“The first day of spring was once the time for taking the young virgins into the fields, there in dalliance to set an example in fertility for nature to follow. Now we just set the clocks an hour ahead and change the oil in the crankcase.” ― E.B. White, One Man’s Meat
I was looking for a suitable quotation about spring, and this one is not exactly what I had in mind, but then there is the automotive connection to changing the oil as well as the fields. But no one is going to confuse the these hulks of old Studebaker coupes for “young virgins”.
These three old gals (and Loewy coupes are decidedly feminine) might once have inspired the automotive equivalent of dalliances, but I’m not so sure anymore. If someone falls in love with these and decides that there’s enough life in them to bring back to youthful bloom, it’s going to be an arduous undertaking. There’s some major shortage of certain key body parts, never mind engines (actually, the middle coupe still has its V8).
Ever seen a Studebaker coupe lift its long, flowing skirt and show off its front suspension so provocatively?
One of them still has a touch of modesty, covering up its engine and other vital parts at least from the top. Where have all the fenders gone?
Here they are, hiding inside. maybe everything one needs to get these back on the street is in here. The engine in the trunk, perhaps? Studebaker did toy with the idea of a rear engine for their 1946 cars.
This Hawk is sporting a second front cross-member. Never know when you might need one.
Even our healing rains can’t keep the poorly-designed grafted-on Hawk fin from rusting.
The dashboard on this one is still mostly intact. The early coupes had decidedly unconventional instrument panels, and I’m not too sure how much ergonomics played into their design. Those instruments are practically in one’s lap.
Which probably explains why they were raised for the Hawk.
Springtime; when hope springs eternal. Will these coupes be resurrected?
Related reading: 1954 Studebaker Starlight Coupe CC 1960 Studebaker Hawk CC
This trio were (and probably should remain) donor cars. The remaining sheet metal’s in good shape, a testament to the gentle climes of your part of Oregon.
Between the missing parts and the parts that are not interchangeable between these, I have to agree.
However, It would be neat to put together the best body, front clip, dashboard, etc. and make a car that looks stock except to someone that really knows their Studes.
The red-primered car looks like it used to have the fins grafted onto the rear quarters, which would make it a later model.
Those cars have huge hoods; my neighbor kid had a yellow 53 coupe whose hood came unlatched, thoroughly destroying it against the top and also cracking the windshield in multiple places and denting the top as well.
I bought a 1953 Commander hardtop off the back row of a car lot in Tacoma – it had been redone in 56 Chevy red-orange and beige, and the engine was apart in the trunk and back seat. I obtained a well worn 1951 Land Cruiser sedan from one of my father’s employees and swapped the engine and automatic transmission into the ’53. It was a bolt-in swap and the car worked well with relatively little sorting-out needed. I didn’t keep it long though, as I had a couple of other cars and was a junior in college, so there were plenty of demands on my time.
You are right about the first one being a Hawk. I wonder if it would be a 56 with the fiberglass fins. Steel fins would have left more of a scar coming off (or rust, as shown on the third car). Maybe that front one was one of the hot models that had it’s Packard V8 scavenged.
Let this Indiana boy tell you, these are remarkably un-rusty Studebakers. Around here, even really well-kept cars display rust bubbles in the damnedest places. The metal in these looks positively beautiful (except for those fins on car No. 3).
Damn you, Paul – every time I sort of tamp down my Hawk-love, you (or someone else here) stirs it up and makes me start dreaming of a Hawk in my driveway. 🙂
Such a wonderful opportunity for a fiberglass artist to explore custom front ends.
No engines, no problem, they’re rollers ready for electrification.
Loewy coupes never fail to grab my heart.
Starlight, star bright, The first star I see tonight;
I wish I may, I wish I might, Have the wish I wish tonight.
I was thinking rollers ready for an LS6 but that’s me 🙂 Definitely some potential in that trio
Now, now now – there are lots of solid Stude 289s that can be rescued from terminally rusty Larks.
An excuse to post a pic of a 53 Starliner promo I’ve had since it was new. It is plastic but with metal bumpers and platform and a friction motor. Unfortunately it does not have an interior with that unorthodox dash design. I remember also having one of the later sedan versions, a very handsome and detailed black Japanese tin toy that unfortunately was lost over the years.
