Garage Kept Motors
420 36TH ST. SE
GRAND RAPIDS, MI 49548
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"1946 Studebaker Custom Pickup
- Built 468ci V8
- Weiland 871 Supercharger
- Dual Holley 950 Carburetors
- Ceramic Coated Headers with Borla Mufflers
- Built and Modified 4L80E Transmission
- Ford 9"" Rear End
- Ground Up Restored
- Custom Built Chassis
- Power Disc Brakes
The Studebaker brand though now defunct, was at one time one of the most enduring transportation brands in automotive history. Studebaker was the only carriage builder to successfully transition into an automotive manufacturer in the late 1800's and produced cars until early 1964. Always groundbreaking in design and engineering, they produced some of the earliest electric cars at the turn of the century. Studebaker begin building trucks in 1932 that quickly earned a reputation as a truck that offered hard-working substance along with style. Featured here is custom built 1946 Studebaker ""hot rod"" M-5 truck, appropriately named ""The Bulldog"", this build represents an amazing interpretation of the innovative and ruggedness of this brand of classic trucks.
The paint on this truck has been professionally applied over well executed body work. It is an older paint job that has been well maintained but does have a few minor chips as this truck was driven to shows, however the paint still shines with a bright luster. The rear bed fenders have been widened 4 inches to conceal the massive 31X18.50 15 inch tires Hoosier Pro street tires mounted on Wel Pro polished aluminum wheels. The rear bumper has been removed and a custom roll pan completes the natural curves of this 40's era truck. Custom bullet-style cups hold the brake lights with reverse lights mounted below the roll pan that are subtle and stylish. A custom roll bar ties in the frame to add the strength the custom tube chassis needs to put down the power to the pavement. The truck bed has been treated to a custom white oak wood floor and a hand formed aluminum tonneau cover with an air brushed bulldog with flamed aura painted on the cover. The gas tank has been relocated to the rear under the bed and a custom filler cap with the Studebaker script. The hinges on the Studebaker tailgate feature roller bearings for smooth operation. The front bumper, grille and related trim have all been re-chromed. The most impressive feature on this truck is the tilt front end fabricated out of the factory fender and hood.
Inside the interior is custom built and trimmed with black vinyl and suede. The bucket seats are reclining units from a modern Mazda Miata, with custom door, kick panels and center console. The dash is a custom-built steel unit featuring Auto Meter Phantom gauges, including speedometer, tachometer, fuel, volts, temperature, and oil pressure to monitor engine vitals. A polished Studebaker horn ornament has been fabricated into the dash for a custom effect. The sound system, air conditioning controls, engine management are all housed in the one off fabricated center console. A repurposed tilt steering column from a GM full size van and is topped with a Colorado leather wrapped billet aluminum steering wheel. A B&M Pro Ratchet shifter selects the gears and the glovebox houses the engine electronics. The truck has been completely re-wired with a Painless Wiring kit that puts the controls to the fuel pump, cooling fans, transmission lock-up and lighting at the fingertips of the driver.
Under the hood is a built Chevrolet big block motor. This block started as a 454 that was bored .030 over and stuffed with Ross Pistons making the total CID 468. The bottom end has been strengthened up with Mildon gold splayed 4 bolt main caps, Eagle H-beam connecting rods and a cross drilled crankshaft. This combination stays well lubed with a Mildon high volume oil pump and extra capacity oil pan feeding the lubrication of the motor. The block is topped with a set of Brodix 3 aluminum cylinder heads with stainless steel valves with Crane Gold roller rocker arms opened by a Comp Camshaft. This combination is topped by a Wieand 8.71 super charger with dual 950 Holley blower specific carbs and a custom polished air cleaner. Power to light the ignition comes from a modified GM HEI that utilizes a Crane adjustable ignition module and a firewall mounted Crane LX92 high energy coil. This hot set up is kept cool with a Griffin NASCAR aluminum crossflow radiator, an Edelbrock high volume reverse flow water pump with dual 12"" electric cooling fans. Needless to say, this truck's exhaust is true hot rod music to one's ears as it flows through custom built ceramic coated 2.25"" tubular headers into a set of Borla polished stainless steel XR1 oval track mufflers with tailpipes exiting before the rear tires NASCAR style! All that power is transferred through a Jim Mantle modified GM 4L80E and features full manual shift valve body, Red Eagle clutches and bands, TCS 3500 stall speed torque convertor with manual control full lock-up. A custom driveshaft connects the transmission to a narrowed Ford 9' differential with Mosher 35 spline axles, Detroit locker differential and 4.11:1 gear set.
The frame is a hand built out of a combination of 2X4 and 2X6 tubing and custom fabricated tubular crossmembers. The front suspension is based on custom tubular A-arms with 1980 GM truck ball joints, spindles, rotors and calipers and AFCO coil over shocks absorbers. The power braking is handled by a 1975 Lincoln brake booster and master cylinder and four-wheel discs out back. The power steering is managed by a 1998 Dodge Dakota power steering rack and pinion. Out back the differential floats on a set elliptical air bags and 4 tubular shocks and steadied with a custom 4 bar link and panhard bar set up. A complete custom owner's manual outlining the operation of this truck and all of the modifications is included with the sale.
This custom truck is very well built and designed with the intent to drive. This truck is ready to drive, which is great with car show season just around the corner. This hot rod truck is sure to turn heads wherever it goes with its iconic 40's era styling and on the menacing sounds coming from the exhaust. Please call if interested or e-mail with specific questions. Thanks for looking!
"
| Year: | 1946 |
| Make: | Studebaker |
| Model: | Custom Pickup |
| Mileage: | 7941 |
| Exterior Color: | Black |
| Interior Color: | Black |
| Trim: | |
| Body: | truck |
| Stock: | 23057 |
| Engine Size: | |
| Transmission: | Automatic |
| Vin: | 1M12936 |
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Garage Kept Motors, LLC specializes in classic and specialty online auto sales.
For our consignors, we are the only auto brokers that offer a Transparent Sale Disclosure. This means, when a car sells, we provide an exact copy of the Bill of Sale. We do this so our clients know exactly who bought their car, where it went, and most importantly how much we sold it for. No funny business.
For our buyers, our vehicles are listed on the Internet, with over 100 photos, including undercarriage pictures, and walk-around videos of the vehicles running plus a narrative-style write-up of the cars history and features. Our international exposure allows us to sell cars across the globe, and we sell a majority of them out of state and overseas. We deliver honesty and consistency in our photos and descriptions, a “no surprise” approach, so buyers, both near and far, can invest with confidence sight unseen. We are not a gallery. Vehicles can be seen locally by appointment as potential buyers are given our undivided attention.
Transparent Sale Disclosure
Friendly, Trustworthy Service
Free Appraisal
Climate-Controlled Environment
Professional Photo both Pictures
Showroom Walk-Around Video
Narrative Write-Up
International Exposure
Dealer Advertised Retail Pricing
Bank Financing
9/10 Sold Outside Michigan
4-6 Week Average Sale Period
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