Why You Need a Battery Hold-Down

[BobPalma]

See Images 31 through 34:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1951-Studebaker-Commander-Starlight-Coupe-Very-Nice-Example-/221063769926?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item33786d6f46

I mean, really, if you want $27,500 for a nice '51, couldn't you 'spring $33.50 for a new, correct battery hold-down at nearby Studebaker International? It's in the same Indianapolis Metropolitan area, for Pete's sake.

(Yes, Ted Harbit already knows about this car....but I'm not sure Mary Ann does! ) BP

[2R5]

Well Bob , at least they could put the battery in the correct place !

[BobPalma]

Well Bob, at least they could put the battery in the correct place!

Right. I hope the battery tray isn't so badly rusted that the position shown is the "new" one! BP

[studebaker-R2-4-me]

Makes you wonder why the photographer could not straighten out the battery before the pictures were taken having seen it had falling out of it's perch and they want close to 30K for a 51 without a battery hold down? That is just crazy!

Allen

[BobPalma]

Makes you wonder why the photographer could not straighten out the battery before the pictures were taken having seen it had falling out of it's perch and they want close to 30K for a 51 without a battery hold down? That is just crazy! Allen

That would be my opinion as well, Allen! BP

[r1lark]

Maybe we should add this to the list of things to do when a new Studebaker is purchased........besides changing oil, checking the O/D oil level, etc:

28) Ensure your car has the correct battery hold down -- or endure the wrath of BP!

[BobPalma]

Right, Paul: Forewarned is Forearmed! BP

[50starlite]

I'd guess that the battery was temporally installed to be able to move the car out of storage for pictures.

[Roscomacaw]

Reading the description of this car, I have to wonder what publication they lifted it or it's facts from. Also, when you click on the photos to bring up more of them, the photos are all labeled "1952 Studebaker". But hey - for what we can see - battery clamp aside - it looks like a decent example. 27K's worth???, I don't think so. Ya hafta wonder what the owner might get after paying the broker.
I don't know why, but the remark about it's "rugged reliability" struck me. This guy drives it once or twice and it's rugged reliability impresses him? I'd have to think the long-lasting flavor of Juicy Fruit gum would really bowl this guy over.

[52hawk]

The negative cable looks barely long enough to reach the battery,if it were where it belonged. Anyway,it was probably a cool day and they leaned the battery against the engine to warm it up.

[jclary]

Looking a little closer at the photos reveals that the car is suffering from what appears to be some rather crude home-made wiring. The battery cables look puny and short which might be the reason the hold down is off so that the ground wire will reach the battery post. Also note that the radiator cap is off.

Using a rather canned historical description for his sales pitch suggest to me that the seller is kinda lazy in his knowledge and enthusiasm for the car. I am sure it has a history that any serious buyer would want to know before laying out big bucks. I certainly would want more than cosmetic information before laying out top retail dollars for a car like this.

The missing radiator cap, under hood missing paint (or burn mark), condition of that early automatic transmission, suspension, ...all require some serious examination.

That said...it is not often you see a Star Light Commander offered for sale that, on the surface, looks this good.

[unclemiltie]

I think the car should stay in the Indy area. This would be a nice addition to Bob's collection. Wonder if it came from Palma Motors? Maybe we should start that rumor so he buys it

[Greenstude]

The battery in this picture appears to be too big for the car's battery box. The correct Group 1 is 9 inches long, and is a tight fit in the box. There is another 6-volt battery which is 10.25 inches long, and will not fit. I ran into this problem last month when replacing the battery in our '47 Champion. Our local Delco dealer only had the larger size in stock, although they could have brought in a Group 1. Since I needed the battery immediately (leaving the next morning for the Northeast Zone meet), I found the correct size in stock at NAPA.

[JEWELL]

Thanks Bob, I just ordered mine(hold-down) from SI. I wonder how many others will?

[BobPalma]

Good points, everyone.

I am one who discourages "picking" on a car that's not for sale, or one that may be offered by an innocent party like a recently-deceased owner's child or an estate executor.

However, as a car dealer myself, I say that if a dealer offers a car at a price asking every last dime of retail for that make and model at a national level, then the car ought to be just about flawless. That's not to say a 1951 Commander Starlight couldn't be a high-20s car, but it would have to be the very best one in the country, period. And the subject offering is not it by any stretch of the imagination.

For $27,500, the asking price, the buyer would have the right to expect virtually perfect electricals, with a reproduction wiring harness having been properly installed, a battery and cables of the correct size (probably new), and a correct battery hold-down bracket and fasteners in place. No excuses.

And even then, when you're done with the subject car, you'd still have the cheaper, less-popular Regal (C3) trim (8,192 produced), rather than the nicer, more popular State (C5) trim; 11,637 produced.

The subject offering has a long way to go to get to $27,500, for sure.

Now, how about a little market research to exercise the old CMB (Cranial Memory Bank)?

In 1951, the Commander State Starlight coupe handily outsold the cheaper Regal Starlight coupe, as noted above: 11,637 to 8,192.

However, in 1952, the trim levels swapped popularity: The Regal Starlight outsold the State Starlight, 5,127 to 3,874.

What was it about the 1952 model year that might account for that flip-flop in model popularity? BP