Can you imagine in this day and age naming a car the “Dictator”? How about the “Absolutist” for a top-level model? Maybe the “Strong Man” would work for a muscle car. I’m kinda partial to the “Tyrant” having worked for a few over the years. And for a real poser model, we could go with the “Despot”. Well, things have certainly changed, most new model names are non-descript pablum or an insufferable, meaningless combination of letters and numbers. Whatever the case, and before we encounter a coup d’etat, let’s review this 1935 Studebaker Dictator. It’s located in Forest Ranch, California and is available, here on eBay for a current bid of $4,050 with 43 bids tendered as of this writing.
In production for eleven years (1927-1937), the model name worked OK in the U.S. In Europe? Not so much so, especially from about 1933 forward. A bit of a conundrum, the Dictator was a mid-sized car and a low price model, more like a serf than a dictator, but supposedly the name meant that Studebaker was dictating the “standard” design and features for a mid-sized car. Body styles included, among others, two-door coupes, sedans, and four-door models.
Our subject car is claimed to be an almost life-long resident of the Golden State, the seller states that it is very original and complete with little rust. It is definitely worn and faded but does appear to be mostly intact. It’s often that the hard-to-replace trim bits on a car of this era that go missing but that doesn’t appear to be the case here – though the keys apparently are lost. The mentioned rust is afflicting the rear floor pan but there are no included images. Of note, the fabric roof panel is starting to give way.
Power is dictated by an 88 HP, 205 CI, in-line six-cylinder engine operating through a three-speed manual transmission. The seller suggests that the 68K mile odometer reading is accurate but there is no backing documentation provided. He also adds that the engine did operate as recently as four years ago.
As with the exterior, the interior appears to be original too. It is faded, stained, and just worn looking but it could be a lot worse, the upholstery fabric is not revealing any rips or shredding though the headliner is earthbound probably as a result of the fabric top disintegration. There’s just no missing that big centrally located speedometer and the seller states that, “all gauges work except fuel gauge“. Noting that, I guess he found a way around the missing keys matter. As is often the case with cars of this era, the windshield folds out from the bottom – a smart attempt to get some air flow-through on sticky days.
The name aside, and I don’t find it off-putting, this is a surprisingly together example of a long-gone American marque. A complete restoration should be in order as this example shows as a solid basis, rusty rear floor or not – even the distinctive grille looks unharmed. And who knows, once restored, perhaps this Dictator will take on a kinder, gentler persona, right?
Studebaker really had some good things going for it through the 20s and 30s. It’s too bad that management attempted to ignore what was really happening outside. Generous stock dividends was only one of the debacles. The styling was in vogue for the era and the drive trains were very reliable. Sometimes I think that the management team needs to be slapped up alongside the head—with a shovel…
You have to wonder how some in management got there in the first place with some of the ideas they put forth….I always wondered what ford was thinking with the ” Probe “…..there wasn’t anyone saying “maybe a different name would be better “
I think there was a US satellite named Probe at the time.
I just remember the laughter from the first photo of a Probe rear-ending another car at a stoplight……
Probe, Aspire, Hummer, Fairlady… hey there’s a boatload of dumbass names that have been used in the past.
The letter “names” are even worse:
SLT. DTS.ZTS.TRD.ETC.
Just add vowels.
The management team has been dead for 50 years. You can put the shovel down.
geomechs is right-a very large shovel! While paying all those dividends, management failed to properly capitalize the company. When Studebaker went under, it had some really good designs for new models, but no capital. Mismanagement killed Studebaker.
Mis-management kills every business. The workers rarely decide it would be a good idea to destroy their source of income. Read Dr.Deming’s 14 Points. 85% of problems are caused by poor management.
Quite the contrary, they knew the last blast of success from the ’59 Lark wouldn’t last so they came up with a plan to diversify and get out of the car business, and executed it as quickly as their existing employee and dealer contracts allowed. Studebaker the car was killed but Studebaker the company lived on, eventually under another name.
Meanwhile, back to the car.
This is another one just the way I like them. Square away the make-it-go-parts and the make-it-stop-parts and enjoy.
Ok, maybe the spring-in-my-butt parts, too.
Great find!
