1952 Studebaker 2R6 1/2 ton pickup.
Up for auction is my 1952 Studebaker 2R6 pickup truck. I purchased this truck from a fellow Studebaker Drivers' Club member this past fall, nd really had no intentions of selling it, t least not so soon.
However, find myself needing to replace my everyday car, o practicality dictates that this cool old Stude finds a new loving home.
There are 70 pictures in this ad, o please be sure to look at all of them. I don't want a potential new owner to have any surprises.
There's also a video towards the end of the ad that shows the truck driving around the neighborhood.
As most Stude truck guys know, 2R6 is the "one to have" when it comes to the R series models. With over 100,000 '49-'53 Studebaker pickups built, nly 10% of them left the factory with the more-powerful Commander 245" engine.
Today they are hard to find, nd much more desirable than the more common 2R5 model with the 170" engine. Nice 2R6's rarely come up for sale, o here's your chance to own an exceptional one.
When I found this truck, knew it was too good to pass up, nd I still stand by that. The previous owner lives in Ontario, anada, nd I went through the proper channels to get it here to Florida. (For what it's worth, e has offered to be a "reference" if anyone wants an opinion from an unbiased previous owner. I can forward his contact info.) It was shipped in an enclosed hauler and I was able to get the correct paperwork to get it registered.
The truck has a clear Florida title and current registration in my name. Prior to its stay in Ontario, t spent its first 6 decades in southern Michigan, ot too far from its birth place of South Bend. For a northern truck, t's certainly held up well.
The odometer reads just shy of 63,000 miles. I have no way to prove it as accurate, ut the overall condition of the truck makes me think it's probably correct.
This is by far one of the nicest unmolested Studebaker pickups I've ever come across, ence why I went through the trouble and expense of getting it here. Never restored, ust64 years of living a pampered life and being well cared for.
The engine is the original, umbers matching, 45" Commander Six, nd it runs excellent.
I have no idea if its ever been opened up or rebuilt, ut I can say with certainty that it's a very strong, ery healthy engine.
It always starts right up, uns smooth as silk, nd has plenty of torque to move the truck along. With the optional 4.09 rear axle ratio and Overdrive transmission, his truck will cruise at 70 MPH with plenty of pedal left. Oil pressure is good (20+ psi at hot idle) and consistent, here are no funny noises, nd it doesn't smoke whatsoever. It's simply a great running engine.
The wiring is mostly original, nd still intact.
However, t is a Studebaker, o it leaves a few drops of oil on the garage floor. By the way, he wiper motor was recently rebuilt, nd it works great.
I did replace the water pump with a rebuilt unit, therwise I haven't touched the engine. I haven't even had to add a drop of oil in the 1000 miles I've driven it.
All gauges are operable. The speedometer reads about 5 MPH fastcompared to a GPS. The fuel gauge reads E when it's empty, nd F when it's full. Though it isn't very accurate in between the two. I'm guessing the float cork needs to be replaced. As you can see, art of the lettering around the temp gauge is worn away. All of the lights work. By the way, he choke cable is ornamental. A previous owner converted the carb to work with an automatic choke with a heat tube.
I removed the original truck transmission and installed a T86 unit from a '49 Commander car.
It was a direct bolt in swap, nd it gives the truck a more "usable" first gear. I had no intentions of pulling stumps, nd the car trans makes it a lot more user-friendly in traffic. The transmission shifts great, he synchros are good, nd the overdrive works without a hitch. The shifter is tight, o sloppiness.
I live in a busy town and wanted to make this truck as safe as I could for today's roads, o I rebuilt the brake system and converted to a Deluxe front disc kit from Turner Brake.
I also did a dual master cylinder conversion at the same time, long with all new steel lines and braided stainless flex hoses. Nothing on the body or frame was cut or altered.
(Sorry about the water, t rained when I drove it over to the shop to put it on the lift). The brake job was nearly $1000 in parts alone, ut I feel it was well worth the expense. As a result, he truck stops GREAT and will put your head through the windshield if you want it to.
I finished off the brake job with a fresh set of 235/75R/15 Goodyear Wrangler radial tires. They currently have about 500 miles on them.
I also sprung for correct NACO reproduction taillight assemblies. The lower-mounted aftermarket lights are backup lights.
The truck has turn signals (aftermarket lights on the front), s well as operational back-up lights.
