Grew up seeing a lot of bullet noses back in the early 60's and shoe box Fords . First pick 51 Olds 88 , second 51 Studebaker Commander . The 53-54 Champion coupe in the background looks good too.
Great choices Yeah, there was a speedster in the background very covered the speedster so I didn’t cover that one There was a Chrysler turbine car in the background as well. We’ve already covered that car as well but once the base gets a little bit bigger, I’m going to try to cover it again.
I've always had a soft spot for Studebakers. That 51 is beautiful. In the early 70's, I had a 62 Lark w/258 V8 for one day. Car was given to me by my uncle's neighbor. Went w/a friend to get it. Got it running, but it had a knock. Drove it 4 miles to friends gas station, where we determined it was a rod knock. Went to drive it home, pulled out of his gas station, got it up to 30 mph, the rod let go, and I coasted into the gas station I worked at, and had it towed to the junkyard. Fun times! WYR: All except the Nash. Great video, Jay!
I’ve heard the six cylinder will get close to 32 miles to the gallon on the highway which is absolutely insane because nowadays it seems like with all computers and electronic direct injection cars can’t even get that now.. which is a lie I think but I’m not going to get started hahaha Thank you so much for sharing those memories of that 62 lark that you had for a day. I’m sorry that you couldn’t keep it. My great uncle was a Studebaker of fish and and I wish that he was still around. He passed away in 2008 he had a four-door. It was either a 50 or 51. I think it was a 51 champion. He also had a GT Hawk, but I never saw that and he had another Studebaker. I wish for the life in me that I could remember what it was but I don’t. I don’t know whatever happened to those cars , they might still be there. His wife is still living… If I had money I would see about maybe getting that car but I really want Nash Metropolitan. I think those cars are really cool if I came across the Rambler across country that was affordable I might even get that those are really cool and totally different. Thank you so much glad you dig this video
When my wife I were married in 1955 we bought a 1950 Studebaker Commander 6cyl. convertible and drove it from LA CA to Memphis TN with the top down all the way. It was a gem of a car and only sold it because of our growing family. I have had 50+ cars in my life, some great ones and the Study was among my favorites.
Happy you dig this one id take that as well The convertibles had real leather seats. Dashboard is incredible. Engine is incredible. That car is just incredible.
dad had a 51 4 door flathead 6 3 on the tree. with seperate OD box.gave it to my older brother for his 1st car.those old cars had their own smell.i still recall it.that thing was built like a tank.
Awesome thank you so much for sharing those memories. I totally know what you mean about old cars having a distinctive smell. They all smell different but they all smell great in their own way. And the best part of all they don’t smell like plastic.
Cool! We used to think these looked odd, but today they are cool, and can be the base car for some really great custom street rods. I’m sure you know about the Pilot Ray steerable driving lights seen on late 20’s & early 30’s cars. Another fun light was an aftermarket center light to fit bullet nosed 49-50 Fords and 50-51 Studebakers. Such a custom light would make this Studebaker look a bit like a Tucker Torpedo. But unlike the Tucker, these rare lights didn’t steer. The info about Loewy and Exner was fascinating.👍
Awesome information and insight. Thank you so much for comparing it to the Tucker. Something I did not realize while doing it even though it’s blatantly obvious I will say the Tucker is a much bigger car though.
I helped a man trying to get a pre war studebaker running again ! What blew me away was the rubber blade fan unshielded for air conditioning ! And the 1968 earl shreibe paint job ! And the rodent damage ! It now runs and drives !
When i was 11 years old we visited my uncle in Mason City, Iowa and he had just gotten one of those bullet nose Studebakers. I really liked it but it did seem quite radical at the time. Not everyone knew what to think about the design!
My option…the Ford bulletin nose front looks good because it is subtle. The Studebaker is,,well, goofy looking. That being said, I like the interior….nice looking for the 50s.
First car i can remember... Dad's '50 commander . Black two door. I was just a squirt but remember it today clear as a bell. Thanks for the details of a great classic.
Thank you so much for sharing those memories. I love featuring cars off the beaten path and showing as much detail as I possibly can for anybody that is maybe restoring these cars they can actually see it.
The early 50's is not my favorite era for cars but to me this is one of the breaths of fresh air. I loved most of Raymond Lowey's designs. The GG1 is an all-time favorite of mine. This Commander is a pretty cool specimen being a convertible with an attractive color combination. I'd choose the Commander in both scenarios. That Bruce floor wax ad brought me back. We had hardwood floors in my parent's house and I had to wax them. That Bruce floor wax had a strong smell and it permeated the house for a couple days.
Happy to bring those memories back that’s what this channel is all about bringing memories back sharing stories about the good old days… I was born way too late
@@What.its.like. I wonder what it would have been like to have been born in the late 19th century. You'd have lived through the appearance of cars, records, telephones, electric lights, the later on radio and television. It must have been a very exciting time.
These cars embodied the early 1950s in America. They are like nothing else, except the Ford you mentioned. My aunt had one of these cars in a basic trim package. I believe it was a six cylinder car. The car was light grey. I found it fascinating. It looked like something Buck Rogers would drive. My aunt and uncle drove the car from Spartanburg, South Carolina to central Virginia where we lived. They didn't mention encountering any issues along the way, and they drove it home without incident as well. They are great cars, and I would love to have one of the V-8 equipped models. Thank you for this video.
Thank you so much for sharing those memories with us. I’m glad you enjoyed this video. I’m glad that it brought back those memories seeing some of these cars from the world going away, it’s just about as powerful as music. It really takes you back brings back memories that were lost and forgotten, much like these cars.
Seeing the start of the TV series Silent Service with the fleet boat coming out of the water, the hood nose and headlights reminded me of a fleet boat.
Haha yeah I leave it in there for comedic value. Some of them. I forget to put back there but I’m going to make it a point to do it for all episodes going forward… =)
Studebaker afficionado here. First, let me say, great video, you showcased the 51 Commander beautifully. One of the four Studebakers I own is a 1950 Commander four door. I must admit that the 1951, while being almost identical in appearance, is a much more mature car engineering wise. Not the least improvement was Studebaker's first V8, previous eights being straight blocks. The 1951 with that engine, electric wipers as opposed to vacuum, and other chassis improvements make it a more desirable choice than the 1950. Great cars and as noted in part really boosted Studebaker sales numbers.
Awesome thank you so much for sharing your cars with us. I’m glad you dig this video. I love Studebaker. I can’t wait to feature the starlight coupe. There is an Erskine in the pipeline
the new camera really stepped up the quality of the videos. Your reflection in the chrome and gloss paint is crystal clear, it makes the car's condition read more accurately, we can see much more intricate detail. Thumbs up!
WYR: 1) Studebaker 2) Sorry, Hudson takes it, much as I like the Studebaker! I really love this car! I don't like the starlight thing and that's all i thought they came with... but now... LOVE it!
My mother had a 51 Commander two door. I loved that car and it had a v8 and the curved rear seat. A lady ran into it and it was totaled by the insurance company.
11:56 Note the double-wide brake pedal. It is supported on two posts through the floor. Studebaker introduced that feature with its _Automatic Drive_ transmission in 1950 when most car makers were still using the same brake pedal for automatics as they used for manuals. Studebaker's Automatic Drive, developed with Borg-Warner, was a three-speed planetary transmission with a torque converter which included a direct drive clutch, and it also included an anti-creep feature similar to the famous No-Rol hill-holder which kept pressure to the brake circuit until the driver stepped on the gas. Shift quadrant sequence was P-N-D-L-R. Automatic Drive started in second gear unless the driver selected the low gear position with the column-mounted shifter. In the event that the shifter got pushed into low or reverse while the car was moving forward, the transmission had limiters that would prevent the actual shift from happening until the car had slowed to a speed that would not damage the engine or the passengers. Studebaker discontinued Automatic Drive for he '55 model year, adopting the less expensive Borg-Warner three-speed automatic with fewer bells and whistles, calling it _Flight-O-Matic._
Thank you so much for sharing all that information and insight. I should’ve talked about the automatic transmission. I put an advertisement piece for it up there, but it wasn’t very legible, so thank you so much again for sharing this information and insight.
