Should I Buy a Studebaker?

[Milaca]

I recommend buying an International Harvester Scout II....oops..sorry, I thought I was on the Binder Bulletin for a moment...

[sals54]

Yet another Studebaker car show story here.I was at a local smaller car show some years ago.I entered my car (65 Daytona) in the 'Under Construction" class. Parked next to me was a 1980 red Corvette in showroom condition.When I pulled up next to him on the lot (I was told to do so by the organizers), he looked at me like I was the scum of the earth.Not a lot of conversation between us,just a lot of dirty looks from this guy.Well the spectators began filing in and I must have had 30 people asking things about my car (Who made Studebakers?What year is it?I didn't know they made them in '65!When did you get it?) Nobody was saying anything to Mr.Cool parked next to me.He was taking slow gas!!What frosted him the most was when a really good looking woman came up to me and said,"I really like your car.It looks like an Easter egg!"I can only guess that she really liked turquoise.By this time this guy had about had it! Neither one of us won an award but it was such a great feeling I had that day!
Short story long my friend, by all means buy a Studebaker.It doesn't matter if it's a clapped out 4 door sedan, a weather-beaten Champ truck or a fully restored Avanti or Speedster.The fun factor will be well worth it.

I was on my way to a cruise night on the Interstate when a couple in a brand new Jaguar pulled even with me so that the wife could take a video of MY car.Awesome! Get yourself a Studebaker.You'll be glad you did!

Dang... You're my hero. I had a nearly duplicate experience years ago with my 54 Coupe.
My Coupe was in primer black, lowered and rather loud. No interior. Just bucket seats bolted to the metal floor. No door panels, no headliner. Dang, it was rather ugly. But it was coool. I didn't even put my hood up.
The guy next to me was sporting a nice blue 68 Camaro. Very nice car. I got about the same response that you got.
When the folks started coming in, I had all sorts of people asking me about my car. Some posing and taking pictures with it. I even let some of the little kids stand on the front seat and play with the steering wheel. They loved it.
The Camaro guy got steamed after about an hour of this and moved his car to another part of the show.
I thought it was hilarious.
Good show for us, eh?

[Kurt]

Dang... You're my hero. I had a nearly duplicate experience years ago with my 54 Coupe.
My Coupe was in primer black, lowered and rather loud. No interior. Just bucket seats bolted to the metal floor. No door panels, no headliner. Dang, it was rather ugly. But it was coool. I didn't even put my hood up.
The guy next to me was sporting a nice blue 68 Camaro. Very nice car. I got about the same response that you got.
When the folks started coming in, I had all sorts of people asking me about my car. Some posing and taking pictures with it. I even let some of the little kids stand on the front seat and play with the steering wheel. They loved it.
The Camaro guy got steamed after about an hour of this and moved his car to another part of the show.
I thought it was hilarious.
Good show for us, eh?

i bet a lot of members have stories like this. Here is mine. I have a 51 Commander 4 door that is light blue in color. It is in fair shape. Driver quality I would say. A guys pulls up in a 68 or 69Dodge Charger. It is a VERY nice car. He gets out, looks at me, and says “is that Grandmas car” I didn’t miss a beat and said, “no, actually it was Grandpas” . Right away I was getting all kinds of questions and looks. The other guy was clearly miffed that the grandma car was getting all the attention. In my mind following the crowd isn’t that much fun. That is part of the reason I enjoy my Studebaker so much.

[sweetolbob]

The uniqueness of a Stude is both a blessing and a curse. At car shows they are unique enough to stand out so they draw a significant amount of attention. I can add several stories about folks that preferred to discuss my Avanti/54K over better prepared and higher dollar Big Three models. Heck, when I took my Avanti to a local show sponsored by the area Corvette Associations, they put it in the front row along with the other vettes they wanted to feature.

The curse is most folks grew up dreaming about a car that turned their crank when they were young and it wasn't a Stude. I grew up a GM devotee but saw both an Avanti and 54K in the wild in my youth and those were the cars I wanted in my dotage. Otherwise, I just be admiring the occasional one at a car show and driving my third gen vette (chrome bumper version) away.

Bottom line, if you see something that stirs your drink in the Studebaker family buy it and restore/mod it to suit your vision. If you don't see yourself driving it, pass. I'm pretty sure most of us here are doing it for themselves and not for what other people want. Well!!! At least I am.

Bob

[56H-Y6]

Good advice all, take the time to survey a variety of makes and model years, research the pros and cons of those of specific interest, then the take away is to buy what you like that is within your budget. One proviso is, unless you are skilled and equipped to undertake a restoration, buy the best example of the one you decide to pursue. Good luck in your search.

