It followed me home

[georgeE]

For whatever reason I happened to be perusing the local Craigslist on Monday and found this.
Except for the rockers (replacements came with it) ,the lower right fender and spare tire well its pretty solid with hardly any dents even. Missing the radio which I suspect is a rare item.
Looks like bird poop caused all the surface rusting.
No motor or transmission although the seller has a rebuilt first series V8 that he would sell along with an standard trans with OD.
Here's a couple pics.

[52-fan]

Good score. That looks like a fairly solid body. Since a V-8 didn't come in the 1950 models, I guess you're building a modified?

[jclary]

Treat that steering wheel with reverence! The Schrock Brothers can use it to build you a new one better than original. However, without a core...they might not talk to you.

[57pack]

Looks like it's belongs there !

[jclary]

WOW! A '50 Commander Starlight...among the most iconic exotic offerings of the Automotive world! Hope you enjoy the heck out of it. Whether you restore to stock or modify it...this is one car difficult to lose its identity. I'm happy you found the car (or if it followed you home, it found you), and look forward to progress reports. Welcome to the forum. Are the pics of your place? Is that your truck too?

This bold type is an edit. Something strange is going on with this forum. Earlier today, I posted the above before anyone else had replied to the thread. My comments about the steering wheel was a later second post. Then, I left the computer and went to run some errands. When I returned home, I checked and found that my first post had disappeared. Out of curiosity, I decided to "back click" my forum pages and finally, found the dropped comments. I don't know if it is something I did or if it is some continuing problem of dropped posts mentioned a couple of days ago???

[TWChamp]

1950 is one of my favorite Studebakers, and your car is one of the coolest. A 1950 Commander engine and radio aren't too hard to find, so I'd keep it original. You'll be preserving a nice piece of Studebaker history and have all the power and speed you need from the 245 engine.

[Studebaker Ron]

Treat that steering wheel with reverence! The Schrock Brothers can use it to build you a new one better than original. However, without a core...they might not talk to you.

I shelled out the money for a Schrock wheel on my 1950 Champion using my original and all I can say is amazing!!!!!!

Ron

[Mrs K Corbin]

Note: If you feed them, they will follow you home!

[georgeE]

I'll try and address all the comments here.Yes it is my place . I bought the truck just a couple months ago from a neighbor who is into Studes .It's on a Ford chassis and I can't have 2, 4 wheel projects around ( we don't count 2 wheelers as the don't take up much space)so the truck went on Craigslist yesterday and this a.m. I had 3 requests to see it so hopefully it will be outta here in a few days and relative peace will reign over the hacienda again.
I don't want to upset the purists but as I want it to be up to modern standards and not just have something to take out once a month to a cruise in I will likely upgrade it with power brakes and a more modern driveline. I intend to keep everything else as original cosmetically as I can.
Right now I'm trying to mentally develop a game plan. As I said I have a neighbor who has been into Studes forever so he should be a big help. He seemed pretty excited when I told him what I had found.
I'll be looking for an address for these Shcrock guys at some point.
Incidentally my first ride ever was in a Studebaker. I was born in 49 and my Dad owned a Studebaker at the time. The only new car he ever owned. He passed when I was quite young so don't really know what year but likely a 48. I just seem to remember grey. It was gone by the time I was old enough to remember much.

[jclary]

GeorgE!!!Thanks for returning to reply. Just to give you a "heads up," I encourage you to make sure you have your skin toughened and brace yourself for our group of opinionated, off the beaten path, march to a different drummer, "Studebaker Personality" types. Personally, I think there's room for all here, but we sometimes form a circular firing squad. There are some who will decry your plan to modify the car. Others will cheer you on and offer suggestions.

