Few prewar survivors turn up as complete or as solid as this 1931 Studebaker Commander Victoria Coupe, now listed here on eBay by a private seller. With its elegant proportions and straight-eight power, the Commander represented Studebaker’s vision of refinement and engineering excellence at the dawn of the 1930s. This particular example has been tucked away for more than half a century and remains impressively original, making it an intriguing project for anyone passionate about vintage automobiles.
According to the listing, this Commander spent 56 years in storage before being brought out into the light. Despite that long hibernation, it’s described as very straight and very solid, with only one small spot of rot above the gas cap—an impressive feat for a car nearly a century old. The seller notes that it has a new, clean Rhode Island title, which is an important plus for anyone looking to restore or register it down the line.
Under the hood sits Studebaker’s inline straight-eight engine, which is currently apart and not running. Fortunately, the seller includes numerous extra parts with the sale, which could help simplify the process of bringing it back to life. The car’s overall completeness and condition make it a strong candidate for a full restoration. Alternatively, its distinctive lines and proportions could make it a spectacular foundation for a period-correct hot rod build, especially since many prewar cars from this era have already lost their originality to time and neglect.
The 1931 Commander lineup sat near the top of Studebaker’s range, known for its advanced engineering and robust performance for the day. The Victoria coupe body style combined sporty two-door proportions with a more luxurious, formal roofline—a combination that remains one of the most elegant designs of the early Depression era.
With its clean title, largely rust-free body, and straight panels, this example presents a rare opportunity to either preserve a piece of 1930s motoring history or reimagine it as something new while honoring its past. In an era when most unrestored prewar cars are either basket cases or missing major components, finding one this intact after 56 years in hiding is something special.
Would you restore this elegant Studebaker Commander to factory glory, or give it a second life as a custom street rod?
I’d build it to look as close to original as possible, but with modern running gear and safety equipment. Maybe a late Mopar Hemi and drivetrain and disc brakes.
Dang, I’m not sure what to think. On one hand, it’s great to see these marvelous automobiles in the light of day, on the other, it’s sad to think, more than likely, nothing will become of this. Many may look at this as just another frumpy Model A type of car, and the cars did look similar, much like today, but Studebaker was high class. It was well known, a Studebaker 8 could outrun just about anyone, including the cops. John Dillinger had a ’32 Studebaker as his getaway car. That’s right, Dillinger, in a car he stole, allegedly from a slain police officer, during an Indiana robbery. Apparently, it was his last, as he was killed 3 weeks later in an ambush. I hope someone saves this wonderful full classic,,,a full what grandpa? 346 views, top bid, $1025,,,going up in $25 increments,,,tells a story right there.
Agreed. I once saw a ’32 model
that was restomodded by it’s owner at the 1st annual Street Rod Nationals in Peoria Illinois in
1970. The car was a ’32 Rockne
3-windoe coupe owned by a fellow named Buzz Suarda ( I think). His car was painted a dark purple and ran a “62 327 Chevy mated to a Power Glide
tranny. Not sure of what type of
mags it ran, but I wanna say that they were some kind of slot design that fit the car’s lines very
nicely. And I wanna say that Mr.
Suarda’s coupe won best non Ford entry that year. But with my
age and too much alcohol when
younger, I can’t really be sure of that. And like Rustytech here, I can see it running a 392 HEMI or
some kind of Ford engine–anything but a Chevy V-8. Wanna
be different? I could really see this car running a tweaked and tricked out 300 cube Ford 6 mated to a C-6 or a newer 4-speed AOD tranny. Not everything needs to
be a fire breathing monster powered by an LS engine. Be brave, be very brave, and build yourself something outside the box 🎁
Ken,I thought c6s were made for 351s + 400s and up.c4s were for il 6 or 289/302.anyone know? Thanx
C6 transmissions were used in heavy duty applications like trucks and vans behind 300 6s and small block V8s, as well as larger V8 gas and diesel engines.
What a BEASTLY mild restomod this would be !
One of these days I am going to roll the dice and ship something like this to a shop in Mexico .I’ve seen some unbelievable work come out of there at 20 bucks an hour instead of 150 and grossly inflated hours .I have my own shop including a modern paint booth ,but still wouldn’t try it .
I’m always saddened to see such complete vehicles turned into restomods, but the stark reality is that there isn’t much market for this vehicle in restored condition. In 2020, a Studebaker Presidential model sold for almost $157K, but since then the top price was $49K at Barrett Jackson.
This looks fine just the way it is! Imagine slowly emerging from a foggy night into the light with this.
Cue “The Untouchables” intro,,,machine guns a blazin’,,
Days gone by
Try to fit a 259 or 289 Studebaker V8 in there, with a turbocharger or supercharger all quietly tucked away under that hood. I don’t know why I like this car!
I wonder how many of these are left?
THIS WOULD A GREAT CAR TO RESTORE PROPERLY. WHY IS IT THAT IT SEEMS LIKE SO MANY OLD CARS ARE DAZLED BY CHROME ON A CHEVY SMALL BLOCK? THIS COULD BE A NEAT RESTORATION PROJECT.
THIS WOULD BE A NEAT AND RARE RESTORATION PROJECT , TO ME IF YA GOT SOME EXTRA GREEN LYING AROUND THIS DESERVES A PROPER RESTORATION, NOT WITH A CHEVY SMALL BLOCK UNDER THE HOOD COVERED BY AN ACRE OF CHROME.