Nostalgia is described as a bittersweet emotional state involving a wistful or sentimental longing for a past period, person, or place. I know in my life time I have been guilty of trying to live in the past. In Ecclesiastes 7:10 the wise man says ” Do not say, why were the old days better than these? for it is… Continue reading Chapter 10 – Nostalgia

I have had the Silver Hawk for nearly 2 months now and I must say that it runs and drives quite well for a seventy year old car. Sometimes I wonder why I would even want to do the upgrades I have planned. Even the overdrive on the transmission works, though it has a separate cable switch that you have… Continue reading Chapter 9 – A Crossroad

Even though there is some serious rust in the trunk of the Silver Hawk, it does not have to be immediately addressed. Luckily it is mostly confined to the area around the bumper and well. It will be necessary to drop the gas tank in order to adequately stop the rust and make any needed repairs. So for now I… Continue reading Chapter 8 – Relocating the Battery

I would like to pause for a moment and explain a little bit about how my brain works. Some might say how it doesn’t work. “Oh Hi Brenda!” So am I allowed to do that? Sure you are. It’s your blog you can do whatever you like. See, things like that where I talk to myself and answer my own… Continue reading Chapter 7 – Welcome to My World

Sorry for the pun but if you don’t have good brakes you could be in for some bad breaks. The concept of the disc brake has been around since the late 1800s but was not used extensively in automobiles until the 1960s. Disc brakes were first used on the race track by Jaguar in the 1953 Le Mans where they… Continue reading Chapter 6 – Brakes or Breaks

For me, part of the fun in planning the upgrades for the Silver Hawk lies in the challenge of choosing the correct components that will all work together. There is not a one stop Studebaker Superstore that sells all of the parts needed to convert to front disc brakes, modern dual circuit master cylinder, correct ratio brake and clutch pedal… Continue reading Chapter 5- Future Plans For the Silver Hawk

It’s easy to lose focus when contemplating a somewhat complex project like upgrading and restoring an older vehicle to modern standards. Perhaps there is a subtle difference between restoring and upgrading. I have been thinking in terms of taking an old vehicle, maybe not even running and getting it back on the road. For instance I found a beautiful 1957… Continue reading Chapter 4 – How I Ended Up with a 1957 Studebaker Silver Hawk

What is a “Car Guy”? I consulted google to find out. “A car guy is someone whose passion for automobiles goes beyond simple transportation—they see cars as an extension of identity, culture, and art”. I do not consider myself to be a car guy. In fact I just want to be known for being known for nothing. So far that… Continue reading Chapter 3 – The Mystery Car Has a Name

Sometimes I begin to second guess what kind of project vehicle I really want to restore. There are many interesting cars that appeal to me. I found this early Dodge Wayfarer. After WW2 Dodge was switching from primarily military vehicles back to domestic automobiles. The wayfarer was developed as a small entry level sedan cruiser. It has a distinctive 50’s… Continue reading Chapter 2 – The Search Continues

Brenda Lee — the boat that gave me years of great memories, good friends, and unforgettable days on the Gulf of Mexico. Hi, this is Joe or Joey depending on how long you may have known me. It started earlier this year, when I made a decision I knew was eventually coming. After many years of offshore fishing, it was… Continue reading Chapter 1 – The Search for My Next Project