Although I grew up not far from South Bend when these cars were new, I rarely saw a Loewy coupe, just the later, somewhat awkward sedan adaptations. I wonder if the coupes were mostly sold in places like LA where their styling was more appreciated.
The car in photo 3 hasn’t lifted its skirt, it has taken it off completely.
Would a future fate for these cars be as a donor for a Carrera Panamerica build?
The ergonomic question regarding the gauges in the early C/K Studes highlights the relatively low seating position of these cars for their time and the upward canting of the units toward the driver. Unusual for the time but not ergonomically incorrect.
Unusual for the time but not ergonomically incorrect.
The insturments are so far below the driver’s line of sight they must have received a lot of complaints. The panel was redesigned for 55, deleting that top row of switches and raising the insturments.
The 56 sedans had another new dash to go with the new exterior styling, with the speedo in a binnacle on top of the dash, with the other insturments in a row below it.
Now, if you really wanted to have something, take the ultra clean 53 body, put it on the stronger 57 Hawk frame with the improved steering and suspension, with a 259 or 289 in place of the 232, and the 63 GT Hawk insturment panel.
pic: 55 Commander dash
The original iteration of these is one of the finest designs in automotive history. I used to see a Gran Turismo two-tone (grey/white) driving around Adelaide as a DD and it always looked great from any angle, although I prefer the original roofline. I do draw the line at excessive finnery and dustbuster mouths.
“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.”
Anne Bradstreet
I was unaware that Loewy had anything to do with the original Lincoln Contintental (and certainly not this 1946-48 version), other than a customization job on the one that was his personal car. Have I missed something? Hard to imagine a less-Loewy-like job than the 46-48 Lincoln.
JPC, I inadvertently posted the wrong pic. Of course you’re correct about Loewy’s Lincoln, and I’ve edited my comment. Thanks for the catch!
Such lovely things, they are. Don, I agree with you that the Loewy coupes represent a high point in American automotive design, and I think one reason is that Loewy and his team did much of the designing in Palm Springs–which, along with Miami Beach, defined American style and cool–and it shows. Loewy’s life story is quite fascinating and well worth a read. He also penned iconic designs for locomotives, tractors, home appliances and the stylized eagle logo used by the USPS.
“There will be growth in the spring.” -Chauncey Gardiner
I remember reading about his update of the Lucky Strike packet. Pretty much changed the green background to white. Sounds stupid, but that’s one of the biggest lessons I’ve ever learned; Ask an agency if you need a new logo and of course they’ll say yes (thinking of the revenue). My attitude is generally that it doesn’t need change, maybe just tweaking. Unless you’re hiding something, there’s more value in the brand equity of an old logo than there is in a completely different logo with up-to-date aesthetics.
Freaked out when I saw Bob Hope’s Palm Springs home. A bit over the top, but what an amazing design.
Don, according to Bob Hope, the home’s mushroom-like design was inspired by the old TWA terminal at LAX. If you think that was over the top, try this:
http://elrodhouse.org/
Aw man… The TWA Terminal and the Sydney Opera House are my two favourite buildings ever. Love the look of Elrod House, thanks for that link.
Googling Bob Hope House…
Whoa!
I like!
re: dashes. The first shown is a ’53-’54 Commander (with a V-8); this is shown by the gauges housed in pods. The Champions (six-cylinder models) had all the gauges housed in a trapezoidal frame, short side to the bottom. The other dash is likely either a ’55 or ’56-’61. If it’s a ’55, the car would be a President-series Speedster. Since the seats are not diamond-pleated leather, I’m going with the latter range.
’62-’64 GTs had a dash with three angled gauge panels, much like the Avanti, and supposedly inspired by aviation cockpits.
The other dash is likely either a ’55 or ’56-’61. If it’s a ’55, the car would be a President-series Speedster. Since the seats are not diamond-pleated leather, I’m going with the latter range.
The 55 Speedster had the four smaller gages between the tach and speedo.
The dash shown is a 56 on Silver Hawk. The Golden Hawk had another small gauge between the tach and speedo.
’62-’64 GTs had a dash with three angled gauge panels,
The Avanti/GT Hawk dash is my favorite. That’s why my favorite Studie would be the 53 hard top body, with the stronger frame and improved suspension and steering from 57, with the 63 dash.
pic: 55 Speedster dash