Why are you putting a car on a truck frame which you're then going to hack up to put a Tesla DU in?
1951 Studebaker business coupe conversion
Hello. Want to do a conversion on 51 Studebaker. Using a s10 chevu frame
Want to put 2014 tesla s rear axle. Do u know if there is a club in Sacramento, ca
Want to put 2014 tesla s rear axle. Do u know if there is a club in Sacramento, ca
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That's an upgrade. Frame fit perfect. This is pretty common to street rod
Do you know how wide a S back end is? If you are wanting to put the whole suspension and subframe in then grab a measuring tape first. I'm doing a 57 Chevy and it is 9" a side too wide, give or take
The chassis of a car of that era is similar to a newer compact truck frame: they're ladder frames with live beam axle and leaf spring rear suspension. The S-10's front suspension is a rational upgrade to the car's original front suspension. The combination of older cars to the S-10 chassis is a commonly used and well-worked-out approach.Why are you putting a car on a truck frame which you're then going to hack up to put a Tesla DU in?
This is not the most obvious choice when also converting to an independent rear suspension to use a EV drive unit, but it may still be easier than a complete custom frame project.
This is certainly the first problem. If using the Tesla suspension, a Model 3 would be a bt narrower, but even then it's not likely to be a good fit to the body.Do you know how wide a S back end is? If you are wanting to put the whole suspension and subframe in then grab a measuring tape first. I'm doing a 57 Chevy and it is 9" a side too wide, give or take
1951 Studebaker Champion Coupe dimensions:
| Wheelbase : | 115.0 in | 2921 mm. |
| Front Track : | 56.5 in | 1435 mm. |
| Rear Track : | 54.0 in | 1372 mm. |
A long bed first-generation S-10 has a wheelbase of 117.9 inches. The wheelbase is a decent match, and the width is comparable, which is why the S-10 is used.
A Tesla Model S has a rear track width of 66.5 inches, so it would be a foot too wide, even with tires the width of the skinny things on the Studebaker. The Model 3 is more reasonable, at 62.2 inches, but still much too wide.
The frame is another issue; some significant fabrication would be required for any IRS.
Guys, Thanks for the input. I decided To use a electric motor in the front. Have been doing a lot of research on how to do that. I think that a 1951 Studebaker Business Coupe converted to electric would be cool. I live near Sacramento, Ca. If anyone wants to show me their build, I would be happy to talk and take a look at your build.
Did this ever go anywhere? I have an impending '51 Champion that I'm hoping to make useful with some updates. It seems like you can either shorten an S10 frame 6", or modify...everything but the frame...
By "useful" I mean a comfortable 75mph and 0-60 in less than a minute...
By "useful" I mean a comfortable 75mph and 0-60 in less than a minute...
Those bullet nosed Studdies are just begging to be electrified! They just look the part to me. I have told people if I survive my current build, and am not too old, or poor, I would do one of these!
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