The Dictator was a good, attractive design. I sure wouldn’t kick a car like this off my driveway. Definitely not a powerhouse but a person could have a lot of fun with it.
Mismanagement put an end to the Stroh Brewery Company, which was the 3rd largest brewer in the U.S. in 1980! I loves me some Stroh’s.
Oh, crud…not Stroh’s.
That was nectar of the gods during my college years in Williamsport, apparently quite some years ago.
Rex, I vaguely remember Stroh’s. My very first taste of beer was when I was 14 right after baling hay on a hot summer day. Grain Belt and I threw it up. Unfortunately, that didn’t stop my 30 year run. Sober for 25 years now. Your first paragraph hit the nail squarely on the head. Thanks for that. I’d LOVE to own the car! Trade my ’40 DeSoto (DeSoto, another BAD guy) for it.
I agree with geomechs ; Studebaker really had some great designs, especially for a lower priced car line , up to WW2. . To me, Poor management aside, the end started with the bullet nose. I know people like them now, but the whole car design was bizarre, and I’m sure the majority of people that bought them wasn’t because of the styling, it was because they were cheap. With little money , They couldn’t afford a major redesign , and they quickly looked dated .After that, Studebaker was forced to use the same old car designs and platforms and just ended up with odd facelifts and tacky trim to try and keep up with the big 3 , but I really believe the handwriting was on the wall years before the end came.
!950 was Studebaker’s best year for sales.
True, but was it more of a economical purchase or styling ? And the 53 Stude styling , while beautiful as a coupe , didn’t really work with sedans and wagons, and sales would be affected , so much so that they had to use the 53 Chassis until the end of Studebaker , and the basic 53 coupe body also hung around to the end
Is the ignition switch in the center of a radio?
Aftermarket radios were a really expensive item at the time, perhaps equivalent to another 5% of the price of the whole car. Thieves were stealing them (stealing car radios, never!), so the car radio industry started equipping the radios with their own keylocks so they couldn’t be used if stolen.
Studie did not make the $$$ that Ford, GM & Chrysler did during WWII thus did not have the capital to take advantage of the post war car buying boom. They often had the best innovations but again, did not have the capital or dealer group to capitalize. My Dad had Studies til 1960 when the handwriting was on the wall so switched to Ford. Great memories, as a kid, going to Grandmas in our Bullet-nose Better aka “President” (or was it a “Commander”? Have to get some old family pics) Dad especially liked the “hill holder” break as we lived in Dubuque, IA – a VERY hilly town!
It was the Commander or the Champion into the early 50’s rather than the President which was used again in the mid 55.
To me the best design of the Studebaker’ cars are from the 30’s. Dictators, commander and President especially are very neat in terms of design and very futuristic for that time.
Don’t forget the Pierce Arrow acquisition in the late 20’s one of the finest US automobiles of that era by Studebaker as well as the Packard connection / merger which proves how strong Studebaker has been in the early 30s as well as in the early 50s when indeed they were making profit from the large volumes of sales. Afterwards the sales dropped due to the reasons mentioned above (outdated design and old chassis) although they were still innovative in design, auto transmissions such as the DG250 which was later used by Jaguars and Mercedez Benz, Avanti – first car to use disk brakes in 63 and among a few of the supercharged GT cars.
For me Studebaker is the ultimate US independent car manufacturer and their fan base is composed of very very nice and friendly people which is a rare gem in today’s world. It seems to me (and I am born in eastern europe behind the iron curtain) that Studebaker meant something more than a simple manufacturer back in the days for the employees, their dealers, suppliers which translated in trying to be the best with limited resources of an independent company which placed a lot of efforts into honesty and reliability and this vibe is also bluntly felt at the Studebaker owners of today.
I also agree that poor management may be part of the cause of failure but to a certain extent it was inevitable since all independent US car manufacturers kept their ego high enough to think that they could make it against the Big 3 but history showed everyone differently including Nash, AMC, Kaiser, etc.
By the way I am totally subjective about Studebaker since I own 4 of them including the Business Coupe version of the Dictator from the last year.
Wish you all the best,
Cristian
Studebaker did drop the Dictator name with the horror of Hitler.