Oldsmobile by a nose But all are fine examples 👏👏 Great Episode 👏👏 I Remember cutting the noses off for wall art 😢 You could buy rusty Studebakers for a 100 dollars during the 70s 🤷 who knew ?? Happy Motoring ✌️🤠
I am 91 Had A 53 coup. Loved I I Always also Loved the Bullet Nose - Joke at the time was - You couldnt tell if a Study was coming or going because of the big rear window that looked like a Front Windshield -ha ha cars were fun then
I had a friend years ago who had a '51 Starlight Coupe. It was a runner, but it needed a resto, for sure. He used to drive it once in a while. It had the little after-market propeller on the nose! I will choose the Stuie in scenario #1, and no question...the '51 Hornet for #2, one of the finest cars ever built!
4:00 Land Cruiser and the Commander four-door sedan and convertible shown later have the high-level _State_ trim defined by the front fender-top chrome trim and other interior and exterior details. 4:34 Champion two-door sedan shown, appears to be the bottom-rung _DeLuxe_ trim.. 4:38 That's a Champion Starlight, as indicated by both the ad copy and the black rubber rear fender gravel guard. I had the Commander Starlight in _State_ level trim, that color, in my college years.
12:28 Studebaker was the first manufacturer to use a double-wide brake pedal on cars with automatic transmission, starting with the introduction of Automatic Drive mid-year in 1950.
the '51 Studebaker seems almost a throwback to the 1930s over the flatfaced '47 models. The flatface/horizontal grill was the modern look that everyone was slowly incorporating.
I would love to see more of these on the road you don’t ever see these anymore. That’s the goal of this channel is to inspire people to drive something different so many cool cars out there so many overlooked cars that will stand out. This is definitely a car that will stand out… and I could totally see you driving one =)
Would you rather? I had a '51 Commander Starlight for a time. Fords were prone to vapor lock, didn't need the aggravation. When I had that car it was what I could get cheap and reasonably reliable. Collector interest was not the same as today, and a twenty-year-old used car was a twenty-year-old used car, usually very used, often used up. Today if I had the wherewithall, I would still go for the Studebaker. The car I actually have now has many of the same letters in its brand name.
Virgil Exner @ Pontiac gave America the "Silver Streak" chrome bands running down the center of the Pontiac hood and trunk lid. During WWII, Exner invented the rotating gun turret for aircraft.
Dang! As elegant as I consider the 51 Bullet-nose to be, I gotta go with the Olds in WYR 1, and hands down the Hudson in WYR 2. Dude, I consider myself to be reasonably knowledgeable in the subject of automotive history especially postwar, but I always learn something new from you! As always, I take my hat off to you sir!
Awesome Allen wayne it means a lot I try and do as much homework as I possibly can and try to dig up as much as I can about each car presented.. the end goal is to inspire people to drive something different. There’s tons tons of cars out there that are different than your typical five Chevy and Corvette. Those are cool too, but you see so many of them that they just kind of lose their luster, In a way Awesome choices that was you rather was totally not fair it would be really hard to not pick the Hudson hornet or the Oldsmobile the Nash Rambler is just plain different. I believe it was $1700 almost $2500 for the Studebaker which was a huge difference back then. =)
Hi Jay! The Studebaker "Bullet Nose" is one of the most interesting cars of the postwar era. You either love them or hate them. I really kind of like them!! I like the refined features of the 1951 a bit more than the 1950. It's very interesting, but not surprising that Lowey and Exner didn't get along. The Maroon convertible at the Gilmore Museum is another of the stellar cars you have featured from there. Speaking of WWII, one of the products made by Studebaker for the war effort, were Wright Cyclone engines as used by the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Was looking at a B-17 at an aviation museum once, and right there on the engine's name plate, it stated that it was made by Studebaker. Pretty COOL! The WYR's are no contest for me, I just want them ALL!
Hey Jeff that museum is absolutely epic. If you ever get a chance to go you should you could spend two days there not see everything. Awesome choices. Glad you dig this video.
Hey Jay, my mom told me that when she married her 1st Husband, my oldest brother/sister's father, he bought a brand new one of these in '53. She told me that back in the day, those cars were so strange, people didn't know which way was the front...
This is one beautiful, awesome design IMO!🤩 Great historical information also, I think Virgil Exner would have been a very fascinating and interesting person to talk with. I'd pick the Studebaker in both! I wasn't able to guess the tune from the snippet, but seeing that it was The Greg Kihn band, always brings back great memories of my Senior Grad Night at Disney World when they, as a new band with this new hit song performed live, and we were in a room where were able to stand very close to them on the stage, and they rocked!! 😎
Totally agree I wish I could interview exner, Harley earl I want to do some interviews with people in the automotive sector I think it would be cool I just found out Richard M Langworth is still alive I’d love to sit down with him
Song is Lil Darling, 1957. Olds is the best 1951. I didn't mind the Studies, and the 1950 Ford. I always like my dad's 1952 Chev 2 door, green over almond. Perfect curves front and back.
That’s awesome if your dad still with us thank him for his service my dad’s dad fought in Korea as well He was drafted right after my grandparents got married and they were expecting their first born crazy time. Grandma didn’t want him to go, but she didn’t have any say.
@@What.its.like. He is dead, now. Korea is the Forgotten War. I asked him about Korea. He said three things. Kim shee pots, he made a lot of Chinese mothers cry and it was so cold. He got a Silver Star.
Wow my grandpa never really talked about it. He was in the peace core all he said that he drove a motorcycle with a sidecar. He didn’t talk about any of it also to be fair. My grandpa had Alzheimer’s for as long as I could remember he isn’t around anymore either.
51 is my favorite Stude and about Exner, all I have to say is Early 60's Chryslers...eek... 51 Dash 51 Commander 51 Studebaker, but the Hudson is mighty tempting...
I kinda like the Chrysler 300s with the canned fins does a car that I really want to do this year. I wanna do a Chrysler 300 like nobody’s business. They just gotten so expensive that it just gets a little bit nervous being around one… Awesome choices
I sure wouldn't mind owning a 1951 Commander Studebaker convertible. They sold incredibly well, around 300,000 units in each of the two years that it was offered to the public, and far more than any of their other similarly styled models before or after. Anyways, for WYR, I'll take that bullet nose Studebaker for my first choice, but for the second choice I think that being a big Hudson fan I would prefer that classy looking Hudson Hornet convertible. Hard to beat that one! I am amazed that anyone was able to get that song, since so little was played of it and that it is not a well known tune. I had never heard it before, but I am glad that someone with a good ear for music was able to correctly identify the number. 😊
Great information as always. Awesome choices. Yeah I’m surprised somebody got that right from the get-go. It seems like a lot of people use software to get that tune so I have stumped it a couple times… There are a couple episodes where nobody has gotten name that tune, and then it gets hard, because after doing episodes, and after time, I kind of forget which songs I used lol
@@What.its.like. For some new songs you can always check that list I sent you via email over a year ago which has some really good ones on it and I don't think that any of them have been chosen thus far. BTW. For your 500th episode how about doing a special on a Ford Fairlane 500? I believe that they made it for about 15 years starting in 1955, and for the first five or so they also had a Skyliner model. I sure wouldn't mind owing one of those, I think I like the '59 version the best. But quite rare today, because much like the Mercury Sun Valley they never really caught on.
I’m doing my 52 Chevy truck gonna do it proper I haven’t figured out the logistics of doing half an episode live I can’t do the whole thing live Because I have no idea how to input a camera into UA-cam that doesn’t have Wi-Fi So I was going to try to record the episode put it maybe on the TV play it and then just walk out and sit in front of my truck or something I don’t know how to use a green screen or anything like that I would love to learn how to because then I can have any background that I want behind me .. it’s crazy that we have access to this stuff I went to our school and I remember seeing a green screen for the very first time and it was amazing but I never got the opportunity to use it..
