Soooo.. that last one was a little muddy, eh? This car is anything but muddy or dusty or possibly home to the Mouseketeers; it’s an almost-too-clean-to-be-real 1964 Studebaker Challenger and, man, it really looks fantastic. This incredibly-clean car is listed on eBay with a $7,000 buy-it-now price or you can make an offer. It’s located in Lanoka Harbor, New Jersey and it sure looks like you could drive it home. Although, if you did that then I couldn’t drive it home…
This car is in amazing condition, as well it should be because it has been restored. I know, who would restore a base model 1964 Studebaker?! I’m just so thankful that someone cared enough to do that because this thing is a work of art and it looks like it’s one of the nicest ones on the globe. The Challenger was the entry-level Studebaker in 1964, followed up by the muddy barn-livin’ Commander from a recent post, and then the Daytona and finally the Cruiser. This isn’t a Pebble Beach restoration, as evidenced by the dimples in the LR wheel well in the trunk photos, but as far as maybe being the nicest one around, it could very well be that.
Yeah yeah, a brown car, ugh, not another brown car?! This isn’t just any brown car, it’s a car that you could put on that velvet turntable in your living room, the one that you normally keep your alloy 1949 Jaguar XK-120 on. GET OUT OF THERE!.. stupid cat.. Once you see the interior photos of this Challenger you’ll be a believer. On paper, this car pretty much has it all, or at least it has most of the features that a lot of us crave, from what a lot of the commenters have said over the years. It’s almost in mint, like-new condition, it’s American-made, it’s a two-door body style, and it has a manual transmission. Come on, let’s give this car’s owner/restorer a round of applause! It even has an American flag. An Indiana state flag on the other side would be a nice touch for its South Bend, IN motherland.
Get ready to openly weep, I hope that you’re not sitting in your cubicle pretending to shuffle papers like you normally do, while actually checking out Barn Finds. This is a full two-Kleenex-box interior, it’s that nice. To see the work that the restorer has done on this car just makes me have a better feeling about the world today, and for the future. Well, for today, anyway. You desperately want to look at every square inch and deep down in your soul, because we’re all critics, you want to find a flaw, any flaw, just to show how good we all are at picking out flaws. But, I can’t see many flaws here, at least on the interior, other than a couple of tiny marks on the glove box door. “I bet the steering wheel is all cracked up, Scotty G.” Uhhhhh, no, that would be a no. “I bet they skimped on restoring the back seat area, stickboy.” Umm.. guess again, Tiger. I would need wipers on the inside of this car for all the tears of joy that I would shed to own a car this nicely-restored. And, a three-on-the-tree manual with perfect pedal pads! There is no overdrive, but this is a base model car. Ok, the headliner lets it down a bit, but other than that..
Here’s where the biggest and maybe only sigh comes in for 90% of Barn Finds’ers, this engine is the base 170 cubic-inch inline-six with around 112 hp. It’s not the optional 259 or 289 V8 with double that horsepower available. But, this is mos-def (as no Studebaker owner said, ever) a knife-and-fork engine, as in you could eat off of it, it’s that clean. And, being a base model car with no options to speak, if any at all, I wouldn’t expect to see a V8 in there. The seller says that this car has 14,166 miles and it sure looks like it could be an ultra-low-mile car, doesn’t it? Hagerty lists a #2 excellent car, which this surely appears to be, with a 20% deduction for having a 6-cylinder engine, as being valued at $6,480. That must be where the “make offer” part comes in on the seller’s asking price. This car is worth that price all day long in my opinion, and in a few years most of us will kick ourselves for not jumping on this one. So, if you had to choose one: a muddy four-door, automatic, barn find Commander, or a perfect two-door, manual Challenger? I know which one I would pick.
In the headliner pic I see only one visor. Is this car missing one or did it roll out of the factory that way?
Good eye Phil! The lower level cars came that way – notice the passenger arm rest is missing also. Studebaker had to minimize content on their base models so they could advertise low, low prices to bring customers in.
Note this car only dual headlights versus the quad headlight set up on the other ’64 Barnfind Commander
Straight axle gasser…..shame on me for what I’m thinkin’
Check out a story on Hemmings Motor News. Sizzling Studebaker, plain brown wrapper.
The Plain Brown Wrapper sports a R3 engine. Any Studebaker engine was available in the Challenger.
Thankfully someone cared enough to restore a stripper….er…..a stripper stripper. You couldn’t and probably wouldnt want to spend the at least seven grand to make a ratty one look like this. So……..all you need to want is a ….stripper!
Great looking car! Used to see these dumped on used car lots back home
just after the company folded in ’66. That was a shame because the last
batch of these things came with Chevy powertrains! I surprised my Dad
with that fact while looking for a used car for my sister in ’72. The one I
saw was the exact twin to the Commander 4-door you posted earlier. It
had a 283 V-8/Poeerglide under the hood. Dad’s dealer friend offered it
to us for $125.00! It was just as clean as the car that you show here,
with only 3K miles on it! The former owner was afraid to use it for fear
of not finding the parts they needed to fix it if something ever broke. We
took it home, and Sis didn’t want it so I sold it to a friend of mine who
collected them for $500.00 cash and he didn’t bat an eye! There was a
huge panic when folks in my hometown heard Studebaker was closing up
shop. BTW, is that a Ford six I see in there? Heard that Stude used almost
any type engine and tranny near the end. Maybe someone out there knows
the answer.
Ken.
They had a Borg Warner transmission not a powerglidge.
