Studebaker Body Numbers (1956 & 1958)

[ghawk58]

Hello Studebaker Owners,
My name is Barry and I own various Studebakers here in Australia. My question is I have a 1956 Studebaker Commander. Its Body Numbers were taken and I am wondering if I could get a couple of things out of the Serial Number on the Door.
1. Can the body number be determined by the serial number?
2. Can the serial number determine the trim type.
3. (AUSTRALIAN STUDEBAKER OWNERS) Could the car be registered with just the serial number? (NSW)
I also have the same problem with my 1958 golden hawk.
Cheers,
Barry

[Swifster]

Hi Barry and welcome to the board!

The serial numbers are the gold standard for titling a car unless the land of OZ requires something different. What is on the body plate is the model and the body number (this is different than the serial number). With the serial number, you MIGHT be able to get a build sheet for the car. But that's if the car was built in South Bend. If the car was built from a knock down kit in OZ, I'm not sure if the build sheet is available. Good luck!

https://studebakermuseum.org/store/production-orders/production-order-1936-1959_00028/

[ghawk58]

By "vin" do they mean "serial number" (the plate which is on the left hand side door pillar)?

[ghawk58]

Also thank you for the info, I never knew that.

[Swifster]

Yes, sorry. VIN = Vehicle Identification Number... Or the Serial Number.

[ghawk58]

Would you be able to get the Body number out of the build paper? (I think both of the cars are South Bend cars)

[Swifster]

To give you an idea, this is the build sheet from my '64 Daytona...

[ghawk58]

Thanks for your helping me.

[ghawk58]

Bump! Really looking for information for registering.

[avantilover]

Barry here are the websites for the Studebaker Car Club of NSW and the Roads and Maritime Services department.
I suggest the department is best as they decide to register or not, ask them.

Good luck with the car.

http://www.studebakercarclubnsw.com/

http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/

[stude dude]

Hi Barry,

If you have the serial number still on the LH door pillar of you cars, that is all that is needed to register them apart from the engine number. The serial number (predecessor to the modern VIN number) will also allow you to write to the Studebaker National Museum to request a production order. This will give you the body number and various other interesting details about how your cars were built.

The body number is not required for registering your car. In fact, later locally assembled Larks and Hawks often have no body number attached.

Let me know if you want that Commander rear screen.

Chris.

[ghawk58]

Thanks Chris, By later hawks do you mean the GT's, I would really like to know if they were originally on the golden hawks. We are currently doing some work on the car (body in general) so We arent quite up to the windcreen yet, I was checking to see if they were available. I shall source more parts from you in the future.

[stude dude]

Yes, there were originally on everything that was built in South Bend. The locally built GT Hawks had different style tags.

Chris.