The name of this car is about as long as its 117″ wheelbase, but then, the 1930s gave rise to plenty of wordy model descriptions. Offering a car in a half dozen body styles and another half dozen trim levels, on four different platforms, must have kept salesmen flipping through their launch books all day long. Studebaker gave its sales staff a workout, relaunching four new models at lower prices in 1932: the President, the Commander, the Dictator, and the Studebaker Six, differentiated by wheelbase and engine. This Dictator Regal convertible sedan, listed here on eBay, was inherited by the seller from her father, who owned the car for thirty years. The seller is asking $23,500 or best offer; the new owner can retrieve it from York, South Carolina.
Despite sliding toward bankruptcy, Studebaker was still innovating in the 1930s. Its new models featured automatic starting from Startix, safety glass all around, a slightly raked windshield for better aerodynamics, and rubber engine mounts and deeply padded seats for “full cushioned ride”. All these components were adopted by other makers in short order, but Studebaker was the first to offer them grouped in a luxury car. The engine here is a 221 cu. in. straight eight, good for 85 hp. The seller notes that the cylinder head has had a heliarc repair; additionally, the Stromberg updraft carb is not installed, and the fuel tank has been removed. None of this bodes well for the engine. The transmission is a three-speed manual with freewheeling in all forward gears. The underside is clean enough, but the metal gaiters that Studebaker supplied as standard equipment with its luxury cars are missing.
Both the paint and the interior were updated at some point. The paint color remains stock, but the upholstery is custom, and under it is the original fabric. The Dictator was available in “Regal” trim, which delivered a luggage rack, dual horns, chrome trim, special radiator mascot, and twin side-mounted spares. The wire wheels would have been chrome as well, but these are the victims of an attempt at paint.
The body is in great condition, and whoever was the original owner of this car paid extra for those bumpers. Unfortunately, despite the Dictator’s berth at the low end of Studebaker’s eight-cylinder price stack, it didn’t sell well. The advent of Mussolini in Italy and Hitler in Germany gave “dictator” a strong negative connotation. Just a year after this car was produced, Studebaker filed for bankruptcy. WWII boosted the company’s finances, but as we all know, it finally flamed out in the 1960s. While this car is an elegant representative of Studebaker’s prowess, it is very needy, and parts are very scarce. Good luck to the seller, but I suspect a steep discount will be required to send this one to a new garage.
Even in its current state, this is an impressive car. And in 1932 it was a very important purchase for someone, at a rather turbulent time financially. It would be great to see this 94 year old Studebaker be on the road again. But, that asking price is really steep. And as Michelle pointed out, parts may he a challenge as well. The body and paint look pretty good, and maybe just addressing the mechanical needs and interior and top and drive it as it looks. Personally, realistically, I think this would have to sell at a very steep discount.
Good morning Driveinstile, yes, I ran into folks who owned these begging for parts on forums. One guy couldn’t get his carb to work, another was looking for a Startix. Then there was the Dictator St Regis that sold recently…. Made into a hot rod but retaining its vintage body. Guys on forums were saying the parts situation is so bad that rodding the car is kind of the best choice.
I completely understand where you are coming from Michelle. I always lean hard towards keeping a vintage car or truck stock. However, in cases like this, where you are hopeless trying to get parts. It just may be your best option. Even if you retrofitted it with a Studebaker V8 ( if it would fit) it would at least keep it on the road and enjoyed. Thank you again for all the great cars, trucks, tractors, and everything else you write up Michelle!!!
We’ve discussed these Depression Era vehicles a lot lately as interest wanes. A lot of wear on an older restoration, non-runing with parts removed. Worth 10k maybe to someone that can do their own work. Buy it, fix it, drive it, you’ll probably be the last owner.
Whatever the faults this Dictator has, it’s still a great looking car!
Was going to say something about the name,but no political stuff aloud so 🇺🇲
Should not have said that . sorry.
No, you shouldn’t have, Don H: vast numbers of us disagree.
The car is beautifully styled..fantastic grill shell and really excellent proportions and the raked windshield really lightens up the overall presence of what is a pretty huge car…hope some super skilled group of guys all chip in and grab it and redo all the mechanicals and figure out a way to keep the wheels and tire size but put better brakes, bearings and uprights and a smooth engine and automatic transmission so it looks very period correct and keep the interior as original as possible…Fingers crossed
The last one I saw was at the 1970 Street Rod Nationals in Peoria Illinois. It was painted Plum Crazy Purple and ran a ’66
327 V-8 and a Powerglide tranny.
The body style was a 3 window coupe and the owners name was
Buzz Suarda. His car made the
November issue of Rod & Custom Magazine that year. The
guys at R&C liked it so much that
whenever an oddball car showed
up in the Rods and customs at
randem section, they always gave
him a shout out in print! Sorry folks, but I gotta say that the only
way to save this car would be to
restomod it. With the parts supply drying up every day, it just
makes sense. At least the car could be driven and enjoyed. And
with all the different power train
combos out there today, a small
block Chevy isn’t your only choice. I see it running a GM 3800 V-6 with a 700R4 tranny out
back. Modernize the chassis with disc brakes and a modern rear axle and call it a day. The rest of the car looks great so getting it road ready shouldn’t be
a big deal. After that, just drive and enjoy.
