Automotive history is littered with the names of manufacturers who fell by the wayside due to various reasons. One of the most notable was Studebaker, which produced some interesting and innovative cars on a minuscule budget. One of those cars was the 1954 Commander Regal Starliner, and this particular example looks like it is a good one. It has a few cosmetic issues, but it presents well enough that it could hold its head high as an original survivor. It is now looking for a new home, so the owner has listed it for sale here on eBay. It is located in Livingston, New Jersey, and has a BIN of $24,000. However, there is the option available to make an offer. I have to say a big thank you to Barn Finder Larry D for referring this beauty to us.
This photo demonstrates the cosmetic issues that the buyer will be facing with the Commander. The Velvet Black paint still shines beautifully, but a closer inspection reveals that it has acquired a large collection of cracks and other flaws. None of these problems have broken through to the steel beneath, so no corrosion or rust has developed in these areas. That means that if the buyer wants to retain the car’s original survivor status, they should be able to do so. The remaining photos are a bit limited, but no rust problems are visible in any of the usual locations. The owner doesn’t mention any issues with the floors or frame, so the news looks to be generally pretty good. The glass is in good order, while the exterior chrome is in excellent condition for a survivor. The wire hubcaps aren’t original, so the buyer might need to scout around for the correct set if these aren’t to their taste.
The Commander’s engine bay is occupied by a 232ci V8, which should be producing around 127hp. That power feeds to the rear wheels via a 3-speed automatic transmission. The Starliner was not the most potent car on the planet, with a 0-60mph time of 16.9 seconds. Give it enough room, and it could find its way to 93mph, which wasn’t bad in 1954. The owner claims that the Starliner has 88,000 original miles on the odometer, but he doesn’t indicate whether he holds evidence to verify this. He does say that the car has recently received a new fuel tank, along with all new lines, a new carburetor, and a new pump. The brakes have also been renewed, as have the battery and tires. Unfortunately, while the owner provides us with all of this information, he doesn’t say how well the car runs and drives. However, the impression is that all is well in this classic’s mechanical world.
If this Studebaker has one highlight, it has to be the interior. The owner describes it as “popping red,” and this seems to be appropriate. The upholstered surfaces look close to perfect, while the carpet only shows some mild wear and fading. The wheel has deteriorated, but it looks as though a spare is sitting in the trunk just waiting to be installed. There are a few marks on the dash, but nothing that couldn’t be easily addressed. There have been no aftermarket additions, and the original AM radio still retains its rightful spot in the dash.
By 1954, the size of the mountain that Studebaker faced was graphically demonstrated by new vehicle sales figures. In a passenger car market that saw more than 5.8 million people hand over the cash for a new car, Studebaker could only manage to shift 68,708 vehicles. Of these, a mere 5,040 were the Regal Starliner. The company limped on gamely for another 12-years, but the end finally came in 1966. Like many classic cars, the 1954 Starliner has taken a hit in the market over the past 12 months, but that trend is beginning to reverse. The BIN on this one is probably heading towards the top end of what you might expect to pay for an excellent example. That could make it seem a bit optimistic given the paint issues, but that hasn’t been enough to stop 106 people from watching the listing. If it is a classic that takes your fancy, it might be worth contacting the owner with a reasonable offer. You never know, but today could be your lucky day.
Wow, my favorite year for the stude! Nice, nice, nice!
My favorite car EVER, and I’ve owned over 100. Somewhere I have a photo of me at 15 sanding on my ’53 hardtop, wish I had kept at it. Hard to believe that Studebaker managed to update this car for the next 10 years instead of a completely new model. Even the Lark, as I recall, was based on it, and the Hawks were even more closely related.
Yes, the original Larks were based on the 2- and 4-door sedan body shells, which originated in 1953. Amazing how they created an entirely new looking car and created a “compact” car with the same interior dimensions as their previous cars by simply by making minor wheelbase adjustments and changing front and rear sheet metal
Slick ride but FRAM oil filters make me cringe.
The 232 didn’t originally have a spin on filter – maybe converted with parts from a later Studie engine(?). The cartridge type were available as a factory option or a dealer add-on (but they were usually Fram too). Many came with no oil filter at all… no matter as the bodies usually rusted out long before the engine wore out.
Funny thing about FRAM is that Ferrari uses them.