Although Studebaker had the same Sheet metal from 1947 to 1952, my favorite would be the 1951. I would choose the Studebaker over any of the other cars shown here.
Was my first car convert. 100$ had rod knock put shift 3 s p eed on floor w o drive 55 259 speedster engine Hollywood top painted blue lacquer change the bullet from an earlier year nicer all chrome was the FAMOUS DESNODEBAKER. They went faster than they could stop 💥. My Next was 54olds conv 53 ugly 🥵
Being a Ford guy, for the first WYR, I'd pick the Ford. For the second scenario, it's the Studebaker. And I would take the '51 over the '49 Studebaker. I know the '49 Ford was the first Bullet Nose, but this one had a sportier look. It looks like it's a lot of fun to drive. I know it doesn't, but that bullet nose looks like it should light up.
Some other people have said that it gives off Tucker vibes and Tucker had that center like that lit up and moved with the steering wheel. It does sort of have Tucker vibes but Tucker is a much bigger wider car. Awesome choices
I guess I’m just one of those that thinks these cars are odd. For the WYR I’ll take the olds and the Hudson’s every time they are both great looking and performing cars for their day
Great choices this styling isn’t for everyone like I said in the video I’ve never really cared much for it. I always thought they were a bit weird, but they’ve definitely grown on me. It’s really hard to beat that Hudson in the convertible they offered real leather seats. Dashboard is incredible. The engine is incredible. It’s just an incredible car for that time. Definitely a car that I would love to own one day and I’ve been looking. They’re not as expensive as they should be, but they’re still more money than I got…
Studebaker took a lot of styling cues from the Tucker. In fact Francis Ford Coppola used a Studebaker with some added trim to simulate a Tucker in one scene from the movie Tucker: The Man and his dream.
That was a great movie Jeff Bridges played a great Preston Tucker Great observation with comparing this to a tucker, because they totally do look very similar. The Tucker is a way bigger car these are pretty compact
In 1972 I had a 57 golden Hawk Studebaker… Of course, I proceeded to tear it up while I was in high school …😳 Speaking of Hugo Eckner …, I now drive for my every day driver a 1971 Karmann Ghia……👍🏻 ( the Chrysler, Delegant ….)
That’s awesome. What did you think of your golden hawk that’s a car that I really want to own one day I love those was it nose heavy How do you like your Karman Ghia? I had a 73 I think they’re really cool 0 to 60 is about a day and a half but once you’re there is a good place to be and it gets phenomenal gas mileage For a carbureted car
@@What.its.like. … I Thought my Golden Hawk was one of the fastest off the showroom floor production cars I had ever seen…! The speedometer went to 140 or 160 I believe ..! it was a three speed on the tree, with a manual overdrive… , it was super charged..! Even when I got it back, then it was a rust bucket under both of the fiberglass spins on the back. It was completely rusted out. The quarter panels were rusted. The floor pans were rusted. …! I grew up in Illinois, and it was driven the snowy salted roads for years before I got it….! I purchased it from the president of Alpo dog food factory in my hometown…! For $75.00 Back then, nobody really cared too much about the Studebaker…, I would’ve loved to have it now… Carmen, it is my daily driver. You can see it on my UA-cam channel…. ( the Jeff Galey Channel ) have a great week and weekend, your friend Jeff…🙏🏻👍🏻🎵
In my eighties and remember well all the cars of the 1940's and 50's. Studebaker was not a highly thought of car in those days and people who owned one instead of a Ford or Chevy were considered as a bit odd.....for lack of a better word.
13:05 Automatic-equipped cars did not have overdrive. Instead of a dash-mounted starter button, Automatic Drive Studebakers in '50-'51 used an under-dash T-handle identical to the hood release to work the starter. Manual shifts used a button on the floor under the clutch pedal from 1940 through 1954.
I wasn’t sure if they did or not the owners manual said that that lever was for overdrive.. I always thought that the overdrive units were a different unit behind the transmission.. But like I said, I could be wrong I’m wrong. Thank you so much for the correction.
Awesome choices =) I really want a Hudson hornet one day. Those cars are super underrated for what they are. They could be the Oldsmobile rocket with a flathead six
@@What.its.like. Yes Absolutely ,The Hardtop’s are especially Cool! ,I saw a video of a guy bringing one back to life ,really Sturdy,easy to work on and not too big
1951 was also the 1st year of Studebaker's Automatic Drive transmission. It was built by Borg-Warner and was a 3-speed automatic with a lock-up torque converter. Minus the lock-up torque converter, this was the same B-W automatic Studebaker used up until 1965 when they went to Chevy running gear. Checker also used it even when they started using Chevy engines. From what I have been told, most of these new V8 cars were equipped with Automatic Drive. I doubt very much that this car had overdrive. The only cars I knew of which had an automatic and an overdrive unit were the mid-60's AMC's with the twin-stick shifters.
Yes, Stude did have a BW transmission. But remember their were two BW's. The first was a two speed with a lock-up converter where as the second one was a three speed used in Fords as the the Ford-o matic. It had an automatic shift between second & third where as first gear was selected manually. It was used studes into the mid 60's. Meanwhile International used the two speed in their pickups into the 60's as well.
Thank you so much for share all this information greatly appreciate it didn’t studebaker work with ford as well as borg-Warner to design this transmission
@@n.mcneil4066 Th e 2-speed w/ LU was made by Detroit Gear. Vehicles, like Jaguar, who used it had an electrical switch on the dash which was 2nd gear hold and prevented the TQ from locking up. I believe that Studebaker used a true 3sp, like Ford, but with LU TQ.
That wife in the V8 ad sure looks excited about the new Studebaker V8! But what's going on in the backseat of the Starlight ad? They're not looking at the stars.
Thank you Years ago, used to do karaoke that was always a song that I wanted to sing. I sang the ballad of Curtis low pretty good one time maybe I’ll do that one at the end. There was a point in time when I could go note to note with Brian Wilson I could also hit that more than a feeling high note, but I can’t do that anymore. I never did anything with it. Believe it or not I was really shy for the longest time
@@What.its.like. Awesome,You really know your Songs!Been writing My own Songs and playing Guitar and now recently Piano ,Have a band,We play small venues,Yes ,Really like your singing!
I've got a 4-door version sitting in my back yard. It's a barn find, so it's really rough and doesn't drive. Mine has a different dashboard. Mine was also an Ontario car, built in Canada.
First-class styling then and now; swoopy with everything blending together perfectly. The bumperette bars are the single thing I don't care for. I like the bullet-nose cars from Ford too, but these are sleeker- Lowey had the magic touch for sure! As a kid I remember seeing a few of these still on the road in the early 60's and I liked them too. Not sure which dash I like better, but the circular horn ring on the 49 looks odd. WYR Hard to choose but the Olds wins over the Stude and the 'shoebox' Ford. The Stude wins round 2; the full-framed doors on the Nash look odd for a ragtop. BTW If my old 52 F-1 was as nice as the one parked next to this at the museum I'd probably have kept it.
That’s crazy we are going to do Avanti this year. We’ve already covered one, but the format has changed drastically and we might even get to go for a ride in this one.
Look at those sales figures for 1951. Sadly, it was all downhill from there. Loewy took credit for everything that came out of his studio - including the’53 Starliner and ‘63 Avanti. He employed a lot of talented, but frustrated designers. WYR: clean sweep for Bullet Nosed beauties.
It’s understandable why they were frustrated the picture painted is of a guy who takes pictures with sketches that he didn’t do but paid people to do for him idk just seems like he had a huge ego.. I’m sure he designed some stuff and than got lazy who knows
WYR - 1 -'51 Studebaker. I didn't like the bullet nose back when I was growing up, neither did my friends. I remember making fun of them . Like you they have grown on me . The 1951 car looks much more modern than the '49. Sadly that included one 'weird car' that we saw wrapped around a telephone poll ( not proud of that but I was just a kid ) . WYR - '51 Hudson Although the convertible takes away the roofline of the other models, I always thought the early '50s Hudsons were one of the most attractive cars of the decade .
