Some things are existentially comical. In the animal world, I’d suggest it’s the elephant – they’re just goofy looking, but I greatly enjoy them. In the car world, it has to be the Bulletnose Studebaker, such as today’s 1950 Champion example – you know one of these when you see it, and if you’re completely new to this old car biz, it’s likely to take you by surprise. Today’s forlorn subject resides in Van Nuys, California, and is available here on craigslist for $1,800.
I first encountered a Bulletnose Studebaker in the early sixties when I was a grammar school kid. The family that lived beyond our backyard resided in a late nineteenth-century sorta Addams Family two-story. They emigrated from the Netherlands in about 1958 and bought a used ’51 Champion that was a faded taupe or gray color. I marveled at the prominent beak and the reverse-opening rear doors. My clearest memory is of my friend’s mother cranking round and round on the manual steering tiller and shifting through the gears with the three-on-the-tree shift lever. As the car aged, the driver’s side fender, just in front of the door opening, started to rust rather badly, but no worries. Their house had an ancient furnace that had at one time been fed with coal. It was now converted to oil, but it was in a bad state of repair. My friend’s dad kept a can of furnace cement around, and he discovered that it was perfectly suitable for patching Studebaker fenders, too. The car was eventually traded for a used Rambler American, and I don’t think I’ve thought twice about one of these enhanced probiscus models in a long time.
Our subject is a Champion model, which puts it at the bottom of the heap, below the Commander and the Land Cruiser. Champion bodystyles included two-door sedans and convertibles as well as a four-door sedan. Additionally, there was a stylish two-door “Starlight” coupe with a peculiar greenhouse – if it weren’t for the headlights, you might not be able to tell if it were coming or going. Three different Champion trim levels were available: the Custom, Deluxe, and Regal Deluxe; I can’t tell which one this car is with any certainty. What I can tell, however, is that this one’s in shaky shape. It doesn’t look like it has any heavy rot, and it’s mostly straight, so that’s helpful, but the surface rust is a plenty. The famous nose is unkissed, and the bumpers appear to be straight, even if they’ve lost most of their chrome plating. It would be nice to know a bit about its underside’s structural integrity. The reason that I bring that up is this Stude is missing its windshield, so one can only imagine how the unphotographed interior presents itself – and that includes the floors.
Behind the bullet is an 85 gross HP, 169 CI, in-line, six-cylinder, flathead engine that is said to run – imagine that! It’s not stated how well it runs or drives, but basic running is good. As with my friend’s car, a three-speed manual transmission was the only game in town, though there was an optional overdrive feature available – no telling if this car is so equipped.
I always enjoy coming across fallen flags – there are so many now besides Studebaker, including AMC, and all of its individual components, Kaiser, Willys, Plymouth, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Mercury, etc., but these, Bulletnose and all, are the real standout. Besides this car’s notoriety, it has two things going for it: it’s cheap and it runs. Downsides? Many, it’s a project and will be a challenge; anyone up for it?
😉 Stop pickin on MY car. 😠 You young whipersnapper!😠 Stu D. Baker! 😡 LOL! Actually these were quite popular in their day. No Bullet! 😅 🤣
If it was good enough for Fozzy Bear . . .
Whoowee $1800USD Very Expensive. There is one on a lot down the street from me in similar condition asking $680CDN. Now that’s what I’d call a bargain. The one down the street is also a 2Dr.
How about just have it running and protect the metal, do brakes and glass, never mind the interior for now. Paint the chrome if too far gone with silver paint. That rear bumper may be an indication of the higher price Champion series with the side extensions? Lots of physical labor but not too technical, I think. Keep the cost down as much as practical then drive it.
Never have seen that type of rear bumper guard before….after market?
Nor the front bumper guard either.
Factory option so is the front
Would be fun to get it running even if off a boat tank go through the brakes get some glass in it and sell it to someone on bring a trailer as a running project bet you triple your investment, can even scuff off some of the rust and rattle can primer it.
There is a ceiling on cars without a strong following, that includes most 4 doors from the 1980’s and earlier and many full sized family oriented 2drs from the 1970’s and earlier, those cars compete on price.
There is a nicely restored 2dr 1950 champion with an asking price of $14,995 that’s cycled through eBay several times with no takers and a driver quality 4dr that sold for $6,000. This car is probably priced what the market will bear. It located with a 2 hour drive of 10,000,000 people, if it won’t sell there for the minimal asking price it will have a hard time selling anywhere, even if running, for three times the current asking price.
Steve R
Yes, Troy, same thought, but I wouldn’t be concerned about selling it for a profit yet. I went to a show on Saturday afternoon here in PA. There was a 70 VW that had what appeared to be a satin finish light blue that closely matched the original paint seen in the engine compartment. Could this have been an epoxy primer? If so, that is what I would use for this car. I might want to keep and drive the car, at least for a while. Can it go 60 mph and stay mostly in the right lanes? Here, I-95 is deadly, even on a Saturday evening. I have a 66 F-100 that runs very well, but the small mirrors need an upgrade for safety. Even in the right lane there is merging traffic to contend with.
My father bought one new in 1950, midnight blue, oxidized rather quickly so had the rainbow effect, I was too young to polish it out. No oil filter, engine toast at 40,000 miles, replaced, replacement block had no dip stick hole, never drilled out at factory. Dealership “did not notice”, they replaced engine with one with dipstick hole. Never darkened door of that Studebaker dealership again.
W-5 on a little plate on the firewall= a Regal Deluxe, a W-3 is a deluxe sedan, and a W-1 is a Custom Sedan
Best friend’s (still) mom drove one of these. The paint was worse than this. Her’s had NO paint, just surface rust. She worked at a popular breakfast/lunch restaurant, his dad was the Cook. She would come into the gas station I worked at in High School every 3 days for 50 cents (a half dollar tip from work I’m sure) of gas (.29.9/gal) and have me clean her windows and check the oil. Don’t recall her ever changing the oil, but she was still driving it in ’72 when I came home on leave from Germany. She’s long gone now, but I often wondered if it was still in her garage for a few years after she was gone. Her son stayed in Army same as me, and he told me once that she left the house to him “In case he ever needed a place to live.”. I know he kept it (vacant) for at least 10 years. I’ll have to contact him and see if it was there.
Wes, you paint a picture with that memory that could be the basis of a short story or a movie perhaps. I can envision that scene.
Oh I only wish that Nova Scotia was next door to where that Studebaker is. I would buy it in a flash. I started driving that car full time when I turned fourteen, yes fourteen. Was not able to get my licence until I turned 16. Those were the good old days! It belonged to my dad.
Hey Tony, I belong to the local Stude club and that car is about 6 miles from me! Let me know if your nostalgia happens to exceed your prudence!
If it were here in Dayton/Springboro Ohio, I would snatch it up in a heartbeat ! And suffer the wrath of a recently retired spouse, ( I would fully expect to be living in it for awhile ) I figure the cost to change the title & shipping would probably at least double the cost. If I went for that it would surely be my coffin ! LOL 😂
Those front and rear bumpers guards would nearly be worth the price of admission to a Studebaker restorer. Chrome on them looks perfect.
Love it
Alot more car hear–then any new one has–.I hope someone gets it and restores it.
The “suicide” rear doors on the 4-door give it more appeal than the 2-door sedan (not the Starlight Coupe). Notice there’s a ’53 4-door parked in front of this one.
Going down to look at a 4 dr 1951 W-5 Studie on Tuesday…never should have sold my “50…….should be a fun 6 hour drive…