Wheel Colors for the 1950 Champion?

[TWChamp]

Here are two wheel colors both for 1950 Champion F3 bodies. Mine is light gray body color with the deep red wheels, and the other car was dark blue with the light blue wheels. I think the light blue wheels would look nice on my car.

Did the customer have any choice in wheel colors, or did the factory only choose which color wheels went with each body color?
How many different wheel colors were there for 1950 Champions? Thanks

[Studebaker Wheel]

This chart should answer your questions. As you will note it provides body colors and the appropriate wheel colors for that body as well as the wheel stripe colors. As for requesting a specific wheel color that was possible but realistically probably never done.

[TWChamp]

Thanks Richard, do you know if that color chart is posted in any Studebaker books? Tom

[Studebaker Wheel]

Yes, a special publication, not parts book. If you cannot copy it from the above post I can email it you directly with the sheet ready to copy on 8 1/2 X 11" if you send me a pm with your email address.

[ToGa 42]

Richard,Thanks for sharing this and all the other info you have. I do not own a 50, but did copy the page for future reference.

Tom T

[StudeRich]

Wow that chart is just crazy complicated, what a nightmare. I can see why it made sense to go to Body Color Wheels and no pinstripes on MOST Cars in 1953 to '57 and a Common Wheel Color Off-White, (one size fits all) in 1958!

It is odd though that they went back to Body Color in '59-'60 and to Silver in '61 and then finally got it right and started doing them all Ivory in 1962 to the end of early year model 1964 Production when U.S. Production stopped.

I am pretty sure it is more about suppliers than anything else. The '58 14 Inch wheels would have been in production at Budd Corp. for another Auto Co. probably AMC, in that off white color so they would have just made more for S/P causing the flip flop of wheel colors at Studebaker Packard. And in '58, no extra money was available to re-paint the wheels in house which is probably how the '47 to '52 and later body color wheels were done.

[Champ51]

This chart should answer your questions. As you will note it provides body colors and the appropriate wheel colors for that body as well as the wheel stripe colors. As for requesting a specific wheel color that was possible but realistically probably never done.

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Richard,
Do you have that wheel color chart for '51s as well? Could you please post.

[Studebaker Wheel]

Per your request.

[Champ51]

I probably shouldn't have asked for that list. So now my question is: why did my convertible come with 5 black wheels? Dad said that Regals came with all black wheels because they got full wheel covers, but your list doesn't confirm that since I believe all converts were Regal.

[Studebaker Wheel]

Can't say positively. There were exceptions and running changes. Are you sure yours were black from new?

[StudeRich]

I probably shouldn't have asked for that list. So now my question is: why did my convertible come with 5 black wheels? Dad said that Regals came with all black wheels because they got full wheel covers, but your list doesn't confirm that since I believe all converts were Regal.

Maybe Dad meant IF they had Wheelcovers, because they were not Standard on any Model.

[Champ51]

I remember as a kid watching Dad change the snow tires, and asking why we had both black and green wheels. Our snows were always mounted on green wheels. That was when he told me the car had black wheels and that the green wheels were originally from another car (perhaps our '50 Nash). When I sanded the wheels to repaint, there was only black, no other color underneath, and since the spare was the same as the 4 on the car, I presume they were all originally black. As frugal as my family has been, they certainly would not have painted the spare.

PS Dad's last set of snows are still mounted on those green wheels and they still hold air. Since I don't drive the car in snow, they probably won't get much use.