Not a 53 Champion, interesting.

[52-fan]

I clicked on this car on ebay just for curiosity and was surprised. Someone has been busy. The car must have been a Commander, but the body didn't come from the factory like that. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1953-Studeba...mNlZZ9Mk&vxp=m

[Blue 15G]

I like it a lot. Wish they would have shown more detail of the back seat. Or is it a seat? Might just be closed off like a Business Coupe. If not, that's got to be one uncomfortable ride for the rear seat passenger.

On the body tag: Doesn't W mean it was originally a 4 door sedan?

[8E45E]

It has the appearance of a 'club coupe'; a body style that Chevrolet and Ford offered at the time.

The '49 - '51 Ford Club Coupes also have a long filler panel between the rear window and the forward trunk opening.



It is an excellent example of a 'body style that never was'.

Craig

[jclary]

I like it a lot. Wish they would have shown more detail of the back seat. Or is it a seat? Might just be closed off like a Business Coupe. If not, that's got to be one uncomfortable ride for the rear seat passenger.

On the body tag: Doesn't W mean it was originally a 4 door sedan?

Appearance wise, I like it too. Kinda like the Business Coupe idea carried forward from earlier years. Like you said, the ad does not sufficiently describe the custom build. It might work for someone wanting a "Parking Lot Queen," but what about structure? What about the well known (in Studebaker circles) flexing of the '53 frames? Says it is a '58 engine, but what engine?

So, for me, too many questions to pay auction retail for a cosmetically pleasing custom with so little information about its mechanical foundation. It is one thing to buy a fun vehicle to look at, but another thing all together if is is not safe to drive due to sketchy suspension, brakes, and things that make it enjoyable to operate.

[junior]

Would make me tempted to pass this off as a factory prototype for a business coupe. This looks like it took some crafty metal work to achieve, and the builder just about nailed the 'look'...personally I would like to have shown a little more rubber seal around the rear quater windows like a factory C body and perhaps made the leading edge of the quarter windows be parallel to the back edge of the door glass. The crown of the roof and deck from the backlight to trunk edge are spot on. Even the colour works. Put on some black wall tires with Stude dog dishes, add a 'prototype' streamer to the cowl tag (oh, the horror, lol) lose the character-line striping and chrome do-dad- thingy and call it a day. Thumbs up on this one. Cheers, Junior

[ddub]

When I first looked the term "sedan coupe" came to mind.

[studegary]

I like it a lot. Wish they would have shown more detail of the back seat. Or is it a seat? Might just be closed off like a Business Coupe. If not, that's got to be one uncomfortable ride for the rear seat passenger.

On the body tag: Doesn't W mean it was originally a 4 door sedan?

Yes, 4H-W3 is a 1953 Commander Deluxe four door sedan.

I do not know where they get the "Champion" part from.

[studegary]

Would make me tempted to pass this off as a factory prototype for a business coupe. This looks like it took some crafty metal work to achieve, and the builder just about nailed the 'look'...personally I would like to have shown a little more rubber seal around the rear quater windows like a factory C body and perhaps made the leading edge of the quarter windows be parallel to the back edge of the door glass. The crown of the roof and deck from the backlight to trunk edge are spot on. Even the colour works. Put on some black wall tires with Stude dog dishes, add a 'prototype' streamer to the cowl tag (oh, the horror, lol) lose the character-line striping and chrome do-dad- thingy and call it a day. Thumbs up on this one. Cheers, Junior

The rear quarter windows are fixed glass, not vent style pivoting windows. I agree that it would look better if the vertical lines on the side (windows/door frame) lined up.

[8E45E]

The rear quarter windows are fixed glass, not vent style pivoting windows. I agree that it would look better if the vertical lines on the side (windows/door frame) lined up.

What helps immensely is the removal of the exposed seam below the C-pillar the '53-'55 F-body cars all had.

Craig

[BobWaitz]

That is pretty cool. I'd love to see it in person to see how it was done.

[StudeRich]

The engine appears to be a very original looking Late 1960 4 Barrel, probably a 259. With those valve covers, not a '58 as stated in the Ad that it may be.

That is a neat Business Coupe!

[studegary]

What helps immensely is the removal of the exposed seam below the C-pillar the '53-'55 F-body cars all had.

Craig

This wasn't an F body, it is/was a W body so two door seams were eliminated.

[t walgamuth]

LOoks like they took the rear two doors out and put a truncated tail on it. Front doors appear to be from the original four door.

Very interesting!

[StudeRich]

It took me awhile to figure out where that famous body line came from because of all the modifications, but it simply was left in the Rear Door!

Now THAT'S some pretty good Body work!

[8E45E]

This wasn't an F body, it is/was a W body so two door seams were eliminated.

The net is both the F and W shared the same rear fenders. The only difference was a short fixed filler panel; inner and outer, in place of an opening rear door on the F body cars.

Craig