Although you say "two" four wheeled projects are space hogs...I know (from experience) that "ONE" vehicle, taken apart, will occupy the space of several assembled vehicles. You are very fortunate in that the car is a '50 Commander. That chassis is heavier than the same year Champion, and should be more "modification" friendly for such a transitional model year of production. Due to having the bigger, longer, heavier, "Big 6" Commander engine, the engine compartment is longer. It should give you plenty of room and therefore options for installing the power plant of your choosing. (Since I've never done it...this is pure speculation on my part.) Hopefully, you will join the SDC, get our monthly publication, join a regional (local) chapter, and avail yourself of resources most folks don't know exist. If your neighbor is already a member, friendly, and willing to help...you are ahead of the game.

As you progress...post away and keep us up to date. Post lots of pictures...we love 'em.

[TWChamp]

There is no need to change anything for a 1950 Studebaker with overdrive to be a daily driver, and even drive on the interstate highways. From 1968 until the mid 70's my 1950 Commander was my daily driver, and it never let me down in any way.

[sweetolbob]

George

Welcome to the forum and congrats on finding one of the more iconic style of Studes out there.

It appears to be in very good shape for it's age and has great promise for what you intend to do. Please keep posting as you progress.

At 72 YO, I've driven my share of cars from older ones with OEM brake and power setups to some relatively strong running cars brought up to "current" brake and drive train standards. There is no way I will put a car on the road that I can't stop or accelerate with "modern" vehicles. It's not a modify them at all costs attitude, it's self preservation. There are just to many crazy/inattentive folks on the road. Last week, I'm doing the speed limit in my Impala on a local two-lane and as nice old lady in a Cadillac decides she has right-of-way and pulls out of the side road in front of me. Locked brakes, evasive steering and several unflattering comments later I just miss her as she continues down the road blissfully with me stopped on the shoulder with no damage to my Impala.

I missed her because I spend time in Florida where this is becoming common and I had modern day vehicle. I think I could have done the same with my older vehicles as they have been upgraded or at least minimized the damage to only metal and fiberglass.

I applaud your vision for your vehicle and hope to follow your build. The forum folks that want to keep their cars in original condition should be applauded for doing so as they remain the standard that Studebaker set when they were build. I just can't do it personally.

Avanti, Bob

[Michidan]

Tons of potential there. A 50 Commander starlight is cool no matter what you do with it.

[georgeE]

John
I've got pretty thick skin so don't worry. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and they are all worth exactly what you pay for them. Nada!
I joined the SDC as soon as I bought the truck. Love the magazine( too nice to be called a newsletter) 2 issues in so far.
Here's another Studebaker story from my youth. When I was an early teen maybe 13 or 14 a young couple bought the house up the street and the field where we played sandlot bball. Well he not only had a smoking hot blond wife but a red Stude Hawk with 289 stick shift. He was a nice guy and humoured us in our youthful mouth watering over both.
He would to pass by house every morning on his way to work and always had the Hawk rolling pretty good by that time.
I just sold several years accumulation of Royal Enfield motorcycle parts so have freed up quite a bit of space for storag in the barn on the left in pic.
Any mechanical modification that I do I will do my best to make it reversible.

TWChamp.
1968 was a long time ago and, at least around here traffic is way faster,drivers are ruder and much more plentiful than they were at that time. Choosing to drive a car with single master cylinder alone I would consider to be a risky call but as they say each to his own. I will restate the fact that I do not intend to " butcher" this car in any permanent way. I will never be able to afford a concourse restoration nor do I want one. I just want a vehicle that will stir my and others memories, turn some heads and be safe and easily driven in modern traffic.
As a note I wrote this post before Sweetolbob and Michidan posted but got bumped off when I went to tend to some things. Thanks for all the interest and I will try not to disappoint everyone all the time. Should I just add t o this post or is there a place on here devoted specifically to builds?
George

[flyinlow]

It's your car and of course you're free to modify it in any way that pleases you. I like the idea of a Studebaker V8 and OD tranny in it, that would be an era correct performance upgrade and chances are only real Studebaker people would know the difference. That's an incredibly iconic car that deserves to be back on the road where it belongs.
Great find!