DEEPNHOCK
10-12-2009, 07:53 AM
http://www.stillwater-newspress.com/local/local_story_283232634.html
(copy)
Cars take center street in downtown Stillwater
Chris Day
The crowds thronged to downtown Stillwater on Saturday to see the stars. And they weren’t disappointed.
A 1954 Chevrolet Corvette dressed in white paint and red interior drew its fans, as did a gray hand-assembled 2004 Caterham-Lotus.
A red 1954 Studebaker Starlight Coupe also caught the crowd’s attention. Owner Dave Lester of Perkins bought the car from a drag racer several years ago.
It was driveable when he purchased it, but Lester wanted to bring the classic into the 21st century.
He spent 1 1/2 years restoring and upgrading the chasis, engine and body. Then had to wait six months for the interior to be completed.
Why did he pick a Studebaker?
“It’s different. It’s something you don’t see everyday. The 1955-57 Chevrolets are like belly buttons – everyone has one,” Lester said.
The Starlight Coupe has been modernized to improve handling, braking and creature comforts. he said.
He fitted a Ford Mustang II’s front suspension and disc brakes to the Studebaker. It’s got power rack and pinion steering, too. The vehicle has the electric remote controlled mirrors off a Chrysler LHS, and some parts from a Dodge Dynasty.
Larkin said he drives it in the spring, summer and fall.
“I drive it a lot, but I spend the winter getting all the road rash off of it,” he said, and chuckled.
Leland Laws of Spencer drives his rare 1954 custom-ordered Packard Panama Clipper, too.
He’s put 9,000 miles on it since he discovered the Packard sitting at a filling station parking lot in Cabot, Ark.
At the time, he didn’t know his discovery was rare. It’s one of only 600 Packard Panama Clipper’s ever made. It’s also custom-order as denoted by special emblems inside the car.
Packard didn’t want to stop its production line when it received a special order, Laws said, so, it put the additional options in boxes in the car and they were installed at the dealership.
The Packard’s windows are surrounded by chrome. It has a push-button radio and automatic transmission with a transmission cooler, he said.
Laws, whose daughter and son-in-law, Robin and Marc Hensley live in Stillwater, said the car is not heavily modified. The paint on the lower body has been redone, and the 327 cubic-inch V-8 was rebuilt.
“I’ve been to four Packard national car shows and have never seen another one like it,” he said.
Fixing up and maintaining older cars can be expensive. Lester said he couldn’t afford a Studebaker pickup and the Starlight Coupe. He sold the pickup on eBay.
Laws said he spent about $4,000 just to have the engine rebuilt.
Studebaker owner Lester has all the receipts for his Starlight Coupe in a box, but doesn’t have any idea how much it has cost him.
“I’ve really never looked in the box,” he said. “If you look at the receipts as you go, you start to feel compelled to not do it right.”
(copy)
Cars take center street in downtown Stillwater
Chris Day
The crowds thronged to downtown Stillwater on Saturday to see the stars. And they weren’t disappointed.
A 1954 Chevrolet Corvette dressed in white paint and red interior drew its fans, as did a gray hand-assembled 2004 Caterham-Lotus.
A red 1954 Studebaker Starlight Coupe also caught the crowd’s attention. Owner Dave Lester of Perkins bought the car from a drag racer several years ago.
It was driveable when he purchased it, but Lester wanted to bring the classic into the 21st century.
He spent 1 1/2 years restoring and upgrading the chasis, engine and body. Then had to wait six months for the interior to be completed.
Why did he pick a Studebaker?
“It’s different. It’s something you don’t see everyday. The 1955-57 Chevrolets are like belly buttons – everyone has one,” Lester said.
The Starlight Coupe has been modernized to improve handling, braking and creature comforts. he said.
He fitted a Ford Mustang II’s front suspension and disc brakes to the Studebaker. It’s got power rack and pinion steering, too. The vehicle has the electric remote controlled mirrors off a Chrysler LHS, and some parts from a Dodge Dynasty.
Larkin said he drives it in the spring, summer and fall.
“I drive it a lot, but I spend the winter getting all the road rash off of it,” he said, and chuckled.
Leland Laws of Spencer drives his rare 1954 custom-ordered Packard Panama Clipper, too.
He’s put 9,000 miles on it since he discovered the Packard sitting at a filling station parking lot in Cabot, Ark.
At the time, he didn’t know his discovery was rare. It’s one of only 600 Packard Panama Clipper’s ever made. It’s also custom-order as denoted by special emblems inside the car.
Packard didn’t want to stop its production line when it received a special order, Laws said, so, it put the additional options in boxes in the car and they were installed at the dealership.
The Packard’s windows are surrounded by chrome. It has a push-button radio and automatic transmission with a transmission cooler, he said.
Laws, whose daughter and son-in-law, Robin and Marc Hensley live in Stillwater, said the car is not heavily modified. The paint on the lower body has been redone, and the 327 cubic-inch V-8 was rebuilt.
“I’ve been to four Packard national car shows and have never seen another one like it,” he said.
Fixing up and maintaining older cars can be expensive. Lester said he couldn’t afford a Studebaker pickup and the Starlight Coupe. He sold the pickup on eBay.
Laws said he spent about $4,000 just to have the engine rebuilt.
Studebaker owner Lester has all the receipts for his Starlight Coupe in a box, but doesn’t have any idea how much it has cost him.
“I’ve really never looked in the box,” he said. “If you look at the receipts as you go, you start to feel compelled to not do it right.”