232" Big Block

I want to give you the straight scoop. At age 17, (1962!!!) I was driving Dad's 54' Commander back and forth to work in East L.A. whenever the Model A needed another transmission (12 times!). 
You had to shift it about 100 times to get to work. O.D, no O.D, free wheeling??? About as thrilling as as his Henry J but it had glasspacks.
Dick and I coerced Dad into picking up a 283 and a Powerglide on Ford Blvd. We trashed the 232/3spd and what a nice driving car now!

 On Monday, Chuck came by to help me get the hood off the Stude. I just don't see removing this by myself. 
We hung it in the garage next to the driver quality front seat (actually pretty nice). 
The hood won't be back on for at least a year so this is a very safe place to store it.

I was ready with the 232 and transmission completely disconnected so in about 15 minutes about 700lbs of Studebaker gold was out, wrapped in plastic and an old sheet. Sixty-two years of dirt/grease from the heads back.

 

 I have cleaned, re-bushed, and painted the rear springs and installed a 93' Ranger 8.8 rear axle assembly to replace the tapered axle Dana 44. I found a 3.08 ratio axle assembly with only 6k miles on it-like new. Should be a decent driver ratio with a Turbo 350.

Now comes the nasty part, scraping 62 years of crud off the under carriage back to the rear of the doors.

Interesting... under all those mounds of dirty grease are zircs. Some items have 2 and the steering knuckles have 6 on each side. No apparent wear other than the control arm bushings!
Disgusting work ahead...