Info on 1946 Studebaker Champion Please

[Jackrocker999]

Hi,
I am new to this forum. I always liked Studebakers but never owned one.
Now I have a possible opportunity to buy a 1946 Studebaker Skyway Champion.
It is the 5 passenger coupe (I did a little reading on it)
This car is basically in mint showroom condition, and is pretty much all original. The only thing
the owner did was convert it to a 12 volt system.
My question to all the Experienced Studebaker owners out there is:
What is it worth? and how hard would it be to find parts for it.
Any help would be greatly appreciated
Thanks (I added some pics, not the best but all I have for now_
Jack

[Studebaker Wheel]

If it is in mint condition you should never need any parts! There are a fair number of these cars aout there (not by Ford and Chevy standards) and in one recent meet in the NW no fewer than 5 showed up. I have a friend who drove his from California to Fairbanks, Alaska and return 3 years ago. There was a feature article on the '46's in The Antique Studebaker Review for Nov/Dec 2004 and back issues are available (contact me if interested). As for parts there is no problem finding mechanical parts but some trim and interior parts might be difficult. As for value who knows, what a willing buyer will pay a willing seller. Don't pay attention to the Old Cars Price Guide as they are way off on most anything Studebaker. Tell me how much they want and I will tell you if it is too much!

[Jackrocker999]

Richard,
Thanks for the reply.
The price I can get the car for (through a friend of a friend) seems reasonable.
$4800.
I checked out the car and the pics do not do it justice.
Took a ride in it, and it runs quite well.
Jack

[CHAMP]

The car you have in the pictures is a 47 Studebaker Champion Regal. I would guess the price between 7 and 8 thousand. Hope this helps! champ

[CHAMP]

Sorry I meant to say between 4 and 8 thousand. Champ

[Jackrocker999]

Gary, Thanks for the info.
I was looking at pics of the 46 online and noticed that they didn't look exactly like this one.
I asked the guy if he was sure it was a 46, and he insisted it was, The pics I found of the 5
passenger coupe did look like this car. I got the serial number don't know if that helps
It is 2647765
Thanks for the info

[CHAMP]

Your car is not a 46! Back in the day some states titled cars the year they were bought or registerd. Your car was probably titled before 1/1/47. BTW wehcome to the Studebaker Forum! Champ

[Dwain G.]

Check that serial number again. There's one digit too many in the one you posted.

[kurtruk]

You can see the difference between your pictures and the one Studebaker Wheel posted.
On the firewall (under the hood, you will find a body ID tag. It will read 6G. That tells you it is a 1947 Champion. That will be followed by either F1, F3 or F5. That indicates both body style and trim level. Your body style is a 2 door sedan, not the 5 passenger coupe (later referred to as a Starlight.). Yes, yours may only seat 5, but you'll notice the vast difference between "your" car and a 5 passenger coupe (Starlight) when viewed from the rear. "Your" car has a two piece backglass and separate quarter windows (that probably roll down). A 5 passenger coupe has a four-piece rear window that wraps all the way around the sides. None are moveable. A 5 passenger coupe is indicated on the body ID tag as C1, C3 or C5.

The second line of numbers on the ID tag is a body production number. Not usually real meaningful.

These cars were not offered from the factory with two-tone paint jobs. Having said that, yours is a real nice looking car.

Hard to get parts for? No. Only some trim pieces are difficult to find nice examples of. Mechanical parts are easily obtainable. Check out all the vendor sources. This marque is very well supported with parts availablity. Not everthing is reproduced like you'll find for Fords and Chevys, but many are, and you'll still find a lot of New Old Stock out there. Studebaker nuts have always been a bunch of packrats! Just helping our marque survive! Tell us where you're from and we'll probably find a Stude vendor in your area. Welcome.

Here's a picture of a 5 passenger Starlight coupe. Compare to your body style. (Fenders are different because it is a different year, but basic body-shell is the same.)

[Jackrocker999]

Thanks

I'll have to go look at this car again and get the exact serial numbers /Vin numbers, (I go them over the phone after I had seen the car) then I'll find out for sure whats up. Do cars this old have a title?
Hard to belie that a car like that in totally mint condition would be worth only $8000

Thanks for the info

[CHAMP]

That was just a guess? Ihave my 48 insured for 10 thousand. Champ

[studegary]

I'll have to go look at this car again and get the exact serial numbers /Vin numbers, (I go them over the phone after I had seen the car) then I'll find out for sure whats up. Do cars this old have a title?
Hard to belie that a car like that in totally mint condition would be worth only $8000

Thanks for the info

Whether the car has a title or not depends on the particular state. Even for states without a title on cars this old, there should be some sort of transferable document, like a registration. I would also suggest getting a Notorized bill of sale.

It is a nice car, but it is far from being in "mint condition". It is probably a 3 on a 1 to 6 scale (like Old Cars Weekly uses).

[Jackrocker999]

Just talked to the guy again, he said the title says 1946, I"m going back tomorrow to take a look at the numbers.

[studegary]

Just talked to the guy again, he said the title says 1946, I"m going back tomorrow to take a look at the numbers.

Check all of the numbers on the car that you can locate. Studebakers of this vintage used a serial number. Many states at that time registered vehicles with the engine number. There is also a body number under the hood.

Check the number on the title versus these numbers. Maybe he has the incorrect title for this car.

[tutone63]

I had a chance to buy a 1946 Champion as well...I did not, due to financial reasons. The car you pictured does not look like a 46, at least not the one I looked at, as others have mentioned. Studebaker was one of the first...if not the first, to come out with a brand-new post war body style. But they first had to tool the moldings. In order to stay ahead, they had to run a short run of the same tooling of the 1941 models for 1946, with minor trim differences. 1947 was the first year for the new body style. The 1946 run was very short, and is what the picture Studebaker Wheel posted looks like.