It has often been said that timing is everything. Unfortunately for Studebaker timing wasn’t always their strong suit. When they released their new model in 1927 they had no idea that in a few short years the name Dictator was going to have very different connotations to those that they intended. Our feature car is a 1935 Dictator, which is located in Rogersville, Tennessee. Listed for sale here on eBay, it is being offered with a clear title. The seller has set an opening bid of $8,500. There are currently no bids on this Dictator, but there is the option of a BIN of $10,000.
The seller states that this Studebaker has been stored in a barn for a number of years and that it is 100% rust free. Now that’s a pretty bold claim to make on a car that’s 83 years old, but it might just bare scrutiny. It looks to me like significant parts of the body are finished in some form of primer or undercoat, so it is entirely possible that a restoration has been commenced some years ago, and that it has ground to a halt as some of them do. The positives are the claim of rust-free status and the fact that the body itself appears to be remarkably straight. The negatives are that the wooden bows in the top are quite bad, but they could be used as a template. Worse news is that the windshield and back glass are both missing. Sourcing these may be a major issue, and I personally would be investigating this before I considered either bidding or hitting the BIN on eBay.
The interior is going to need a lot of work. This isn’t going to be something that you achieve in a weekend with a vacuum cleaner and a few choice cleaning products. The good news out of all that gloom is that everything within the vehicle essentially appears to be intact with the exception of the door cards, which I can’t see among the admittedly limited photos. The dash will require a full restoration, but everything appears to be there. The seats are present, but the frames are probably the only part that could be reused.
Now this is where things become a bit more complicated, and they aren’t helped by the photos. Twice in the “Item Specifics” section in the eBay ad they describe the engine as having four cylinders. Every piece of literature that I’ve read on the Dictator states that it was fitted as standard with an inline six with a capacity of 205.3ci, while there was also an eight cylinder option. To me the photo and the configuration of the inlet manifold have all the markings of this engine being a six cylinder engine. If the photo had been taken from the other side of the car we would know for sure. The seller states that the engine turns freely, but they have not attempted to get it running. The engine is backed by a 3-speed manual transmission, which all sounds like standard Dictator fare.
Looking at what is available for sale at present indicates that if you are looking at this car as a potential investment proposition, then it probably doesn’t make a lot of sense. I found several examples for sale under $20,000, and all looked very nice and were running, usable examples that you could climb into and drive today. I think that this could potentially be quite a nice car when completed, and as a base for a project it appears to be absolutely rock solid. I think that whoever buys this car will be doing it for two reasons. Firstly, they will have a love for the Studebaker Dictator, and will have an overwhelming desire to restore one. Secondly, they’ll know where they can source the missing glass to finish it off.
Please give readers a little bit of credit. Common sense dictates that if half of the cylinder head visible has 3 spark plugs, then guess what, it’s a six cylinder. Really, I failed kindergarten 3 years running, and I can work that one out. Besides Studebaker never made a 4 cylinder in 1935.
Ha! I get it! “Dictates” Gold!
Count the wires I see 4 for the plug and one would go over to the distributor, that’s what I see anyways
I am Not fan of 30s cars but I never knew Studebaker had a car named ‘ Dictator ‘ ! anyway it looks original and Unmolested .
You can see the SIX wires that go to the spark plugs. Doesn’t take too much to see that either.
Yep, not complicated at all. 6 wires = 6 spark plugs = 6 cylinders. I think the writer was just having a busy day. Could happen too anyone.
The seller had me a little bit because twice he claimed that it was a 4 cylinder engine, so I figured that it wouldn’t be that hard to count the number of spark plugs sticking out the top of a flathead engine and that maybe I was missing something. I looked at a number of photos of the correct engine and was sure that this one was right, but sometimes you have to give the seller the benefit of the doubt. When writing these articles the line between what the seller states and what are facts can be blurred.
Glass is not a problem. This is flat glass and according to “the internet”, would not even have been safety glass in 1935. So any glass shop could cut a back window or windshield in no time for a pittance. Obviously you would want to replace with laminated safety glass (used 1936 afterwards), but any glass shop could also do that for a bit more cash. If you insist on glass with the correct safety glass markings from a year or two later, then you are up the creek.
That rear window looks curved to me.
I at one time had a 35 Dictator with the straight 8 engine. It wad the smoothest running engine I have ever owned, including a straight 8 Packard that I also once owned. My Dictator had laminated glass for the windshied, but I am not saying that it hadn’t been replaced at one time, just that it had laminated glass. All of the glass was flat. It was a super straight “Barn Find” with no rust in the body itself, except it had no floor whatsoever. It had rusted out completely, but the exterior body, no rust. I thought it strange at the time that it was just the floor. I didn’t try and fix it, I just moved it on to someone that wanted it more than me and wanted to fix the floor. It was wonderfully solid driving down the road, but I didn’t want to look down, it was un-nerving.
It was the seller that said it had a 4 cylinder motor, not Adam who is simply repeating what is given from the ad.
What would Stude call their new models today? Interesting car-hope someone saves her.
Actually the windshield is there, shown in place in one pic and lying on the front seat in another as you can see the hinges on the glass frame and on the body opening. The glass is laminated in the frontal view but separating.
I like the car but it’s not worth $10k maybe $5k or $6k I’ve many times on this site and else where herd that just because it’s rare doesn’t mean it’s valuable. This guy is pricing it like he wants to keep it. I’m willing to be there will be no takers at even the start bid price.JMO.
Nice and not seen often even in Stude collectors stables either. Only nicer would have been the coupe that had the REALY different rear window. If you think Dictator was weird how about the one year car they marketed in the 30’s somewhere around 33-35 as separate name “Rockne” in honor of the famed Notre Dame Coach “Knute Rockne”
If this were a 1937 Dictator coupe, I’d be all over it. Otherwise…meh.
So, does an advertiser lose all credibility when he states “No Rust, No Where” and at a glance you can see completely rusted bumpers, wheels, and spare cover? That’s without even trying. Probably doesn’t even occur to him. I’ll bet he’s really excited by having (at this moment) 52 watchers, likely thinks one of them has got to be ready to buy. Sorry bud, on ebay they’re more likely wondering if there’s anyone out there gullible enough to pay your ask.
The fun thing about this one is, you could name it Richard Potato, and then see who gets it.
That’s funny during the gulf wars I used to say to my wife and daughter ” that Sadam is a real richard potato” my daughter clued in first and was laughing and said to my wife get it dic tator my wife just thought I was up to my usual corny self. Been calling dictators that ever since.
We’re apparently part of a VERY small club, but glad you’re onboard.
I am a watcher, and a buyer if it doesn’t go any further! I have to admit that I am a bidder too if it doesn’t go beyond what I am willing to pay! We will see, I have yet to win a bid on ebay tho!
Im the one that posted it… wow be a a$$ over a error…. You know everyone of the ones dishing this car come look at it then comment.. an btw i posted this for an old man dieing of cancer…
This is a real dictator there is a badge on the dash that reads Studebaker Dictator on it the glass for the car are all good but the front windsheld is cracked and the back glass is broken, glass are flat, the floors, doors,fenders, no rust,the reason the car has primer on it the original owners scraped the paint off starting to paint it. it is a 6 cylinder in the car which will turn over it was one of the first cars with independent front suspension, the wood bows are there to copy for the top,bumpers need to be redone, but every thing seems to be there, even a clear title, data plate is on the front left frame. this car is on ebay now,
Looking for a gas pedal 1935 studebaker dictator