Issue #24
The Jet Thrust News (JTN) is intended to
provide a link among owners and enthusiasts of the R1, R2, R3 and R4 powered
Studebaker Larks and Hawks built for 1963 and 1964 model years. We seek not
only information about surviving cars but also components which exist from
parted or scrapped vehicles. Please submit all the data of which you are aware
on any of the nearly 2000 such cars built.
JTN is now offered at no charge via email.
Hard copy distribution has been discontinued except for special purposes as
arrange by your editor. Ownership is not required, only keen interest and a
sharp eye. Please write, call or email. Please do not send subscription funds.
EDITOR &
ROSTER KEEPER..... G.J. (Ron) Ellerbe, P.O. Box
1783, Simi Valley, CA 93062
Phone: (805)-522-4544 Email: ellerbe@pacbell.net
Founding
Editor: Don
Curtis Past Editor: George Krem
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JT Production
Lists by Serial Number
These listings tabulate all cars built by
serial and engine number and a few additional details. They are useful for
determining the factory original state of that JT car and/or JT engine origins.
The 1964 list has more information on each car than the 1963 list, however, the
1963 list has nearly 3 times more vehicles.
Each listing is $10. To order either, make checks payable to G.J.
Ellerbe and remit to the address above. These listings are not a replacement
for production order documentation. JTN
highly recommends obtaining the production order (build sheet) for any car that
a reader may own. The Studebaker National Museum offers such a service.
JT Owners
Rosters:
There are 3 rosters: 1) owners of 1963 JT cars, 2) owners of 1964 JT cars, and 3) owners of engines pulled from
JT cars. These read only files are now free of charge and available only by email.
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All address corrections should be sent to the
editor.
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If you have a JT car to report, please supply
the editor with the year, model, body style, VIN (driver’s door post), body #
(firewall), engine type, engine # (top of block on driver’s side),
transmission, interior and exterior colors. If it’s a ’63, please note if it
has front fender badges and 160mph speedometer. Send photos, too. For a loose
JT or JTS engine, send the engine # and any info on the donor car.
A permanent goal of the JTN is the maintenance of the owner rosters of
‘63 and ‘64 JT cars and loose engines. These 3 rosters are published on the PC.
Reports of JT cars that the JTN receives go into the rosters. That includes
changes of ownership, engine transplants, survivor discoveries and news of
parted and crushed vehicles. “Loose” means the engine is no longer in its
original car. The roster trio is available as shown on the title page. The JTN
keeps a library of photos and build sheets. Please send JTN your photos and
build sheet along with that JT story. Amazingly, discoveries of surviving cars
and engines continue to roll in. With the aid of the readership, we do our best
to track down sightings and reports of JT equipped cars. JTN relies on its
readers to report such sightings and to aid in identification. On line ad
services of
Another part of the JTN mission is sharing of technical and historical
information about Studebaker high performance from South Bend and Paxton
Products during the 1963 and 1964 model years.
JTN continues to roster and track reports of R3 and R4 engines and ’64
Avantis as well as assist roster efforts by others for ’58 Packard Hawks (Mike
Williams) and ’56 Golden Hawks (Frank Ambrogio).
Surviving cars found since the last
issue
Owner |
Car |
(S) Viril Layton |
63V15720 R2 Daytona hardtop |
David Streb |
63V19089 R1 GT Hawk |
Vedaslover |
63V8027 R2 Daytona hardtop |
John Poulos |
63V12990 R1 GT Hawk |
Jim Kuhn |
63V12361 R2 GT Hawk |
Steve Doerschlag |
63V8227 R2 GT Hawk |
(S) indicates source of info, not owner
Cars parted
Owner |
Car |
Comment |
Denny Lockmon |
63V18661 R2 Daytona Hardtop |
Car was dismantled 30 + years ago |
Found engines
Owner |
Number |
Luther Jackson |
JTK302 |
Paul Crotty |
JT1039 from 63V2049 GT Hawk |
Cars sold
New Owner |
Car |
Last owner |
Barry Snitzer |
64V17415 R1 GT Hawk |
Russell Melton |
Luther Jackson |
63V24909 R2 Custom 2 door |
unknown |
Mike Shaffer |
64V1450 R1 GT Hawk |
Nelson Bove |
John Barrier |
63V29274 R2 package Custom 2 door |
Jim Treat |
Ed Conn |
63V26241 R2 GT Hawk |
Dan Tucker |
Asa Hall’s 64 GT
The late Asa Hall, Studebaker collector
extraordinaire, owned R1 package 4 speed GT Hawk 64V10474. The car was included in an auction
announcement for his collection. The auction was scheduled for September 2005. A photo of the
car was published on the web site of the auction agency. The car is no longer Strato Blue.