This was on Craigslist before going to eBay. I emailed the seller for more information and he never responded. Ebay listing says it’s sold. If so he got a good price for the car in this condition. I hope the new buyer joins or is already a member of the Studebaker Drivers Club.
I absolutely love these cars, and this is the Lowey coupe in its purest form, timeless automotive style.
And if you like the ’53/’54 style, which I do, the ’54’s benefitted from some tweeks to the frame/body to make it less flexible, so this is the one to have, and the Commander was more luxurious than the Champion.
Commander and Champion trim levels were the same. It is drivetrain ,brakes and instruments that are different.
There were three trim levels on these Stude sedans (Custom, deluxe, Regal), two trim levels on the Starlight ‘post’ coupe (Deluxe, Regal), but only Regal trim on the 2 dr ht Starliner like this car (years before Ford used the name).
My absolute favorite of this car was the ’53.
a little overkill on the fuel filters ..21/2…ditto on Fram filters…nice car
Robert,
The fuel pump has a ceramic filter inside the glass bowl, however the ceramic filter element is missing on this car, hence the plastic add-on line filter!
i would like a golden hawk way ahead of there time
Loved my ’53. Loved the big Olds engine and 4 speed hydromatic transmission in it even more. To this day it’s one of the best looking cars ever designed and built.
not my fav model – But, v e r y interesting. Thanks for the post Adam (& write-up)… Any orphan has something to offer !
Sorry every co is just in that category in ur home land (corporations put pressure on the ppl/its government). Sucks~
My father , a very methodical engineer, bought a ’50 Champion Regal Deluxe 4 door, no oil filter, engine was toast at 40,000 miles despite oil changes at recommended intervals. Rebuilt engine was installed by dealer, new block, dipstick hole not drilled out, no dipstick. Put a quart in anyway at 200 miles or so, just in case. Dealer fixed it the next week. Midnight blue, became irredescent at a year or so, father was not into appearances and I was not in HS yet, so it stayed that way. I have been to a lot of car shows and museums, from the Petersen down to small cars and coffee, and have not seen an irredescent car since the early 1950’s. Black and dark blue were the most usual culprits. A survivor might be left that way one of these days. Washed but not polished.
I love these cars, wish I had the cash ! back in the day Studebaker were called steady breaker but loved the style of them all .
I had a ’62 Lark with the cartage filter, and it had a decal on the housing that said “Fram”. My ’62 Hawk had a spin on filter. I looked it up on the Fram website, and the notation is that the cartage filter will be sold until the stock is depleted. I’m guessing that there may be a replacement available in another brand. The spin on filters still seem available. These have a restriction plate in them. The filter base also had a restriction in one of the fittings, so I would guess that the one in the filter wasn’t really necessary. This was a bypass filter that could be fitted to any engine that did not have an oil filter. I was having a difficult time finding it, and I was thinking of having an adapter made for the center threaded part of the filter base so that I could use the same filter as my parents’ 1964 Pontiac, but it never happened. It seems that later in the 1962 models, a full flow filter was added to the Studebaker line. My ’64 had a full flow filter on the side of the block, down low.
I believe those wire wheel covers were factory accessories. The original small hubcap is behind the wire cover. I had them on my 1957 Golden Hawk. If they are the correct factory wire wheel covers, they are quite expensive and hard to find, so whoever buys the car, don’t throw them away until you check them closely.
Absolutely. Those are period correct Studebaker wire caps. Be glad they’re on there, as finding a good set might prove problematic.
100 years of business in 1953 so they had to be doing something right. Nice car but funny it has a Mopar key blank for the ignition….
Probably Studebaker used lock cylinders from the same provider that Chrysler used, so their blanks would be the same.
My uncle gave me his old ’54 Studebaker in 1963. I was 15 and it had a blown head gasket. Motor was a straight 6… I changed the head gasket and used to drive the car back and forth in the driveway. Unfortunately it blew a piston but I did enjoy the car for the short time I had it.
My family has owned 55 Studebakers from the post WWII era to 1966 which I own. There were 8 children in my family plus the business. Our first Studebaker was because the local dealer (Wm.A. Henderson) did not demand “under the table” payment in order to get a new car. Prior to that, never owned a Studebaker. Realized they were great cars and trucks. Kept buying them prior to going out of business.
The Lowey design surely stands the test of time. A truly classic Design.