Newbe looking at a 53 Starlight...Help?

I'm looking at a 53 Starlight Coupe. It has Champion across the trunklid but an eight cylinder under the hood. I was told it had a three speed on the column but now it't a three speed with an OD on the floor. The body is in great shape. I ran a magnet all along the bottom edge of the entire car and it stuck on everthing. The inside of the trunk and the floorboards are the weakest points, it looks like it was poorly repaired. There are rust blisters along the top edge of the rear fenders along the chrome. He has all the chrome, original black seats, passenger side window is cracked, motor and trans works great, is taged and on the road . It is a mono color of burgandy (please forgive me for any techno mispeak, I'm a newbe)... He's asking 8K..I could use some opinons and info PLEASE....

Smile..you'll look better.)

[JDP]

Hard to say without pictures, but the price does not seem out of line even with the engine swap. Make sure the brakes and rear have been upgraded to V8 items too.

JDP/Maryland
64 Daytona HT/R2 clone
64 GT R2
63 GT R2
63 Lark 2 door
59 3E truck
58 Starlight
52 & 53 Starliner
51 Commander

[JDP]

Hard to say without pictures, but the price does not seem out of line even with the engine swap. Make sure the brakes and rear have been upgraded to V8 items too.

JDP/Maryland
64 Daytona HT/R2 clone
64 GT R2
63 GT R2
63 Lark 2 door
59 3E truck
58 Starlight
52 & 53 Starliner
51 Commander

[wbankard]

Thanks, I'll ask him. I can take some pictures and post them tomorrow. I was planning to replaced the brake with disks brakes.. but I'm torn between making it completely original or continue to modify it...

Smile..you'll look better.)

[wbankard]

Thanks, I'll ask him. I can take some pictures and post them tomorrow. I was planning to replaced the brake with disks brakes.. but I'm torn between making it completely original or continue to modify it...

Smile..you'll look better.)

[Tom Bredehoft]

Don't worry about absolute original brakes, 54 V8 brakes are all you need, the are large enough to stop the car, the '53 champion brakes were a little puny.

[img=left]http://www.alink.com/personal/tbredehoft/Bothcars.jpg[/img=left]
Tom Bredehoft
'53 Commander Coupe
'60 Lark VI
'05 Legacy Ltd Wagon
All three Indiana built OD cars

[Tom Bredehoft]

Don't worry about absolute original brakes, 54 V8 brakes are all you need, the are large enough to stop the car, the '53 champion brakes were a little puny.

[img=left]http://www.alink.com/personal/tbredehoft/Bothcars.jpg[/img=left]
Tom Bredehoft
'53 Commander Coupe
'60 Lark VI
'05 Legacy Ltd Wagon
All three Indiana built OD cars

[Roscomacaw]

Actually Tom, we could say "'54 and later V8 brakes". The swap is a bolt-on affair and makes a great difference in stopping power over 6cylinder brakes, both PRE-'54 and POST-'54. Even uses the same master cylinder.

Miscreant adrift in
the BerStuda Triangle


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

[Roscomacaw]

Actually Tom, we could say "'54 and later V8 brakes". The swap is a bolt-on affair and makes a great difference in stopping power over 6cylinder brakes, both PRE-'54 and POST-'54. Even uses the same master cylinder.

Miscreant adrift in
the BerStuda Triangle


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

[jbwhttail]

I would have a concern that if the floor and trunk are rotted and not repaired correctly how did the body survive? Use a smaller magnet, take that 2" square frig magnet and cut it into 1" square and check entire length of front fenders where they meet the door. check rear quarters just behind the doors(back to wheel wells) 8-10" up from bottom. Also rust up on top near chrome would concern me, water runs down..... and this is on top of fender? Sounds like what is below that fender is???? I'll bet it isn't solid either.....

Mechanical parts for Studes are a dime a dozen, to find a solid body and frame to work with is the key. Recently there was a complete set of fenders went on Ebay for a C/K body. four fenders at over 3K add that to the purchase price, floor repairs, new paint brakes.. you can get over 20K easy.... If you stop mid stream you have a car worth less than you spent on parts.

If it was "three on the tree" and now a shift on the floor where do you get the column to take away the shift mechanism? That hole where the shifter was is always there, unless you find a donor column of 1961 or later.

What are the guages like? and how is the electrical system? The original system was a 6 volt Positive ground, is it now a 12 volt system.

Quite a few questions to answer before I'd pay 8K for a car....

OK I lied....I'll do it again for the "right" car, I love the chase.....

[jbwhttail]

I would have a concern that if the floor and trunk are rotted and not repaired correctly how did the body survive? Use a smaller magnet, take that 2" square frig magnet and cut it into 1" square and check entire length of front fenders where they meet the door. check rear quarters just behind the doors(back to wheel wells) 8-10" up from bottom. Also rust up on top near chrome would concern me, water runs down..... and this is on top of fender? Sounds like what is below that fender is???? I'll bet it isn't solid either.....

Mechanical parts for Studes are a dime a dozen, to find a solid body and frame to work with is the key. Recently there was a complete set of fenders went on Ebay for a C/K body. four fenders at over 3K add that to the purchase price, floor repairs, new paint brakes.. you can get over 20K easy.... If you stop mid stream you have a car worth less than you spent on parts.

If it was "three on the tree" and now a shift on the floor where do you get the column to take away the shift mechanism? That hole where the shifter was is always there, unless you find a donor column of 1961 or later.

What are the guages like? and how is the electrical system? The original system was a 6 volt Positive ground, is it now a 12 volt system.

Quite a few questions to answer before I'd pay 8K for a car....

OK I lied....I'll do it again for the "right" car, I love the chase.....

[jbwhttail]

Welcome to the world of Studebaker! It is a challenge...... but parts are still cheap!

[jbwhttail]

Welcome to the world of Studebaker! It is a challenge...... but parts are still cheap!

[JDP]

I should have a 53 Commander Starliner out in California ready in a few days. Solid body, maybe 3-5K in mechanical work done, but needs everything else: Should go for under the 8K you are looking at. Some early pics here:

http://stude.com/53

JDP/Maryland
64 Daytona HT/R2 clone
64 GT R2
63 GT R2
63 Lark 2 door
59 3E truck
58 Starlight
52 & 53 Starliner
51 Commander

[JDP]

I should have a 53 Commander Starliner out in California ready in a few days. Solid body, maybe 3-5K in mechanical work done, but needs everything else: Should go for under the 8K you are looking at. Some early pics here:

http://stude.com/53

JDP/Maryland
64 Daytona HT/R2 clone
64 GT R2
63 GT R2
63 Lark 2 door
59 3E truck
58 Starlight
52 & 53 Starliner
51 Commander