Reply To: What would the never produced 1934 Studebaker-based P-A’s have looked like?

[Paul J. West]

Glad you are all enjoying these explorations!

Tony,

Your ’37 Studebaker President is one of my favorite cars of that period regardless of price, very advanced styling and with all the wonderful features you mentioned. Halfway into this period video on Studebaker’s 1934 all-steel bodies is a cliff-falling demo of yet another attribute – battleship strength – which carried into your series.

Yes, your car has 9 inches added forward of firewall, with shared Dictator bodies aft rather than 4 inch longer bodies like ‘34-35. The common roof was most likely chosen because it was, I believe, a single stamped piece, which required an expensive die and press.

Checked engine gaskets online to guestimate block length of Studebaker’s Six and 250 and 337 Eights, and P-A’s Eight. Scaling images based on known bore diameters, appeared to be about 24 inches for the Six, upwards of 30 inches for the 250 Eight and around 33-34 inches for the 337 and Pierce Eight. In 1934-5, Studebaker added 6 inches to hood (aka front axle-to-dash) to go from Six to 250 Eight. From 1938-42 they added 5-1/2 inches. This squares with the lengths guestimated. But in ’36-37 a full 9 inches was added. Why?

My hypothesis is that in 1934 when the ’36 was being designed, Studebaker was still holding out the possibility of re-introducing its 337 Eight. Looking at several pictures of ’36-37 Studebaker engine bays it appears that there is a 3-4 inch space between the engine block and fan that is not there in the shorter wheelbase Six or in 250 Eights prior or subsequent to that series. There is also a bracket projecting out from the block to span the distance, which am not sure supports the belt or serves some other purpose.

If the hypothesis is correct, you may well be able to fit a 337 Eight or even a big Pierce Eight under hood. Wouldn’t THAT be something!

Have been exploring Pierce-Arrow design possibilities based on the ’36-37 Studebaker, will share soon. Is admittedly like projecting the path of a hurricane but we know much more than we may realize.