Tag Archives: Studebaker

1990 Oldsmobile Toronado Studebaker Replica

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The thing about special cars is that there are more people in the world who would like to own one than there are cars available. For this reason, a lot of people convert their production cars into a “replica”, “tribute” or “clone” car.

For example, it’s common to see car owners take a base model 1960s Camaro or Chevelle and add the SS trim package, even though the car was not originally built as a Super Sport model. Buying a genuine Super Sport Chevy costs a lot more than a base model, so many aspiring car owners will create their own version. With a few bits of trim, some badges, and the right wheels, an 80s Buick Regal can easily become a T-Type clone, or a 90s Chevy Caprice can become an Impala SS. And generally, I don’t have a problem with that.

What is unusual is for a person to take a vehicle and make it into a tribute to a completely different type of car entirely. That’s what we are featuring today. Continue reading →

1950 Studebaker Champion by Kicker Audio

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There are certain vehicles which, for various reasons, are labelled as “gangster” vehicles. From the 1964 Impala to the Lincoln Continental, these cars have a definite “bad guy” image that people crave.

One car I would never have considered for a mobbed-out gangster mobile is a Studebaker. But, I suppose that’s what makes me different from the guys at Kicker Audio. Their booth at SEMA 2013 featured this evil 1950 Studebaker Champion.

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1951 Studebaker Woody by Hill’s Rod and Custom

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When I think of the San Francisco Bay Area, I think of hippies, hilly streets, cable cars, cloudy days and sourdough bread. The last thing I think of is hot rodding, which I associate strongly with southern California.

But if you venture over to Pleasant Hill, California, a little town in the East Bay area, you’ll find Hill’s Rod and Custom and their amazing 1951 Studebaker woody project. I saw this car on display at the Dynamat booth at SEMA 2013.

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1963 Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawk

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When I visit a classic car show, there is never a shortage of Fords, Chevrolets, Chryslers, and other American muscle cars. However, it’s rare to see a Studebaker at the local cruise-in night. Why is that? The simple answer is that Studebaker just didn’t build a whole lot of cars.

Take this 1963 Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawk for example. It is one of just 4,009 produced in 1963. In that same year, Ford sold 63,313 Thunerbirds and Pontiac sold 72,959 Grand Prixs. As you can tell, this car was definitely not a big seller, which makes it all the more special to have spotted this GT Hawk at the Scottsdale Pavilions.

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1947 Studebaker Commander Starlight Coupe

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My friends and family often ask me why I go to the Scottsdale Pavilions car show so often. “Don’t you get tired of looking at the same cars all the time?” they inquire. While you do see a few of the same cars, it’s different enough to be interesting. You just never know what might roll its way into the Pavilions, and today’s post is a perfect example of what I am talking about.

This car is a 1947 Studebaker Commander Starlight Coupe. I’ve never seen one before and with only 13,299 ever produced (and far less than that surviving today), I doubt I’ll see very many more of these things around.

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