Virgin California 1954 Starlight Commander coupe...deal or no deal?

[Starlite51]

I have been away from the SDC Forum for quite sometime and have sold off all my Studebakers ....

But I am so tempted by this coupe .. but I know I don't need another car in the barn ..parked next to our Jag XKR 550hp roadster (we have really strayed far from Studebakers in our old age)

This coupe is over at a shop that works on my cars in Loomis CA and they are selling it for the owner ...

So please help me from my "Studebaker sickness" ... and check out this coupe ... its a turn key car .. I have owned seven 1953-1954s since I was infected back in 1964 ... they always make me smile

Note this coupe was recently on ebay with 5,000 hits and failed to make the reserve ... has the market for good '53-'54's died off.. or am I just out of touch with the market.

anyway here are the details ...and some pics .. she's sweet, complete and rust free ...

"1954 Studebaker Commander Starlite coupe. Re-painted years ago it still looks great. Super straight and no rust or rot anywhere.

It has the deluxe under seat heater. The interior is done in black and there are no flaws to mention. All the factory tinted glass is in

real nice condition and scratch free. The stainless trim and the chrome is near flawless. For showing I would re-plate the grill bars.

There is some minor pitting. The engine runs perfectly with no smoke or noises. The automatic transmission shifts smooth.

The brakes are good and it stops fine. . Overall a nice clean California car that sounds good and is fun to drive.

To see and drive the car, call Bruce or Skyler weekdays between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm at 916-652-6852. Loomis CA ...."

(they are asking $14,500)

[Starlite51]

more pics

[studeclunker]

Beautiful. Wish I could afford it...

[StudeRich]

A very nice '54 Starlight Coupe, but nowhere near Original or Correct, if that is what a buyer would want, this is not it.

[S2Deluxe]

I see a '54 - '55 Commander trunk handle & V8 emblem, the 8 should be brass not chrome. A '54 Commander instrument housing. The only correct instrument, is the speedometer. No good shot of a body tag, passenger side of the firewall, just under the hood. If it's there it'll tell you what you've got? A '54 Commander deluxe should read 5H - C3 on top with the specific body # underneath. Other likely possibilities, would be, 4H - C3= '53 Commander deluxe, 14G - C5 = '53 Champion regal and 15G - C5 = '54 Champion regal. There are a few other possible combinations that you should be able to figure out, from the previous explanation. I also see ' 54 tail lights and '54 grilles as well, with a Champion script on the drivers side. It has a '53 tri-star hood ornament with a chrome Champion S that should also be gold or brass plated. The front bumper guards, horn button, rear seat and armrest are all '53 specific pieces. The engine does look like a 232" but that Orange is definitely not the correct color. There should be a machined pad on the engine with a number stamped in it, just on the drivers side of the oil filler tube? That should tell you what you've got. I'm not sure if that front seat is correct either, there is at least some side covers missing from it? It also has the wrong window cranks and arm rests on the door panels. They're missing the stainless steel devider strips and the pleating on the interior panels makes it look more like a '54 Champion regal interior and doesn't have the correct pattern of a '54 Commander. I'm not sure Virgin is the most accurate description of this car, however, all that's there does look pretty decent and very few will ever notice the difference! The price, it seems to me, probably isn't too far off.

Mark

[52-fan]

Nice car that has had a few modifications. Interesting to see a Champion S on the hood, but lots of people swapped trim around when it was cheap from Newman&Altman and the like. I could drive it just like it is......well maybe the engine could get repainted....or changed to a 289....or maybe an R1. And so it begins for someone.

[StudeRich]

There are enough '53 Parts and changes to suspect that it is a '53, but a Champion is also a possibility, can't tell about that.

Then there is that incorrect Two Tone job.

[studegary]

It is too modified, but not to the point of being a restomod, for me to be interested in it. If the modifications do not bother you, make an offer on it. I think that the next step is to check the Serial Number and body plates to see what it started as (post them here).

[Jeff_H]

"Early" '53 Champion hood tri-star with "late" '53 and '54 commander trunk emblems.

'53 tri-star steering wheel center. '54 commander instrument cluster surround.

'53 rear center armrest/storage.

Unknown window cranks.

Upholstery definitely not original.

Probably other custom changes.

All that said, it looks like a nice car if you don't care about stock original. I would not banish it from my garage.