1950 Studebaker Champion Business Coupe
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Highlights
- Magazine feature in Classic American
- Impressive ‘Spinner Grille’ body in cream and chrome
- Period features including side-mounted spotlight
- Designed by famed Industrial designer, Raymond Loewy
- Exceedingly large - 19ft long, 7ft wide, with ‘salesman sleeper’ space in the back
- Highly impressive history file
The Appeal
Released in 1949 - to great fanfare - these aeronautically-inspired cars are typically Studebaker. Uniquely shaped, uniquely styled, beautifully built, and characteristic of America’s own set of futurist car builders. The Champion Business Coupe is a simply enormous three-door car which defied the standards of its era and went off on its own, in a trail-blazing direction.
The Business Coupe’s unsplit windows and ridiculously long rear profile made it a truly unique car, one which to this day is difficult to challenge for its otherworldly aesthetic. It was often said that travelling salesmen would use the enormous rear deck as a sleeping space in order to save on motels while touring the USA.
This example has a highly impressive history file, tracking its quiet history in Keansburg, New Jersey up until its import by legendary car designer and customiser, Andy Saunders - who then sold it on to a restorer who brought it up to the impressive, fully-documented standard it’s in today.
Daring lines, a bold aesthetic and a sharply appointed interior make this one of the most unique models of the era - and still proves to be a remarkable sight for even the most experienced collector.
The Business Coupe’s unsplit windows and ridiculously long rear profile made it a truly unique car, one which to this day is difficult to challenge for its otherworldly aesthetic. It was often said that travelling salesmen would use the enormous rear deck as a sleeping space in order to save on motels while touring the USA.
This example has a highly impressive history file, tracking its quiet history in Keansburg, New Jersey up until its import by legendary car designer and customiser, Andy Saunders - who then sold it on to a restorer who brought it up to the impressive, fully-documented standard it’s in today.
Daring lines, a bold aesthetic and a sharply appointed interior make this one of the most unique models of the era - and still proves to be a remarkable sight for even the most experienced collector.
The History and Paperwork
- One of only 1562 built for the 1950 model year
- Q4 ‘Custom’ Specification, the rarest of the model
- Built in Studebaker’s South Bend Factory and sold on 29th of August 1950
- Two further names and addresses in the New Jersey area thereafter
- Imported from the USA by Andy Saunders, esteemed car customiser, in 2007
- Was then sold to its 2nd British owner, who commissioned a restoration at F.G. Bethell & Son
- Since then it’s been lightly used and kept cossetted in dry storage with minimal mileage
- In 2009 the speedometer was changed at 22,757 miles
- The replacement speedometer indicated 12,219 miles upon installation
- Now indicates 14,048 miles - it’s fairly likely the genuine mileage is around 24,586 miles
- Impressive paperwork file includes:
- An extensive documented restoration file
- Plenty of invoices for parts and photographs of the work undertaken
- A rare level of period USA paperwork ranging from invoices to bills of sale and identification slips
- Copy of American Classic featuring the car in its Showcase
- Previous printed listings from the car’s sales history
- A selection of tax discs
- Two keys
The Interior
- Beautifully presented interior in charcoal and coffee
- Full-width bench seat with cream piped detailing
- Eyecatching art-deco dials designed by Raymond Loewy, famed industrial designer
- Glove box still stores an original 72-year-old data sheet
- Enormous six-foot rear loading bay
- Original jack, toolkit and some spare parts
A step into the Champion Business Coupe is a pleasure all of its own. With its simple layout, unbroken bench seat and deep colour scheme, these cars are luxuriously appointed things while avoiding the pretention typical of cars from this period.
Everything here is nicely restored and retrimmed, with the car’s dashboard still carrying a beautiful array of tightly arranged deco dials and switches, and the car’s period radio still proudly mounted underneath. The combined speedo, odometer and clock is a particularly pleasant focal point, mounted directly behind the outsized two-spoke steering wheel and column-mounted switchgear.
