1950 Studebaker Starlight Prototype from Proving ground graveyard.
Hi everyone im new here.
I live in Melbourne Australia and am the owner of a 1950??? Studebaker Starlight? Coupe.
After getting very little response from the Studebaker car club in Australia i thought i would check out the American forum.
I was surprised and shocked to read about a prototype 1953 owned by a guy called Chris and further surprised to notice the body similarities and construction on Chris's car when compared to the vehicle i own.
I would like to make contact with Chris if he is reading this.
This is why:
Im 40 years young and own a 1950 Studebaker Coupe.
I bought this car here in Australia in 1990 as a sixteen year old teenager with the help of my late father and have had it ever since.
The car was a left hand drive import out of California and this is what I was told by the seller:
The body was pulled from the Studebaker testing ground or dumping ground for test cars in the early 1970's and was one of two starlight coupes removed and stored away, the body was bare, no running gear. In the early 80's it was sent to California for "Major" restoration and rust repairs.
The body year was unknown but somewhere around 47-52.
The restored body was finished in the mid 80's assembled using a 1950 Studebaker as a donor car, it was painted black and from a photo i have taken in the 1980's it looked like a restored car, at least on the outside.
In the late 80's the guy I bought it off was bringing a lot of cars into Australia from the States and lived about 10 mins from me in the Macedon Ranges, he said he bought the vehicle off a guy named Randell Hodgson or similar , will have to go through my notes to confirm actual spelling who lived in America and use to sell a lot of American cars in the 80's.
Randell told him the history of the car and thats what was passed on to me in 1990 when i bought it for $2000 Aust.
Ive always taken this story with a grain of salt up until now when i read about the Studebaker grave yard and Chris' s car. My car was imported with a chassis and engine number, it has no body tags or plates etc.
Even though it has a bullet nose at the front it also bares some striking similarities to Chris' car.
If you are reading this Chris i would like to discuss this with you or if anyone else can shed some light on this I would appreciate the assistance.
The vehicle is still left hand drive and a running driving older " restoration ".
I believe the donor car was a clean original example if the interior in my car is anything to go by, it looks to be original. It is also a 6-cylinder and 3 speed manual.
Thanks in advance,
Damion, Australia.
I live in Melbourne Australia and am the owner of a 1950??? Studebaker Starlight? Coupe.
After getting very little response from the Studebaker car club in Australia i thought i would check out the American forum.
I was surprised and shocked to read about a prototype 1953 owned by a guy called Chris and further surprised to notice the body similarities and construction on Chris's car when compared to the vehicle i own.
I would like to make contact with Chris if he is reading this.
This is why:
Im 40 years young and own a 1950 Studebaker Coupe.
I bought this car here in Australia in 1990 as a sixteen year old teenager with the help of my late father and have had it ever since.
The car was a left hand drive import out of California and this is what I was told by the seller:
The body was pulled from the Studebaker testing ground or dumping ground for test cars in the early 1970's and was one of two starlight coupes removed and stored away, the body was bare, no running gear. In the early 80's it was sent to California for "Major" restoration and rust repairs.
The body year was unknown but somewhere around 47-52.
The restored body was finished in the mid 80's assembled using a 1950 Studebaker as a donor car, it was painted black and from a photo i have taken in the 1980's it looked like a restored car, at least on the outside.
In the late 80's the guy I bought it off was bringing a lot of cars into Australia from the States and lived about 10 mins from me in the Macedon Ranges, he said he bought the vehicle off a guy named Randell Hodgson or similar , will have to go through my notes to confirm actual spelling who lived in America and use to sell a lot of American cars in the 80's.
Randell told him the history of the car and thats what was passed on to me in 1990 when i bought it for $2000 Aust.
Ive always taken this story with a grain of salt up until now when i read about the Studebaker grave yard and Chris' s car. My car was imported with a chassis and engine number, it has no body tags or plates etc.
Even though it has a bullet nose at the front it also bares some striking similarities to Chris' car.
If you are reading this Chris i would like to discuss this with you or if anyone else can shed some light on this I would appreciate the assistance.
The vehicle is still left hand drive and a running driving older " restoration ".
I believe the donor car was a clean original example if the interior in my car is anything to go by, it looks to be original. It is also a 6-cylinder and 3 speed manual.
Thanks in advance,
Damion, Australia.
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