'53 Commander Hood Ornaments Were an Option?

[paintim613]

I have seen a small number of '53's with a Studebaker hood ornament, but a vast majority have none. Does this mean it was an option?

[JDP]

It was a option, much to the displeasure of Brook Stevens, along with a long list of other gee haws that distract from the styling in my opinion.

64 Commander-64 Daytona
64 GT R2 clone-63 GT R2
63 Avanti R1
63 Daytona convert-63
63 Lark 2 door
62 Lark 2 door
60 Lark HT-60Hawk
59 3E truck
52 & 53 Starliner
51 Commander

[JDP]

It was a option, much to the displeasure of Brook Stevens, along with a long list of other gee haws that distract from the styling in my opinion.

64 Commander-64 Daytona
64 GT R2 clone-63 GT R2
63 Avanti R1
63 Daytona convert-63
63 Lark 2 door
62 Lark 2 door
60 Lark HT-60Hawk
59 3E truck
52 & 53 Starliner
51 Commander

[studegary]

quote:Originally posted by JDP

It was a option, much to the displeasure of Brook Stevens, along with a long list of other gee haws that distract from the styling in my opinion.

A hood ornament, along with a lot of other things, were options on the '53s. Bob Bourke, the designer of the '53, did not like a hood ornament or the quarter panel trim/emblems on the cars. He did not have them on his personal car and I removed them from cars that I owned.

I think that JDP/John was confused when he said Brook(sic) Stevens. Brooks Stevens wasn't involved with the design of Studebakers at that time.

Gary L.
Wappinger, NY

1959 DeLuxe pickup (restomod)

[studegary]

quote:Originally posted by JDP

It was a option, much to the displeasure of Brook Stevens, along with a long list of other gee haws that distract from the styling in my opinion.

A hood ornament, along with a lot of other things, were options on the '53s. Bob Bourke, the designer of the '53, did not like a hood ornament or the quarter panel trim/emblems on the cars. He did not have them on his personal car and I removed them from cars that I owned.

I think that JDP/John was confused when he said Brook(sic) Stevens. Brooks Stevens wasn't involved with the design of Studebakers at that time.

Gary L.
Wappinger, NY

1959 DeLuxe pickup (restomod)

[lstude]

The 53 Brochure shows a hood ornament similar to the 52 hood ornament and they show it on several SEDANS in the brochure. I have never seen one of these on a real car. The 53s I have seen with a hood ornament have one like the 54s.






Leonard Shepherd, editor, The Commanding Leader, Central Virginia Chapter, http://centralvirginiachapter.org/

[lstude]

The 53 Brochure shows a hood ornament similar to the 52 hood ornament and they show it on several SEDANS in the brochure. I have never seen one of these on a real car. The 53s I have seen with a hood ornament have one like the 54s.






Leonard Shepherd, editor, The Commanding Leader, Central Virginia Chapter, http://centralvirginiachapter.org/

[Roscomacaw]

I sold one of those longish 53 ornaments on ebay a few years back. Didn't get much for it for as nice as it was. Of course, who'd wanna add that glitz to such a pretty car???[xx(]

Miscreant adrift in
the BerStuda Triangle


1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe

[Roscomacaw]

I sold one of those longish 53 ornaments on ebay a few years back. Didn't get much for it for as nice as it was. Of course, who'd wanna add that glitz to such a pretty car???[xx(]

Miscreant adrift in
the BerStuda Triangle


1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe

[studegary]

The 1953 C/K hood ornament (Strat-O-Style) was the spear with a loop (wing) around it. Bob Bourke didn't want a hood ornament, but Raymond Loewy liked hood ornaments (and a lot of other ornamentation). Keep in mind that Studebaker dealers liked a large number of options because they helped the profit margin on cars. The dealer net price was $4.95 and the list price was $8.25 for the C/K hood ornament. There was also an adapter kit to mount the C/K hood ornament on sedans (in addition to the sedan hood ornament mentioned by lstude/Leonard). As late as 1999, when selling new cars, I had customers ask for hood ornaments to be installed on their new cars.

Gary L.
Wappinger, NY

1959 DeLuxe pickup (restomod)

[studegary]

The 1953 C/K hood ornament (Strat-O-Style) was the spear with a loop (wing) around it. Bob Bourke didn't want a hood ornament, but Raymond Loewy liked hood ornaments (and a lot of other ornamentation). Keep in mind that Studebaker dealers liked a large number of options because they helped the profit margin on cars. The dealer net price was $4.95 and the list price was $8.25 for the C/K hood ornament. There was also an adapter kit to mount the C/K hood ornament on sedans (in addition to the sedan hood ornament mentioned by lstude/Leonard). As late as 1999, when selling new cars, I had customers ask for hood ornaments to be installed on their new cars.

Gary L.
Wappinger, NY

1959 DeLuxe pickup (restomod)

[JDP]

As I was typing it, the name even sounded wrong, must have had a GT Hawk on the brain.

64 Commander-64 Daytona
64 GT R2 clone-63 GT R2
63 Avanti R1
63 Daytona convert-63
63 Lark 2 door
62 Lark 2 door
60 Lark HT-60Hawk
59 3E truck
52 & 53 Starliner
51 Commander

[JDP]

As I was typing it, the name even sounded wrong, must have had a GT Hawk on the brain.

64 Commander-64 Daytona
64 GT R2 clone-63 GT R2
63 Avanti R1
63 Daytona convert-63
63 Lark 2 door
62 Lark 2 door
60 Lark HT-60Hawk
59 3E truck
52 & 53 Starliner
51 Commander

[DEEPNHOCK]

Are you talking about the Tri-Star hood ornament?
Jeff[8D]

quote:Originally posted by paintim613

I have seen a small number of '53's with a Studebaker hood ornament, but a vast majority have none. Does this mean it was an option?

[DEEPNHOCK]

Are you talking about the Tri-Star hood ornament?
Jeff[8D]

quote:Originally posted by paintim613

I have seen a small number of '53's with a Studebaker hood ornament, but a vast majority have none. Does this mean it was an option?