilverHawkDan · R3/R4 Member Joined: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 258

Here are the twenty photos that Dave Bloomberg took of the Avanti. I put them into a slide show for easy viewing and space savings. Enjoy the show. Popcorn anyone?

Silver Hawk Dan

<-Click on the pic
_________________
Grew up Studebaker. Family had a maximum of fourteen at one time. Drag raced successfully in Southern California. Wanting to re-live the days. Going to be flying down the salt in the Burke Avanti in 2010. 200 MHP? maybe.

Tom Osborne · Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2010 6:57 am Post subject:

Regarding race type motors, Drags and Marine, Salt, I wonder about this at times. Ken Kelly a famous Bonneville racer lost his new $30,000 big block in 2005 at bonneville.,, In 2006 on the way to speedweek his 16 year old motor man built a wrecker motor including a few parts from the expensive one that blew up. Ken was really wingin it and the crew built a 454 " Chevy that set the record. It was not balanced other than on a paint scale in Sacremento. But this was OK as the boys knew what values the crank had based on Data. I had breakfast with Ken at the salt flat cafe, Let me tell you this, I never met him before, and thought he was only a fan, When the rest of his crew showed up for breakfast, They told him to stop drooling so he could eat. I felt like a major fool when I asked who is the driver?? He was the Elderly gent sitting beside us. Ken pointed to the young fella across the table ( looked like a grade 7 student) 269 MPH on a wrecker motor is not too shabby. Very humbling to listen to this young fella, made me want to just go out and bury my Studebaker. It was easy to see why Ken was drooling, He was nearly 80 and his first one way pass was 269 mph. Just does not get any more cooler than that .
_________________
"First by far with a post war car"
TOM-O-HAWK STREET/STRIP Project

SilverHawkDan · R3/R4 Member Joined: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 258

Well today I found out I'm really in trouble. I told the wife I was going to go get the Avanti ready to go Morro Bay tomorrow. She said "Oh going to see your new Mistress are you?" I've been found out. This project is probably going to cost me another Diamond ring. SO WHAT!!! I'm going to get to drive the Burke Avanti at SPEED! That makes it so worth it. Don't you agree?

So I secured the back window and the front window and tried some of our Kent products out on the car. Our Speedy 500 removes the marks left by the car cover and even most of the blemishes. The plan is to buff out the car and use it with some new vinyl lettering until July. Will race it at El Mirage and show it at the Pismo Beach car show among others until then. Should come out of the paint shop ready to race with it's new look.

So tomorrow the car goes to the shop that will be working along side of my crew and I to get the car ready for El Mirage. I will post some pictures of the day. It will be the first time the car has been off the trailer. Have been invited to bring the car to the Donut Derelicts car show on Saturday. Will post those pics on Sunday.

Silver Hawk Dan
_________________
Grew up Studebaker. Family had a maximum of fourteen at one time. Drag raced successfully in Southern California. Wanting to re-live the days. Going to be flying down the salt in the Burke Avanti in 2010. 200 MHP? maybe.

SilverHawkDan · R3/R4 Member Joined: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 258

Tonight I made a major discovery about the Burke Avanti and as soon I as have the proof I will share it here.

Things are going well with the project and I feel so blessed.

Dan
_________________
Grew up Studebaker. Family had a maximum of fourteen at one time. Drag raced successfully in Southern California. Wanting to re-live the days. Going to be flying down the salt in the Burke Avanti in 2010. 200 MHP? maybe.

Dave Bloomberg · Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2010 5:28 am Post subject:

Dan, I'm very impressed by your organizationa skills and plans/schedules. your doing great, can't wait to see your race car at El Mirage!!!!! Laughing

Take care, Dave
_________________
Original owner of 1963 Avanti, race my Avanti at Bonneville, Muroc Dry lake & El Mirage, presently hold world records for D/CPS at Bonneville, Muroc & El Mirage race courses.
In 2006 became member of the Bonneville 200 MPH Club.

