49 Bus Cpe in NC cheap.. $2500

[sals54]

I don't even know why the heck I was shopping in North Carolina, but I stumbled upon this 49 Bus Cpe for super cheap. Just $2500
It comes with spare fenders too. Looks like a dang good deal to me.

https://greensboro.craigslist.org/cto/d/belews-creek-studebaker-business-coupe/6807182493.html

[Bud]

The description says that there is some frame rust through which could be serious enough to make the car more of a parts car rather than something that is worth rebuilding. It does look like there are plenty of good parts for another car if the price is right. Bud

[Chris Pile]

I bought my '49 Champion in running condition for $500, so I'm going to say this one is overpriced.

[creegster]

I bought my '49 Champion in running condition for $500, so I'm going to say this one is overpriced.

How long ago was that?

[Chris Pile]

How long ago was that?

Bought it in 2003....

[Jessie J.]

Gol durn it, I want to save them all ...but never get past storing what I gots.
Hope it finds a good home with someone who can bring it back to operating condition.

[jclary]

I bought my '49 Champion in running condition for $500, so I'm going to say this one is overpriced.

How long ago was that?

If you are looking at this car merely in terms of "investment"...it could be a bad deal even if it were free! My '48 Business Coupe took me over six years and I never counted the money. Instead of considering the investment, I took it as a project, a challenge, and an educational opportunity. I knew from the outset that I would never be able to justify paying a restoration shop to do the work. Although my formal college education resulted in a liberal arts degree, my earliest memories are of my fascination with anything with moving parts and mechanical contraptions. The aptitude tests given when I joined the Air Force placed me into an electronics/mechanical tech school.

About the same time, I found my'48 coupe, I also hired on with a company selling industrial tooling to all sorts of manufacturing facilities. Large scale manufacturing, including machine tools, assembly tools, pumps, conveyors, work stations, paint booths, painting applicators, curing ovens, etc., etc. Lots of the stuff I sold were used (although on a different scale) by us folks restoring our cars. For me, it was a WIN WIN!

My after-hours hobby activities provided me the opportunity to learn about and use lots of the same tools and equipment I was selling. The exposure to processes and problem solving with my customers also gave me much insight and knowledge I could apply to my hobby! Other benefits were to give me a wonderful opportunity to do some predatory "dumpster" diving when a customer was about to discard something I could drag home and repurpose for my own use. Like sheet metal scraps, angle iron, fasteners, old shipping containers, etc.

For me, if I could only buy a restored car, I don't think it would mean as much as the ones I have "rescued." It is much more than the financial sense to me. I look at it as an accomplishment...a value that cannot be expressed in terms of money. I'll leave the value in terms of monetary investment to be discovered by my survivors as they clean up the mess I leave behind.

For the '49 Coupe that is the subject of this thread, I hope someone seeking an enjoyable "journey of the challenge," will find it and have as much fun as I did with mine.

[creegster]

If you are looking at this car merely in terms of "investment"...it could be a bad deal even if it were free! My '48 Business Coupe took me over six years and I never counted the money. Instead of considering the investment, I took it as a project, a challenge, and an educational opportunity. I knew from the outset that I would never be able to justify paying a restoration shop to do the work. Although my formal college education resulted in a liberal arts degree, my earliest memories are of my fascination with anything with moving parts and mechanical contraptions. The aptitude tests given when I joined the Air Force placed me into an electronics/mechanical tech school.

About the same time, I found my'48 coupe, I also hired on with a company selling industrial tooling to all sorts of manufacturing facilities. Large scale manufacturing, including machine tools, assembly tools, pumps, conveyors, work stations, paint booths, painting applicators, curing ovens, etc., etc. Lots of the stuff I sold were used (although on a different scale) by us folks restoring our cars. For me, it was a WIN WIN!

My after-hours hobby activities provided me the opportunity to learn about and use lots of the same tools and equipment I was selling. The exposure to processes and problem solving with my customers also gave me much insight and knowledge I could apply to my hobby! Other benefits were to give me a wonderful opportunity to do some predatory "dumpster" diving when a customer was about to discard something I could drag home and repurpose for my own use. Like sheet metal scraps, angle iron, fasteners, old shipping containers, etc.

For me, if I could only buy a restored car, I don't think it would mean as much as the ones I have "rescued." It is much more than the financial sense to me. I look at it as an accomplishment...a value that cannot be expressed in terms of money. I'll leave the value in terms of monetary investment to be discovered by my survivors as they clean up the mess I leave behind.

For the '49 Coupe that is the subject of this thread, I hope someone seeking an enjoyable "journey of the challenge," will find it and have as much fun as I did with mine.

Well, that $500 Champion was 16 years ago. So thats a bit had to compare with todays market. I agree on the challenge; Im NOT working on my rust-bucket Lark because I expect to make money off of it. I enjoy working on it; its a form of therapy for me, thats for sure.

[Chris Pile]

I bought my '49, eventually put $5000 in it. New leaf springs front and back, new seat coverings, carpet, and door coverings, 6V positive ground alternator, new turn signals front and back, new master cylinder, radial tires, Optima battery, electric fuel pump, new wing window glass. Made it dependable, safe to drive, and fun. It wasn't good looking by any stretch. Another chapter member bought it for $3500 when I was finally done with it.

This CL Studebaker isn't in nearly as good condition, needing a lot more work to even make it road worthy. I don't think 16 years is the point.

[Bud]

I looked at the pictures again and while the car could be restored, it would take a bunch of money and time to do it due to the amount of rust some of which I'm sure can't be seen in the pictures. Even if the car was given to me, I don't think I would try to restore it. Bud