If so I'd like to see some pics if you don't mind. I've found a few pics of '58's on the web but they're all stock. Pics are kinda hard to come by... they only made 2555 in '58 and called it quits on this bodystyle. My car is going to retain stock interior and paint mainly because I like 'em. It's hard to beat a Parade red body with Colonial white fins and hard top... The engine is going to be the original 259. Wild and supercharged for sure. I think of my car as kind of a 3/4 scale Christine. I could never afford a red and white Fury... so this'll have to do. I do like that it's smaller though. The Studebaker interior can't compete with the Fury's... I've seen more elaborate interior in WWII Jeeps. studebakerhardtop.com/ Restored one isn't mine, but it's what it looked like new.
Thanks man! The Packard for this one year body style was drop dead gorgeous in my eyes. I wish I could afford one of those. This car is a little hard to find... those are VERY hard to find... especially affordable ones.
I say go custom with it. It looks like it's just begging for that special touch. Chop the top about three inches, change the grill, raise the fins a bit... you get the idea.
Dude... you don't how many times i've thought of doing that. I wish I could find another one of these cars to do it to. I'd like to have one stock and one that I can just do my own way. If the car wasn't so rare i'd be all over it with a torch and a sawzall by now... feel free to call me names. hehe....
Hey, everyone's got to think up some sacrilege every now and again... The rareness of it just makes it that much sweeter. I see you're new too. Are you getting the cold shoulder as well, or is it just me?
Fucck it, get at it with the tools. Cant make it look any uglier! Use the Packard as your blueprint with some subtle custom touches.
I like those. I don't think it needs much other than a little dechroming and lowering. That rear glass has to be about impossible to replace - I've actually seen a fair amount of 57-58 Studes, but never a hardtop.
Eh... a little bit. Just takes a little time to break the ice I guess. I'm used to it though. I'm into vehicles that nobody else really seems to be into. The Studebaker for one... and my Willys pickup. I don't really care though. I'll just keep talkin' lol... This site probably sees a lot of flakes that show up and puke out 40 or so posts then never come back. Kinda like what my Uncle Frank said about 'Nam... "I tried not to make too many friends there... you never knew when they were going to clock out." It's all good though. I dig this place. I've been lurking in the shadows for a little while.
Nice Stude. Looks like it's a good solid car to start with. Back in the mid 80's there was the Packard version sitting in an impound lot in Coralville Iowa. Never was able to find out how to buy it. Hope it went to a good home,..... but it's probably a Hundai by now.
You're right. The Studebaker Museum / Parts Depot whatever it's called has ONE left in stock and they won't ship it for fear of breaking it. It's not expensive for what it is... like $200 bucks I think... but to drive up to the Great Lakes region in my pickup... adds about another 600 bucks to the price tag. Does anyone make custom windows for obsolete cars?? I'm sure it'd cost a FORTUNE... but i've always been curious about that.
Find a interchange book on glass,that rear wind looks like also Ply to me,but I could be off. Love Studys
Too bad to hear about that Packard. They're worth some bucks nowadays. Believe it or not, I saved this car by 6 hours. The crazy dude I bought it from had NO idea what it was or how rare it was. If i wasn't there by 8am, he was going to cut the rear half of it off and turn it into a BBQ smoker. He had a little business where that's what he did to classics. He had a couple VW Beetle smokers (I didn't cry over)... and he had a '68 fastback Mustang he cut in half and converted. I looked at the fender apron that was laying in his junk pile and it was an S code 390FE car. I was literally sick to my stomach when I saw the VIN. Even with the fire damage... I could tell the car didn't have any rust in the dog legs or quarters. DAMN shame.
That's not a bad idea at all. I think i'll post a "relay needed" post when the next Lone Star Roundup takes place. Especially if we have folks from the Great Lakes region. I don't mind helping out on gas.
hell its got great body lines.maybe drop it with the right wheels...solid color with a HEAVY flake roof TOO KOOL......the rest of the car has unique line to the point it would be nice as is
Don't think I've ever suggested it before on the HAMB, but I'd love to see that year Stude gasser-style, with the nose up, Cragars, and maybe a Moon tank in place of the front bumper and pan. Neat car, congratulations on your find.
John D'Agostino is building one at the moment... I think OZ Kustoms is doing the major work on it. From John's site...
I've owned this Packard for 35+ years. it's an all original car with 77,000 miles on it. I think they look best in black. The hood, front fender extensions,front core support,and dashboard are made of fiberglass. but the fins unlike some Studebaker Hawks are made of steel.
There were 2 of em for sale up here not too long ago. Same owner pulled em out of his barn I believe. Can't recall how much he was asking, but given the rarity, I dont think it was much. Maybe 2000?
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