Think of adding to our collection - need a little expert advice

[michelle]

Hello all! It's been a while since I've been on the forum (too much work, not enough play, hee hee) We came across a '55 President on Craigslist today and my "pops" is looking to do another project with Jim and I .... wondering if you guys think this car would be a good deal at around $1500-$1800 as it stands and what you think the value might be once fully restored.

You can view the ad here: http://redding.craigslist.org/cto/3982276185.html

Any advice, opinions, etc are much appreciated! You guys are awesome!

Thanks,

Michelle

[studegary]

The car is a late series President State built in Vernon (LA), CA. It is an excellent car to start with IF that is what you want. It is not a car to restore to make money on. There is no demand/money for 1955 sedans, even President State models. You will be "upside down" in a hurry. The biggest item is the interior. It is indicated that the inteior is bad, but there are no pictures to show if it is still usable or would need to be completely replaced (expensive).

[Jerry Forrester]

what you think the value might be once fully restored.

If you were to buy the car and do an excellent restoration on it, I would guess the final value to be about 35-40% of the amount you spent on the project. No big g here.

[michelle]

Thanks Guys! This was really helpful... we'll keep looking for something a little more desirable.

[jclary]

I have a 1951 Land Cruiser, which is that year's equivalent of your big expensive family sedan. I restored mine by doing nearly all the work myself. What I couldn't do, I bartered and traded. Even with that, getting the investment back in a sale would be a reach. That said, few offerings of Studebaker are better riding, more solidly built, and fun to share and ride with family and friends.

Lots of folks will walk by one of these to drool over one of the flashier two door cars, but if you ever get a chance to spend time in and around one of these cars...you'll understand what great "memory building machines" they can be. That is where the value lies in them. Properly maintained, they are relatively dependable, capable of modern highway speeds, and not as fragile as the Champions. This one, you are looking at, is a manual transmission with overdrive. I think that is a positive because they are much less complicated to work on (at least for me) than the automatic transmissions.

Unless you are skilled at upholstery work, body work, painting, and love endless hours of hammering, tinkering, slathering on filler, then sanding off the filler, etc. This is probably not the project you want. Replacing that windshield along with a new gasket and fitting all the stainless trim back where it belongs...no walk in the park. The mechanical work is another thing that will cost tons of money if you have to depend on paying others to do the work. Finding someone who is competent and will care for your machine as much as you do, is becoming more difficult.

This is one to restore for those stories told at family-gatherings, to pass down a couple of generations, and just plain enjoy. Never...as a wise investment.

[Sdude]

Michelle, These guys may not remember what you did to your Lark. I'm posting a before picture for them to compare to your signature pic to see what you are capable of doing. They are right that the car is not a highly desireable model but that really means nothing if the car appeals to you. Besides, the less popular models are just that much more unique IMHO.

I'm still blown away with what you did to that Lark and this car is nowhere near the mess that Lark was in. I'm glad you want to do another Studebaker and can't wait to see the finished product, whatever car you end up with.

This is what Michelles Lark looked like when she saw it in a field and fell in love with it. I would say there's nothing She, and her husband, can't do when they put their minds to it.

[63t-cab]

Michelle, check your pm box.

[rockne10]

I can't argue with anything already said. Those sedans were some of the very best and most comfortable riding cars to come out of post-war South Bend. It's a shame they've been eclipsed in value.

[Sdude]

I can't argue with anything already said. Those sedans were some of the very best and most comfortable riding cars to come out of post-war South Bend. It's a shame they've been eclipsed in value.

So, with that being said, you get a great car and you don't have to pay a fortune for it. If you like the looks of it, that's all that matters. I'm a member of the 4 door cars are cool club. Membership is growing.

[jclary]

So, with that being said, you get a great car and you don't have to pay a fortune for it. If you like the looks of it, that's all that matters. I'm a member of the 4 door cars are cool club. Membership is growing.

I gotta tell ya...I love mine. Drove it to church the other day. A young lady comes up and wanted to know the name of the color. She wants to paint a room in her house Maui Blue!

This is a pic my daughter, Jennifer, had framed and gave me for father's day. She does some pretty neat stuff with a computer. If you look close at the reflection in the windshield...that's the two of us years earlier standing beside my Lark at the Gator Bowl in Florida.

[jimmijim8]

You don't need that to be a 400 point show car to be in my show. Buy it for couple hundred less than advertised and clean it up being frugal and tastefull. If you can't paint it, perhaps prep it for a MAACO or a fairly priced back yard paint job. I'd say it's a great car deserving to be spiffed up and I like 4 doors also. Loose the skirts. cheers jimmijim

[Gary1953]

John,
That is a great picture! Thanks for posting.

[candbstudebakers]

Even being a 4 door the price is right for a driver and it does run, with you living in Red Bluff Ca. stop by Dick and Norma Grove and see what she would charge you to do the seats, if you like the car and the price fits buy it and enjoy it.

[2moredoors]

So, with that being said, you get a great car and you don't have to pay a fortune for it. If you like the looks of it, that's all that matters. I'm a member of the 4 door cars are cool club. Membership is growing.

All my cars are 4 doors and one of them is the less desirable 1955 President Deluxe. I have driven that car on long trips to meets. It it comfortable and keeps up with traffic very well. I paid too much when I bought it, spent too much maintaining it the way I want it maintained and who cars what my grandson sells it for when I die. He will make a profit, he paid nothing for it. If you like it buy it, fix it up and enjoy it. The SDC is a not for profit organization so why shouldn't the same thing apply to its members (smiley face)

Chhers

[michelle]

Unless you are skilled at upholstery work, body work, painting, and love endless hours of hammering, tinkering, slathering on filler, then sanding off the filler, etc. This is probably not the project you want. Replacing that windshield along with a new gasket and fitting all the stainless trim back where it belongs...no walk in the park.

Thanks John!

Hee hee, I wish I had pictures of us putting the windshield/gasket/stainless trim back into my Lark... boy what an experience that was! Almost as fun as putting in the headliner on a hot summer day. I think I had more fun than any of us out there sanding and grinding. The hammering was left to my hubby who seems to have a magical skill for reshaping metal. If that part were up to me, the final product would have been a little scary. Between the two of us and my dad who knows a ton about old engines, I think we'd be ok in the resto work and it sounds like that car would be a fine ride once we were done with it. Hmmm, wonder if my mom and dad are up to having a classic for a daily driver....

Michelle