Awesome choices that Hudson horn is absolutely gorgeous. It’s really hard not to pick that car especially because it’s the fastest one out of the six with a six cylinder and nothing sounds like it… I have a friend who just built a 54 Hudson hornet but his is a race car 7X engine I’m hoping to cover that this year. I would really like to find a people that have race cars just drive around the track and I will film them. I think that would be absolutely epic.
4:16 Commander and production of all fu;;-size Studebakers except the Hawk models ceased in 1958 when Studebaker put most of its eggs in the compact _LARK's_ nest, reviving the _Commander_ name for '64-'66 as a low-mid-level trim senior compact when Studebaker discontinued the _Lark_ name.
I thought AI stood for Automotive Interest - The Studebaker looks like a happy car on the line up of Which Car. I currently have a super nice driving 57 Silver Hawk and a project 62 Daytona Lark Convertible with a 289 and just found out about the 51 Commander !
Comparing all the WYR cars, only Studebaker sports a highly contoured, fine meshed egg-crate grill. The other WYR cars were using large heavy bars as grillwork.
That is so cool thank you so much for sharing that forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/forum/your-studebaker-forum/general-studebaker-specific-discussion/86802-among-my-souvenirs-3-the-lindberg-props-and-documentation
That’s awesome Charles is it an automatic or stick shift? What engine do you have in it? 66 chargers my favorite year of charger with the rear bucket seats
383 bbl, automatic just under 80k niiles. was used to racing before I got it, I had one just about like in back in 66. Have install sniper fuel injection, I am only 80 I need speed.
A great video for a truly great and very collectable car. Did you know Jay that Studebaker actually had two slogans for their new set of wheels? The other seldom heard slogan was "“A brand new car for a bright new world.” Not bad. Also, that Studebaker was not actually the first automotive company to introduce a post war car, it was the new Kaiser/Frazer company who introduced prototypes of their new models on January 20th 1946, which was three full months before Studebaker announced their new model which was also at the Waldorf-Astoria but on April 30th. What's more, Kaiser/Fraser started producing their new models in May of that year whilst Studebaker didn't start producing their new models until May of 1947, which was one full year later! So who was really first by far?
Awesome information But to be fair, Studebaker was the first company that was around before the war to come out with a brand new design after the war Kaiser-Frazer were a brand new company as was Crosley as was Tucker.. they all started up right after the war Studebaker was the first existing company to make a new design
@@What.its.like. Yes, someone once mentioned that to me before after I had pointed that out on another a car channel. But Kaiser/Frazer was not exactly a new company when its two leaders joined forces because Joe W. Frazer had earlier been the president of the Graham-Paige Company which he later renamed the Frazer Car Company before being persuaded to team up with Henry J. Kaiser, a decision that he would later come to regret as Mr. Kaiser did not know much about the automobile business and over a period of eight years his company ended up losing 112 million dollars, though most of those losses were absorbed by unwitting investors. So only the name of the company was truly new - but I get your point. I am including by the way a nice advertisement announcing the new Kaiser/Frazer and promoting that it was the first new car to come out in 1947, although they had sold over 11,000 Kaisers before the beginning of that year and had hoped to sell at least 100,000 in their first full year but ended up easily surpassing that goal with about 70,000 units sold for both makes. The Frazer Manhattan was priced about $500.00 higher than the Kaiser Special K but from what I have read they were in fact essentially twins but not identical ones - obviously! So look for that ad in your email.🙂
Studebaker could not get a reliable dealer in this area until 1960 when they signed up the local car repair garage who pushed them hard. Maybe that's why they went out of business, poor dealer network. Interesting feud between Exner and Loewy.
@@richardwarren7492 awesome information we’re going to do an Avanti R2 sometime very soon I can’t wait. Maybe I’ll cover the whole Studebaker Mercedes-Benz dealership partnership for lack of a better term because it’s very interesting.
Tucker was the first to offer an all new design post war. The Champion was undoubtedly inspired by the ill-fated Tucker, along with the '49 single spinner Ford.
Jeopardy, Greg Kihn
Yeah buddy you got it congratulations =)
I knew it was something with a clavinet…
Saw Greg Kihn with the Michael Stanley Band. Great concert.
My congcrats to you, with what little was played that one was very hard to get, and especially as it is not a very well known tune.
@@8176morgan Thank You; it was snatched from my old MTV mindscape.
Grew up seeing a lot of bullet noses back in the early 60's and shoe box Fords . First pick 51 Olds 88 , second 51 Studebaker Commander . The 53-54 Champion coupe in the background looks good too.
Great choices
Yeah, there was a speedster in the background very covered the speedster so I didn’t cover that one
There was a Chrysler turbine car in the background as well. We’ve already covered that car as well but once the base gets a little bit bigger, I’m going to try to cover it again.
Love hearing Duane Eddy playing Rebel Rouser in the backround . Perfect !
I've always had a soft spot for Studebakers. That 51 is beautiful. In the early 70's, I had a 62 Lark w/258 V8 for one day. Car was given to me by my uncle's neighbor. Went w/a friend to get it. Got it running, but it had a knock. Drove it 4 miles to friends gas station, where we determined it was a rod knock. Went to drive it home, pulled out of his gas station, got it up to 30 mph, the rod let go, and I coasted into the gas station I worked at, and had it towed to the junkyard. Fun times! WYR: All except the Nash. Great video, Jay!
I’ve heard the six cylinder will get close to 32 miles to the gallon on the highway which is absolutely insane because nowadays it seems like with all computers and electronic direct injection cars can’t even get that now.. which is a lie I think but I’m not going to get started hahaha
Thank you so much for sharing those memories of that 62 lark that you had for a day. I’m sorry that you couldn’t keep it.
My great uncle was a Studebaker of fish and and I wish that he was still around. He passed away in 2008 he had a four-door. It was either a 50 or 51. I think it was a 51 champion. He also had a GT Hawk, but I never saw that and he had another Studebaker. I wish for the life in me that I could remember what it was but I don’t. I don’t know whatever happened to those cars , they might still be there. His wife is still living… If I had money I would see about maybe getting that car but I really want Nash Metropolitan. I think those cars are really cool if I came across the Rambler across country that was affordable I might even get that those are really cool and totally different.
Thank you so much glad you dig this video
When my wife I were married in 1955 we bought a 1950 Studebaker Commander 6cyl. convertible and drove it from LA CA to Memphis TN with the top down all the way. It was a gem of a car and only sold it because of our growing family. I have had 50+ cars in my life, some great ones and the Study was among my favorites.
Awesome thank you so much for sharing those memories =)
Gotta be the Hudson Hornet this time. It is just so damned sexy.
Thnak you for another excellent episode Jay.
Happy you dig this one id take that as well The convertibles had real leather seats. Dashboard is incredible. Engine is incredible. That car is just incredible.
@@What.its.like. Incredible is a good very good word for that Hudson, but FABULOUS works well too! 😄
dad had a 51 4 door flathead 6 3 on the tree. with seperate OD box.gave it to my older brother for his 1st car.those old cars had their own smell.i still recall it.that thing was built like a tank.
Awesome thank you so much for sharing those memories. I totally know what you mean about old cars having a distinctive smell. They all smell different but they all smell great in their own way. And the best part of all they don’t smell like plastic.
Cool! We used to think these looked odd, but today they are cool, and can be the base car for some really great custom street rods. I’m sure you know about the Pilot Ray steerable driving lights seen on late 20’s & early 30’s cars. Another fun light was an aftermarket center light to fit bullet nosed 49-50 Fords and 50-51 Studebakers. Such a custom light would make this Studebaker look a bit like a Tucker Torpedo. But unlike the Tucker, these rare lights didn’t steer. The info about Loewy and Exner was fascinating.👍
Awesome information and insight. Thank you so much for comparing it to the Tucker. Something I did not realize while doing it even though it’s blatantly obvious I will say the Tucker is a much bigger car though.
