Studebaker Food Chain

[6hk71400]

Seeing a few posts about beaters and one of the finest got me to thinking: what is the lowest car on the Studebaker food chain?
I think everyone is pretty much in agreement of the R1,R2,R3,R4 models, President Four Season Roadster or and Classic Car Club Studebaker but what do you consider the absolute lowest model Studebaker?

Would you past up a 1953 Studebaker 4 door Champion? Let's say no rust dry but still usable interior and a free engine. How about a 1958 Champion 4 door with an automatic?

As the pool of cars that can be saved dwindles, are we going to let them go? Now of course a shell of a car that would let another Studebaker live again is not what I am talking about. Would it be better to let the lower cars go to the rat rod modified etc group? Again, how many will end up as a project in pieces to do a frame off the 57 Scotsman that stalls and will never be on the road again.

10 years ago I had an R1 4 door cruiser with the gauge package but several people sniffed at it and said "Oh it's a 4 door" The car came out of Bakersfield from the dealer that specialized in Hi Po Studebakers.

I know we can't save them all, but the bread and butter cars were for years what kept Studebaker going.

Thought?

Bob Miles
Tucson AZ

[parts2]

Bob

I see all manner of low end cars being saved here in Tucson. I was parked by a young guy with a 63 Falcon 4dr and a 71 Buick Wagon..a couple of 4 door Corvairs..things I would not even look at except as a winter beater back in Chicago,, I was always 2 door guy for American cars..(Jaguars 3.4 or 3.8 sedans are always in my mind). I think the young guys ar so used to 4 doors from all the newer cars that they dob't think of them as we did.
I haven't seen a Scotsman or any 4 door Studes at all newer then 1950 in town. I always liked Conestoga 2 doors and wanted to make (horrors ! ) a restomod
(The Studebaker Conestoga Owner Registry )
Do you ever get out to Little Anthony's car shows ? Every two weeks on Saturday evening. A couple shows ago there were 5 Studebakers..)out of the 150 or so cars). My 53. and friend who just got a 54 coupe and a Hawk and two trucks..it was like unusual as I am usually the only Stude at these type shows..
Mine needs me to rebuild the power steering leak,,and the idiot who designed my home UH ME..made a west facing garage,,

113* today,,

[6hk71400]

I was out there today for a board meeting. I unveiled the chapter website that went live at 9am this morning. One of our member's cars is like yours only maroon and is featured on members cars page on our website

I haven't be to Little Anthony's in some time but will try to make it out there. It is not too far from the house. We are also planning an outing to a new restaurant called Even Stevens. New place that is in a former Studebaker Dealer. More to come on our website.

So thinking about the 53 4 door I may go look at it but only before 9am in the morning.

Thanks for your input.

Bob Miles
Tucson AZ

[parts2]

I saw the maroon on your new web site..the Tourmaster and President also. Very sharp cars,, A friend told me about Even Stevens just last week.

[Milaca]

To me, a 1958 Champion Scotsman is the lowliest of all Studebakers and I have no desire to ever own one, but I appreciate the persons that keep theirs on the road.
As for 4-door sedans, I happen to like the 1953-55 and the 1959-1965 4-door sedans but I prefer them with a V8.

[nwi-region-rat]

To me, a 1958 Champion Scotsman is the lowliest of all Studebakers and I have no desire to ever own one, but I appreciate the persons that keep theirs on the road.
As for 4-door sedans, I happen to like the 1953-55 and the 1959-1965 4-door sedans but I prefer them with a V8.

So.....if you find one......I'll gladly take it..... My first choice car...make a real sleeper out of that....

[sals54]

My vote would go to a 62 4 door Lark, 6 cyl 3 spd w/o overdrive. Sorry for owners of said machine, but its just my opinionations.

[Jett289]

I'm thinking the first year of the Scotsman was a very cheap car with no options . Didn't they just have one sun visor for the driver ?
Even went as far as just having dual headlights mounted in the not so nice quad headlight buckets. I'm always interested in seeing these cars at the shows and they seem to get a lot of looks . Plain and simple !!

[StudeRich]

I'm thinking the first year of the Scotsman was a very cheap car with no options . Didn't they just have one sun visor for the driver ?
Even went as far as just having dual headlights mounted in the not so nice quad headlight buckets. I'm always interested in seeing these cars at the shows and they seem to get a lot of looks . Plain and simple !!

NO, if it had Quad Headlight Pods without the 4 Headlight option (2 headlights) it would be a '58 Champion (with Fins).

