1955 President

[lschuc]

found this new eBay listing:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/132028110013?rmvSB=true

[packard352]

Yep, this guy is a flipping this car. Last week he got on the Studebaker Addicts FB group, asking for all sorts of "Help." deciding if he should purchase the car or not. Most of us offered him insights and advice, only to see a few days later that he'd done the 'deal' and was now offering the car for sale. The guy claims to have rectified something on the car, which in the time he's been flipping the car.. I doubt he's had a chance to sneeze! I wrote on FB to the guy that had all known his intention to flip the car, maybe the offers of advice and insights may have been a little less. I also offered him $10K, which I felt was a fair price under his circumstances... shortly afterward the car appeared on eBay

[Commander Eddie]

Yes, I have been watching this one too. It looks pretty nice. It appears to have power brakes but no power steering. It also has automatic transmission and assume it is the DG250M first gear start. Not a lot of other information. If I were a potential buyer I would want to see and drive it before placing a bid.

[sals54]

Well... if I had found this car for a really good deal, I'd be flipping it too. No harm in that. It looks like someone is still going to get a good car at a good price. If he makes a few bucks in the process, who cares? Everyone is happy in the end. Besides, if the economy perks up next year, it'll turn out to be a pretty good investment for the new buyer too.

[packard352]

Yeah, not against the flipping and as you write sals54 no harm in turning a buck too. However, it was the manner in which it was done that didn't appeal with the guy posing as someone with the intention of joining SDC, really getting into Studebakers and then turning out to be a be a flipper... that's the part I'm writing about. Anyway, wasn't my car and not likely to be either

[Hallabutt]

I'm not a flipper, never have been, but flipping in today's down car market seems like an iffy proposition at best. Flipper has to find, capitalize, transport, repair, or refurbish. Then have to hope that the market is there and where it needs to be when he wants to sell. Then there is time and financial resources dedicated to advertising or networking, if the car doesn't immediately sell. Then store, continue to maintain, insure, or self-insure while he owns the car. The risks go up the longer that he has to keep the car, as well as the time and other resources required. It's really a young man's game, but selling to an increasingly older market, with a decreasing inclination to buy, no thanks!

I like the car but I don't like the color. I think that this is a good one, but this is one of the few cars that I think the color would be a deal breaker for me. Of course it a matter of personal choice. In over fifty years of collecting I have owned at least twenty 55's, so they are one of my favorites. Today I'm too old, car is to much money and not enough of the look that I would want.

[sals54]

Yeah, not against the flipping and as you write sals54 no harm in turning a buck too. However, it was the manner in which it was done that didn't appeal with the guy posing as someone with the intention of joining SDC, really getting into Studebakers and then turning out to be a be a flipper... that's the part I'm writing about. Anyway, wasn't my car and not likely to be either

Yeah, perhaps... but ya never know when someone will see the light. On Studebakers and other things. You can give a "bum" a dollar and 99 times out of 100 he's gonna buy a beer. But that one time, you catch a guy who just wants to feed his family. Just like his cardboard sign said. Maybe this time, the guy just wanted to flip a car. If it goes well for him, maybe he'll not be so sour on Studebakers in the future. He tells a friend about it and he might be converted. I would say, lets give him the benefit of the doubt for now. We certainly have nothing to lose, eh?

[RadioRoy]

A few weeks ago, someone was asking how to tell if the windows on his car were tinted. The pictures in this auction demonstrate clearly how to tell.

[jclary]

Amazing isn't it? Two "yeller" '55's on ebay at the same time. After looking at the one that is the subject of this thread, I clicked on "Studebaker" to see what was listed since my last visit. Found this one in Vegas http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1955-...RYNUYp&vxp=mtr

To me, it looked like a much better buy until I looked at the questions to the seller. Someone had asked if he had a "buy it now" figure. He answered 31 grand. That's kinda "Speedster" territory is it not? Anyway, the one with the wire wheels has better looking paint, trim, and interior. The lines of the lower door area & trunk don't look as "suspect" as the one in California. The one in Vegas or California...either way...a gamble.

[ddub]

A little off topic, I follow ebay looking for 53 or 54 Ks. They are scarce. 55s are on there all the time. I am certain there were far fewer 55s made. What's the explanation?

[Hallabutt]

A little off topic, I follow ebay looking for 53 or 54 Ks. They are scarce. 55s are on there all the time. I am certain there were far fewer 55s made. What's the explanation?

At first glance I didn't think I wanted to answer the question, but then harkened back to what a friend said, "who better then you?" I drove these cars for daily transportation. My first car was a 1953 htp, if a friend had not offered me his 1955 Speedster in 1964, my 53 would have been my last Studebaker. The 53 was so bad in so many ways, and contrastingly the 55 was so much better car, in every respect, that the 55's survival was guaranteed. The 53's and to a lesser degree the 54's just demanded to be altered by advancements made after 1954. Today, and even for the last fifty years, it has been unusual to see a stock original 53 or 54. The same is not true of the 55's, as many of them have survived in original form. The two above mentioned cars are good examples. This only makes sense only if you drove these things as five or ten year old cars. It is too easy today to be blinded by a pretty face, the 53-54, and wonder why the originals haven't survived. To me it's simple, Studebaker had really done a great job of cleaning up the mess that was the 53 and were building a better car by 1955.

[PackardV8]

A little off topic, I follow ebay looking for 53 or 54 Ks. They are scarce. 55s are on there all the time. I am certain there were far fewer 55s made. What's the explanation?

To me it's simple, Studebaker had really done a great job of cleaning up the mess that was the 53 and were building a better car by 1955.

Yes, the '55 was a much better all-around car. However, while improving the mechanicals, not everyone agrees the styling was improved. By '55 the sleek lines were old news and hanging all the chrome on it was not to everyone's taste.

So what happened to the '53-54 C/Ks? Well, hot rodders and Bonneville racers used up thousands of them over the years. On the other hand, they're making more of them. Today, most building a custom will take a '55-61 C/K and put a '53-54 nose on it.

jack vines

[Flipper]

Yes, the '55 was a much better all-around car. However, while improving the mechanicals, not everyone agrees the styling was improved. By '55 the sleek lines were old news and hanging all the chrome on it was not to everyone's taste.

So what happened to the '53-54 C/Ks? Well, hot rodders and Bonneville racers used up thousands of them over the years. On the other hand, they're making more of them. Today, most building a custom will take a '55-61 C/K and put a '53-54 nose on it.

jack vines

Sorry to hijack the thread, but what improved in 1955?

I'm a new owner of a 54 coupe in need of a total rebuild. I will fix what needs fixing if given a clue.

[jclary]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but what improved in 1955?

I'm a new owner of a 54 coupe in need of a total rebuild. I will fix what needs fixing if given a clue.

The very first thing that comes to my mind is that 1955 was the year good flexible, dependable plastic covered electrical wiring insulation replaced the dangerously fragile cloth covered ruberized asphalt insulation that became brittle and disintegrated with age.

[GrumpyOne]

That oil filter system is a new one to me as most of 'em were hung on the oil filler stack.

Is the one on this car aftermarket???