You know a 1950 Studebaker when you see one, that’s for sure! The bullet nose, wrap-around divided rear window, and the reverse-opening rear doors all conspired to create the non-GM/Ford/Chrysler market entry. And they found their niche with an eighth-place production finish in ’50 – a solid showing. Let’s harken back to that year with a review of a 1950 Land Cruiser barn find. Located in Redkey, Indiana, this Stude is available, here on Indiana.hibid via an October 1st auction. Thanks go to Mark S for this interesting find!
Studebaker’s flight-streamed look debuted in 194947 and continued through ’52 though the distinctive bullet nose front-end treatment was only employed in ’50 and ’51. Models in ’50 included the Champion, Commander, and the top drawer, extended wheelbase Land Cruiser such as our subject car. Body styles, depending on models, included two-door coupes, sedans, convertibles, and four-door sedans. Back to that production statistic, Studebaker’s total came in at 320K units (24K Land Cruisers) compared to number one Chevrolet’s posting of just under 1.5M copies. Studebaker managed to best Mercury, Nash, Hudson, and Desoto’s production totals that year.
The story behind this Land Cruiser is that it is part of a farmer’s estate including cars, farm implements, tools, and lots of other stuff. How long this car has been sitting and what its history is, are not disclosed. Barn bound it is, fortunately, the gravel/dirt floor appears to be dry. There is no evidence of rust-though, or even surface rust for that matter, an inspection of the underside would be warranted, however. The finish, which appears to be Bahama Blue, still shows pretty well and a good cleaning could reveal strong results. Unfortunately, there are no comprehensive images of that unique front end included.
There is also no image of the engine which should be a 102 HP, 245 CI, in-line, flathead six-cylinder connected to a three-speed manual transmission. The mileage is stated as being 21K miles but there’s no authentication provided. The concern for this non-runner is whether or not the motor is seized.
Inside is partially obscured by a groovy blanket covering the front seat which makes one wonder about the condition of the upholstery. The rest of the environment checks out as being in pretty decent shape. The instrument panel, in particular, reveals nice clear gauges and a steering wheel that hasn’t reduced itself to chunks on a rim. There is a factory radio installed and what looks like a CB radio based on the black coiled cable that is visible to the right of the wheel.
It’s hard to say where the bidding will start on this Land Cruiser, or even if there will be a reserve but this “Barn Find” looks complete and original, and I’d say a great find, how about you?
These Land Cruisers are great on the highway but rather ungainly around town. They are big, long, heavy and no power steering.
Forgot for a minute about no pwr steering. There goes any ideas about parallel parking. I’d still enjoy even a ride in one of these.
Not that hard, Will. Really tight spaces are work, but it’s not the torture everyone thinks.
Technology is killing the driving experience!
Truly. The Valiant has both non boosted brakes and steering and has a three speed on the column. Never a problem except in very close quarters.
Granny’s ’70 Maverick Grabber had no PS.
It’s not a BFD at all.
Looks like it would clean up nicely on the outside anyway.
Wrong body style, but cue Kermit & Fozzie: “Movin’ right along!”
Split Window Sedan.
Hey, hey, it’s Grandpa Simpsons Studebaker when he took too many pills and visioned his happiest times. Sound familiar?( not the pills, the olden times,,)
“Something in my eye, you know it happens everytime”, forgive the Jim Croce slur, but this always makes me a little verklempt. On these auction sites, there’s never a story, not that I believe the ones out of California anyway, but let’s have some fun. 1st, no question the mileage is true. 2nd, Jim didn’t mention the reason for the “aircraft” styling. America was still boasting it’s success in Dubja, Dubja 2, der, and this was modeled after WW2 fighter planes. What I speculate here, some unlucky sap, missed out on WW2, but couldn’t miss a little thing called KOREA,,( June 25, 1950- July 27, 1953) and never came back, and the car sat all these years, the parents too sad to sell, and only when the parents are gone, do these things come up. Who knows, their kids tricycle could be in that barn too, looks like several “stories” in there. And here comes that Jim Croce tune again. I bring up the sap, as I had a 2nd cousin pass away, in his late 80s, one of the last of my family members, and it goes on all over, and I’m sure what happened here. Nice find, just a’ waitin’ for that thar monster motor, puffy interior and clown wheels, but think back, in 1950, someone was mighty proud of their Studebaker and the folks hung on to it until the bitter end.