Studebakers all had Studebaker engines throughout the 1964 model year, including the ones assembled in Canada after Dec. 1963. But with the end of the model year, so came the end of operations at the Studebaker Foundry in South Bend. So for the ’65 and ’66 model year, Studebaker negotiated with McKinnon in Canada (the authorized G.M. engine plant in Canada) to purchase G.M. (Chevrolet) 6-cyl. and V8 engines, which Studebaker of Canada used exclusively until the end in March of 1966. Studebaker didn’t use various engines from various manufacturers.
The engine you see in this car is a Studebaker-built OHV 6, made from 1961-1964 in Indiana.
WOW! I would love to have this car! It says restored , I don’t think so, I think the restorer took it to the car wash and called it good, and it is. I am the biggest sucker for clean low mile cars like this, I don’t care what the engine or trans is, it is just beyond cool, A time capsule every time you drive. Which if it was mine, would be allot of the time!
This is amazing, and once again I’m trying to work out what body parts or internal organs I can sell to find the money to buy it!
I actually like the idea of a fully-restored (or 100% original) base model car. History shows that more often than not, these stripper model cars either become the basis for a street rod or resto-mod, or they get driven into the ground and then scrapped. I can see a time in the not too distant future where cars like these become seriously desirable simply due to their rarity because of those two reasons. They may not seem like it now, but I think that cars like this could be a really smart investment.
My uncle was a die hard Packard-Studebaker fan. When Packards’ were discontinued, he switched to Studebaker. Which in his opinion “was almost as good as a Packard. same care and quality of assembly” (he was a C.P.A., was all about the numbers). He traded his 1956 Patrician on a 1959 Lark. 2 door post, 3 speed, 6 cylinder with a heater and defroster. Black with a gray interior. He said the only option was the heater/defroster, since it was a necessity in cold weather country. As he wracked up a lot of miles every year doing audits. Said he wanted a car that could get at least 30 miles to the gallon. And he did. I coveted that car until I went in the Army in 1967.
Love it. I would buy it, drive it occasionally and enjoy it!
The ulimate stripper Studebaker as a 1958 Scotsman. So stripped that the wheel covers were painted. In Northeast Ohio, the wheel covers would rust out in one or two winters. Door panels were similar to a Chevette Scooter, with cheap upholstery over particle board.
The Scotsman had door panels made of heavy card stock [cardboard] that was painted on one side, and a plastic edge was sewn around the cut board edge.
I think the interior has been redone. It did not have carpet when new.
I have 2 64 daytonas both have carpets one has 66000 mi.the other 34000 mi
Yes the Daytona had carpet. The Commander and Challenger did not.
Great car to end the year on.
My Uncle owned a Studebaker Dealership.
He went Broke.
Happy New Year !
How do these sixes hop up, it would look great with a pair of Stromies and extractors
I am more of a starlight fan but it’s not a bad car.
i had a 62 stude i bought for $175 with some rust ,an overhead six and 2 speed auto. i drove it to work for a while then noticed a light dangling under the dash. plugged it in and oil light was on! oh well when it started knocking it tied my best to blow it. Even with a hole in the block it kept running so i gave it to a
friend.
There is no way this stripper came with carpet . It would probably be impossible to find original rubber flooring for this time capsule . I would enjoy owning this Stude .
Photo shopped for barn finds ? Saw it’s previous posting so just wondering…?
It was Challenger – then Commander – like the old days…then the Cruiser was top of the line….Daytona – not so sure why the wagons…but in 1964 the Daytona was the Hot or Hardtop Lark for the last year of hardtops…
I see the American flag and wonder if it were made in South Bend or Canada?
This doesn’t apply in this case, but “I’m the most Patriotic person by far, I’ve got an American Flag on my Japanese car!”
Nevertheless, I love it.
Wish I could justify it.
Bob,
I would say South Bend by the dummy head where the clock would go.
Your point is well taken. I’m not impressed by overt displays of pseudo patriotism in inappropriate circumstances. I just figure it’s one of those A-rab terrorists tryin to fool us ‘Mericans. We won’t be fooled again! :)
If it is a Canadian Studebaker, I’d fly a Canadian flag!!!
No Challengers were built in Canada. Same with the 1963 Standard series – all were built in South Bend.
When the South Bend plant closed in December, 1963, that was the end of the Challenger.
For 1965 the Daytona was cut back to a 2dr sedan and Wagonaire.
Studebaker of Canada assembled their own engines from the beginning of Hamilton production in August, 1948, to the end of the 1964 model year.
McKinnon Industries Limited was a subsidiary of General Motors of Canada Limited. Always wondered what 1965-66 Studebaker sales would have been like if they offered the 327 Chevy V8 in the Daytona models
It is still listed at buy now 7K, 2-days left, I can’t believe someone hasn’t bought it!
What? No passenger door armrest? That’s a deal-breaker for me… :-)
14k miles! Nice find, shame whoever drove this car grabbed the headliner above the door with greasy fingers, chocolate ice cream, whatever, cigar fingers. The headliner should not have this number of stains on it! Just my opinion.
anybody know what the new price of this car was?
The 1964 Studebaker Challenger Six 2 door sedan sold for $1,935 FOB South Bend, IN.
The Commander Six 2dr Sedan went for $2,055.
The competition – base 6 cyl models –
Chevrolet Chevy II 100 2dr Sedan – $2,060
Dodge Dart 170 2dr Sedan – $1,956
Ford Falcon —- 2dr Sedan – $1,985
Mercury Comet 202 2dr Sedan – $2,115
Plymouth Valiant V-100 2dr Sedan – $1,910..