Part Four - Mark Pearson's 1948 Studebaker Restoration Project

Another view of the rear of the car, looking into the trunk. At this point, it almost looks like a car with no doors. I have wondered if the "suicide door" arrangement was somehow designed to make it easier to enter and exit the car, but I have not found it to be any easier for me to get in and out of the back seat area. The windows and door hardware have all been removed at this point. It was a tremendous struggle to get the windows out. They had to be lowered completely in order to get to the clips that hold the glass to the regulator, but the window channels were so rusted out that I had to use all my strength to get the windows down into the doors. One door glass just fell out of the frame, which made it easier to get the regulator down all the way. One regulator was badly bent, probably from an owner applying excessive force, trying to roll the window down.

A look at the upholstery covering the body between the rear seat and the door opening. The tacks holding it in place on the back upper corner would be hidden by the seat back. Most of the metal on the floor is covered by the tarry soundproofing material. As you can see by the picture, most of it is in very good condition, and I do not plan to remove it. I do plan, however, to add to it some rubber foam soundproofing mat material with an aluminized heat resistant side. This is, of course, the infamous "dog-leg" part of the body that so frequently has to be replaced in old, rusty cars, but as you can see, the metal is still in very good shape here, for which I am very thankful. Despite all the garbage that accumulated in the car, and all the rotted upholstery, there really is very little rust on the floors.

What the panel looks like after loosening it from the two tacks holding it in the back, and swinging it forward. The panel is tacked in place along the front edge, attached to a tack strip. This tack strip is a kind of thick tarpaper like material, about a half an inch thick, that is stapled to the sheetmetal of the body. You can see what remains of the headliner material that was put in place before this panel was installed. The fluffy stuff that is stuck to the body is more cotton batting. As I have mentioned, this stuff was literally stuffed into every crevice in the car's body!

A view of the front after the remains of the sun visors were removed. The bows that hold the headliner in place are still present. These would slide through pockets in the headliner material. The soundproofing material on the roof is coming off. I will plan to remove what is left, and replace it with new material. The edges of the headliner material above the doors was tucked up underneath a strip of steel with lots of teeth under it. That would hold the cut edge of the material underneath, so that it gave a nice, smooth edge to the headliner.

· Part 5 - Mark Pearson's 1948 Studebaker Restoration Project
· Part Three - Mark Pearson's 1948 Studebaker Restoration Project

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