America's Car Museum received an extra special Christmas gift in their stocking.

[Bellingham Studenut]

LeMay, America's Car Museum received an extra special Christmas gift in their stocking.



A 1951 Studebaker Champion Starlight Coupe:


http://www.lemaymuseum.org/blog/beautiful-bullet-nose-coupe/


The pictures also gives you a glimpse of some of the museum interior design, with arched lambeams and views over the city and bay.

Millions of people from around the world will be viewing the museum and some fine Studebaker's.
Exposing Studebaker's to people who have never seen one will be in for a treat!



James Bell

[2R5]

Thanks for sharing ....thats a TW cover shot if I've ever seen one !

[BobPalma]

Very nice, James. It's a good thing Studebaker made so many bullet-nose cars, so everyone and every museum can have a nice one now. BP

[Andy R.]

WOW...just look at that color!
Not to mention the fit and finish. What a gorgeous example.

[Studebakercenteroforegon]

Hannah Motors was a successful Studebaker dealer in Vancouver, WA up to the end. They then sold Mercurys and ultimately expanded to several large dealerships, still in the Vancouver, WA. area.
A couple of years ago, when they were closing out new PT Cruisers at very low prices, I went over to Hannah Chrysler to check them out. And there, on the Chrysler-Jeep showroom floor, was this very '51 Champion - clearly restored to a high level of quality.
Dick Hannah did not forget his roots!

[Bellingham Studenut]

Thanks for the info on the dealership and this car.
Your right about it being a nice restoration!



I haven't seen this car in person yet, but look forward to seeing it!

James

[Pat Dilling]

Wow, the paint is spectacular.

[dnevin]

Wow, the paint is spectacular.

I was thinking the same thing. What color is that? Does anyone know?

[raoul5788]

SWEET! Forgive my ignorance, but isn't the nose trim ring from a '50?

[Retired]

The trunk license plate light housing is the low line model. bullet looks like a 50, Knit picken I know but.....

[Sdude]

It's a 51 bullet. It's just missing the painted trim ring. Maybe they couldn't get it to close all the way and left it off...

[BobPalma]

RE: The subject Champion's blue color, to answer Dave Nevin's question in Post #8.

It would appear that the color is not a 1951 Studebaker color. Here is the 1949-1952 Studebaker page from my nice, well-preserved 1952 Martin-Senour Automotive Finishes Color Catalog:



Note that metallic colors are denoted by the word "poly." There are no colors denoted "poly" for 1951, only for 1949 and 1950. This is a 1952 catalog, so if a color was introduced mid-year 1951, it would have been included in this catalog.

That said, it sure looks like it should have been a color!

Speculating, here: 1950 was such a high-production year that I wonder if they had trouble with metallics and decided to do away with them for 1951, hoping to get the cars out the door as fast as possible by minimizing potential production problems. ?????

The industry was certainly "going" to metallics in a big way, so it's an interesting question to ponder, why Studebaker apparently had "none for '51." BP

[Roscomacaw]

If it were mine, folks could nit-pick it til they turned this shade of blue. I'd be too busy grinning to notice.

[dnevin]

Thanks Bob!