Description
The more common 5 passenger Champion coupe had rear seats and a fully wrap around rear windshield, as opposed to the Business Coupe which featured a single window with central split, and of course the outrageously long rear trunk/ deck lid which gave the Business Coupe its rather ‘From Another Planet!’ lines and looks. On the road the car drives beautifully.
Imported from the USA in 2007 by well-known Custom Car Guru Andy Saunders. Restoration undertaken by its former owner who owned it from 2007 until February 2020, there are lots of photographs and various bills and documentation recoding a lot of the works here in the UK.
The car was titled new in Keansburg, New Jersey August 29th 1950 to Mr Joseph Palisciano. The original certificate of title, certificate number 1708766 is in the document file. Other old USA documents point to it always being in the New Jersey area with 2 other names and address’ on file. Parts availability is still relatively good with plenty of USA Studebaker specialists and an excellent UK owners club.
The paintwork is excellent. Wheels and tyres are all excellent. The interior is close to faultless. The engine and engine bay are extremely clean. All the chrome work is very good indeed. Have just installed new headlights, new battery. Used on some local classic car tours as the lead vehicle and drove without fault. In the boot we got the picnic, chairs, table and the kitchen sink.
Dare to be different! You won't see another one on the show ground that's for sure. This car when launched was seen as a vision of the future of motoring and to this day it attracts a lot of attention with its unique styling.
950 STUDEBAKER CHAMPION BUSINESS COUPE
Only 1562 were produced for the 1950 model year, she is also the Q4 spec, known as the Custom adding to its rarity
History
She comes with a large history file, so we know a fair bit about her previous life. Also having sold it previously and knowing previous owners .
Built in the South Bend factory in Indiana our Studebaker was bought on the 29th of August 1950 by Mr Joseph Palisciano for $1419.
She then lived a fairly quite life, never moving far from her home town of Keansburg New Jersey until 2007 when world renowned car customiser Andy Saunders (please do google him if you don’t know about him already!) bought her back to the UK.
He, subsequently sold her to the gentleman responsible for her restoration. All of which is fully documented, highlights include, a bare metal repaint in VW9925, a full rewire, interior retrim and a host new parts, amounting to over £1500, plus of course, the cost of the restoration work!!
It is worth noting that the speedometer was changed in 2009, it was showing 22757 miles at the time of change and the new speedo had 12219 miles showing, she now has 14048 miles. So it’s a strong possibility that she may have only done 24586 miles!!
The Drive
Powered by its 169 cu in (2. 8 Litre) flathead 6, our Studebaker is built for comfort rather than speed, that said she uses her 85 bhp very well and never feels underpowered. Every thing under the bonnet is as clean as a whistle and she runs and drives beautifully
The 3 speed manual transmission is of the “3 on the tree” variety and is lovely to use, as is the clutch which is super smooth and has a nice central biting point.
Brakes are surprisingly powerful and the suspension is super smooth, all in all she is just a lovely cruiser!
Having been used by ourselves for local tours we can confirm she drives wonderfully.
The Exterior
We’re not sure there are enough superlatives to describe how she looks, she is genuinely jaw dropping!!! She is absolutely immaculate, the paintwork is superb, all the chrome is beautiful, the hub caps are all near perfect, all the trim is exactly how it should be and of course, there’s that outrageous silhouette!!
It is a testament to the guys who restored her and her subsequent owners that she looks this good 15 years later.
There also a few period accessories that just finish off the whole look perfectly, such as the steel windscreen visor, the BF Goodrich white wall tyres and the too cool Appleton Spotlight.
The Interior
Inside, she presents beautifully, the seats have been re trimmed to a very high standard in a lovely period chocolate brown with cream piping, that still looks factory fresh. The carpets and head lining, again are in near perfect condition with no rips, tears or sagging.
The steering wheel and chrome switches, which we assume are all original, show a lovely light patina which gives the interior a little touch of character. Perhaps though, the most interesting bit of the interior is inside the glovebox where the original data sheet still remains intact 72 years after she was built!!
Conclusion
She comes with an extensively documented restoration file, which includes a mixture of invoices and “work in progress” photos. There is also a file full of history, even including her original certificate of ownership from 1950!
Despite her rarity, parts are surprisingly easy to get and there is an excellent Studebaker owners club in the UK
Opportunities to own such a rare and truly stunning example of 50s automotive Americana are few and far between.
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