Gord shipped me the T86 OD with top shifter that he built for the Ute. It arrived yesterday at the DHL terminal in Abbotsford, BC…about 15 miles from my house. Saves a bunch of customs paperwork and expense to just go get it and declare it coming back to the US.
The crate is a work of art! 
…but to be expected from Gord 
…
Check the rubber tube covered rope handles 
It is nicer than the coffee table in my house, so Jon and I thought we should use it as such at the “clubhouse”…
Inside was the T86 and parts…all very carefully packed and secured. I think this package would have made it to Mars with no damage 
…
Thanks, Gord!! 
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I think I mentioned that I was able to hook up with Lee Talbot…the original builder of the Ute…due to the article about the car in Hot Rod Deluxe. Lee is 80 years old and now lives in Astoria, OR. He was up visiting his brother in Olympia, WA today, so I made the 2 1/2 hour drive to Olympia to meet Lee personally.
What a great guy! Friendly, sincere, interesting, lively. He’s been a “gear head” since the early 40’s when he built his first hot rod…a ‘28 Ford roadster with a Riley 4 port head. He bought that car back 20 years ago and still has it. Lee has built many many customs and hot rods. He is one of those few people with artistic talent and fabrication skills. He has also raced cars at Bonneville and the dry lakes and been heavily involved in boat racing. He still campaigns a 392 Chrysler powered flat bottom drag boat.
Here is Lee and his wife Judy at lunch today…
Here’s another Stude he customized with Corvette tail lights…
Coincidently, he painted it the color that I am leaning towards for the Ute at this point…1954 Studebaker Azore Green. Lee gave me permission to paint the Ute that color
He is really stoked that the car will be at the GNRS in January of 2009 for it’s 50th anniversary appearance, and plans to attend.
Lee gave me copies of 15 pictures of the car under construction and completed. Here they are for any one that is interested…
http://s149.photobucket.com/albums/s66/ddstnkmp/Stude-a-mino%20old%20pics/
Here’s one shot of the finished car in 1958…
Here’s one of it under construction. That’s Lee doing the welding and his partner Sam helping…
He also told me about 100 stories about building the car. Just great stuff I never expected to learn when I bought the car.
Quite a day
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The Ute is looking less and less like a vehicle 
. It always gets worse before it gets better, but it is currently torn down to nothing. . Pretty much just the body on the chassis sans doors, fenders, etc. as various body pieces get prepped for first primer. I’ll post some pics later.
In the meantime, I have been hunting for the right Kart to display in the bed of the Ute at the GNRS as was done 50 years ago at the Oakland Roadster Show.
I found it and bought it today…
It’s a Dart “A-bone” with two West Bend 820’s. Race ready.
I’ll probably end up blowing it apart and painting the chassis the same color as the Ute (WHATEVER that turns out to be 
)
The downsides are…
They aren’t $125 any more like they were back in ‘59 . It’s tough for a CASO to pay more for a Go Kart than I pay for most Studebakers 
Also, I’m liable to get hooked on vintage Kart racing . That’s ALL I need…one more hobby 
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