Steve

[Stude Shoo-wop!]

Well, it seems that many others on the forum have covered this topic in great detail. All I'm going to add is that you must be prepared to be a missionary for Studebaker. What do I mean by that? You must educate those who don't know better and behave in such a way that you may even convert a few of them over to Studebaker-Packardom, as unlikely as it may seem.

[Ash400]

I want to thank everyone for their responses. You have provided very useful insight and have helped me focus my search to cars where most of the work has been done, so that I may enjoy driving the car, vs. finding myself in an expensive and drawn-out restoration process.

Unless I can find the "needle in the haystack" Super Lark. I am going to focus on the cars that I find most attractive '53 & '54 Commanders. Finally, I am going to look for a resto-mod where the mechanicals are updated and I can use and drive regularly.

I appreciate the help and I will keep you posted on what I find!

Ash

[Stude Shoo-wop!]

Unless I can find the "needle in the haystack" Super Lark. I am going to focus on the cars that I find most attractive '53 & '54 Commanders. Finally, I am going to look for a resto-mod where the mechanicals are updated and I can use and drive regularly.

I appreciate the help and I will keep you posted on what I find!

Ash

Just one suggestion for the restomod: please use a project-condition 53/54 Commander as your base for the restomod. There's no sense in taking a perfectly good Loewy coupe through a restomod, when you can rescue one instead.

[TWChamp]

I agree. In fact I can drive any of my Studes everyday just as the factory built them.
I wouldn't mind having A/C though if I was to make one my daily driver.

[studeclunker]

Grandma's car... Yeah, I drove Grandma's car for a year. 1962 regal (I think) stationwagon with everything including the V8 (no idea which) with overdrive. Didn't use the OD much as we lived in the mountains. Loved that car, still do.

I was first exposed to Studebaker through Gram's car but also the horse-drawn vehicles. Studebaker has the distinction no modern Car maker has, having built carriages for fifty years before auto-mobile buggies. Well, Ferrari did, but they're Italian, not American...

My first Studebaker was purchased rather unintentionally by losing a bet. A friend pulled a stationwagon out of a field it had resided in for at least seventeen years. I bet it wouldn't start without a rebuild. Apparently, it was abandoned because of a bad carb. It started and I bought a 'wagon. Smoked worse than my mother and ran like a top. Actually turned out more reliable than the Caddie I had at the same time. One thing I found out from this transaction was that Studebakers are less expensive than Chevies or Fords. The parts are about the same and in some ways more available. No, you aren't going to find many parts at FLAPS nationwide. However, we do have our own suppliers and they do very well, thanks. Another thing I have found out is that the restored cars are actually better priced than comparable big-three cars. Much... better priced! If you have the income, my best advice is to buy a restored Studebaker. You will save money in the end. However, I would make sure you are plugged into the support-group, uh... the uh, network. That way you have enable... Uh, knowledgeable people at hand for your mad... uh, ah, addic... uh, hobby! Lou is right though. If you buy a Studee, you might as well put up a carport for its siblings. Studebakers are kind of like children. After the first one comes along, there usually are more than you expected following it...

[studegary]

I want to thank everyone for their responses. You have provided very useful insight and have helped me focus my search to cars where most of the work has been done, so that I may enjoy driving the car, vs. finding myself in an expensive and drawn-out restoration process.

Unless I can find the "needle in the haystack" Super Lark. I am going to focus on the cars that I find most attractive '53 & '54 Commanders. Finally, I am going to look for a resto-mod where the mechanicals are updated and I can use and drive regularly.

I appreciate the help and I will keep you posted on what I find!

Ash

You probably do not mean all "'53 & '54 Commanders". Commander in those years simply means that it is a V8 model and is not related to the body style (could be a 2 door sedan, 4 door sedan or even a wagon in 1954). You are probably interested in a Starlight (C) or Starliner (K). These are the low coupe models on 120.5 inch wheelbases. If you want a restomod, it could start out as a Champion (6 cyl.) and have the same body.

[Mark L]

Ash, If you're going to look for a 53 or 54 coupe, you may want to look for a 54. They are very similar, but the 54s were generally better quality from the factory.

[earthtechy]

Since your relatively young you may want to start with a stylish convertible. Try this one one

https://nh.craigslist.org/cto/d/awesome-1949-studebaker/6685239478.html

[Xcalibur]

Since you asked, and reading your blurb... you sound perfect, for something more mainstream.

Seriously, I think you would find such easier to deal with in all regards. All the best, in any event!

[TWChamp]

Get your feet wet and buy any drivable Studebaker reasonably priced.
Then when you find another you like even more, you can add it to the collection, or sell the first one.