Projects Need help on what to do with this car...

Just got hold of a 1964 Studebaker Commander. I will let the pictures do the talking, it needs a head gasket but still runs, has a handful of new or refurbished parts but clearly has a little ways to go to be a proper driver. Have a look and let me know, what would you do with it? Just sell it? Rattle-can rebuild it and just cruise it? Is it worth anything at all or is it a s****per? Any info is great!

 

Anything other than a head gasket needed to make it a reliable driver? Mexican blankets and drive it.
Don't sink a bunch of money in to it. It's odd enough to be cool to drive around in. But not that cool,

 

Doubt you could get much for it. Make it safe, fix that head gasket, tune it up and enjoy driving it.

 

As far as I can tell no, the brakes, transmission and carb have all had a once over by the last owner who got tired of tinkering. I may just park it in the garage, tidy it up over a couple months and get it on the road.

 

Definitely not s****per. Do the head gasket, give it a good once over, hang some dingle-balls from the headliner, and take off on 3K mile trip......

 

Field Car!

 

I'd just fix the little stuff...changing that carpet will quickly add a nicer inner atmosphere...and drive it...have fun, and enjoy the simplicity....those little cars were pretty reliable, and a bit under-rated in my opinion....looks like a nice little car just to drive around in on a daily basis, and still be that "little bit different" than everyone else on the road, without sinking a lot of money into it..... I like it

 

That's a cool cruiser. Fix what needs to be fixed and drive it! It has a heater and roll up windows. Nice car for those cool night cruises or early morning breakfast runs. Tell everybody you are going to restore it someday!

 

Fix the head gasket anf build a sleeper motor and ****** set up to run in it to blow doors off unsuspecting people

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so ugly that it is Cool - depends on what you need, will this fill that need for you? how bad is leaking head gasket ? over heating, white smoke out like a vapor trail coming out of tail pipe , etc? if only minimal white smoke - I have a OT pu with V8 that showed minimal white smoke I poured in a bottle of Bar's Leak Block Seal Permanent Head Gasket Fix months ago and still running great. but, replacing the head gasket is the best way to do stuff properly. plus, will let you see true condition of motor. put some type of air cleaner on it. do not bother with rattle can paint job. as said, basic seat cover, carpeting, etc will help out in looks. whatever, do not spend a bunch of money for stuff because you will not get it back out. go and have fun with it.

 

If you have a younger teen son, daughter, or grandkid on the premises, buy the head and valve cover gaskets and tell the aforementioned kid that he/she can have the car to drive after he/she gets his/her license. Help the aforementioned kid make it safe and reliable. Kid will be less likely to do stupid stuff in the car if he/she has some sweat equity in it. Kid will be less likely to drive too fast in a car that won't go too fast. Note that it has a dual chamber master cylinder. Rambler was first with that feature, and both Rambler and Studebaker had it before it became federally mandated in '66. Good car to use in teaching a kid the basics of maintaining a car in safe and reliable condition.

 

Head gasket, carpet, buff, and 4 matching tires would make that an easy $3k resale car. There's always someone looking for a cheap old car to either get them into the old car hobby or to be a driver while their projects are coming together. I wouldn't take it any further than that though, not worth sticking a ton into.

 

dont s**** that! odd is cool to many. Avatar is my Hudson. Sure it's a moredoor but plenty of young folks would get a ton of fun outta cruisin that.

 

Read squirrel's story about the LeMons race and take this year to get ready.

 

oh no not LeMons!

 

Get it running/ cleaned and see what someone will trade for it. Maybe you could get your house repointed, or an old running Sportster. Doesn't look like you have a lot of space for a fleet like a lot of people here. ( I don't either, wish I did though) Those little mordors are cool, I've had few.

 

CHECK THE HEAD VERY CLOSELY - BAD ABOUT CRACKING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I agree, get it running and clean the interior as cheap as possible and then I would do something different. Sell the mustang behind it and drive the stude. just think of the money you would save just on ins. alone. Instead of full coverage, you can run liability only. then take the money you made on the mustang sale and invest it wisely.

 

I like it but I'm a Studebaker fan. I'd just drive it and enjoy it.

 

it was the 61s that had bad head castings, prone to cracking. (as I was told by a Stude expert)

 

some of those later Studes were Chevy powered. Find a pair of the motor mounts and drop a warmed-up 327 in there. Keep the faded paint and hubcaps, quiet mufflers...go embarr*** some mustangs.


(edit) oops. Just saw your mustang in the first pic

 

Get it running, polish it up, and drive the wheels off it. Speaking of wheels, some old mags would be cool....same bolt pattern as Dodges and Ford cars of the era.
Or a flame job and a Hemi...........

 

Plus 1 more. I have one of those engines and three speed sitting in my back yard. Took the no brain way out with a 350 and 4 speed.

 

It's sorta like the 60's 440 Ramblers..........not much to look at but the damn things run forever!

Like said.....fix it and enjoy it but don't put a lot of money into it.

 

Your best bet would be to pull everything out of the black car that is behind the Studebaker and install everything into the Studebaker, then what is left of the black car take to the s****per. I would even leave it as a four door.

 

Seems some quick clean-up and interior refresh, repair the head gasket, lower a few inches and some new tires is all you need for a good little cruiser.

 

Sleeper, Q-ship, sneak-a-baker. don't touch the paint. Fully built mega motor on the bottle, 4 link, dog dish hub caps

 

LMFAO you are a sick, sick man. Not that being that way is a bad thing.

 

Seems like a clean car but I personally would sell it. By the time I did the head gasket and all the stuff to get it really roadworthy I'd rather put the money towards something more valuable.

That's me but I'm just over it with the side track cars that always drag money away a little at a time from what I really want to build.

But if it's your dream car then scratch that and go nuts I guess.