Good thing weed is legal, eh Howard ?
What a stupid thing to say, Michigan legalized weed in 2018, what are you talking about?
Sounds like you may have gotten into the pills Howard…
You tired of it too?
Up yers, why, because I like to have a little fun with the site? Since personal attacks are okay, you can xxxx my xxx,,I know Rex is kidding, but you are just an internet jerk, hell bent on ruining someones day. I GIVE THIS SITE SOME CHARACTER, what do you contribute?
For the 5th and last time, I’m done, you happy? I’M TIRED of defending myself. You know, life is a compromise of contradictions. Here we have a great site, bubbling over with memories from a great many folks, and ilk like you that have to tarnish it. What are you tired of, REAL STORIES? Once again, I have to apologize to Jim for derailing his otherwise excellent posts, be a cold day in Hades when I comment again. To be a “human being” today, someone that talks like me SURELY must be “on” something. People are forgetting how to communicate with each other, and someone like me comes along, that actually LIKES to talk, something must be wrong. I run into that a lot. Have a nice day, no more stories.
Howard,
Hey we both are having a hard time due to the Queen’s passing, but that too shall pass . . . I know, bad pun, just trying to cheer you up a bit my friend.
If yo stop commenting here, that means I have to work a lot harder to bring interesting comments to light.
And don’t forget, a famous man [I don’t remember who it was] said hecklers keep your thinking on track.
Howard:
Don’t sweat it. Take a breather and come on back. Believe me, I catch a ton of crapola, to the point that I’d like to chuck this entire thing at times, but I bounce back. Stories are important, I try, when I can, to weave one in, it makes the posts fun and informative instead of just another sterile review, and yours are definitely thought-provoking.
I do ask for and hope for, civility here and I find that I get it 95% of the time. It’s that remaining 5% that can be a stone in your shoe, but there are ways to deal with that too. It will never completely go away, some people are just jerks and are beyond a cure.
Catch you soon!
JO
J.O.
Well said!
This is one four door sedan that I’d actually buy if I could afford it.
Fugly four door Studebaker, but nice on detail & style.
Bob
I had one of the cheaper model 4-doors back in the early 60s. I used it while I was rebuilding my Triumph TR-3 sports car which I foolishly tried to use as a daily driver. Fond memories.
The body style started in 47 not 49
A Raymond Loewy design.
https://www.studebakermuseum.org/1946/10/07/studebaker-is-first-by-far-with-a-postwar-car/
Correct. My friend bought a 1948 Land Cruiser which was a long time, non runner. I towed it to his workshop for him and the next day he had it running and driving. It was in bad shape but him being a mechanic he just wanted it for fun to work on over the weekends. He made it roadworthy and sold it on to a local collector who restored it to pristine condition.
Great car! I started driving this car full time when I turned fourteen. Got my license when I turned 16! Loved every inch of it. Back then it was not called a “Bullet nose” It harkened back to WWII and was called a “Torpedo nose”. Only model I ever saw that I liked better was the convertible version that was used in the comedy movie “Too Much Sun” Either way would love to have that car in my garage. Wish it was closer to Nova Scotia would offer a trade for my fully restored, 1933 Main USA built cat-rigged sail boat.
Would make an interesting street rod, maybe use a 429 and all the modern day goodies add vintage A/C , power rack and pinion steering, auto trans power disc brakes,but keep the interior and body as close to original as can…
I grew up with a ’51 LC, V8/Auto, same color.
This appears to be the six, otherwise there would be a V8 emblem on the decklid, but there are no V8 emblems on the outside I can see.
I believe one the the pull levers under the left side of the dash is for O/Drive. Automatic did not come out until late-year ’50 from Borg-Warner.
The brake pedal seems to be stuck down on the floor,not a good sign.
The rear edges of the front fenders look good, that’s usually where rust will show first on a Studebaker.
This would be a candidate for a repower, but not a bellybutton SBC, that’s for folks who know nothing about hotrodding, just buying stuff.
The Stude V8 was based heavily on the Cad V8 of the era, to the point that I have heard that a Cad intake will fit the Stude with little trouble.
The Stude V8 of the era was no slouch and did occasionally show up in rods in magazines. This would make a wonderful era appropriate street cruiser
I kept the V8 tag from dad’s Stude, maybe it finally found a home. I might be a player just for nostalgia sake.