As more of a purist, I hate to say that a restomod in the power train is called for with this car. Ken has a good idea, BUT if you want to keep it looking somewhat original there are still many MOPAR flathead sixes out there, with parts available. The larger Dodge truck engines would give it performance closer to what the original Study 8 gave.
Hi Brocky! That’s a pretty good idea you have there. Never really
thought of using an early Chrysler
6 before you mentioned it but thinking about it a bit, it does indeed make sense. A ’59 Dodge
230 truck engine would do wonders here. And by the end of
their product run in ’68, (power wagon only) they got the HP up to at least 130, maybe 145, but still good enough to move this car adequately through traffic alright. But if you REALLY want
some oomph from an inline 6, how ’bout a 292 Chevy or a 302
Jimmy 6. Both are built like the
proverbial Timex watch (Takes a
lickin and keeps on ticking) and you can still find parts and trannies for both of them. And if
you just gotta have the bent variety, a ’60-64 305 Jimmy V-6
should tickle your fancy just fine.
I chose the 3800 Buick V-6 because of the horsepower (205)
and it’s rock solid reliability. Same for the 700R4 gearbox. Rock solid reliability and it’s damned near bulletproof. You can always count on it to show up every day and not leave you
stranded. Now if you’re looking for something out of left field, how ’bout a 322 LaSalle V-8 mated to one of their kill proof 3-speed trannies. Those things never wore out! Just sayin…
Ken, While not trying to “pull the wool over someone’s eyes”.. People will see what they want to see. Especially if you keep the wire wheels when a lot of people see the name Studebaker on a car that age they will expect to see a flathead 6. So show them a MOPAR and they will think it is a Studebaker 6.. The Mopar flathead has been used to make an obsolete Hercules look like original equipment. Not concourse but will show nicely at local events
I would be surprised if the seller finds a buyer at their current price point. Unfortunately, IMO this old Studie has too many issues to attract any buyers except someone who has a sentimental attachment to it. With the shrinking market for cars like this and the headaches that getting this functional again working against it I doubt if this vehicle will be rescued. And that’s a darn shame. I hope I’m wrong. GLWTS.
An interesting find Michelle! I bought my first car in 1958, a low mileage, one owner 1930 Studebaker Dictator Six 4 door sedan with 23K miles on the clock. My Dictator Six had the wood spoke “artillery” wheels with split rims. Parts for old Studebakers were even hard to find 68 years ago. BTW, my mom showed me how to change a tire on a split rim (her 1st car bought 29 years earlier had split rims). I quickly learned that double clutching aided smooth shifting. After replacing exhaust manifold gaskets and making a new wiring harness (the old frayed wiring ran along the steering column and directly under the updraft carburetor with predictable results). I soon sold the car to a collector who kept it for a few years and drove it ocassionaly on local roads.
When in 1927 Studebaker choose the name “Dictator” (“a fine car at a moderate price” that would “dictate the standards” in the vital mid-priced field), the word hadn’t picked up its later connotations; then, perceptions of Mussolini were still in the “made the trains run on time” moment and Hitler the “ridiculous corporal” almost seven years away from taking power. Even by 1932, with the Great Depression in its depths, the Duce’s system was seen by many in Europe and the US as a model to follow; he may have been a vulgarian but it was a common perception his methods produced better outcomes. That perception was wrong and as the 1930s unfolded the nature of the dictatorships in Italy and Germany gave the word a bad name and quietly Studebaker quietly dropped the Dictator name for 1938, re-positioning the Commander as the base model, the cars exported to the Europe, the UK and the British Empire having earlier been renamed Director. Luckily, the Studebaker Chancellor had been short-lived, the name never really catching on in the US. When in 1940 Lord Halifax arrived in Washington DC to serve as the UK’s ambassador, he was taken to lunch by a group of Republican senators and told they regarded FDR as “a worse dictator than Hitler or Mussolini” so clearly Studebaker made the right decision.
I am a life time FORD man but I have to admit that if this car was restored to “as new” I would rather own it than a restored to “as new” 1932 Ford V8 phaeton! It’s a very handsome motor car even as it is currently, just think how handsome it would be when restored!