I helped a man trying to get a pre war studebaker running again ! What blew me away was the rubber blade fan unshielded for air conditioning ! And the 1968 earl shreibe paint job ! And the rodent damage ! It now runs and drives !
My 49 Nash has a rubber bladed fan also, vacuum driven.
When i was 11 years old we visited my uncle in Mason City, Iowa and he had just gotten one of those bullet nose Studebakers. I really liked it but it did seem quite radical at the time. Not everyone knew what to think about the design!
Awesome thank you for sharing those memories
My all time favorite body style !
Thanks for posting.
You bet =) the goal is to cover them all eventually
We love covering the off the beaten path cars on here in mini documentary format
My option…the Ford bulletin nose front looks good because it is subtle. The Studebaker is,,well, goofy looking. That being said, I like the interior….nice looking for the 50s.
My wife's uncle has a bullet nose convertible sitting in the woods. When they bought it in the late 60s it ran and drove.
First car i can remember... Dad's '50 commander . Black two door. I was just a squirt but remember it today clear as a bell. Thanks for the details of a great classic.
Thank you so much for sharing those memories. I love featuring cars off the beaten path and showing as much detail as I possibly can for anybody that is maybe restoring these cars they can actually see it.
First year for the Studebaker 232 V8!
Yeah buddy =)
The early 50's is not my favorite era for cars but to me this is one of the breaths of fresh air. I loved most of Raymond Lowey's designs. The GG1 is an all-time favorite of mine. This Commander is a pretty cool specimen being a convertible with an attractive color combination. I'd choose the Commander in both scenarios. That Bruce floor wax ad brought me back. We had hardwood floors in my parent's house and I had to wax them. That Bruce floor wax had a strong smell and it permeated the house for a couple days.
Happy to bring those memories back that’s what this channel is all about bringing memories back sharing stories about the good old days… I was born way too late
@@What.its.like. I wonder what it would have been like to have been born in the late 19th century. You'd have lived through the appearance of cars, records, telephones, electric lights, the later on radio and television. It must have been a very exciting time.
These cars embodied the early 1950s in America. They are like nothing else, except the Ford you mentioned. My aunt had one of these cars in a basic trim package. I believe it was a six cylinder car. The car was light grey. I found it fascinating. It looked like something Buck Rogers would drive. My aunt and uncle drove the car from Spartanburg, South Carolina to central Virginia where we lived. They didn't mention encountering any issues along the way, and they drove it home without incident as well. They are great cars, and I would love to have one of the V-8 equipped models. Thank you for this video.
Thank you so much for sharing those memories with us. I’m glad you enjoyed this video. I’m glad that it brought back those memories seeing some of these cars from the world going away, it’s just about as powerful as music. It really takes you back brings back memories that were lost and forgotten, much like these cars.
I love the look of those early 50's Studebaker cars very, very cool!! 😎 Olds 88 - Hudson.
Me too awesome choices. The Hudson’s very hard to pass up. That’s a very cool car.
@@What.its.like. I could not pass up the Hudson lol love those cars.
i love all the 50,s cars.in 1957 i had a hudson commador convertiable
wish i had it now.
Awesome
Seeing the start of the TV series Silent Service with the fleet boat coming out of the water, the hood nose and headlights reminded me of a fleet boat.
outtakes are the best!
Haha yeah I leave it in there for comedic value. Some of them. I forget to put back there but I’m going to make it a point to do it for all episodes going forward… =)
Studebaker afficionado here. First, let me say, great video, you showcased the 51 Commander beautifully. One of the four Studebakers I own is a 1950 Commander four door. I must admit that the 1951, while being almost identical in appearance, is a much more mature car engineering wise. Not the least improvement was Studebaker's first V8, previous eights being straight blocks. The 1951 with that engine, electric wipers as opposed to vacuum, and other chassis improvements make it a more desirable choice than the 1950. Great cars and as noted in part really boosted Studebaker sales numbers.
Awesome thank you so much for sharing your cars with us. I’m glad you dig this video. I love Studebaker. I can’t wait to feature the starlight
coupe. There is an Erskine in the pipeline
the new camera really stepped up the quality of the videos. Your reflection in the chrome and gloss paint is crystal clear, it makes the car's condition read more accurately, we can see much more intricate detail. Thumbs up!
Thank you so much I totally agree it’s almost the quality of a dslr but not heavy like a dslr I love how smooth it is as well
WYR: 1) Studebaker 2) Sorry, Hudson takes it, much as I like the Studebaker! I really love this car! I don't like the starlight thing and that's all i thought they came with... but now... LOVE it!
I can’t fault you for taking the Hudson that’s what I’d pick leather seats awesome dash board epic flat head six with twin H
The baker is nice as well
My mother had a 51 Commander two door. I loved that car and it had a v8 and the curved rear seat. A lady ran into it and it was totaled by the insurance company.
Crazy story I’m sorry that it got totaled
11:56 Note the double-wide brake pedal. It is supported on two posts through the floor.
Studebaker introduced that feature with its _Automatic Drive_ transmission in 1950 when most car makers were still using the same brake pedal for automatics as they used for manuals.
Studebaker's Automatic Drive, developed with Borg-Warner, was a three-speed planetary transmission with a torque converter which included a direct drive clutch, and it also included an anti-creep feature similar to the famous No-Rol hill-holder which kept pressure to the brake circuit until the driver stepped on the gas. Shift quadrant sequence was P-N-D-L-R.
Automatic Drive started in second gear unless the driver selected the low gear position with the column-mounted shifter.
In the event that the shifter got pushed into low or reverse while the car was moving forward, the transmission had limiters that would prevent the actual shift from happening until the car had slowed to a speed that would not damage the engine or the passengers.
Studebaker discontinued Automatic Drive for he '55 model year, adopting the less expensive Borg-Warner three-speed automatic with fewer bells and whistles, calling it _Flight-O-Matic._
Thank you so much for sharing all that information and insight. I should’ve talked about the automatic transmission. I put an advertisement piece for it up there, but it wasn’t very legible, so thank you so much again for sharing this information and insight.
Oldsmobile by a nose
But all are fine examples 👏👏
Great Episode 👏👏
I Remember cutting the noses off for wall art 😢
You could buy rusty Studebakers for a 100 dollars during the 70s 🤷 who knew ??
Happy Motoring ✌️🤠
Awesome choices
That’s crazy that would look really cool though the front facial hanging on somebody’s wall
I am 91 Had A 53 coup. Loved I I Always also Loved the Bullet Nose - Joke at the time was - You couldnt tell if a Study was coming or going because of the big rear window that looked like a Front Windshield -ha ha cars were fun then
I had a friend years ago who had a '51 Starlight Coupe. It was a runner, but it needed a resto, for sure. He used to drive it once in a while. It had the little after-market propeller on the nose! I will choose the Stuie in scenario #1, and no question...the '51 Hornet for #2, one of the finest cars ever built!
Sweet choices
@@What.its.like. Well, you really didn't offer any bad choices...all of 'em are great rides! Just some are greater than others! LOL!
4:00 Land Cruiser and the Commander four-door sedan and convertible shown later have the high-level _State_ trim defined by the front fender-top chrome trim and other interior and exterior details.
4:34 Champion two-door sedan shown, appears to be the bottom-rung _DeLuxe_ trim..
4:38 That's a Champion Starlight, as indicated by both the ad copy and the black rubber rear fender gravel guard. I had the Commander Starlight in _State_ level trim, that color, in my college years.
Thank you so much for sharing that information as well as corrections greatly appreciate it =)
12:28 Studebaker was the first manufacturer to use a double-wide brake pedal on cars with automatic transmission, starting with the introduction of Automatic Drive mid-year in 1950.
"Weight is the enemy" - Raymond Loewy quote. Studebakers were always on the smaller side, and lightweight.
the '51 Studebaker seems almost a throwback to the 1930s over the flatfaced '47 models. The flatface/horizontal grill was the modern look that everyone was slowly incorporating.
