Hog Troughs

[FastMonte]

Hey everyone.  I've had a couple Studes for a while, but just bought my first Avanti.  It's a 77, so not really a Stude, but close enough for me!  I went to look T the car with my dad who is an avid Hawk lover/owner.  Neither one of us had much knowledge going into this, and when we noticed the hog troughs (lack thereof honestly) the owner explained them.  I've done a little homework since, but have found conflicting views.  How important are they?  Are they for side impact, or body flex?  Can you replace it by shoring everything up without spending $1500 on a pair and taking the body off? It's a 77 and the rest of it is a little rough too, so I don't feel like dropping that much ok it is justifiable just yet. I appreciate you guys reading my post if you made it this far.  Thanks.

[Gunslinger]

The hog troughs are structural and bind the body to the frame.  If they're rusted away it compromises the vehicle's integrity and safety.  You don't necessarily have to remove the body from the frame as there is a vendor that sells replacements that don't require it but cutting the body and then repairing it needs done.

Whether you think it's worth the money on that car is your decision.  

[Avanti83]

When I purchased my 74 it looked like this. The PO had replaced the rusted out hog troughs with 2X6 box. While it stabilized some of the floor there was a fair amount of flexing in other parts of the floor and body when it was stepped on.

To replace the hog troughs, you can see I cut the rocker panels out and installed the one piece units. What you don't see is that the entire rocker panels are bonded to the hog troughs when they are in place to provide more structural integrity.

This is the start of adding the bonding strips to the hog troughs to adhere the rockers to them.

Rockers replaced.

I added the pictures to give you some idea of the work involved in replacing them. 

Gunslinger is correct in that there are ones that can be installed without cutting the rocker panels but the install still requires cleaning and bonding the rocker panel, etc. You can find that procedure on the SDC website or google (hog troughs, dick steinkamp). He published the install.

All that to say, if you're not prepared for this effort, buy one that has good hog troughs. I've been told that labor alone can run $2500-4000 for the install.

There have been several discussions about using alternative designs to replace these units but IAC, you still need to supply body mounting structure and bond the rocker panels to it to have a rigid structure.

OOPs! Just reread my post and see you already own the 77. I guess you can see what's involved now. If I can help with pictures, thoughts, etc, Just let me know.

Bob

Edited May 24, 2017 by Avanti83

[FastMonte]

Thanks Bob.  That's just the response I was hoping for.  How heavy is the steel for the trough?  Something that's easily bent with a brake or heavier like a plate steel?

[Avanti83]

Monte

My guess would be 18 ga but I'll get more specific if you need. Here's a shot of one of the troughs that I found. It needed some work but the other one I bought was new. I had considered just what you are suggesting, fabbing my own, but I got a screaming deal on this pair so I repaired the bad one and installed them.

Looks like you bought my 74 from the picture.

As I said, I'll help where I can if you want. I would guess that less fancy would be fine as long as the support of the body and rocker panels was there.

Bob

Edited May 24, 2017 by Avanti83

[lschuc]

There are two very good explanations on replacing Avanti torque boxes in Avanti Magazine Issue 134 (Spring/Summer 2006). In either case, the fiberglass rocker panels were NOT cut.  That does not need to be done and your paint will not be ruined. 

Find someone who can loan you Issue 134, or get a digital copy from This link.

[silverstude]

 

 

 

Would anyone get heartburn, if I put it online?

 

[lschuc]

The link is there for anyone to get the digital pages.    

[FastMonte]

Hey Bob, mine is a 74.  I picked it up out of NJ.  I was able to get a look at the article yesterday.  I think it's something I will try to tackle this winter.  Unless I find a great deal on a set, I will more than likely fabricate a set of my own.  My other, more immediate problem now is the sunroof.  It leaks like a sieve even though someone previously siliconed it.  Am I right to assume that there are no seal kits made?  My homework hasn't turned up anything.

[Avanti83]

Monte, I'm not sure about seal kits but the unit was made by a commercial supplier of sun roofs. I suspect more knowledgeable folks will help here.

I have one in my 83, it works and doesn't leak but I don't find myself using it often. It also steals an inch or two of headroom. I would consider molding it into the top IIWM but that's a personal call. They do drain into the hog troughs and can create a problem with the windshield surround, which is steel. When you do the body I'm guessing you'll pull the windshield and that will uncover the windshield surround under the stainless trim on the sides of the windshield. I was lucky on the my 74 as only a small section was punky and easily fixed. Check yours out to be sure.

I'll be interested in your fabrication of the hog troughs. I built a set for my 54 Studebaker hardtop where they serve the same function as on the Avanti. I used a small vise mounted sheet metal brake and MIG'd them together.

I see you looked at the article in the AOAI mag. If they didn't use the three piece hog troughs how were they installed without lifting the body. I couldn't see a way to put the one piece units in without either cutting the rocker panels or lifting the body.

When I removed the paint from the body I used over 100 single edged razor blades and mucho time because I was afraid of the aircraft stripper getting into places I couldn't get it out of easily due to past experiences using it. Since then, I acquired  a used fiberglass cap for my Ram pickup and wanted to change it to the truck color. It had two paint jobs on it, the original BC/CC OEM and an enamel black painted over that. I wasn't about to scrape that of after my last experience.

I tried a couple of strippers and found this product from West Marine softened all the coats so they were easily lifted with a putty knife. It took 24 hrs to get through the paint but it was effective and when it dried it was just a powder that was easily removed with water. I'll never scrape again.

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/back-to-nature--aqua-strip-paint-stripper--P004563136?recordNum=1

Here was mine it all it's radiant beauty

Here it is today. I just put the front and back windscreens in last friday. There's hope

Edited July 3, 2017 by Avanti83

[Greg Howarth]

I love that hood can I buy one.

[Greg Howarth]

I love that hood can I buy one?

[Avanti83]

14 hours ago, Greg Howarth said:

I love that hood can I buy one?

You'll need to build one but you can purchase the starting fiberglass.

This is my post on the SDC forum on construction. You can see I decided to elongate the back edge, which in hindsight, would have easier to do initially.

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/showthread.php?84666-Avanti-Cowl-Induction-Hood-!!

Bob 

[Greg Howarth]

thanks