Jeff_H's 1953 Hardtop

[Jeff_H]

Here's my '53 sitting in my driveway in the fall of '05.



By a wheat field July '07



The street in front of my house, Winter 2008.



Jeff in ND

'53 Champion Hardtop

[DEEPNHOCK]

3 season Stude, Huh?
Sweet pic's.
Jeff[8D]

[boomer]

Love that car ! Great pix !

Dennis Maxfield ( Boomer)
Lancaster,CA
1957 Silver Hawk (finless)

[paintim613]

Jeff-Your pictures just prove again to me that the '53 Commanders are at the top of the Studebaker food chain, Unsurpassed styling.

Tim-53 Custom Starlight aka The Studebird in Yuma, AZ

[studegary]

quote:Originally posted by paintim613

Jeff-Your pictures just prove again to me that the '53 Commanders are at the top of the Studebaker food chain, Unsurpassed styling.

Tim-53 Custom Starlight aka The Studebird in Yuma, AZ

The car pictured is not a '53 Commander, but is a '53 Starliner (which is probably what you were referring to relative to style).

Gary L.
Wappinger, NY

SDC member since 1968
Studebaker enthusiast much longer

[warrlaw1]

I believe Starliners could be Champions or Commanders,too. I believe I have a 55 Commander Regal Starliner. Could be wrong. Anybody?

[Nelsen Motorsports]

Well it is a Starliner Commander, but it is also a hardtop(c-body).

Alex Nelsen
1954 Champion

[Steve T]

Bourke cars:

Champion = flathead six
Commander = V8
Starliner = hardtop (aka K-body)
Starlight = coupe (ie. "post"; aka C-body)

All of 'em = Gorgeous! As is clear from the shots of Jeff's 53.

Either body style could be had with either engine, so four basic combinations of name are possible with these cars.

S.

[studegary]

quote:Originally posted by Steve T

Bourke cars:

Champion = flathead six
Commander = V8
Starliner = hardtop (aka K-body)
Starlight = coupe (ie. "post"; aka C-body)

All of 'em = Gorgeous! As is clear from the shots of Jeff's 53.

Either body style could be had with either engine, so four basic combinations of name are possible with these cars.

S.

This is correct for 1953-1954, but not other years of "Bourke cars". For example, earlier than 1951 Commanders were six or straight eight and I do not believe that the Starlight and Starliner names were used in 1955.

Gary L.
Wappinger, NY

SDC member since 1968
Studebaker enthusiast much longer

[Steve T]

Gary (et al)--

Right...was only thinking of 53-54s, and of course Mr Bourke had plenty to do with the cars just before/just after those years too...FWIW, the Starlight name showed up in '47 on the coupe with the wraparound rear window; the Starliner name bowed in '52 on the new HT. Starlight showed up again in '58 on the top-line HT, only to disappear for good the next year when the Lark made its debut...

S.

[studegary]

quote:Originally posted by Steve T

Gary (et al)--

Right...was only thinking of 53-54s, and of course Mr Bourke had plenty to do with the cars just before/just after those years too...FWIW, the Starlight name showed up in '47 on the coupe with the wraparound rear window; the Starliner name bowed in '52 on the new HT. Starlight showed up again in '58 on the top-line HT, only to disappear for good the next year when the Lark made its debut...

S.

Not quite right. The Starlight name was first applied to the five passenger coupe later, 1949 if my memory serves me correctly. The early, 1947-1948, five passenger coupes are now commonly refered to as Starlights, but Studebaker did not call them that in the early years.

Gary L.
Wappinger, NY

SDC member since 1968
Studebaker enthusiast much longer

[Steve T]

Gary--

Huh! Didn't know that. Thanx for the details.

(To go back on topic...ain't Jeff's 53 sweeeet?)

S.

[brngarage]

Based on the round emblem on the 1/4 panel in the second picture, I believe it is a beautiful 53 Champion Starliner.

Howard

53 Commander Starliner.

[studegary]

quote:Originally posted by brngarage

Based on the round emblem on the 1/4 panel in the second picture, I believe it is a beautiful 53 Champion Starliner.

Howard

53 Commander Starliner.

That is what I was implying on June 2 when I stated that the car is not a Commander. (Not a Commander makes it a Champion)

Gary L.
Wappinger, NY

SDC member since 1968
Studebaker enthusiast much longer

[warrlaw1]

So, I really do have a 55 Commander Regal Starliner ('55 V8 2 bbl, single exhaust, K-code hardtop with the nice exterior trim pkge). I have one now and I had one 30 years ago, too! I feel blessed.