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**Mike Van Veghten** · 05-02-2005, 10:57 AM

Mmmmm...
Despite what the artical says, it IS a sedan/Land Cruser style front end on that car. No cutting and welding required.
There's nothing on that car from the base of the windshield forward, that's different from my 54 Conestoga. Not the shape of the hood (too far forward, like a bird beak), to the grill openings, (taller than the C/K grill) to the lower body panel.
One would have to ask....why would anyone make the hood look like that when the C/K hood looks so good?

**N8N** · 05-02-2005, 11:12 AM

The story I've heard is that the '53 C-K started off as a styling exercise that someone (Loewy?) convinced mgmt. that they actually needed to build. The mistake that they made was to then subsequently modify the front end styling of the sedans and wagons that were already in the pipeline to match the new C-K, in the interest of keeping a "family" image - while the results weren't hideous, they certainly could have been better. Stude obviously realized the error of their ways by 1956 when the two basic families diverged in styling, never to reconnect.

nate

--
55 Commander Starlight
62 Daytona hardtop
http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

**Roscomacaw** · 05-02-2005, 01:59 PM

That's fairly close, Nate. The C-K design was to be a "show car". The C-K proposal was a hit with the board members tho, when they got a look at it. The next day, the design team was told that the board members had decided it was more promising than just to be a show car - they wanted to see it built and in the showrooms! But they felt that they couldn't totally doff the 4-dr & 2-dr sedans with their lofty roofs. Consequntly, Studebaker TOLD Loewy's team to design a line of more "practical" sedans with a full, back bench seat (this required a tall lower cushion to clear the tunnel) and headroom above that seat for a person to be able to sit back there with a hat on (a fedora, as was the style of the times)to be companions to the C-K cars. This meant the beltlines and everything else had to come up as well. And yet, as I said - they were directed to build them with obvious lineage TO the C-K cars. That's why there's similarities, however distorted they might appear to today's discerning eye.
This was a pretty bold step for Studebaker because they'd invested so much already into the Model N car that was waiting to be intro'd. Then they ditched the Model N for this refreshing lineup from Loewy's gang. (Of course, Bob Bourke was the REAL spark plug behind the C-Ks. Loewy just signed Bob's paycheck)
I personally don't SEE the "ugly" that so many carp about when groaning about the sedans. Man, they look right sharp when compared to what the BIG 3 was selling in 53 & 54! But unfairly, everyone wants to compare them to the C-K line.[}

] The sedans are not C-Ks and they're not supposed to be.

Miscreant at large.

**N8N** · 05-02-2005, 04:43 PM

I think the point is if they'd just built the C-Ks and the designed the sedans to look good *as sedans* there's be a lot less carping. Of course when they *did* that the results were mixed... sure there was the great '58 hardtop roof... but headlight pods? come on... But it's all history now anyway...

--
55 Commander Starlight
62 Daytona hardtop
http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

**Sam Roberts** · 05-02-2005, 05:25 PM

N8, I agree with your idea on the sedan/C-K idea somewhat.

But, I totally agree on those futt-bugly pods on the '58s, and when you see a 1958 Packard with those horrible fins, and the pods, the tremors go off the Richter scale! I never saw it, but I was told that a guy in St. Louis grafted a 1953-54 front clip onto a '58 Stude hardtop, and it looked good.

quote:Originally posted by N8N

I think the point is if they'd just built the C-Ks and the designed the sedans to look good *as sedans* there's be a lot less carping. Of course when they *did* that the results were mixed... sure there was the great '58 hardtop roof... but headlight pods? come on... But it's all history now anyway...

--
55 Commander Starlight
62 Daytona hardtop
http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

Sam Roberts

**65cruiser** · 05-03-2005, 04:41 AM

Can someone tell me about this Model N? I read something about that in a recent TW, but didn't see any pictures.[V]

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Mark Anderson
http://home.alltel.net/anderm
1965 Studebaker Cruiser

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