The steering wheel has a couple of small hairline cracks in its bakelite framework, and some slight signs of paint loss and chipping. There is a gentle patina to the chromework, which is still exceptionally bright despite the car’s advanced age.
The bench seat is beautifully kept, with no rips or tears in the leather and only the gentlest of texture to the bolsters. Underneath, the carpets are clean and nicely kept with no rips or tears, and the headlining is beautifully presented.
The boot is in excellent order - and is absolutely gigantic. The carpets are clean, the spare wheel is in good order, the car’s original (slightly corroded) jack and a collection of spare parts are also present and correct for the new owner’s usage.
The Exterior
- Enormous 19ft long, 7ft wide proportions
- Designed by American industrial designer Raymond Loewy
- ‘Spinner Grille’ with bulbous headlight pillars
- Side-mounted Appleton Spotlight
- Beautiful cream (VW9925) paintwork with bright chrome trims
- Full set of whitewalls and original Studebaker wheels
This is really where the Champion steals the trophy. The aesthetics are sublime, and this beautifully kept ‘Big Stude’ is utterly resplendent. With its exceptional, designer-led lines on full display, delicate speckles of Studebaker branding and that all-important ‘Spinner-grille’, there’s little that can top this car’s aesthetics.
We can spot very, very slight signs of wear to the chromework, particularly the lower grills, but these are of no detriment to the car. There are no chips or cracks we can highlight in the paintwork, and the glasswork is superb - the period-accurate headlights have been recently installed and look utterly superb, with no cracks or fractures. This extends to the attractive Appleton Side-mounted Spotlight, a lesser-spotted period accessory that beautifully accents the car.
The car is sitting proudly on a set of Studebaker wheels, which are beautifully polished, and shod in a full set of whitewall tyres. The car’s low-slung stance means we haven’t managed to take a clear look underneath, but its low post-restoration mileage should imbue plenty of confidence.
We can spot very, very slight signs of wear to the chromework, particularly the lower grills, but these are of no detriment to the car. There are no chips or cracks we can highlight in the paintwork, and the glasswork is superb - the period-accurate headlights have been recently installed and look utterly superb, with no cracks or fractures. This extends to the attractive Appleton Side-mounted Spotlight, a lesser-spotted period accessory that beautifully accents the car.
The car is sitting proudly on a set of Studebaker wheels, which are beautifully polished, and shod in a full set of whitewall tyres. The car’s low-slung stance means we haven’t managed to take a clear look underneath, but its low post-restoration mileage should imbue plenty of confidence.
The Mechanics
- Powered by an 85hp inline six-cylinder engine
- Three-speed column-mounted manual transmission with hill holder
- Clutch-operated starter
- Fully rewired
While the Champion’s enormous size makes it a poor candidate for speed records, the straight-six engine is still capable of providing good performance. The transmission and suspension are both reportedly operating smoothly, and the car accelerates without issue.
The engine bay is clean and well-presented, with no reports of leaks, smoke, bangs or knocks. The clutch-operated starter is reportedly working as expected, and despite the car’s outlandish proportions, the vendor informs us that it’s still handling very nicely.
The car has recently been fitted with a new battery, and has reportedly been used as a lead vehicle at some classic car tours without any issue. The Studebaker’s rarity is also defied by an excellent British owner’s club, and relatively strong parts availability.
Summary
Beautifully restored and retrimmed, this car represents the absolute best of its era - and is a most distinctive piece of automotive history.
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Vehicle specification
- Year 1950
- Make Studebaker
- Model Champion Business Coupé
- Colour Cream
- Odometer 14,048 Miles
- Engine size 2876
Auction Details
- Seller Type Trade
- Location Leicestershire
- Country United Kingdom
38
bids
- Fo•••• £21,000 05/04/23
- aa•••• £20,750 05/04/23
- Fo•••• £20,500 05/04/23
- aa•••• £15,500 05/04/23
- Fo•••• £15,000 05/04/23
- kn•••• £13,750 05/04/23
- aa•••• £13,500 05/04/23
- kn•••• £13,000 05/04/23
- je•••• £12,750 05/04/23
- aa•••• £12,500 05/04/23
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