The '57 and '58 Scotsmans were very much alike, no fins etc. with subtle minor changes like Round Taillights, a New Grille and later '58 models have no Fresh Air Doors in the Fenders like their nicer '58 brothers, the cooling Air enters through the Grille.

The whole POINT was to be CHEAP, Cheap, cheap, the LOWEST priced full sized American Cars, yes a right Visor and Armrest and Rears were optional, as were 2 speed Electric Wipers, but a simple Box Heater was Standard, so they could advertise it as "Factory Equipped", not stripped!
The Headliners were not Vinyl or Cloth, they were a Burlap course material that appeared to be Gunnysack.

You got Body Color PAINTED Hub Caps and FIVE Tires and Wheels... STANDARD! Including a one model only, lay down Spare!

The Optional "Champion Custom" type body side moulding Kit included a Gas Door Guard, Door Handle Guards, and the spoked type (Hawk) Wheelcovers if you wanted it to be SUPER Fancy!
That was how the Dealer Dad worked for equipped some of them, so I am not sure if ALL Dealers did the Wheelcovers with the "Package".

[StudeRich]

I am with Sal on the '62 Lark 4 Door, Deluxe 6 Cyl. being the worst looking, it was STILL a Great running Car just not those ridiculous long rear doors with the long, leaking air and water, rattling windows.

Sorry owners.

Not even CLOSE to as Ugly as a Pontiac Aztec though!

[8E45E]

The whole POINT was to be CHEAP, Cheap, cheap, the LOWEST priced full sized American Cars, yes a right Visor and Armrest and Rears were optional, as were 2 speed Electric Wipers, but a simple Box Heater was Standard, so they could advertise it as "Factory Equipped", not stripped! The Headliners were not Vinyl or Cloth, they were a Burlap course material that appeared to be Gunnysack. You got Body Color PAINTED Hub Caps and FIVE Tires and Wheels... STANDARD!

The Scotsman was made too cheap in many places, where it did not stand up; the cardboard door panels being a prime area. Once they got wet for the first time, they would wrinkle, and remain that way. A layer of vinyl covering them or thin steel like in the trucks would have made them hold up better.

Craig

[64studeavanti]

Not sure what lowest on the food chain means, but in my opinion, the least desirable is 59 & 60 Lark 4 door, flat six and 3 on the tree. Not that these were necessarily bad cars. But they made so many that they have little value. This is not unlike the grocery getters of other makes.

[DieselJim]

To me, a 1958 Champion Scotsman is the lowliest of all Studebakers and I have no desire to ever own one, but I appreciate the persons that keep theirs on the road.
As for 4-door sedans, I happen to like the 1953-55 and the 1959-1965 4-door sedans but I prefer them with a V8.

So.....if you find one......I'll gladly take it..... My first choice car...make a real sleeper out of that....

Saw a 55 4 door in Desert Valley Auto Parts in Maricopa Az. last week from the road. Don't know anything about it.

[BILT4ME]

When people ask about my Lark, I typically describe it as the "Ford Escort" of Studebaker. Lots made for a low price car and low desirability, basically a throw-away car.

I love my Lark BECAUSE it's different AND few others collect them. Yes, I still like to grinch and moan because no one makes T-shirts or pins, or cool "stuff" that depicts the Larks, only the Avantis and Hawks and GT Hawks.

I have to agree that any Lark 59-62 4 door, flat six, 3 on the tree w/o OD (poverty pack) is the least desirable of the model. They were also some of the highest quantities made (StudeRich chime in here to confirm....) so the highest production numbers mean the lowest "perceived value" on cars.

On the Hot Rod Power Tour this year, the Wagons are coming out of the woodwork so to speak. Wagons are the big popular thing to create an LS something powered XXX Wagon that will run 13's in the quarter, but leave them stock plain so they are sleepers and have "patina", even if you have to manufacture the patina. (Yech!)

Real patina takes YEARS to develop, and little money.

The manufactured patina takes DAYS to develop and LOTS of money.

Right now, if people want a cheap car, buy the 4-door Larks from 59-62, yank out the engine and driveline, install an LT4, with a 700R4 and a Ford 9" rear with a Detroit in it, and you'll be golden. Pull the frame and reinforce (or replace it entirely) and clean up, change it to a 4-link with bags and a FatMan front suspension with R&P steering, slam it with bags on all four corners, then some 20's with rubber bands on solid painted wheels and you'll be right in style. Install some Dakota Digital Gauges.

Leave all the rust holes big enough to throw a chicken through.....

If you haven't seen it, look up RoadKill Hot Rods.

[Bordeaux Daytona]

'61 Larks are the Rodney Dangerfield of Studebakers, No Respect.