SilverHawkDan · R3/R4 Member Joined: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 258

Dave,

Thanks for the compliment. I learned a long time ago that failing to plan things through the natural progression leads to frustration. No time for that now, so get organized or hire someone to do all these things. No money to hire someone, so get on the ball. To tell the truth I am enjoying this part of the project. I am finding out that there are a lot of amazing people hanging around the world of Studebakers. I feel blessed just to be getting to know them. To bad they don't let you race side by side at El Mirage. We could line up the four or five Avanti's and have a real exciting race. Fun to think about but not a good idea in reality. Take care Dave and I will talk to you soon.

Dan
_________________
Grew up Studebaker. Family had a maximum of fourteen at one time. Drag raced successfully in Southern California. Wanting to re-live the days. Going to be flying down the salt in the Burke Avanti in 2010. 200 MHP? maybe.

SilverHawkDan · R3/R4 Member Joined: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 258

Take a good look at the picture. That smile is on my face because Eddie of Eddie's Custom Cars just agreed to sign on as the official restoration shop for the Burke Avanti. He wanted to see the car before he committed to the project. Now he is bitten by the Bonneville bug. He has salt fever and the only cure is a good dose of high speed excitement. So we are off and running. Here are some more pictures of todays adventure.

We ran out of time and daylight so no pics of the car in the back of the shop waiting for it's special spot in the shop. The car is going back to San Luis for a day for an under car inspection Friday and then going to the car show in Pismo on Saturday and then back to Morro Bay for the hot rodders gathering. Word is spreading rapidly about this famous car being in the area. When we were at the ball game this morning before heading to the shop, a guy pulled up in a truck and asked if this was the Avanti he had heard about coming to Morro Bay to be made ready for Bonneville. He told me the whole gathering had been buzzing about the car. So I just hope that buzz translates into financial and physical support. The car sure is a head turner when your towing it down the road. So more pics and an update on Friday.

By the way it is confirmed that this is 63R-1006 Avanti that came with
RS-1006 224 cubic inch supercharged engine. More on that later.

Silver Hawk Dan
_________________
Grew up Studebaker. Family had a maximum of fourteen at one time. Drag raced successfully in Southern California. Wanting to re-live the days. Going to be flying down the salt in the Burke Avanti in 2010. 200 MHP? maybe.

stewed · R2 Member Joined: 16 Aug 2006 Posts: 109

Dan,I hope that your book publisher isn't ready to print yet,as
it liik's like you'll have to add a few more chapters!

mbstude · Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 2:59 am Post subject:

This is all amazing...

I'm glad I'm able to watch it all happen.

Dan, thank you for keeping us updated. Cool

_________________
Matthew Burnette
Your Friendly Stude Trim Bender

Starlight Stainless
912-253-3037

SilverHawkDan · R3/R4 Member Joined: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 258

OK I don't know what happened but the pics I tried to post didn't go through. So I will try again.
[img]

[/img]
[img]

[/img][img]
[/img]

[img]
[/img]

[img]

Hopefully they will magically appear this time.

Good news. My good friend Kevin is coming to SLO town on Friday to see and measure the car for the vinyl lettering that will be used until the new paint job is applied. He is going to come by the shop where I will be doing the frame inspection.

Also today I talked to one of my sponsors, Westside Auto Parts and they also own National Auto Glass. They are going to check out the back window and advise me as to the best course of action on installation ect. They are also locating a new gasket for the window for when the final install is completed.

I may have new problem. Everyone I talk to wants to be part of the project. I don't know that there are that many things that need to be done by my customers shops. So I will need to be creative. But I count that as a nice problem to have. The alternative being that no one cares or wants anything to do with it. So a little progress every day.

Dan[/img]
_________________
Grew up Studebaker. Family had a maximum of fourteen at one time. Drag raced successfully in Southern California. Wanting to re-live the days. Going to be flying down the salt in the Burke Avanti in 2010. 200 MHP? maybe.

SilverHawkDan · R3/R4 Member Joined: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 258

WOW! What a day. I spent six hours working and documenting the underbody of the Avanti. It took 45 minutes just to get the car into the shop. Didn't realize that the steering linkage was rusted up and you couldn't turn the steering wheel. Didn't know the rear brakes were rusted tight. It took five people, four wheel dollies, a truck towing the car onto the rack. But we made it without doing too much damage.