The genuine Studebaker fog lights work great, oo.
All of the changes I've made came together to make this one of the nicest driving stock Studebaker trucks around. Most recently, did a 400 mile trip to visit the family at Christmas. It ran and drove flawlessly and got an honest 25+ MPG while averaging 60-65 MPH. Even for an old truck, t was a fairly smooth and quiet ride. There are no vibrations, o shakes, o noises. On the way home, t did develop a slight exhaust leak around the manifold. I won't have time to look into that before the auction ends, ut it shouldn't be anything more complicated than a new gasket.
The suspension has a few squeaks and groans, o I'm including a complete set of brand new spring bushings and 4 new shocks.
The wood sideboards slide easily into the stake pockets, nd are included with the truck, long with the custom signage.
The previous owner said that he thought most of the paint is original, hough I have no way to confirm it. Parts of it may very well be factory applied, nd there is a lot of "patina" that would agree with that. That said, here are 3 or 4 different shades of green from 60 years of touch-ups and minor repairs. There are dings, cratches, nd other imperfections. It's an old truck and I think it wears its "character marks" rather well.
The mostnoticeablecontrast is that the front fenders are a darker shade than the rest of the truck. It only really jumps out in certain lighting, nd since I bought this truck to be a "driver", felt that the paint was just fine as-is. It holds a decent shine and is an excellent 10 footer. This truck without a doubt gets more horn honks and waves than any other vehicle I've owned. I wouldn't consider it to be show quality, hough I'm sure it would take home a trophy with some proper detailing.
There are some minor issues in the bed, ut even so, hen's the last time you saw an original bed that was this nice?
There is some old damage repair that's held up fine, s you can see in the pictures.
The only rust problem that I'm aware of is the driver's side lower portion of the cab.
A previous owner replaced the left cab mount, ut there is some minor cancer on the cab as can be seen in the pictures.
The bottom of the door and fender also show some evidence of old repairs, hough I'd say that everything has held up very well.
The rest of the cab and body seems to be solid with no issues, s can be seen in the pictures of the passenger side.
The doors close and latch with minimal effort and a solid "click".
The interior appears to be original and untouched.
The factory headliner is nearly perfect, nd the original rubber mat is still intact.
The previous owner added a factory-correct AM radio kit, nd it works great once the tubes warm up! It has optional dual horns, nd I think the factory sourced them from a train.
I was told that the plaid seat cover is an original Studebaker accessory, hough I don't have the books to prove it.
Regardless, he upholstery is in great condition with no tears or stains.
The glass appears to be original with the factory gaskets (all still very soft, ot split anywhere), hough the left windshield has a small rock chip, nd the right side vent window is cracked.
It could use new window channels and fuzzy strips in the doors, owever. The window regulators work smooth and easy.
I have a receipt showing that the exhaust system was brand new a couple of years ago, nd it's still in great shape. The muffler used is very quiet, ust as it should be.
Though I've only owned it a brief period, 've ironed out a lot of small issues and made the truck much more drivable on today's roads. New parts I've installed include: 6V battery, omplete front disc brake conversion, ual master cylinder conversion, ew Goodyear radials (500 miles on them), ew taillights, ebuilt water pump, ew fan belt, ew braided stainless oil pressure hose, OS passenger door latch assembly, used) passenger car overdrive transmission.
The truck is 100% fully operational. From the map light to the parking brake to the Climatizer heat/defrost system.. Everything works as it should.
Overall, his is a great old truck. It's a "turn key" driver that I have the confidence to drive anywhere. I'll be happy to help load it onto a transport truck, r pick you up from the local airport if you'd like to fly in and drive it home. The truck is located in Tallahassee, lorida 32301.
Full payment is due within 3 business days of the auction ending, therwise I reserve the right to relist the truck or sell it to someone else. If you do not have intentions of owning this truck, lease do not bid. I accept cash in person, ertified bank check, r a direct bank transfer.
Secure indoor storage can be provided for a monthly fee if the buyer needs some time to make transport arrangements. Insurance would be the buyer's responsibility.
Please, eel free to message me through ebay with any questions, equest for specific photos, tc. Send your contact info and I'll be happy to give you a call. I'll answer any inquiries as honest and thorough as I can.
Driving while filming isn't easy, ut I wanted to show that the truck does run, rive, nd operate as I've described.

And a few more pictures:
Thanks for looking!