Caddy Stu

Richard Larson and his wife, Jane, have owned a number of custom cars and trucks in their time, but they never really thought they would have so much fun building and owning a custom 53 Studebaker pickup.

There was no plan to find a Studebaker; the truck simply found him. I lived across the street from a friend who owned a repair shop in town, Larson told us. Over some time, he had collected six or seven cars and trucks that he hoped to restore some day. One weekend morning, his wife informed him that she planned to plant an orchard in the area where the vehicles were being stored…and in one week. He had to get rid of his collection. I asked about the Studebaker pickup and he said if he could get $200 for it, it was gone. Well, it was gone.

Over the next two years (about 2,000 hours of work), and after spending many more dollars, Larson finally had his Caddy Stu on the road. Yes, he calls it a Caddy Stu because of the 500ci engine mounted on the boxed framerails. Larson did a complete frame-off restoration of the truck, sandblasting all the parts along the way. He spent a lot of time collecting the parts and planning the build. He figured out how to mount the ’75 Cadillac engine, made the mounts for the four-link rear suspension and then found a welder to attach it all for him.

The front suspension is a Fat Man Fabrications Mustang II setup with airbags and shocks from Air Ride Technologies. Wilwood four-piston disc brakes help slow the beast when it gets up to speed. An ididit steering column and Grant banjo steering wheel provide the driver with precise control. The rear suspension is a four-link with airbags and coilover shocks. A Ford 9-inch Posi rearend was shortened 2 inches and has 3.30:1 gears in it.

Larson repaired the ripped fenders (with help from Jose at Cruisers in Bakersfield), shaved the door handles, louvered the hood, crafted an LED third brake light, built a 2×8-inch-square tube bumper and added a toolbox. After all the bodywork was done, Phil in Lone Pine, California, applied the ’67 Cadillac gunmetal-gray enamel.

Inside the cab, Larson turned to Dee Norris in Bodfish, California. Norris used gray cloth and bird’s-eye maple to create a unique look. Bird’s-eye was used for the dash, the dash extension, the overhead console, the door panels and more. Classic Instruments Gold gauges are perfect for this truck.

The engine, of course, is a focal point of this truck. The 500ci engine (built by Cram-McCall in Ridgecrest, California) uses an Edelbrock high-rise intake manifold and Sanderson headers. A 750 Q-Jet carburetor is topped with a Flying Nun air cleaner housing. Larson added one-off CaddyStu valve covers and lots of other chromed and polished parts.

While the Larsons weren’t planning to build a Studebaker truck, they certainly have embraced this one and have given it their all. They have been rewarded with accolades from show judges and friends alike. That’s what this hobby is about anyway, so they obviously made the right decision that fateful weekend when a truck suddenly became available for $200.