Took 83 pictures of the frame, suspension, steering, hog troughs ect. I spent an hour removing the steering linkage and freeing it all up. My company, Kent Automotive, makes a product called Rusty that I used to free up the heim joints and the king pins. Man that salt is nasty stuff. Luckily Rusty dissolves rust. So now the car steers.

Removed the rear drums and found the entire brake system is rusted up. Will need new wheel cylinders and adjusters. Not even Rusty could free them up. Although if I tried them tomorrow they might be free. I had to remove one of them to make the car able to be pushed, so I will check that one this weekend.

The bottom of the frame will need to be replaced on both sides at the bend (drop) point behind the axle. Nothing major and also some work will need to be done on the right hog trough front and back. Strange thing, the frame is worse on the drivers side and the hog trough is worse on the passenger side. Go figure. Here are a few pictures from today's adventure.

Tomorrow is a busy day. First the Pismo Beach gathering and then on to Morro Bay for the car gathering there. Then around the corner to Eddie's shop to off load the car into the shop. I'll get the wife to take some pictures. The car definetly attracts attention wherever you go. That's it for now. More later this weekend.
[img]

[

/img]
[img][/img]
[img]

[/img]
[img]

[/img]

Dan
_________________
Grew up Studebaker. Family had a maximum of fourteen at one time. Drag raced successfully in Southern California. Wanting to re-live the days. Going to be flying down the salt in the Burke Avanti in 2010. 200 MHP? maybe.

Jeff Rice · Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2010 1:26 pm Post subject: Re: First day off trailer

One of the downsides of salt flat racing, huh?
Takes longer to clean up after the race than to prep for the race.

Why is it that salt hates Studebakers more than others? Embarassed

Hang in there!
Jeff Cool

SilverHawkDan wrote:

WOW! What a day. I spent six hours working and documenting the underbody of the Avanti. It took 45 minutes just to get the car into the shop. Didn't realize that the steering linkage was rusted up and you couldn't turn the steering wheel. Didn't know the rear brakes were rusted tight. It took five people, four wheel dollies, a truck towing the car onto the rack. But we made it without doing too much damage.
<snip>
Dan

SilverHawkDan · R3/R4 Member Joined: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 258

The wife and I took the Avanti to two car gatherings today. The first is one that has been written up in several car magazines, the Pismo Beach Donut Derelicts. Over 200 cars today. The Burke Avanti was the hit of the gathering. Several people there remember seeing the car at Bonneville. I met some local Bonneville guys and they are willing to help me round up parts for the project. Handed out about twenty flyers so hopefully support will follow. Here are some pics the wife took. four rows of nothing but cars of every stripe.
[img]

[/img]
[img]

[/img]
That last shot is about what it was like the whole time we were there. Everybody came by to see the newest kid on the block. There was a Studebaker truck and a GT at the show. So busy with the car didn't have time to meet the owners. Next time.
After the Pismo gathering we drove out to the beach for the Morro Bay gathering. Only about thirty cars there but the guys were following me around the parking lot while I tried to figure out the best place to park it. Again lots of interest in the car and the project. There was a beautiful 53 there. Black with a blown small block. Wife didn't take a picture there for some unknown reason. Unless I didn't get them out of the camera. I will check on that.
[img]

[/img]
Here's a pic taken just before we off loaded the car at Eddie's Custom Cars. Notice the famous Morro rock and the three stacks from the generating plant. Been used in a lot of movies. Next is the picture of the car sitting in the back of Eddie's shop. Car will go into the shop Monday or Tuesday to get set up for brake repair and engine and trans mock up.
[img]

[/img]
So that's the story. Hope to post some in progress shots of the work that gets done next week. Got to get some brakes on this baby. Too hard to load and unload without them. Just need wheel cylinders and adjusters to get them working. Will add new shoes and hardware during the differential inspection. Hope to get up to Gordon's next week to pick up the engine and trans for the mock up staging. Keep checking back.

Dan
_________________
Grew up Studebaker. Family had a maximum of fourteen at one time. Drag raced successfully in Southern California. Wanting to re-live the days. Going to be flying down the salt in the Burke Avanti in 2010. 200 MHP? maybe.