Customs Could u do anything with this Kustom Studebaker? (pics)

This old swedish Studebaker Kustom is up forsale. U think it possible to do something with it?

This is how it looked when it was driven in the early 70's



This is how it looks now

 

A '53 hood would make a world of difference.

 

Looks like some one already started to redo it. Looks like a different windshield to me.
Could be a cool little cruiser with the right touches. Get the ride height where it needs to be. Some different wheels. Low back buckets with a console. Get rid of the vents and shave the hood scoop. Paint it a dark color or some Larry Watson style paint scheme. And I would run bumpers.
You might also consider chopping the windshield a little and going with a Carson style lift off top. That convertible top just ain't making it.
If the price is right I would get it.
Do it right and you will have a one of a kind custom.

 

Maybe some cool sidetrim to? Pricetag says 5000$

 

To be honest with you it looks better now than before. Good place to start over and do it right. Could be a sweet little ride without all the previous "funkiness".

 

Yes! Maybe a 53-54 hood and some canted quad headlights? Modify the rear wings with caddy 1960 taillights

 

I´ll get busy with photoshop.
That roof and windscreen frame looks a lot like the top of a Karmann Ghia Cabrio.

 

Lower it, skirts, '53-54 hood, wide whites, '57 Chrysler taillights frenched to the fenders, and I'd consider dumping the Karman Ghia top for something else - it's too narrow for the body, it doesn't look right. Maybe a stock Stude windshield and a carson top, or modifiy a top mechanism from a 70s-80s GM convertible of some sort. Or even measure out a Chrysler Lebaron top mechanism for width/length. Easier to narrow one up a little than make it wider.


Canted quads would work with the existing hood, too, '61 Chrysler or '58 Lincoln perhaps.


Edit: being in Sweden, might have to look at more local cars. Saab made a convertible for a time, that top might have the right proportions to work.

 

I knew that the top and most likey the windscreen were from some thing else.
Would be great if we had a full on profile pic.
Looking forward to the photo shop from you.

 

swap out the hood, get rid of the top alltogether as well as the windshield and make a bolt on windshield of some sort like a roadster.

 

drive it

 

It looks like it may have started life as a '57 Golden Hawk. The supercharged version was very fast in its day.

 

The top is from a Beemer so i suppose the windowframe also is a beemer.

 

Well, I started thinking about the wheels and I always like the salt flats/kidney bean mags on these, because of the whole Bonneville heritage - which got me thinking about the Doane Spencer Thunderbird. And so i ended up with this. Hey, if you can´t be creative, then copy something cool!

 

Here is a '53 (side scallop). What do you think?



Car and Driver magazine some time ago listed the '53 Stude as one of the top ten ALL TIME most influential auto designs. (NOT just American cars, BTW.) Check out some more beauties at Kustomrama. http://www.kustomrama.com/index.php?***le=1953_Studebaker

 

Yes the Golden Hawk rocks!

 

James D has got it on the right track.

 

Quaded headlight is a weekspot i have. That was cool

 

Those fins were bolt ons. Unless someone altered them in some way, it might be easy and look good to lose them. James?

 

Looking good. But the roof have to be modified. Its wrong in model for this car. Think a carson look would fix it tough.

Or maybe skip the top and make a roadster looking ride like the Thunderbird you wrote about or some speedster look.

 

I see what you mean. Here it is with a more Stude shaped roof and screen.
You´d really want a totally roofless car in Sweden?



If it was mine, I´d probably make it look like a 53, as much as possible, but I don´t hate the hood and grille it has.

 

'53 hood would look better, but probably won't clear the alternator or air cleaner Maybe if ya ''adjusted the motor heigth?

 

Now we gettin somewhere. Much nicer look now. Its many roofless rods in sweden. And when i had my 50 ragtop i always had the top down all year around

 

If you have some other suggestions, just let me know.
I like quad headlights too, but not really on these cars. I used the indicators to fill that awkward space where the hood kicks in to fit around the grille, but some smaller fog lights, moulded in, would maybe look better.
I´d maybe cut the fins down a little rather than remove them.

Top down in the snow?! You guys are pretty tough up there!
I have a convertible top and the car is still always full of water.

 

Do something with the rearend. And if u want do some wild things with it. Love the wild 60's look om kustomcars

 

Maybe pickup it? Kind of a roadster pickup look would make it justice?

 

I like what James D did in the 2nd pic. Maybe narrowing the front bumper? Lose the wrap around ends of the bumper and slide those marker/turn signals out under the headlights just a touch. (might scratch that quad headlight itch a li'l)
I'm also digging the carson top idea. When the weather REALLY ****s (I know! NEVER in Sweden, right?) you havent sidelined the car AND you could make multiple tops to change the car up a little. I see a roof with the rear vent from a Impala.

 

I know where there's a 48 Pontiac Torpedo rotting away that would donate a great roof line to that thing...

 

Make an Elcamino out of it, it's already got the motor!

 

Will try and get sidewiew pics. The rear vent idea from Impala sounds kind of cool