It appears to be Regal Red with a white sport roof.
Luther Jackson’s R2 ’63
Custom
The Blue Mist 2 door Custom
63V24909 has been acquired by Luther. The car has no transmission
(Flightomatic), engine, trim or front sheet metal. The car is restorable and
Luther is acquiring parts for its restoration. Something other than a
Flightomatic is planned for a transmission. The car was parked in a Southern
Alabama field for many years.
Bill Turner’s R1
Convertible Resurfaces
63V32697 was rostered by JTN
more than ten years ago as the property of Buffalo, MO resident Bill Turner. In
the meantime, JTN lost track of Bill and the car. With the aid of sharp web
search skills of Richard Yeats, JTN delightedly discovered the car on Ebay in
July ’05 from a seller on Monett, MO. Both Monett and Buffalo are suburbs of
Springfield, MO in the Southwest corner of the state. The 4 speed, non-package
car is in very fine condition, sporting a sharp red paint job instead of the
original Blue Mist. The ebay ad had copious photos and production statistics.
The car is straight and showed a clean and nicely detailed engine compartment.
JTN hopes to keep track of the car henceforth. Readers can help.
John Barrier and the Super
Red R2 Package Custom
John Barrier of Omaha, NE is
the lucky new owner of a serious JT restoration project. The 2 door 4 speed
car, 63V29274, is the former property of Wisconsin’s Jim Treat. JTN learned of
the car’s survival around the time of the SDC Red Wing, MN meet. The car is
rough but intact and John plans to bring it back to its original glory. The car
will live temporarily and begin restoration in Minnesota. The car was one of
many originally sold at Rapid City, SD and is very similar to a car owned by
Wisconsin’s Jim Pepper.
Jim has acquired the ’63 R2
clone GT Hawk previously owned by Joe Riemer owned that has engine JTS1259
transplanted into it. The car has a number of authenticity problems that Jim
plans to correct. Jim has reported on a
Blue Mist ’63 R1 convertible 4 speed that is in the possession of a Wisconsin
family. At press time the identification of the car was being sought. The car
is known to be a factory R1 model but no longer has its original engine, frame
or body tags. The car has been off the road for nearly 40 years.
Steve has acquired the ’63 R2
GT Hawk discovered in Ft. Collins, CO. The Regal Red 4 speed car with black
interior, 63V8227, was found in long term indoor storage. Non-factory traction
bars have been added to the car. The blower and blower setup are missing but
the car is otherwise intact. Steve asks if
the car could have been dragged by Tanner.
Roger Bawdon and 64V1378
A late report from Roger on
this R1 Daytona hardtop 4 speed from Texas indicates that restoration is well
along and the car will be a fine example of the Daytona in Red. An engine has
built for the car with reworded heads, R3 pieces, and a Ted Harbit cam.
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Wanted:
A 1964 Studebaker Commander 2-door sedan with a V-8 and stick shift. Others
considered. Please call Gene at (618)-476-7313, IL.
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Wanted:
Rebuildable 259 or 289 block, full flow. Replaces a damaged block on a R2 GT
Hawk. Contact the editor on behalf of Doug Tjapkes.
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Wanted: GT Hawk fiberglass tunnel piece for mounting the
Powershift shifter. Jim Pepper jpepper@wi.rr.com