Forest Ranch…just down the road from the Pitts Stop Cafe! Oh, wait, it’s permanently closed.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Pitts+Stop+Cafe/@39.8735563,-121.6856292,1750m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x8082d480fac0a551:0x93133f49ed2ea026!2sForest+Ranch,+CA+95942!3b1!8m2!3d39.873843!4d-121.6810778!3m4!1s0x8082d47be6f9242b:0x7ce9a2d1891a1bfa!8m2!3d39.87467!4d-121.680855
To me the best design of the Studebaker’ cars are from the 30’s. Dictators, commander and President especially are very neat in terms of design and very futuristic for that time.
Don’t forget the Pierce Arrow acquisition in the late 20’s one of the finest US automobiles of that era by Studebaker as well as the Packard connection / merger which proves how strong Studebaker has been in the early 30s as well as in the early 50s when indeed they were making profit from the large volumes of sales. Afterwards the sales dropped due to the reasons mentioned above (outdated design and old chassis) although they were still innovative in design, auto transmissions such as the DG250 which was later used by Jaguars and Mercedez Benz, Avanti – first car to use disk brakes in 63 and among a few of the supercharged GT cars.
For me Studebaker is the ultimate US independent car manufacturer and their fan base is composed of very very nice and friendly people which is a rare gem in today’s world. It seems to me (and I am born in eastern europe behind the iron curtain) that Studebaker meant something more than a simple manufacturer back in the days for the employees, their dealers, suppliers which translated in trying to be the best with limited resources of an independent company which placed a lot of efforts into honesty and reliability and this vibe is also bluntly felt at the Studebaker owners of today.
I also agree that poor management may be part of the cause of failure but to a certain extent it was inevitable since all independent US car manufacturers kept their ego high enough to think that they could make it against the Big 3 but history showed everyone differently including Nash, AMC, Kaiser, etc.
By the way I am totally subjective about Studebaker since I own 4 of them including the Business Coupe version of the Dictator from the last year.
Wish you all the best,
Cristian
When you really think about it, a “Dictator” is no more likely to be an evil despot than a “Monarch”, a “Royal”, an “Imperial”, or any other autocratic ruler, so why the hate for the name “Dictator” – especially since this car was built years before WW2?
The best Studebaker was always the 1953 version in my book of great American cars. Stunningly different from the boring Chevs and Fords and Plymouths of the day it was a breath of fresh air. None of the smaller companies [Kaiser-Frazer, Hudson,Nash, Packard] survived and I doubt it was all because of poor management or poor cars. They were pygmies in a room full of giants and American capitalism decrees that only the largest and richest shall survive.
Worked for Klamath Falls Oregon Studebaker in 1965. We had 2 two Dr Hard tops, one made in South Bend and the other in Hamilton Canada sitting on the showroom floor. The quality of the Canadian version was far superior to the SB version.. We moved the SB outside.
Politics is suppose to be left out of this. “Dictator” was intended to imply that this car dictated the design & quality standards of the day… then folks decided to put their own spin on it’s original meaning.
I love the Dictator, President, Commander names. They pre-date the rise of Hitler and they are redolent of the times. 1935. Six years into the depression. Hard times and you could still drive a car and Dictate your terms!
The Lark was really the first, last gasp for Studebaker; it was a turd as those, like my uncle, soon discovered after purchasing one. As many of you have mentioned they had bad management who squandered cash and were responsible for destroying two of the finest car companies EVER in the US, Pierce and Packard. I still hold them responsible. True, the Avanti and Gran Turismo Hawk of the early sixties were beautiful designs but were plagued by outdated underpinnings.
Well, John, We love our Lark (63 Wagonaire). Very comfortable, easy to get in and out of, ideal size, easy to work on, dependable, and drives nicely. Tough-as-nails mechanicals, great instrumentation… need I go on? Many “Studebaker folks” agree. Studebaker decided to go after the low-price market, and often the people who buy cheap cars when new are the type that don’t take care of them, and you find them for sale on their back row of used car lots. Toyota Tercel’s, Mazda GLC’s, Chevy Cavaliers, Ford Falcons, and on and on. All those cars, like Larks, could give years of dependable service with just a modicum of care. They’re “Turds” when treated like “Turds”.
