OOPS: This doesn't look good...

[BobPalma]

No report of how this happened, but my money says it fell off the top tier of a transport. That's because there doesn't appear to be any damage from a frontal or rear-end collision with anything, or that another vehicle hit it at all, for that matter. Even if someone ran off the road and rolled it, you'd think there'd be damage on the LF.

So sad; it looked like a nicely-restored car:

https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fabetter.bid%2Fen%2F44687756-1955-studebaker-president&data=02%7C01%7C%7C085055db11e947257a0608d549645260%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636495617570472701&sdata=mOzTjKfo4VAnjiFjOWvjLo2LyqWTib0E3wa4NcLuu04%3D&reserved=0

It's a recently-totaled 1955 Speedster in pink and grey. The link is kinda goofy; the first time I clicked on it, it took forever to load, about two minutes, but did ultimately come up with photos and information. Retry failed and said to try again later!

So please don't post that the link doesn't work; I can't do anything about it. It did work...once. I don't have any further information.

BP

[cdn56J]

Probably strapped to a car trailer when it rolled?

[studegary]

The site loaded instantly, including pictures, for me.

It appears to me to have fallen on its left side from some height.

The chassis, interior and most of the chrome/stainless trim (including wheelcovers and correct exhaust extensions) appear to be very good.

Someone with a good '53-'55 K body could make a nice Speedster. The price is currently much less than the value of some of the trim, including grille.

[swvalcon]

As Gary said buy it, find a rust free 53-55 body and build a Speedster on the cheap.

[studegary]

As Gary said buy it, find a rust free 53-55 body and build a Speedster on the cheap.

I do think that this would be the best fate for the car. With that said, more money could probably be made by parting it out (if you want to take the time and effort to do that).

EDIT: Hopefully, it will at least get covered to save that expensive interior.

[Mike Van Veghten]

Back in the early 70's, I was going to Chaffey Collage's (SoCal), "Race Car" class. We were given a brand new 454 El Camino by Chevrolet. The car had fallen off the top of a rail car during the unloading. Luckily, it had fallen almost straight down onto its top. We went to a wreaking yard, picked up a top, swapped tops, new windows, a little fender work, new door frames, and it was drag raced by the school for a few years. Don't now what happened to it after I quit going to the school.

Mike

[Mike Sal]

I think it may have been a roll over accident while it was on a trailer. Several years ago a good friend was trailering his newly restored 53 Kaiser and suffered almost identical damage. He was using a brand new truck and a borrowed trailer (read he was not used to either) and was traveling too fast in some very windy conditions. The trailer got to wagging & made him lose control. He went off the side of the freeway & everything rolled over upside down, with the trailer on top of the car.
Mike Sal

[Buzzard]

I agree BP as check out the Corvette in the background with similar damage. There seems to be some surface rust under the flaked off paint probably from poor storage since the accident.
I hope it helps save another restorable car.
Bill

[BobPalma]

Anybody else notice the "repair estimate" on the right-hand side of the information? $65,036.

Everyone will please take note of the battery having remained intact and upright as a result of having the proper battery hold-down in place. BP

[studegary]

Anybody else notice the "repair estimate" on the right-hand side of the information? $65,036.

Everyone will please take note of the battery having remained intact and upright as a result of having the proper battery hold-down in place. BP

I believe that the "repair estimate" is what the insurance coverage was. It will be paid to the owner since it appears to me to be a total. The insurance company will get the net of the sale.

Yes, I had noticed the six volt battery (in place) and I believe that it also had the correct radiator cap (unusual these days, even on high dollar cars).

[BobPalma]

Further evidence that the car fell off a carrier, rather than rolled, is the condition of the wire wheel caps on the left side of the car. There might be a little damage, at most, to the LF cap.

This suggests that the car fell off a carrier and not directly on the left side. Rather, the point of contact was a little higher on the left side and involved the roof, rather than the tires and wheels. A true roll-over would have damaged those wheel centers, IMHO. BP

[showbizkid]

What a shame. It was a beautiful vehicle. While the sheet metal is obviously done, the interior could provide nice donor parts, though.

[JoeHall]

Looks like a movie stunt car.

[Corley]

Tornados can cause some pretty weird damage too... Could be that...

[BobPalma]

Tornados can cause some pretty weird damage too... Could be that...

That's a good point, Corley. BP