Nice Ride....I recently purchased a '51 Champion Starlight coupe (model w/aeroplane cockpit window in the rear) minus engine and tranny for $1500. Color is the the light green. Body is rock solid with the exception of the lower front passenger door which is solid but has rust damage. It looks to me that they put a rust coating on the inside of the body.
My plans are to put a '64 Plymouth 225 6 cylinder, mated to a 3-speed w/ overdrive from a Dodge Van. It will be a Rat Rod and I plan to leave as much stock as possible. I want it to be a daily driver so all mechanicals will be upgraded. I am hoping to get high 30 mpg with the overdrive.
The car is nicknamed "Rocket Man"
mimmckey
08-Jul-2007 00:44
I took my first driving lessons in the Studebaker Commander Coupe. It had lots of power and I think was the first car to have a "hill holder". When stopped on an incline it would sit there and not move until the driver applied gas...no brake was needed to hold it from rolling back. It was a very fast car and many times I snuck out late at night and drove it as my parents slept. A great car and would love to have another one like it one day.The phots are great and bring back many happy memories.Thank you!
mindy
25-May-2007 15:07
hi my last name is Studabaker and I want to know were do you get the Studabaker cars? Because I like to get one but I don't have the money for so when I get the money for the Studabaker car and so on.
chuck curran
18-Apr-2007 20:41
I saw an Internet ad recently for a '51 for sale in Indianapolis. The seller displayed several pictures. The coupe was maroon or red. I am interested, but I can not relocate that ad. Any help available? Thanks.
Guest
31-Jul-2006 22:39
Body colors of 1951 Studebakers
Rick Johnson
19-Mar-2005 19:58
Raymond Loewey told his design team : "It must look like zee aeroplane", and when the "Next Look" from Studebaker appeared in 1950, it did. The 1950-51 Studebakers with their bullet nose were well-received by the public and Studebaker set a new sales record with the 1950 model. The main difference between the 1950 & the 1951 model shown in these photographs was that, in 1951, the outer ring around the bullet nose became the body color of the car instead of the outer chrome ring of 1950 & and the air intake on the 1951 had a chrome mesh grille treatment. The biggest difference was under the hood. Studebaker became the first independent to field an overhead valve V-8 in its Commander series in the 1951 model year. Please see additional comments about this car with the accompanying photograph of this car showing the car from the rear. Ken, you did a swell job photographing this car with the interesting history. The reaction when people see this car has always been love-hate: that is to say you either love it or hate it. Fortunately for Studebaker and Raymond Loewey, the public loved it to the tune of record sales in 1950. After that profitable year, Studebaker began its slide into oblivion, but not without giving us some very stylish cars, including the 1953 Starliner, and the Hawks of the late fifties and early sixties, and a very competent compact called the Lark.
