55s (Paul's) 1955 Commander Coupe

[55s]

1955 Commander Regal Starlight Coupe

[R_David]

This car is breathtaking, WOW! Love the color and the angle of this picture.

[studegary]

Nice car, but it is a coupe, not a "Starlight Coupe".

[SN-60]

Those full wheel discs and whitewall tires are a beautiful combo....This Stude looks 'Right'!

[junior]

Nice car, but it is a coupe, not a "Starlight Coupe".

...I don`t get it...what`s wrong with calling it a Starlight Coupe?


btw. beautiful car and color combo...love the contrast of the sky. junior

[warrlaw1]

I think they stopped using the Starlight and Starliner designations after 54. My 55 is just a Commander Hardtop in company literature, although both the coupe and the hardtop were the same tub as the 54 Starlight and Starliner. Don't know why...and don't really care. Beautiful car, Paul.

[studegary]

...I don`t get it...what`s wrong with calling it a Starlight Coupe?


junior

The Starlight name was used from 1949-1954 and 1958. The Starliner name was used from 1952-1954.

[EssexExport]

Looking good.

[Flashback]

Ain't gonna git into the Starlight debate, BUT that car is Beautiful

[55s]

Thank you for your compliments. (This picture has been posted for some time with no comments.)

With respect to the use of the names Starlight and Starliner, I attach pictures with descriptions from the 1955 Studebaker "Perspectives on Value" salesman's book. While the names were definitely gone for 1956, and may have been disappearing during 1955, they were clearly in use by those selling and purchasing the vehicles.

According to the book, it should be called a "Commander V-8 Regal Starlight Sports Coupe". (No wonder they dropped a name or two during 1955!)

[55s]

[SN-60]

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Yep, there it is! (very close anyway) I had a beautiful full color '55 Speedster ad I used to place in front of My old Hialeah Green/Sun Valley Yellow Speedster. Probably should have kept it, but I let it go with the car. (Serial # 7167047) Avanti R1 powered.

[63t-cab]

And there You have it,I wonder does the same hold true with the Presidents ?

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[55s]

The yellow and black is a Commander Starlight and the two-tone green is a President Starliner. In the same book, they also have a red and black "President V-8 State Starlight Sports Coupe" and a two-tone blue "Commander Starliner Hardtop." (I guess the editors/proof-readers forgot the "V-8" descriptions that are in all of the other Commander and President descriptions.)

There is also a solid red Champion coupe called a "Champion Deluxe Starlight Sports Coupe." (Deluxe models did not have the "butterknife" trim on the sides.)

I know this is a controversial subject because some later advertising material does not have the Starlight, Starliner and Sports Coupe descriptions.

While I am indifferent as to what other people call them, I really like the Starliner and Starlight names so my choice is to include them.

[SN-60]

The yellow and black is a Commander Starlight and the two-tone green is a President Starliner. In the same book, they also have a red and black "President V-8 State Starlight Sports Coupe" and a two-tone blue "Commander Starliner Hardtop." (I guess the editors/proof-readers forgot the "V-8" descriptions that are in all of the other Commander and President descriptions.)

There is also a solid red Champion coupe called a "Champion Deluxe Starlight Sports Coupe." (Deluxe models did not have the "butterknife" trim on the sides.)

I know this is a controversial subject because some later advertising material does not have the Starlight, Starliner and Sports Coupe descriptions.

While I am indifferent as to what other people call them, I really like the Starliner and Starlight names so my choice is to include them.

I'm with YOU! Until the Hawk series was introduced in '56, Starliner Hardtops and Starlight Coupes are really what they were!