Early 1920s Studebaker ?

4 minute(s) of a 173 minute read

Hi Tinindian

Thank you for the suggestion, I have been using NGK in the Lagonda for some time but have found them prone to "wet" when starting from cold if I flood the carbs.

I have just ordered a set (6) new (in the box) Champion from eBay.  Delivered to the letter box for less than I could get them from a local "Autobarn" (parts shop). It may still be a little while before I need them but I find it better to buy these things as they are available.

9-17-2017

Hello
I think I may have discovered one reason, if not the main one, as to why there has been no attempt  to persuade Studebaker engine to start.
This morning I spoke at some length to Sandra (Sandy) Tilley the daughter of the (late) Merrigum owner. She tells me that her father had owned the car for at least 30 years and in all that time it was not started.
This may be have been a very simple problem. The thread in the cylinder head to take the spark plug for the front cylinder has been stripped and a repair similar to one of todays “Helicoils” had been made but It had been “Stuck” onto the thread at the bottom of the spark plug and then for a second time the thread in the head stripped . At this  stage all attempts to repair this seem to have been have been abandoned. What is now needed is a plug  that will screw into the head and that can be drilled and taped to take a new spark plug. While doing this it may be an ideal time to make adaptors to take 14 mm spark plugs for all the six cylinders.*
Sandy also told me that her father found that after leaving it for some time the motor had become “stuck" and could not be turned over.

No further attempts to start it were made. I also discovered that I had not tightened the wheel “Nut”for the left hand rear wheel. The noise we were hearing when rocking the car back and forth was simply the hub slipping in the wheel.
* Your comments are welcome. 

We are off in the morning to drive in the Lagonda to Hamilton (200 miles) for the start of the VSCC "Wimera Wander”. 

9-22-2017

We have just returned last night from a very enjoyable four days touring in the Lagonda Rapier. Please note that is actually driving in the car not towing it in a climate controlled fully enclosed trailer. In the four days we covered about 1,600 miles mainly on narrow single lane country roads with practically no other traffic for much of the time. That is apart from things like 30/98 Vauxhauls and a Bugatti, plus one or two Lancias. When we arrived home we found that our friendly post delivery man had after realising that we were not at home brought our mail in and placed it on our front door mat. Among this mail were two parcels with USA mail and Australian Customs lables on them. A third parcel came in a local mail  bag, it contained pack with six new 18mm D 16 Champion spark plugs in it. The smaller US Mail one contained the original pattern and obviously aged Briggs & Stratton ignition key #39 to fit the Studebakers ignition/light switch. 

 A larger parcel came from Faxon Auto Literature with one of their excellent reprints of the 1920-21 Light Six service manual.

First thing was to give the internals of the switch a generous "squirt" of penetrating oil. Then after some carefully 'wiggling' the key fitted neatly into the switch after a few more minutes of gentle "wiggling" the key turns switching the Ignition part of the switch on and off. All quite remarkable after it had spent much of its 97 years unused.

I have just had a quick look through the Faxon reprint and it would appear to be a very faithful copy of the original manual with very clear and informative illustrations and written instructions. a valuable addition to my small but growing Studebaker library.

It may take a day or two to give the Lagonda a thorough service and clean then I can be back to work on the Studebaker.