1955 Champion Deluxe

[Ahoyguy]

I have a 1955 Champion Deluxe with the wrap around windshield. I got the build sheet so I know it's Saginaw green with a White roof. The interior is just listed as green. Is there any resource with clear pictures of the original interior. I know the pattern/design on the doors from the sales brochure. Its the seats I don't know about. I believe it was 3 colors of green. As a child I remember the seats had green with silver thread, but I have been told that the mylar thread material was just for Commanders. So was mine all vinyl or did it have some cloth inserts? My Grandmother set the back seat on fire so perhaps it was redone at some point. The car currently has a generic cloth interior that was put in 30 years ago. Does anyone have color samples? The dash and interior metal window frames were all the same green as the body, yes? No two tone on the dash I assume.Thanks!

[clonelark]

More 55 craziness, look at the paint line on the top. These are the same colors as my 55 Conestoga Commander, Saginaw green/Shasta white. Studebaker must have spent a fortune on 55s with all the different parts and styles.

[stude dude]

I have always liked that rear fender trim they put on '55 Regal 2 doors. Its a pretty neat way of hiding the vertical panel join.

You need to chase down a 1955 Dealer Paint and Upholstery selector. Someone on the forum will probably have one.

Chris.

[Chris Pile]

Studebaker must have spent a fortune on 55s with all the different parts and styles.

Yes, and they spent it in the wrong places.
Should have concentrated on the 2 door coupes, instead of 4 door sedans.

[63t-cab]

Above is not a 2 dr. coupe,4 dr. sedan - it's a 2 dr. sedan.what was wrong with the 2 dr. coupes that more money should have been spent ?

Yes, and they spent it in the wrong places.
Should have concentrated on the 2 door coupes, instead of 4 door sedans.

[Chris Pile]

NO KIDDING, JOE!

Studebaker thought people would buy more of the tall 4 door sedans over the low 2 door coupes.
They were wrong - everybody wanted the sexier Loewy coupe - not the frumpy sedan.
They converted frumpy 4 door sedans into frumpy 2 door sedans, and tried to cover it up with that gigantic vertical trim piece.
The public was not fooled.

[warrlaw1]

Gramma set the back seat on fire? I can relate to that. Bless her heart... she musta been lots of fun.

[Noxnabaker]

Starlights & 4-doors ROCKS!!!

[63t-cab]

I don't know that I completely agree with this.the BIG 3 made and sold tons of 2 and 4 dr. sedans in the 50s all the while they were building such as Vettes and T-BIRDS.only difference is Studebaker was poor and couldn't build two separate bodies,so they tweeked one sedan from another due to costs.being fooled or not,it's still 2 dr. vs 4dr.,it shouldn't matter how they arrived at it

NO KIDDING, JOE!

Studebaker thought people would buy more of the tall 4 door sedans over the low 2 door coupes.
They were wrong - everybody wanted the sexier Loewy coupe - not the frumpy sedan.
They converted frumpy 4 door sedans into frumpy 2 door sedans, and tried to cover it up with that gigantic vertical trim piece.
The public was not fooled.

[556063]

As the owner of a '55 Champion Regal 4Dr Sedan for 35 years (Winsor Blue over Alpena Blue), I've kind of spanned the history gap on the acceptance of 4 doors, and I've come up with a theory on why Studebaker saw such a spike in demand for the coupes best explained by using current terminology in the auto industry. When I was a Kid, it was unthinkable for a single male to be in a 4 door anything. Not so today.

The extra buyers for the 53-55 Coupes were "Conquest Sales". People who would likely have never bought or considered a Studebaker, but were so taken by the design of the Coupes that they "Had to Have" one. These people would have likely bought 2 door "something else", but found themselves swooning over the new design, and in the Studebaker Showroom trying to buy one. Of course, this doesn't explain every Coupe buyer, but I think it explains the majority of the extra buyers. I'm sure some gave up the utility of a sedan to get into the coupe too.

Studebaker may have done better keeping a more traditional theme on their bread and butter sedans instead of trying to copy the coupes, but I doubt it. The new 55 Chevy 4 door likely cut into sedan sales in 55, and the Ford and Chevy price wars were taking a toll on budget minded buyers. There's little doubt in my mind that the "sexiness" of the coupes and hardtops had everything to do with the somewhat "unexpected" demand for them.

[Ahoyguy]

She was born in 1900 and started smoking in 1916. She bought this car new in 1955 from Myrick Motors here in Dallas. Took it for a test drive and stopped at the bank on the way back to the dealer for cash and paid for it on the spot. Several years later she was on the highway driving to visit her sister when she flicked her cigarette out the window....came back in the car and set the rear seat on fire.

[Ahoyguy]

Does anyone have a 1955 Dealer Paint and Upholstery selector...I just need to know if it was all vinyl or a vinyl/cloth combo. Its a Champion Deluxe F4 trim level in Green. Thanks.

[556063]

Here is a photo out of the 1955 "Perspectives on Value" Dealer Book showing samples of available interior colors. All Vinyl was available at extra cost:

[Ahoyguy]

The paint line follows the rain guter

[Ahoyguy]

Here is a photo out of the 1955 "Perspectives on Value" Dealer Book showing samples of available interior colors. All Vinyl was available at extra cost:

So the seats were vinyl with cloth inserts? I'm colorblind, which is the green? Thanks!!!!