Love that Oldsmobile!!! Great video. Thank you! 😊😊
Thank you glad you dig this video =) sweet choice
To me this model has the closest thing to a 1930's vision of a rocket car.
I could do this car justice, driving it. Meaning I would be proud to.
I would love to see more of these on the road you don’t ever see these anymore. That’s the goal of this channel is to inspire people to drive something different so many cool cars out there so many overlooked cars that will stand out. This is definitely a car that will stand out… and I could totally see you driving one =)
8:50 The P-38 fighter aircraft ispired nose was often called the "two-row corn picker."
Sweet information =)
Thanks Jay! Could you imagine sliding off the hood!
I love that hood design
Would you rather? I had a '51 Commander Starlight for a time. Fords were prone to vapor lock, didn't need the aggravation.
When I had that car it was what I could get cheap and reasonably reliable.
Collector interest was not the same as today, and a twenty-year-old used car was a twenty-year-old used car, usually very used, often used up.
Today if I had the wherewithall, I would still go for the Studebaker.
The car I actually have now has many of the same letters in its brand name.
Awesome choices
Virgil Exner @ Pontiac gave America the "Silver Streak" chrome bands running down the center of the Pontiac hood and trunk lid. During WWII, Exner invented the rotating gun turret for aircraft.
Awesome information =)
Question #1 no#1, Question #2 no#1, I think the 1949 Studeber commander conv. looks better than the 1951. Great video
Thank you so much Jason. I’m glad you did this video. Awesome choices to. =)
Dang! As elegant as I consider the 51 Bullet-nose to be, I gotta go with the Olds in WYR 1, and hands down the Hudson in WYR 2. Dude, I consider myself to be reasonably knowledgeable in the subject of automotive history especially postwar, but I always learn something new from you! As always, I take my hat off to you sir!
Awesome Allen wayne it means a lot I try and do as much homework as I possibly can and try to dig up as much as I can about each car presented.. the end goal is to inspire people to drive something different. There’s tons tons of cars out there that are different than your typical five Chevy and Corvette. Those are cool too, but you see so many of them that they just kind of lose their luster, In a way
Awesome choices that was you rather was totally not fair it would be really hard to not pick the Hudson hornet or the Oldsmobile the Nash Rambler is just plain different. I believe it was $1700 almost $2500 for the Studebaker which was a huge difference back then.
=)
@@What.its.like. Yep, I don't even stop to look at Stangs, Camaros, or Vettes at car shows anymore. I've seen thousands of them.
Stude,first choice,second ,shoe box.My father had a 50 Champ with a six.
Great choices =)
Hi Jay! The Studebaker "Bullet Nose" is one of the most interesting cars of the postwar era. You either love them or hate them. I really kind of like them!! I like the refined features of the 1951 a bit more than the 1950. It's very interesting, but not surprising that Lowey and Exner didn't get along.
The Maroon convertible at the Gilmore Museum is another of the stellar cars you have featured from there. Speaking of WWII, one of the products made by Studebaker for the war effort, were Wright Cyclone engines as used by the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Was looking at a B-17 at an aviation museum once, and right there on the engine's name plate, it stated that it was made by Studebaker. Pretty COOL! The WYR's are no contest for me, I just want them ALL!
Hey Jeff that museum is absolutely epic. If you ever get a chance to go you should you could spend two days there not see everything.
Awesome choices. Glad you dig this video.
Hey Jay, my mom told me that when she married her 1st Husband, my oldest brother/sister's father, he bought a brand new one of these in '53. She told me that back in the day, those cars were so strange, people didn't know which way was the front...
I’ve heard that as well they did a redesign in 1953
This is one beautiful, awesome design IMO!🤩 Great historical information also, I think Virgil Exner would have been a very fascinating and interesting person to talk with. I'd pick the Studebaker in both! I wasn't able to guess the tune from the snippet, but seeing that it was The Greg Kihn band, always brings back great memories of my Senior Grad Night at Disney World when they, as a new band with this new hit song performed live, and we were in a room where were able to stand very close to them on the stage, and they rocked!! 😎
Totally agree I wish I could interview exner, Harley earl
I want to do some interviews with people in the automotive sector I think it would be cool I just found out Richard M Langworth is still alive I’d love to sit down with him
Song is Lil Darling, 1957.
Olds is the best 1951. I didn't mind the Studies, and the 1950 Ford.
I always like my dad's 1952 Chev 2 door, green over almond. Perfect curves front and back.
The song was Jeopardy Great choices.
My Dad, when he got back from Korea, had one of those. White exterior.
That’s awesome if your dad still with us thank him for his service my dad’s dad fought in Korea as well He was drafted right after my grandparents got married and they were expecting their first born crazy time. Grandma didn’t want him to go, but she didn’t have any say.
@@What.its.like. He is dead, now. Korea is the Forgotten War. I asked him about Korea. He said three things. Kim shee pots, he made a lot of Chinese mothers cry and it was so cold. He got a Silver Star.
Wow my grandpa never really talked about it. He was in the peace core all he said that he drove a motorcycle with a sidecar. He didn’t talk about any of it also to be fair. My grandpa had Alzheimer’s for as long as I could remember he isn’t around anymore either.
I am going with the Stude in both scenarios. Way better styling than the gm offerings.
Great choices
The convertible is cool.
51 is my favorite Stude and about Exner, all I have to say is Early 60's Chryslers...eek...
51 Dash
51 Commander
51 Studebaker, but the Hudson is mighty tempting...
I kinda like the Chrysler 300s with the canned fins does a car that I really want to do this year. I wanna do a Chrysler 300 like nobody’s business. They just gotten so expensive that it just gets a little bit nervous being around one…
Awesome choices
I sure wouldn't mind owning a 1951 Commander Studebaker convertible. They sold incredibly well, around 300,000 units in each of the two years that it was offered to the public, and far more than any of their other similarly styled models before or after. Anyways, for WYR, I'll take that bullet nose Studebaker for my first choice, but for the second choice I think that being a big Hudson fan I would prefer that classy looking Hudson Hornet convertible. Hard to beat that one! I am amazed that anyone was able to get that song, since so little was played of it and that it is not a well known tune. I had never heard it before, but I am glad that someone with a good ear for music was able to correctly identify the number. 😊
Great information as always. Awesome choices. Yeah I’m surprised somebody got that right from the get-go. It seems like a lot of people use software to get that tune so I have stumped it a couple times… There are a couple episodes where nobody has gotten name that tune, and then it gets hard, because after doing episodes, and after time, I kind of forget which songs I used lol
@@What.its.like. For some new songs you can always check that list I sent you via email over a year ago which has some really good ones on it and I don't think that any of them have been chosen thus far.
BTW. For your 500th episode how about doing a special on a Ford Fairlane 500? I believe that they made it for about 15 years starting in 1955, and for the first five or so they also had a Skyliner model. I sure wouldn't mind owing one of those, I think I like the '59 version the best. But quite rare today, because much like the Mercury Sun Valley they never really caught on.
I’m doing my 52 Chevy truck gonna do it proper I haven’t figured out the logistics of doing half an episode live I can’t do the whole thing live
Because I have no idea how to input a camera into UA-cam that doesn’t have Wi-Fi
So I was going to try to record the episode put it maybe on the TV play it and then just walk out and sit in front of my truck or something I don’t know how to use a green screen or anything like that I would love to learn how to because then I can have any background that I want behind me .. it’s crazy that we have access to this stuff I went to our school and I remember seeing a green screen for the very first time and it was amazing but I never got the opportunity to use it..
Hi Jay . My birth year. Makes me feel old! Haha
You were born in 1951? You are old! 😂
Age is just a number I’m 35 people think I’m in my 20s lol
My phone has been updating and auto correcting every time I hit send it’s annoying
@@robertwatkins364 You're just a kid 1948 here.
