The other David here on Barn Finds recently wrote up an incredibly scary 1939 Mercury Lumina he found on Hemmings. Mercumina? Lumercury? I thought it was pretty awful and clearly a unique effort made by a unique and unusual individual.
Then I found this amazing and hard to describe 1990 Olds Toronado that had a 1950 bullet nose Studebaker front end and rear fenders grafted on to it. Could this be from the same Frankenstein body shop?
The seller calls it a “Studebaker Exotic,” whatever that means (though it did get me to look at his ad!) And unlike me, he actually likes the way this car looks, or claims to anyway.
He says it is “One of a kind,” which is certainly true. And the sellers says it was “built by a body man in Grand Junction, Colorado who had way too much time on his hands.” That is a true statement.
According to the seller, this car can be driven across country; it has A/C, PS, PW, PB – all the benefits of a modern car. Having briefly owned a 1992 Olds Toronado, I’m not sure I would be so excited to drive this car on a long trip. These cars have not aged well and at least in my experience, are no longer reliable daily drivers. Nonetheless, if you want to be the owner and driver of a completely one-of-a-kind car, maybe for $14,000, this car is for you. It’s for sale on Craigslist in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m guessing the price will be negotiable.
No profanity or personal attacks. Guess that leaves me off commenting about this car.
Good one!
I hate to say it about such an ugly car, but I would take this over the Lumina any day…. if I was held at gun point and told to choose….
I really like it. If it only came with a stick…..sigh.
well, it certainly comes with an ugly stick…or should…
I congratulate you for an excellent snappy retort. Well done!.
In my opinion, the front end of the Lexus line has been beat with an ugly stick, so, a bullet nose on an old Toronado somehow doesn’t look all that bad.
This car sure would be a head-turner, if you like that sort of attention.
Best reply of the day Joe!
Oh and Jeff, I’m glad I’m not the only one that feels that way about the new Lexus designs. What happened to them?
An ugly stick with which to beat it?
As before on the Lumina creation I admire the workmanship but not the cars themselves.
Workmanship on both cars is awesome, but that’s about it. A waste of 2 cars, and certainly the Studebaker didn’t deserve this!
I think this would have actually looked good if they had stretched the wheelbase so the front overhang wasn’t a mile long. Still definetely a case of too much free time, beer, and tools.
Ahhh, my favorite color. It is a shame it is not on something else.
I like the color….but to me there is no flow integration of the front fenders into the body shell beyond the “A” pillar. The rear end could be a bit better if the back edge of the fenders dropped a wee bit to match the trunk lid drop curve..
The beholder finding beauty in this beast must have an eye full of cataracts…
Maybe you didn’t read the whole description, the vehicle is based on an Oldsmobile Toronado, not a cataract.
OUTSTANDING! This post is like the Barn Finds comedy tour.
Cataract. . . You guys crack me up.
Did you know that 60% of Japanese business men end up with cataracts?
It’s true! The other 40% have rincolns
These must be somehow from the same shop…
Am I the only one who wonders where this bodyman is getting his parts cars? Does he have a field somewhere filled with rusted collectables and then someone set up a modern salvage yard close by?
Perhaps these cars will inspire a whole new series of horror movies! “Sharknado” ain’t got nuthin on this beast! At least this guy isn’t trying to get $48,000 for this! I do think you are going to have to keep trying if you want to out do the Lumina/Mercury mashup! This doesn’t hurt my eyes as badly.
The front fenders directly above the wheels, ughhhhh!
well……
Yes, good workmanship, but the body doesn’t look right. Front fender proportions don’t look good and there’s way too much front overhang. Other than an exercise in bodywork, I don’t get it.
it really took some work to extend those front fenders and to make a hood. Tail lights are 50 Champion.
A truly terrible looking car and waste of Studebaker parts. What inner demons cause people to even conceive of this kind of poop?
as your mother might have taught you… if you can’t think of something nice to say, you best not say anything….
Well I guess you can always reuse the chrome nose piece on a real Studibaker.
Stretching the wheelbase would’ve given it a much better look, the front tires look to be about 6″ from the edge of the door. Those are about the ugliest wheels I’ve seen in awhile, they certainly don’t do anything for this car. The body actually looks like it was done well although there are no pictures of door jams, inner structure ect to see the real story and I don’t see evidence of Bondi so thick Superman couldn’t see through it thankfully. I’ve seen bulletnose body parts used on worse cars, I hope the new owner tosses those wheels and enjoys it. I don’t see the price happening.
It’s different, as was Murkymess or wharever you want to call it. But as said last night, he is out there doing something. Let it go! And let us all let this trend of sending in finds like this go, too. These aren’t what i want to see here.
I like it, and I would drive it to a car show, and people would be like, “WTF?” I remember an early 49 Ford on a newer Mercury Cougar, or maybe it was a Thunderbird, that had a better looking rear window slope. I do like this Studnado, except the rear end, a similar body Buick Reatta rear window would flow much better, and the tail between the tail lights should be more rounded in both directions, again a Reatta rear trunk edge is rounded. The effect of this style custom car would be better accomplished by grafting a modern Reatta roof clip on an original bullet nose Stude body, sort of a modern chop top. ToroBakerDo?
I have the front end if you want to build one yourself!
COMMENT TO…Paul R posted april 14 2016.. My name is Rob.i am in Canada.. Ontario .and i am setting up restoration of a 1950 Studebaker land cruiser this summer…SIR…you posted pictures of a bulletnose …are you interested in selling the front end chrome pieces off that car?….please?…can we talk?…you can email me at jillnjack@live.ca my car is in better shape than i am…and im 60..its been sitting in my garage for 5yrs now…i have a young wife and an old car….thats why its been in my garage untouched since i got it…(humour)…thank you ..i hope…if you ever get this message…im better at using a skill saw and a tape measure ..than i am on a keyboard
Per “The Walrus”. I did have cataract surgery. Now to do something about the astigmatism. In a way, the front end makes me think of a DUKW amphib. Wonder what his third car looks like?
If it wasn’t for the questionable fender transition above the front wheel opening, I don’t think it looks all that bad. I kinda like the treatment on the quarters and trunk.
You guys are way too harsh…All it needs are 24′ spinners…it will go twice as fast!!!