Jetfire88,
The reason this has no V8 emblem is indeed because the 1950 Land Cruiser came with the Studebaker big 6 engine. It was the last year for it before the new Studebaker V8 came out for 1951.
As for the comments about lack of Power Steering; Prior to the introduction of the hydraulic assisted steering systems, Steering wheels were generally a much larger circumference, and except for a few situations, P/S wasn’t needed. That larger wheel provided a simple addition of more leverage. I drove a 1950 Studebaker sedan as regular transportation into the early 1990s, and it had nothing in the way of power options, didn’t need them.
I have a soft spot in my heads for these, especially the ’50.
Mom and Dad brought me home in a well used six year old seafoam green one with the wrap around rear window.
It had an Indian blanket on the front seats, aged headliner. IIRC it was a Champion.
That first automotive imprint has warped me for odd ball cars for my entire life.
This is a very nice example.
In this day of spiraling gas prices, the six is perfect.
Would love to have this car. No deals at auctions anymore.
I’m told one of these sitting in the garage across from my home packed in & covered by decades of well, decades. Probably won’t see the light of day.
yeah, no auctions 4 me. Less their the insurance kind (‘totaled”).
Is this nother “Is it comin or goin?” cars? Love the split windshield front and back. When few of these were drivin the local roads a neighbor put the spinning prop on their nose. It actually rotated goin down the road (is JC WHitney still even around?).
I like it (But not for that stated above – I bet the i6 gets just a lill over 20 MPHs) for ‘the whole thing’. What it is. And just keep rollin while parkin and that steering will feel “like” PS.
These are very good cars. Not hot rods but very comfortable cruisers. I had a number of studes over the years as collector driver. I had one about 20 years ago that I got out of a field soaked the engine in myster oil cranked up and ran wuiet and it had the automatic and ran and shifted fine. The first v/8 did not come out til 51 and only aviable on the Commander and Land Cruiser. It was 232 CID and used in both commander and Land Cruiser. The firs v/8 in the trucks were 224 CID I would love to have this 50. L>C.
never drove a 50 studie ,,,no PS ,,could add it but If the king pins are in good shape and well greased the steering is not suppose to be that hard
your right howard ,,people dont know how to communicate anymore,,keep going your comments are just as important as someone that thinks theyre right and comments too
Hey Howard, I love your creative comments. You think “outside the box” and you made me consider what the story could have been behind the car. Often the story behind the car helps the sale and in this case, because there wasn’t much story, it was fun to “fill it in.” No harm done, just fun to imagine. Sorry to hear of the passing of your second cousin “one of the last of the family.” I’ll bet it was quite a clan.
@Howard A. Sorry you feel this way Howard and sincerely hope that you cool down and carry on with your stories as MOST of us on this site actually look forward to them. I fairly often write a story about my early life with cars and bikes and hope that other people on BF enjoy them as otherwise just discussing engines, 2 door against 4 door, coupes, SBC engines, hot rods and 0-60 times etc. can get VERY boring, whereas whether we agree with your thoughts or not, they are NEVER boring! Please have a sincere rethink and I’m looking forward to your next comment.
Re Bill McClosky’s comment about 2 handles under the dash. My dad had a ’51 Convertible Champion with the Automatic with 2 T handles under the dash. One was to unlock the hood, and the other was operate the starter (the stick shift Studes had the starter button under the clutch pedal). Many times he would get into the car to go to work and would pull the ”wrong handle’ to start the car; after he swore a bit, he would have to get out of the car, push the hood down to secure it, get back in the car and hopefully pull the right handle again! I was 18 at the time and would often make the same error when I was in a hurry!
Dick Romm,
1951 Studebaker Commanders with the B/W auto trans were fairly rare when new, and are today very hard to find. I had a 1951 Commander Starlight Coupe with the B/W trans, and it started by pressing a plain round button on the dashboard. I’ve never heard of a t-handle to start a Studebaker, but I’m not that familiar with automatic trans in the early cars.
I’ve sent an email to a friend who knows damn near everything about post-war Studebakers, and once I’ve found out more, I’ll let you know. It’s very possible the very early 1951 cars did use a t-handle, and once owners started complaining about the exact scenario you presented, the company switched to a push button.