Although Studebaker had the same Sheet metal from 1947 to 1952, my favorite would be the 1951. I would choose the Studebaker over any of the other cars shown here.
Awesome
Was my first car convert. 100$ had rod knock put shift 3 s p eed on floor w o drive 55 259 speedster engine Hollywood top painted blue lacquer change the bullet from an earlier year nicer all chrome was the FAMOUS DESNODEBAKER. They went faster than they could stop 💥. My Next was 54olds conv 53 ugly 🥵
Being a Ford guy, for the first WYR, I'd pick the Ford. For the second scenario, it's the Studebaker. And I would take the '51 over the '49 Studebaker.
I know the '49 Ford was the first Bullet Nose, but this one had a sportier look. It looks like it's a lot of fun to drive. I know it doesn't, but that bullet nose looks like it should light up.
Some other people have said that it gives off Tucker vibes and Tucker had that center like that lit up and moved with the steering wheel. It does sort of have Tucker vibes but Tucker is a much bigger wider car. Awesome choices
Besides, Studebaker and Ford, also 50-52 Crosley sedan\wagon had bullet\spinning nose.
I guess I’m just one of those that thinks these cars are odd. For the WYR I’ll take the olds and the Hudson’s every time they are both great looking and performing cars for their day
Great choices this styling isn’t for everyone like I said in the video I’ve never really cared much for it. I always thought they were a bit weird, but they’ve definitely grown on me.
It’s really hard to beat that Hudson in the convertible they offered real leather seats. Dashboard is incredible. The engine is incredible. It’s just an incredible car for that time. Definitely a car that I would love to own one day and I’ve been looking. They’re not as expensive as they should be, but they’re still more money than I got…
Love your channel!
Thank you so much =) it means a lot
Studebaker took a lot of styling cues from the Tucker. In fact Francis Ford Coppola used a Studebaker with some added trim to simulate a Tucker in one scene from the movie Tucker: The Man and his dream.
That was a great movie Jeff Bridges played a great Preston Tucker
Great observation with comparing this to a tucker, because they totally do look very similar. The Tucker is a way bigger car these are pretty compact
Another great video, Jay! And I'll take the '51 Ford and the Hudson.
Happy you dig this episode sweet choices =)
I own a 1949 Studebaker Champion which is sadly overshadowed by the 50 and 51 Champion.
The nose on the 50-51 was modeled after the P38
Overall, I LIKE the 1949 model best. It has a simplicity and I like the look of the dash better.
Sweet =)
In 1972 I had a 57 golden Hawk Studebaker…
Of course, I proceeded to tear it up while I was in high school …😳
Speaking of Hugo Eckner …, I now drive for my every day driver a 1971 Karmann Ghia……👍🏻
( the Chrysler, Delegant ….)
That’s awesome. What did you think of your golden hawk that’s a car that I really want to own one day I love those was it nose heavy
How do you like your Karman Ghia? I had a 73 I think they’re really cool 0 to 60 is about a day and a half but once you’re there is a good place to be and it gets phenomenal gas mileage For a carbureted car
@@What.its.like. …
I Thought my Golden Hawk was one of the fastest off the showroom floor production cars I had ever seen…!
The speedometer went to 140 or 160 I believe ..! it was a three speed on the tree, with a manual overdrive… , it was super charged..!
Even when I got it back, then it was a rust bucket under both of the fiberglass spins on the back. It was completely rusted out. The quarter panels were rusted. The floor pans were rusted. …! I grew up in Illinois, and it was driven the snowy salted roads for years before I got it….! I purchased it from the president of Alpo dog food factory in my hometown…! For $75.00 Back then, nobody really cared too much about the Studebaker…, I would’ve loved to have it now… Carmen, it is my daily driver. You can see it on my UA-cam channel…. ( the Jeff Galey Channel ) have a great week and weekend, your friend Jeff…🙏🏻👍🏻🎵
Awesome Jeff put a a link to your video in your response and I’ll definitely check it out..
I had a 73 Karman Ghia that I daily drove as well
@@What.its.like.
youtube.com/@iplaymytele?si=m7bjQw4FXB8GmkqO
In my eighties and remember well all the cars of the 1940's and 50's. Studebaker was not a highly thought of car in those days and people who owned one instead of a Ford or Chevy were considered as a bit odd.....for lack of a better word.
WYR #1 and #2 for me would be the Studebaker.
Awesome choices
13:05 Automatic-equipped cars did not have overdrive.
Instead of a dash-mounted starter button, Automatic Drive Studebakers in '50-'51 used an under-dash T-handle identical to the hood release to work the starter. Manual shifts used a button on the floor under the clutch pedal from 1940 through 1954.
I wasn’t sure if they did or not the owners manual said that that lever was for overdrive.. I always thought that the overdrive units were a different unit behind the transmission.. But like I said, I could be wrong I’m wrong. Thank you so much for the correction.
Commander ,Hudson Hornet,The Commander is an awesome Car,Likr the Hardtop the best I think
Awesome choices =)
I really want a Hudson hornet one day. Those cars are super underrated for what they are. They could be the Oldsmobile rocket with a flathead six
@@What.its.like. Yes Absolutely ,The Hardtop’s are especially Cool! ,I saw a video of a guy bringing one back to life ,really Sturdy,easy to work on and not too big
I like the videi in 25% speed slo-mo mode. The vid quality is good even at slow speed.
1951 was also the 1st year of Studebaker's Automatic Drive transmission. It was built by Borg-Warner and was a 3-speed automatic with a lock-up torque converter. Minus the lock-up torque converter, this was the same B-W automatic Studebaker used up until 1965 when they went to Chevy running gear. Checker also used it even when they started using Chevy engines.
From what I have been told, most of these new V8 cars were equipped with Automatic Drive. I doubt very much that this car had overdrive. The only cars I knew of which had an automatic and an overdrive unit were the mid-60's AMC's with the twin-stick shifters.
Yes, Stude did have a BW transmission. But remember their were two BW's. The first was a two speed with a lock-up converter where as the second one was a three speed used in Fords as the the Ford-o matic. It had an automatic shift between second & third where as first gear was selected manually. It was used studes into the mid 60's. Meanwhile International used the two speed in their pickups into the 60's as well.
Thank you so much for share all this information greatly appreciate it didn’t studebaker work with ford as well as borg-Warner to design this transmission
@@n.mcneil4066 Th e 2-speed w/ LU was made by Detroit Gear. Vehicles, like Jaguar, who used it had an electrical switch on the dash which was 2nd gear hold and prevented the TQ from locking up. I believe that Studebaker used a true 3sp, like Ford, but with LU TQ.
That wife in the V8 ad sure looks excited about the new Studebaker V8! But what's going on in the backseat of the Starlight ad? They're not looking at the stars.
Great Singing Jay!
Thank you
Years ago, used to do karaoke that was always a song that I wanted to sing. I sang the ballad of Curtis low pretty good one time maybe I’ll do that one at the end. There was a point in time when I could go note to note with Brian Wilson I could also hit that more than a feeling high note, but I can’t do that anymore. I never did anything with it.
Believe it or not I was really shy for the longest time
@@What.its.like. Awesome,You really know your Songs!Been writing My own Songs and playing Guitar and now recently Piano ,Have a band,We play small venues,Yes ,Really like your singing!
Prefer 1949 Commander inside and out. You know, black seems to make even the smallest car appear more elegant.
I've got a 4-door version sitting in my back yard. It's a barn find, so it's really rough and doesn't drive.
Mine has a different dashboard.
Mine was also an Ontario car, built in Canada.
Is yours a champion with a six-cylinder the champ have different dashboards
@@What.its.like. Champion. It has square gauges.
However, the 1951 looks better in the red scheme.
1. Olds 88. 2. Hudson. 3. The Hudson overall. 👍
Awesome choices =)
Interesting
im a new sub groove cool shared liked loved!