I agree that the Lark was a turd. But no more of a turd than, say a 58 Chev or a Ford of similar vintage. They all made good/bad cars in their day but remember what General Bullmoose said, and I paraphrase, “What is good for General Motors is good for the country.” Size matters. Personally I would take a 53 Studebaker over most of the cars produced Stateside but I do like the Nash/Hudson cars of the early fifties [as you can see I am a bit of a crank] and I think the 57 Chev and the 57 Imperial and the 56 Ford are all prime examples of American automotive design. Oh. I also like the MG TC. I never learn.
I am proud to be a freedom loving bilingual canadian and i am in full support of the fredom convoy happening in the usa
Saving our kids from dictatorship and other brainwashed individuals
Please refrain from political discussions, that’s not what Barn Finds is all about. There are plenty of other more appropriate websites where you can share your views.
Thx,
JO
I do not see an issue with my first comment
As the car’s name is what it is
If it were called the rapist , someone could have something to say also
The second was a reply to an assault and i politely replied
I do not use this site for politics but our life has daily events and some situations are funny
Dictator happens to be one as you may have noticed his face in worldly news as of late
It’s not the dictator comments Claudio, it’s your Trudeau sign-off that I have now removed twice and comments like, “Saving our kids from dictatorship and other brainwashed individuals“. This doesn’t belong on an automotive website, at least not one where I work. Please stop or I’ll remove your comments entirely and I would rather not do that.
Thx,
JO
Well, there was the Sunbeam Rapier that some wags had fun with …
Living in canada ,we are used (were) used to free speech
But i will accept your point of view as i think mine has been exposed
And btw
As my sign off was not shown and i had noticed , my reply was very well and politely written
Thank you
And keep up the good work as i do appreciate it
Yolo
Thank you, Claudio.
JO
Hi Jim
And what about Rex’s Comment:
” Rex Kahrs Member
Feb 24, 2022 at 5:24pm
I’ve had enough of dictators for the time being, or wannabe dictators praising actual ruthless dictators, thank you.”
???
Thanks for your work!
Regards
Jeff
Definitely a neat looking car ! Been looking at these a few years…too bad I have absolutely no buget for a full on restore and no place to do it . They sure have a “Gangster” vibe to them, wonder if “Clyde” had lived if he would have stolen a few of these….. probably not with no “V-8”
The most expensive sedan from the new body of ’47 on was the Land Cruiser, had a longer wheelbase than the Champion/Commander, more leg room in the back seat. Then Toyota did a Land Cruiser, the early ones having semi-elipitcal leaf springs, and a solid rear axel, in the front. We still see the Toyota here in CA where it is very dry. Very, very, dry.
Ah folks, bad top fabric + sagging headliner often = bad wood. Look good at this otherwise lovey car.
Around 2010 a beautiful ’33 Studebaker which looked like nothing so much as a down sized Pierce Arrow appeared on Ebay in Ukiah, California. The rear door was open and a royal blue carpet screamed at me. The carpet was put there by a previous owner, my best (and late) friend Mr. Irwin (Tex) Garber in Chicago in 1962. I emailed the seller citing all the nuances I remembered and indeed it was the very same car!
(Come on, Rex …)
A handsome design …
What’s in a name anyway?
I was more attracted to the name of the town – Forest Ranch – than the name of the vehicle, so I looked it up. Sounds like a nice place – 1200 people in the woods of N. CA, 2500 feet above seal level.
Point well stated, Kenny; thank you. My point, however, had to do with the overall execution and the underpinnings (except the V-8 engine) of the original Lark in 1959. Your ’63 Wagonaire is a unique design and is definitely improved from the original. My uncle was VERY meticulous regarding his cars and everything he owned; he kept his Lark wagon for 9 years, I believe. My point is that, again except for the engine, it was a dated, obsolete design compared to, for example, what was available from AMC at the time.
I personally think any car can perform well if given reasonable upkeep. Even a Yugo! John is right and I didn’t mean to put down the Lark other than to say that it is sort of pedestrian and boring like a 54 Ford or a 51 Chev or a 49 Plymouth. All of these cars can be good performers and can provide steady transportation over the years. I belong to the “No Volvo is worth more than $500” website and my winter car is a 1995 Volvo 940. A bit of a turd but good interior heater and steady through the winter gales. I leave the Jaguar in the garage through the winter months.
Good point and I agree, Robert. Take time to enjoy the Jag!
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