One of the nicest!

[Transtar56]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Rare-1929-Studebaker-Commander-Touring-Car-or-Phaeton_W0QQitemZ290372465845QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Cars_Trucks?hash=item439b8c34b5

[jclary]

WOW! Even if I had justifiable disposable funds to purchase this one...I wouldn't attempt it unless I could commit to building a suitable facility to park it in. The humble "man cave" I have now just wouldn't be fair to the car or its history.

John Clary
Greer, SC

Life... is what happens as you are making plans.
SDC member since 1975

[Transtar56]

It was a 29 that I owned that first got me into Studes,it was a tough old beast that had a heart of gold. This car has to be the most beautiful Studebaker Ive ever seen.

[Roscomacaw]

If Mr.Quinn looks in, I'd like to know what's with the dual body tags in that one photo. I know "L" is the designator for this body type, but why TWO tags with different info[?]

Beautiful car tho - that's for sure. Back when I was working for the resto place, as I've told - I was exposed to lots of classics of this era. Oddly enough, never a prewar Stude of any style, save for a '41 Champion that was given to me after it didn't sell at an auction.


1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1963 Cruiser
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President two door

[Studebaker Wheel]

Mr Biggs; I have known of this car since my friend Gary Walters purchased it at Hershey in October 1999. Gary ran it through the auction at Hershey in 2008 but it did not meet the reserve

Here is the deal on the duplicate body tags. That touring body would fit on either the 1929-30 Commander Eight (model FD) or the Commander Six (model GJ) since the two cars had identical chassis. When the body was built the guys assembling it had no way of knowing which of the two chassis that it would be placed on so they simply put the (presumably) temporary tag L136 on the cowl (the L indicating the touring body). When it eventually ended up on the GJ chassis the second tag was placed on it (GJ L1 52). Generally the old tag was removed but for some reason that was not done in this case. I hope provides some clarification on this particular issue.

Perhaps a bit more unusual is the tag on the left frame rail. See image above. I have never seen this second tag on any other Studebaker but my guess its presence has something to do with the fact that this was an export car.

Very few touring bodies were being built at this time and most were shipped overseas. That makes this quite a rare car and, in fact, the only GJ or FD that I am aware.



Richard Quinn
Editor emeritus: Antique Studebaker Review

[Roscomacaw]

Interesting! Besides "COMMANDER", is anything else readable on that second frame tag?


1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1963 Cruiser
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President two door

[Studebaker Wheel]

On my original post I mistakenly said the "Commander" tag was on the left frame rail. As the photo clearly shows it is actually on the right. The standard serial tag showing the serial number as 4085548 is where it should be on the drivers side (left) frame rail.

The Commander tag was pretty badly damaged and I know there was no identifying numbers on it. Most likely just some patent and copyright (i.e. registration) information.

Richard Quinn
Editor emeritus: Antique Studebaker Review