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  • 55 sedan

    Saw what I believe is a 55 sedan just like the one pictured on the home page sitting inside a fence near my house.
    Just before I go inquire about it does anyone have an idea what it would be worth?
    It appears to be dent free,In need of paint, and I'm not sure of the interior or running condition.
    I know it's hard to say without seeing it but I'm looking for a ball park here. [?]

  • #2
    As little as possible. I spent too much on one worse than that, and am into it over 600 hrs of my labor and $6,000 of my dollars. It's not worth that much fully restored, and this will be a 20 foot driver.

    [img=left]http://www.alink.com/personal/tbredehoft/Avatar1.jpg[/img=left]
    Tom Bredehoft
    '53 Commander Coupe (since 1959)
    '55 President (6H Y6) State Sedan
    (Under Construction 608 hrs.)
    '05 Legacy Ltd Wagon
    All Indiana built cars

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    • #3
      Ah, the perils of restoring a Stude sedan! I got mine for a couple of hundred bucks and will be into it several hundred hours and at least $15K. It will be worth more parted out than what I might be able to sell it for, I fear. But it WILL be the world's best '56 2-door sedan for whatever that's worth!

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      • #4
        It's all about the metal rot. If there are no rust holes at all, then you could spend $500 and never live to regret it, no matter how it runs. If it has a lot of rust holes, then it might be better to pass on it (I did say PASS) no matter about the engine. Just compare the time it takes to repair a rustbucket to the time it takes to change motors.

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        • #5
          I haven't kept tabs of what I have invested in my '58 sedan, but it's well under $2000.00. I don't know what it's worth, but mine ain't for sale. Those 50's sedans are the best driving Studes ever built, with the exception of some prewar cars.

          Matthew Burnette
          Hazlehurst, GA

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          • #6
            Use Old Cars Price Guide or NADA to find approximate values. You'll need to determine if it is a Champion or Commander, two door or four door and trim level. Go low, neither of these are gospel.



            Many of these "less desirable" sedans have been parted out to restore the Coupes and Hardtops but they were, as Matthew said, some of the best and most comfortable products to come out of post-war production.

            It warms my heart to see some of these plain janes show up for judging and walk away with the prize. You know they have been preserved out of love, not as investment properties. As time goes on they will be the rarer of the species, and that should bode well for their value.

            We often get comments here about the car show where the Studebaker gets more attention than the ubiquitous '57 Chevies, Vettes and T-birds. At Studebaker shows the Coupes, Hardtops and Avantis are everywhere. Praise be to the family sedan.

            Brad Johnson
            Pine Grove Mills, Pa.
            '33 Rockne 10, '51 Commander Starlight, '53 Commander Starlight
            Brad Johnson,
            SDC since 1975, ASC since 1990
            Pine Grove Mills, Pa.
            '33 Rockne 10, '51 Commander Starlight. '53 Commander Starlight
            '56 Sky Hawk in process

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            • #7
              You also need to know if it has an automatic or standard transmission. The automatic's are a little expensive to rebuild if you can even find an older mechanic that is willing to do the job. I had mine rebuilt and changed electrical to 12 volt so I could install air conditioning. They are indeed a very fine highway ride and will be rare someday because most of the Stude's being saved are the flashy coupes.

              Jim Caldwell
              "The view don't change if you ain't the lead dog"

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              • #8
                I only have two words for you~

                SEDANS RULE!!!!




                StudeDave '57 [8D]
                Ferndale, WA


                '54 Commander Regal 4dr 'Ruby'
                '57 Parkview 'Betsy' (she's a 2dr wagon)
                '57 Commander DeLuxe 2dr 'Baby'
                '57 Champion Custom 2dr 'Jewel'
                '58 Packard sedan 'Cleo'
                '65 Cruiser 'Sweet Pea'
                StudeDave '57
                US Navy (retired)

                3rd Generation Stude owner/driver
                SDC Member since 1985

                past President
                Whatcom County Chapter SDC
                San Diego Chapter SDC

                past Vice President
                San Diego Chapter SDC
                North Florida Chapter SDC

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