These included:
A problem with the charging system that caused the alternator to go to full charge and then cut back every few seconds. When driving at night the headlights would go from full light to normal every few seconds. Sometime after dad's passing I checked out the electrical system and found there was not a ground cable from the battery (-) terminal to the engine block. I fabricated a cable from 8 gauge wire, problem fixed! I decided that the only engine ground to the battery Neg Terminal (frame side of battery) was via the throttle linkage!!

A few years ago the Chrysler alternator quit charging and rather than having it rebuilt and purchasing a new regulator. I had an old GM alternator that was in rebuildable condition. I had a friend of mine rebuild the GM alternator and convert it to a one wire alternator. I also found that the OEM wide belt pulley from the stock 6 volt generator would interchange with the pulley on the GM 12 volt alternator. COOL!! This would allow me to use the proper width of belt that the other pulleys were designed to fit. The OEM generator pulley is a little larger in diameter than the OEM 12 volt alternator but not enough to be a charging problem. I modified the lower mounting bracket and purchased a chrome aftermarket alternator blacket for the adjustable top mount. I checked the belt alignment, and was good to go!

The oil filter adaptor is from Summit Racing Equiptment. The oil filter is a PH8 shorty. and does as good as the pleated canister filter and is alot cheaper when it comes time to buy a new filter for an oil change.

A problem with the Vintage Carter carburator flooding the engine randomly with fuel. In June of this year, 2007, I decided I was going to get to the bottom of this flooding issue I got the Vintage carburetor out from the old box in the shop, (I had been running a 1 BBl Motorcraft carb from a 1982 Ford, 300 CID, 6 cyl. I had welded up a pipe reducer to two homemade 1/4" steel flanges to make a carburetor adapter.) and armed with a Studebaker Factory shop Manual, I went over the Carter BBR1- 2125S carburetor checking each factory spec. The Stubebaker shop manual made referance to take special attention that the float pin was being held securly down in it's slot by the pin retainer strap, Sure enough the float pivot pin was not being held down into the pivot pin slot. This let the float get pushed up about a 1/16", this let the fuel level raise in the fuel bowl and flood the engine. FIXED! I sure do wish I had found this problem when dad was alive cause it sure would have saved him alot of frustration stalled along the roadside.

The factory 6 volt fuel gauge had quit working many years ago. Dad and I had put an after market gauge under the dash. This after market gauge was very inaccurate, the gauge read 1/2 full when the fuel tank was full and empty when the fuel tank was 1/2 full or less. I wanted to retain the stock 6 volt gauge with the updated 12 volt system. At StudebakerParts.com I read and then built a 12 to 6 volt regulator for a new OEM fuel gauge. I was going to also use 2 voltage regulators in parallel to supply the needed current to also run the 6 volt electric wiper motor. That didn't work, i think the wiper motor just draws too much current. so i used 12 to 6 volt reducers in paralell to up the current, and checked it under load with a voltmeter. The electronic regulator works great and is a very good design and the parts were available locally. Although, they are discontinued at Radio Shack.

The OEM Studebaker cloth covered wiring harness no longer has enough insulation left to keep the smoke in. Dad and I have patched, replaced sections and been very leery of disturbing the existing rotten cloth covered wiring any more than was absolutely needed to make repairs. I could not put off the Wiring harness replacement off any longer, as there were "electrical worms" causing turn signal and lighting problems. Wiggling wires to get the turn signals to work was becoming too common. This has been fixed with the installation of a EZ2WIRE.NET universal wiring harness, Purchased on eBay. The 22 circuit wiring harness is overkill for the # of circuits that i need at the present time. I felt that someday I may want to add a radio or other accessories to the pickup. This 22 circuit harness will allow me to do that with out adding addition fuses or power wiring.

The wiring harness does not come with ring terninal ends supplied. I wanted my rewiring job to use as much of the OEM Studebaker terminals as were salvagable. I tried to find a wiring diagram for the 55 Stude pickup on the internet. I was able to find a wiring diagram at www.studebakerparts.com I saved the image and used my paint program to move / remove wiring and wiring connections from the diagram. Then I saved the image as E5 wiring, All is well, then a week later our computer crashes and my wiring diagram in the computer is lost!, lucky for me I had printed one copy! I used my printed diagram to verify the dash wiring connections and where the wires went too, What item they connected, and also, from where they came from. I made a diagram of the dash, engine compartment, front lights, turn signals and horn.

Click on image for expanded veiw.

The OEM Studebaker heater fan switch had a burnt out resistor wire so it would only operate on High speed. I removed the screws from inside the cab under the dash, gently pulled the knob straight off of the heater switch, removed the attaching nut, (being careful not to scratch the climatizer bezel) and removed the defroster flow control from ontop of the heater box, I was lucky that all 3 screws were loose enough to get them out with out too much trouble, because there is not an easy way to get on 2 of them without a 90 degree screw driver, and even then you get about 1 chance before the screw heads are rounded over. I dropped one of the screws, yes, I did eventualy find it. I slid the heater box back just enough to remove the fan switch, with the wires still attached to the switch, from the back side of the dash.

I had a unused 12 volt heater fan speed control and was happy to find that it was tha same size and even the OEM Studebaker control knob would fit! I installed the switch, but the heater box back in place, defroster flow control (with a little grease on each screw to ease removal, if there ever is a next time.

These were the major issues....... and I have attacked them one at a time to get them fixed.

The 6 volt horn required a voltage reducer to work on 12 volts.

Wires to headlights at radiator support.

I used a terminal strip for the turn signal connections under the dash.

I used a terminal strip at the rear frame to connect the rear lighting, this also will make it easy to add a trailer connection in the future.

I mounted the electric fuel pump on the fuel tank bracket.

Apr. 13, 2008.
I have received several emails about the location of where the oil galley is taped for the oil filter. I took a couple of pictures of the oil filter attachment points.
The oil outlet point is on the casting for the oil galley for the camshaft, and the oil return is into the oil filler pipe.
The line is 3/16" O.D. tubing and the return line is 1/4" O.D. tubing, I would think this is to restrict the amount of oil going to the filter so as to not starve the engine bearings for oil.

Over the next several days, weeks or months (not years) I plan to get Dad's Little 185 Champion powered 55 back up in dependable condition. SOoooooo check back often to see my progress, and even my mistakes.
see ya,
Wayne
................................................. to be continued....

Click on the pictures for full size images.

Champion Flathead:

Carburetor: Carter BBR1 # 2125S

Chassis and Transmission:

Manual 3 speed with Over Drive:

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