In talking with some of you local norcal guys, I mentioned I was getting a 55 Studebaker coupe. Well the plan to get it Sat was washed out due to rain. WTF is this rain stuff in CA in Sept? So I delayed getting the car until Sunday afternoon. Sam (SamIyam) went with me to help get it loaded up. The car, a 55 Commander post coupe, V-8 model with automatic. This is as it was sitting for about the last 25 years Buried in tree junk, it came free pretty easy with the aid of a 4WD truck, my Dad's Ford diesel. Glad that no brakes or wheels were locked up. Not the prettiest thing sitting here, but I see potential: After getting it from the ground and pulling it up a slight hill to solid ground that was reasonably flat, it was time to hook the trailer back up to the truck and then load the car on the trailer. Using that ever so handy hand powered winch: Here is the guy that I got the car from, Bob. Really cool older guy and he is glad that someone is taking it and making it into something He knows I am going to make a land speed race car out of it. The ride home was uneventful, expcept for an accident on the freeway that had us stuck in traffic for about 30 minutes. Had numerous people looking at us with the beautiful car on the trailer Here is the car at home in Livermore, waiting to be unloaded from the trailer: This car will need to just be cleaned up and then will sit at my house for a few years. I need to complete some other projects first. I can start collecting parts as i find them for a good price, and spend some quality planning time. It made perfect sense to get this now though, as the price was hard to pass up: Free Oh yeah, in addition to the post car, I am also getting a hardtop parts car It is rougher than the post and I will just part it out for any parts I can use. Same free for the taking price. The hardtop is a V-8 manual trans version, so I will get the pedal set-up from it, and some other parts. Rest of it will be sold off to raise cash for the racing fund. Notice a branch fell on the roof and smashed out the rear window. Still has good front windshield and all the stainless trim which I can sell. The parts car is missing all the hubs, but the spindles are there. I figure I can take the post car hubs and temporarily use them to get this car home: So this was another chapter in the "Sam and Terry go pick up another old car" novel. I think this chapter is starting out pretty good <!-- google_ad_section_end -->
Hey, I got one a dem. 2 actually. A 53 and a 54. If you're needin any help with that project, I'd like to help. I'm planning on taking my 54 to El Mirage next year. I have to run in a 'No Time' class, though, cause I butchered it all up and now it doesn't fit into any class. What kind of class are you looking to run in? Good luck with it. db
Congratulations on the Stude world. Now the bad news, only 53-62 2dr parts will fit, 4dr's are totally different. You also have a bastard 55 grill, only 55 coupe and hardtop will fit. I sold decent pitted pass side grill piece for $500. Unfourtunatley I don't have any leftover parts to send you. Good luck TZ Now how about some update pictures of the COE.
Is the silver pickup in the background also FREE? Neat score - I look forward to seeing what you make of this, even if it is years in the future.
At first I am running in a "stock body" class, contemplating using a V-6 engine. Get used to the car and the handling, then step up to a higher power engine. I will go 200+ before I am done. However like I said, for now the car will sit and wait it's turn in the project list. Just collect parts and get things ready. We should try and keep in touch on the progress, mine may end up with a 53-54 fiberglass front end. Especially if I can get some money for the parts I have along with the needed rust repairs. Plus I like the 53-54 styling better. Gigantor, the truck is already spoken for, although it is rougher than the car I got. It looks better in the pics from a distance than it does up close. Has potential, but a lot of work.
Congrats Terry! Looks a lot like that funky '53 I got for free last year! If you need a pit crew, let me know, I can drag a few extra hands with me. I've never been to a land speed event.
One hell of a score! Free times 2 even better The 53 front the coolest, works better for Landspeed. Got a 56 Sky Hawk out of Long Beach years ago, always wanted a 53 front on it. Have a 56 Power Hawk coupe now same deal 53 front, it's got the look.
Congrat's Terry, great to see you guys are still at it, motoring on.....look forward to seeing more, and racing..... Cheers, Drewfus
awesome,,LOVE those cars,,,, when i was a young lad there was a turqoise & white 53-55 with wide whites,moon disc and lowered running around El Monte/Whittier area in the late 80's early 90's(wonder if it's still around..) anyways,,i fell in love with those cars since then,,, the story of finding it and getting it home is great.
Congrats again Terry, looks like a good project. I just brought home my 55 2dr Hardtop 2 weeks ago and yesterday picked up an NOS pass fender for it. When you end up parting out the hardtop I'd be interested in the taillight housings if they're good as well as the front pass turn signal die casting if it's intact. Ron
there is a original stude bonnie car i think over 200mph john simonson grand forks nd [gas station magnate] who donated it to north dakota state school of science wahpeton ND was in garage there in 1969 when i took auto body blown chrysler, potvin front mount blower hemi think hilborn inj , its still got to be somewhere , try googling him and school, it was in a garage on campus he also run a 1955 ford before 1961 i think at bonnieville i touched the ground glass paint on one of his cars and got a personal interview in about 1970
Congrats! Great find. Your C-body ( post car) is an early '55, the two tone stops at the bottom of the roof. The K-body (Hdtp.) is a late '55 Commander Regal, the two tone continues on the trunk and upper 1/4's. Early '55 Commanders came with the 224 V-8, late '55's got a 2 Bbl. version of the 259. I might be interested in the automatic column and brake pedal. I just bought an early '55 Commander Regal C-body Coupe a few weeks ago that originally had a 224 and 3 Spd. OD. Found out Saturday AM the 224 was replaced with a 289 out of a '56 Sky Hawk or President. Due to some knee issues I will probably be swapping in a 200-4R. I used to think the '53-'54 were the coolest but the "Fish Mouth" grille is growing on me. I have been told the center section will interchange between models and that only the outer extensions were body specific. Best solution is to paint them body color, IMO they look a LOT better that way. Here's mine, it has only seen 4,000 miles since 1970, it was a "garage" find.
This is it then. This is it now. The car is now back in the family. It did sit in a little glass display garage on the campus of "North Dakota State School of Science" now called "North Dakota State College of Science" in Wahpeton, ND.
Here is my friend and customer's landspeed car. He is from Quebec, Canada. It also is early hemi powered.
Your friend really helped me out this year at speed week. He had some Holley parts I needed to run our 53' Stude #4594. Great guy! I'd say join the Studebaker Owners club and get on the racingstudebakers.com forum where we all tend to hang out discussing salt stuff. Also get on the land speed racing forum. Those guys are vet salt racers and can answer lots of questions. I'd be glad to help you too. You can PM me. Good luck. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibrwEfYmIA8
The red, white and blue Stude was in a barn by my dad's house for years in the late 60's - early 70's. I don't know what happened to it. This photo is from 1964.
the Studebaker in the picture looks like the Burkland Studebaker in this link: http://www.ugofadini.com/burklandstory3.html
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