Customs Studebaker 1953-55 Customs! Was there any cool ones??

Vince Gardner '47 Stude. Slightly out of the time frame of 53-55 but a cool car.




The plexiglas top was removable, and could be stored in the trunk compartment.



Photos from Kustomrama site.

 

I seldom see mods on 53-54 models that improve on the stock style, hard to improve on that design in my opinion.
I like that 47 tho , thats pretty trick.
That black job with the laid back windshield, that really makes the car look more modern, pretty interesting.

 

There is a fellow here in Sparks NV that is doing a custom job on a '57 Hawk, which I think you'll like. Don't want to let to much out of the bag on it now. I'll leave that up to him when it's all finished. It's going to be a stunner, being done very tastefully.

 

I'll look forward to seeing that one.
Are the flames on your car solid black , or is there detail that doesn't show in the pics?

Looks good either way to me.

 

The flames are solid black outlined with gray/mauve pinstriping.
Thanks for the kudos johnod.

 

Here's mine, not a custom, or at best a very mild one.

 

Nice! Is that color Burple? Blue/Purple?

 

LOL

Ya I guess it is. It's called some kind of blue, a Ford colour, but it sure looks purple to everyone I know.

 

Saw this one at the Maple Leaf show in Carthage, MO in 2007.

 

This is a local car. Nice with skirts, but nothing really custom.

 

Anybody have any idea where there are more pics or info on this Stude?.
I did not see another post.
Thanks, Bob1940cab

 

Love this tread! So more pics would be awsome and nice to!!

 

Mild custom that won an award at our 2007 Run to the Sun .....

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And this one won an award at our 2010 show, but I can't say it does anything for me .....

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Looks better from the rear .....

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Ya I think it looks better from the rear too.
But i don't think it's an improvement over stock.
It sure looks like a well done car though, looks like it was 55.

That red one above has a pretty nice grill treatment, I like the stock look fine , but thats pretty nice too.

 

Did anyone ever pull off this kind of treatment with any success?

I also seem to remember seeing a rendering of one that was a fastback that could really come out great if it was pulled off right.

I also wonder if anyone else has tried reshaping the doors to follow the lines of the scallop like was done on the Studester. I thought it was good, but just a bit too angular.

 

Better Picture...Not a fan of those big rims, but otherwise it's cool.

 

Tried this in photoshop and it doesn´t really work IMHO. It looks very back heavy. I even found a few photos of a version built in the 60s...



More pics here...

http://greasegirl.wordpress.com/2011/05/19/its-fast-custom-studebaker-coupe-fastback/

So I modded it to take some "weight" off the back - it´s more like early Mustang fastback style, but still not really any improvement on the original Stude for my money. Excuse the big inch wheels, but land speed racers use them, so I figured it was forgiveable. They kind of need them too I feel.

Unchopped...



With a very mild chop - sunken and leaned the rear window and cut the rest down to match. My favorite.



Fastbacked...

 

That middle picture looks REALLY good!

And I'd put those wheels on my '53 Stude in a heartbeat.
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Some original designs are hard to beat, and the stude's are a prime example.

 

Since you ask - a `bird bumper on a `baker.

 

Have found a 58 Silver Hawk and wonder if frontclips from 53-54 fits right on?

 

Yes, As long as you have the front clip from a c/k bodied car.

 

53 54 clips are not thick on the ground either.

 

I love this generation of Studebakers. They can be great looking custom cars. But in my opinion people tend to take them too far to the point where they just become eye soars. They don't need much to turn them into the perfect mild custom. Remove the handles, trim, nose, deck and your done. The whole "less is more" mentality really applies to these cars. Just my two cents.

This one I would see a lot at the Hot-Rod-A-Rama and Billetproof Northwest when I lived in Seattle. Yellow with a metallic root beer brown roof. Not the cleanest car but it always caught my eye.

 

James D my asked what color nail polish are you wearing?

 

The same as always. Why?

 

How about this one....from oregon....