If you’re looking for a classic car that you just climb into and enjoy with only a few minor details to complete, then this 1928 Studebaker Dictator could well be the car for you. Listed for sale here on eBay and located in Franklin, Wisconsin, it is offered with a clear title. The seller has set a BIN price of $13,500 but there is the option available to make an offer.
Looking at this Dictator it is easy to believe the seller’s claim that it is a fun car, and that it is solid. I don’t see any signs of rust and while the body and panels aren’t perfect, they certainly aren’t too bad. I guess that if you are a perfectionist there are some areas that could be improved, but to me, it just adds character to the car. Thankfully wooden items such as the wheels are in good order, so there will be no work required there.
There is some detail work to complete on the interior, but there’s nothing that really requires immediate attention. The seat has only recently been recovered in tweed material. There are no door trims at present, but having some made and upholstered in matching material shouldn’t be a big job. Otherwise, the interior appears to be complete and in good order.
The engine is the original 242ci straight six backed by a 3-speed manual transmission. What isn’t original is the inlet manifold and carburetors. This is a custom-made inlet manifold topped by a pair of freshly rebuilt Holley carburetors. The other item that is somewhat less than original is the exhaust. It looks impressive, but I do wonder how loud it is. The seller states that the car drives well and that the mechanical brakes stop it as well as any drum brake system that he has driven. He does claim that it will cruise effortlessly at 45-50mph.
This car raises an interesting situation as the vast majority of 1928 Dictators on the market at present are the 4-door variety. Finding the Business Coupe for sale appears to be something of a rarity. I guess the value in this car is also influenced by the inability to find a similarly modified vehicle to compare it to. The owner of this Dictator never set out to undertake a meticulous nut-and-bolt restoration, but to create a unique and distinctive car that could be driven and enjoyed. It appears to me that he has succeeded in his goal.
I sure hope he saved the fenders, they would be difficult to find and need to go back on the car. I’ve never liked this hot rod look and every puddle you go through is sprayed up the sides. You’d be forever cleaning it. I’d also lose that exhaust manifold in faver of a more conventional system. A barking loud car is just annoying to every one around it no wonder he’s getting stared at every where he goes. Other than that it’s a nice car with great potential.
Don’t forget to tell the neighbor kids to get off your lawn!. As is it is a hot rod as the owner intended. I like it this way as a cheap hot rod. Dear lord, a bucket of warm water and a rag and 3 minutes it’s cleaned if it was driven in rain. 1 minutes to dry off. Forever is forever, I can do it in 4 minutes. Innovative intake and carbs…Eye candy…would love to hear the mini beast run. Wood wheels on a rod at said speed..Again no one is doing it. .No one else has one like it…BONUS! Whatever it takes to be street legal in new owners state ….would be fun to add those basic touches in a clean way. Great car to have to be admired as cool…
Yes put the fenders back on🚗
I like the fact that he didn’t “RATROD” it. It’s built as it would have been as a Hot Rod of the thirties. Hot rodding was simply making the car as light as possible, and finding performance where ever you could. That manifold and exhaust is something a guy could have built back then. I love it. Not your typically Ford or Chevy. Definately daring to be different.
I do hope that they saved all the original pieces, so in the future someone can restore it as an original if they so choose too. I would drive those wood wheels right off of it. till I got tired of it, and then let the next guy decide what to do with it.
Since it utilizes an Inlet manifold wouldn’t the exhaust be an Outlet manifold?
Man what a cool looking car, if it was for sale in NZ I would snap it up drop a eight in it, decent mags tyres and paint it black and have a very cool road Rod.
Cheers Rod
Mish mash of someones idea of screwing up a great car. No fenders, the headlites/front end is wrong, If he has the parts take a bunch of $$$$$ to put it together. I had a 29 Dictator 4 dr, was great, had 4 wheel disc brakes; rack steering(manual), power brakes, and a 289V Studebaker engine. Nice car could use as a daily driver but sold ot to a guy in Germany
I really like it just the way it is and I would just drive it that way as a tribute to the earliest days of hot rodding but it would be nice to have the original fenders etc. with the car.
In most states illegal with no fenders
Usually historic cars don’t have to conform to that. Here in Maryland for sure. THIS is a VERY cool ride, wish i had the space for it.
I was talking to the owner, and here is their response on fenders and other stuff…
“I have fenders, bumpers, spare tire holder everything else needed to put it back to stock minus an updraft carb. Have bags and boxes of parts. Extra transmission. Also have 4 extra tires that were on the car when I bought it. Good enough for spares. I can take and post some additional photos of parts if you would like.”
Hey I have one that needs a trunk lid .it said you had some spare parts for a 1929 Studebaker dictator to could I have everything else
Home built “log style” manifolds were not just inexpensive way for early rodders to increase carburation but most often the only means available as there were not that many sources for specialty parts outside of metro areas.
It was the Speed freaks who raced upon open beaches and dirt tracks in the
midwest originally that built their own headers and log manifolds.
Outside of Kankakee Illinoise was such a track where stockers stripped to bones or hand built “unlimited carts as Outlaw, recieved large displacement streight 6 or 8, and flattie 8s’ cylinder motors, complete with multiple 1 or 2 barrel carbs on log manifolds with homemade exhaust headers.
A farm I was boarded out to in summers had one outlaw Cart with such an engine, Buick streight 8, that pulled one wheel off the ground upon the streights of 1/4 and 1/2 mile dirt ovals.
Motors made to run flat out, back off a wee bit as one powerslid ( damn near out of control) through corners until apex and then to the boatds , racing where hp was understood but torque was king.
In or out box were the tranny.
Days even then where we understood exhaust needed to exit and these early style headers were long or short lengths in order for a specific power band spread.
The science was gut science and common sence, more gas in and exhaust quickly out, and any extra fuel was flamed out upon deceleration.
Loud, hell yes, but fun and adrenaline rush far higher as decibels increased.
Motors ran rough and raucus at idle and this is why running starts were the norm.
You knew by sound when your mill was at peak, and you ran hottest plugs you could to avoid fouling.
Yes this is where reading plugs also got its start.
Leave motor as is, find or build fenders, clean her up a bit and cruise.
Remember that in recent past you could legally buy and drive a couple of newer small displacement autos with streight through no mufflers.
On later autos on race day you “tuned” your header open autos for wide open. If done right by headers design this was where the winners were made.
Guys, The guy selling posted a lot more pictures at my suggestion on his auctions. It shows all the fenders that look like they are in great shape.
I now have this car car in algonquin il. got all the stock parts that came with the car im going to leave it alone it is cool the way it is turn key . only thing i mightdo is put juice brakes on it .