Hot Rods 1953 Studebaker advice and opinions

Update: This is an original California car that sat on pavement for over 40 years; the price is right and I have the room to stash it. Do not know what I will do with it, have no dreams of building anything...so I guess it will be in the sitting and rotting thread for the time being. Thanks for the responses!

 

About 4 years ago, I went to buy a 1954 post coupe. A little more expensive that I wanted to pay - but the only decent Stude that I found in the last 6 months. I had cash in the truck and a trailer reserved at the nearest Uhaul.

The gentleman was in his late 80's, said that he bought it at a used car dealer as a second car at their winter place. They had moved out of CA, bought a place close to their son in AZ and were in the process of selling the Yuma winter home. Gave the big bus conversion to his son and was thinning out the vehicle collection. I actually remember seeing the Stude on I-8 in Yuma some years earlier (looked cool!!!).

The paint was still in good condition, the interior was showing some wear. Then it went downhill.
1. The front frame clip (Camaro or Nova?) was vertically stacked instead of horizontally spliced. The front coils were very tight together - I could not get my fingers between the coils.
2. Lifted the upholstery in the trunk ans saw the ground. Absolutely no attempt to fill in the missing trunk floor.
3. Looked behind the rear fender. The space between the fender and the trunk side wall was stuffed with what looked like canvas and heavily sprayed with undercoat.

I declined to buy it, based on the effort required to fix the front end (I live on an improved dirt road). We just did not have the heart to mention the horrible "rust repairs".

Russ

 

I owned a 53 coupe in high school. 9 tooth '54 Chevy grill. Side grill openings closed. Electric push button locks, Back bumperettes removed and licence plate lights fitted in bumper. Still have NOS
Hawk fins and tailight housings never installed

 

Then buy it and do what you do. They are beautiful cars, and it is doable. If other cars and parts come around grab them up. I've owned 17 Studies in my life, and enjoyed them all. Fixing junk is what we do.

 

The day I lost my car I found 3 for sale locally. I have moved on to other projects now, but----

 

So the price is right and you have the room to stash it. And are now pretty well informed regarding the downsides of this as an actual project.
What to do??? You could do what hundreds of others now engage in. Pick it up for a few hundred bucks, take your picture and list it here, there, and on the 'Bay for around 6 to 10 grand, then just and sit back and wait to snag a dreamer that is stupid and moneyed enough to pay 10x for scrap metal. For some, there is nothing more enjoyable than screwing the gullible fools.

 

That is a bit harsh, but I am buying it. What I do with it is undecided. First I will see if I can get it to run and go from there. I am not going to do any major build. Other options are, part it out , use it as yard art...the future is unknown. One thing, if I were to sell it, I would price it at a very reasonable price.

 

Ahhhh Studebakers.

 

Neat cars. The Stude V8s are relatively durable engines & one with a puffer on it is just plain COOL.
I've seen one here in Ohio that made major h p without a blower too. Love em !!

 

I’d have that home in a heartbeat if the price is right.

 

Just finished a 54, great cars Cool looks and very expensive to get the right parts. Good chrome grill pieces could go well over a grand. A lot of Studebaker guys out there that are starting to downsize and if you luck out could buy what you need at a good price,.
Careful on fenders if replacing 56-63 fenders look like they will work and they will with some work on the Radiator support Area ( Later models had different hood and Rad was pushed forward.
Rocker panels some are wide open others have reinforcements and if you upgrade to late model its expensive but really worth it on a hardtop.
Trunk lid may be an issue to find a good one.
Get it at your Best price and its yours

 

You guys crack me up. Somebody drags a 32 Ford out of the swamp rusted up to the door handles and ya'll go all goo goo telling them to build it, but a guy looks at a rusty Stude and ya'll tell the guy to forget it.

Hell, it's only metal, it can be replaced. Doesn't matter how much time or money he invests in it if it's what he wants.

 

heres a thought

http://classglassperformance.com/53 Studebaker.html

 

I say grab it if you can get it cheap and if it has a clean title, especially if you can do most of your own work. It's worth saving rather than parting out.
Lot's of thumbs down on this thread, but I see a half full glass here. It's a coveted 53 and the car is essentially complete with good glass and trim. The rust I see is typical of any 50's project car. I see guys doing far more rust repair on tri-five Chevy's. Cut the fender and door corners out and get busy with the MIG. If the quarters are toast, Goodmark has steel replacements for $400 a side. While the trunk lid is wasted, I don't think its any more work than replacing the bottom 5" of a '34 door...

I'd go budget "driver" build, bare bones, utilizing used or leftover parts wherever possible. Bonneville inspired; dark gray primer, moon discs, louvered hood, sheet aluminum interior and dash panels with a standard set of gauges all in the interest of keeping the project as simple, quick and cheap as possible. If I couldn't get the engine running, I wouldn't feel bad about dropping a used/good running SBC in it and drive it everywhere. Would be a fun car.

A 5" chop and roll cage might happen somewhere down the road...

 

https://newhaven.craigslist.org/cto/d/waterbury-1953-studebaker-commander/7399718987.html

An east coast car but not in terrible shape. May be worth it to have it shipped, but buy the other one for parts at least.

Funny how you buy a car and others magically come out of the wood work.

 

Went and committed to buying, as soon as the title is found. Did some preliminary clean up and prep to move, it is not as bad as I originally thought, floor and trunk are solid...here is a motor shot.
Any more info is welcome.

 

Stop get yourself some Marvel Mystery oil on the way home and get it in the Cyl's before you try to turn the motor over. First step is to turn the motor by hand if it turns at all and make 4 full revolutions before hooking up a Batt.

 

Oh, and unhook that fuel line from the Tank.

 

Good for you. It deserves to be saved. There is a lot of rust, but as you start making contacts many of the replacement pieces may show up. Glad to see most everything is there, with a little effort it just might run. Unless you have a bunch of other projects that will suffer, it should be fun bringing it back to life. Good luck

 

I once looked at a 1955 Stude and was surprised by how much of the modern stuff interchanged, suspension parts, Avanti disc brakes, etc.

 

Looks like the original 232. nice complete engine compartment.

 

heres one