@@ripwreckraceway awesome welcome to the community =)
First-class styling then and now; swoopy with everything blending together perfectly. The bumperette bars are the single thing I don't care for. I like the bullet-nose cars from Ford too, but these are sleeker- Lowey had the magic touch for sure! As a kid I remember seeing a few of these still on the road in the early 60's and I liked them too. Not sure which dash I like better, but the circular horn ring on the 49 looks odd.
WYR Hard to choose but the Olds wins over the Stude and the 'shoebox' Ford. The Stude wins round 2; the full-framed doors on the Nash look odd for a ragtop. BTW If my old 52 F-1 was as nice as the one parked next to this at the museum I'd probably have kept it.
Awesome insight great choices =)
11:48 The '63 Avanti and its sucessors used a slightly revised version of that door handle.
That’s crazy we are going to do Avanti this year. We’ve already covered one, but the format has changed drastically and we might even get to go for a ride in this one.
@@What.its.like. I saw a '63 Avanti on your intro, but you can't make out the door handle. There are lots of images on the web that show the detail.
Look at those sales figures for 1951. Sadly, it was all downhill from there. Loewy took credit for everything that came out of his studio - including the’53 Starliner and ‘63 Avanti. He employed a lot of talented, but frustrated designers. WYR: clean sweep for Bullet Nosed beauties.
It’s understandable why they were frustrated the picture painted is of a guy who takes pictures with sketches that he didn’t do but paid people to do for him idk just seems like he had a huge ego.. I’m sure he designed some stuff and than got lazy who knows
@@What.its.like. Raymond Loewy as U.S. patent 2,563,917. The Greyhound
Scenicruiser. Find one of those Jay.
@@richardwarren7492
I’ll look for one I really want to do a GM future liner I know that there isn’t that many of those left but those are so cool ..
WYR - 1 -'51 Studebaker. I didn't like the bullet nose back when I was growing up, neither did my friends. I remember making fun of them . Like you they have grown on me . The 1951 car looks much more modern than the '49. Sadly that included one 'weird car' that we saw wrapped around a telephone poll ( not proud of that but I was just a kid ) . WYR - '51 Hudson Although the convertible takes away the roofline of the other models, I always thought the early '50s Hudsons were one of the most attractive cars of the decade .
Awesome choices that Hudson horn is absolutely gorgeous. It’s really hard not to pick that car especially because it’s the fastest one out of the six with a six cylinder and nothing sounds like it…
I have a friend who just built a 54 Hudson hornet but his is a race car 7X engine I’m hoping to cover that this year. I would really like to find a people that have race cars just drive around the track and I will film them. I think that would be absolutely epic.
The styling of these cars is definitely an acquired taste. It's a bit unique to say the least. I think I'll vote for the Ford and the Hudson.
Totally agree but has gotten better with age like fine wine
Awesome choices
4:16 Commander and production of all fu;;-size Studebakers except the Hawk models ceased in 1958 when Studebaker put most of its eggs in the compact _LARK's_ nest, reviving the _Commander_ name for '64-'66 as a low-mid-level trim senior compact when Studebaker discontinued the _Lark_ name.
Thank you so much for that correction =)
Studebaker for both, though that Hudson is pretty nice. I'd rather have a Starlight Coupe Stude, though.
Sweet choices and totally agree
The commander starlight coupe for 1951 would be incredible. I can’t wait to find one.
My dad had a 51 champion 4 dr 6 cyl with overdrive.
Awesome how did he like it
@@What.its.like. I was just a kid but I know he liked the car.
Think Studebaker was the 2nd after Oldsmobile to offer a in-head valve V8
Cadillac… then studebaker
I thought AI stood for Automotive Interest - The Studebaker looks like a happy car on the line up of Which Car. I currently have a super nice driving 57 Silver Hawk and a project 62 Daytona Lark Convertible with a 289 and just found out about the 51 Commander !
I absolutely love 57 silver hawk. How do you like yours?
Don’t Call Us, We’ll Call You - Sugarloaf
Great guess brew blaster just got it
Jeopardy Greg kihn
All but the Studebaker and Nash.
Comparing all the WYR cars, only Studebaker sports a highly contoured, fine meshed egg-crate grill. The other WYR cars were using large heavy bars as grillwork.
Great observation the Studebaker bullet doesn’t get the credit deserves
A lot of people mounted a propeller on the center bullet. Might have been a J C Whitney thing.
That’s crazy I never saw a propeller mounted to the bullet nose, but that would be very interesting look I’ll have to look up pictures now lol
Jay did you find pictures? It was marketed as the Lindbergh Prop.
That is so cool thank you so much for sharing that
forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/forum/your-studebaker-forum/general-studebaker-specific-discussion/86802-among-my-souvenirs-3-the-lindberg-props-and-documentation
I still drive daily my 1966 Dodge Charger. I am 80 years old.
That’s awesome Charles is it an automatic or stick shift? What engine do you have in it? 66 chargers my favorite year of charger with the rear bucket seats
383 bbl, automatic just under 80k niiles. was used to racing before I got it, I had one just about like in back in 66. Have install sniper fuel injection, I am only 80 I need speed.
I may slow down when I get old.
Your car sounds awesome thank you so much for sharing it with us
Good automatic shift
We had one
#1 Oldsmobile bigger is better; #2 Hudson Hornet Convertible-Love that visor, Man
Awesome choices =)
Olds, Hudson, Stude.
Awesome choices
A great video for a truly great and very collectable car. Did you know Jay that Studebaker actually had two slogans for their new set of wheels? The other seldom heard slogan was "“A brand new car for a bright new world.” Not bad. Also, that Studebaker was not actually the first automotive company to introduce a post war car, it was the new Kaiser/Frazer company who introduced prototypes of their new models on January 20th 1946, which was three full months before Studebaker announced their new model which was also at the Waldorf-Astoria but on April 30th. What's more, Kaiser/Fraser started producing their new models in May of that year whilst Studebaker didn't start producing their new models until May of 1947, which was one full year later! So who was really first by far?
Awesome information
But to be fair, Studebaker was the first company that was around before the war to come out with a brand new design after the war Kaiser-Frazer were a brand new company as was Crosley as was Tucker.. they all started up right after the war Studebaker was the first existing company to make a new design
@@What.its.like. Yes, someone once mentioned that to me before after I had pointed that out on another a car channel. But Kaiser/Frazer was not exactly a new company when its two leaders joined forces because Joe W. Frazer had earlier been the president of the Graham-Paige Company which he later renamed the Frazer Car Company before being persuaded to team up with Henry J. Kaiser, a decision that he would later come to regret as Mr. Kaiser did not know much about the automobile business and over a period of eight years his company ended up losing 112 million dollars, though most of those losses were absorbed by unwitting investors. So only the name of the company was truly new - but I get your point.
I am including by the way a nice advertisement announcing the new Kaiser/Frazer and promoting that it was the first new car to come out in 1947, although they had sold over 11,000 Kaisers before the beginning of that year and had hoped to sell at least 100,000 in their first full year but ended up easily surpassing that goal with about 70,000 units sold for both makes. The Frazer Manhattan was priced about $500.00 higher than the Kaiser Special K but from what I have read they were in fact essentially twins but not identical ones - obviously!
So look for that ad in your email.🙂
Studebaker could not get a reliable dealer in this area until 1960 when they signed up the local car repair garage who pushed them hard. Maybe that's why they went out of business, poor dealer network. Interesting feud between Exner and Loewy.
I didn’t know that about the studebaker dealships thank you so much for sharing that information
@@What.its.like. For a number of years many Studebaker dealers also handled Mercedes.
@@richardwarren7492 awesome information we’re going to do an Avanti R2 sometime very soon I can’t wait. Maybe I’ll cover the whole Studebaker Mercedes-Benz dealership partnership for lack of a better term because it’s very interesting.
Tucker was the first to offer an all new design post war. The Champion was undoubtedly inspired by the ill-fated Tucker, along with the '49 single spinner Ford.
Tucker Kaiser Frazier Crosley where all new company’s studebaker was the first existing company to offer a newly designed car