I dropped off a set of new tires to be mounted on the freshly-painted wheels for my son’s 1963 Beetle this morning at my favorite garage, and noticed this rather dusty and forlorn 1949 Studebaker Champion sitting in the side bay.
Figuring the model year out was pretty easy… I took the photos as they were getting ready to close up, so next time I’m there I’ll have to ask what the story is on this car—looks like it’s been sitting a while.
I love visual details like this! The four-door Champion cost between ~ $1,500 and $1,600. From the data I could find, I wasn’t able to discern what options drove the difference in price – they all had the same 170cid (2.79L) straight six rated at 80hp.
Sorry for the dusty, glarey image of the interior. She’s looking pretty shabby right now, but with not too much TLC, could really be nice.
So long for now!
There is something very honest about Studebaker’s of this era. I’m hoping you learn the owner is keeping it there for storage and all is well with this beauty.
Great comment Jason. I agree
Jenny Frick
Im sure my grandpa would agree with you on that one.
Ed, do you know if ’49 was Studebaker’s first all new postwar model year?
I’ve never seen a Studebaker in person – that I know of. I guess my only exposure to seeing and hearing one run was in the first Muppets movie. That’s why I enjoy CC; I learn so much.
1947 was the first all-new postwar design, which is basically the same as you see above. There were also Commander and Land Cruiser models, some of which were larger than the Champion. This was a ground breaking design which was followed by the 1950-51 Bulletnose models, which are a love/hate facelift.
The 1949 Studebaker Land Cruiser was covered by Paul here: https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-american/curbside-classic-1949-studebaker-land-cruiser-top-of-the-world/
That one was by JPC, actually.
My parents drove a ’49 Studebaker Champion 2 door “Starlight coupe” for many years. We loved that little car and it is the one that started me on a love affair with all things Studebaker.
It was the only car my mother could drive when she first got her drivers license. My dad had a new ’55 Mercury Montclair with the big engine, 4 barrel carb backed up by a 3 speed manual transmission with overdrive. It had too much power for my mother. In contrast, the little Champion 6 was just right for my mother. Not much power, but it was smooth and easy to drive.
I find it interesting that the owner sprang for personalized plates and then abandoned it somewhere. That dust is five or more years in growing…and, how’d they get it in the garage? Flatbedded, obviously, but someone had to sit inside and steer and guide it as it was winched up.
Couldn’t they be bothered to wipe a peep-hole in the windshield? Doing it blind…that’s a lot of work to be lazy.
Tires look modern; and there’s no rust. Looks like a well-off retired snowbird’s toy, now abandoned by a late master or something.
Hmmm. The plates have a yellow sticker, which is 2012, if I remember right (could be 2011), so it’s likely still current on registration.
I have another set of tires to be mounted as soon as I install the hubcap clips in the wheels for my ’62 Sunroof VW, so I’ll ask when I take them in to be done.
My younger brother’s first vehicle was very nearly a twin of this car, except that the grillle and most of the trim bits were piled up in the back seat. He had bought it for $15 around ’74 or so, with the intention of restoring it. As I recall, it was actually in running condition, although not so well that you’d actually want to chance taking out on the street. As so often happens, unfortunately, not realizing how much he’d bitten off to chew and a lack of funds (he was 16 fer cryin out loud) basically meant that it sat in the garage for a couple of years and eventually disappeared, one hopes to a more happy fate than being parted out.
I love those door handles too, never noticed them. Of course their symmetry meant one set of handle parts worked for all four doors.
What an engaging wee car! Unless I misjudge the scale this wouldn’t have looked completely out of place on roads this side of the pond. I hope it gets dusted off and driven soon.
You are correct, the Studebaker Champion was a fairly petite car. It weighed about 2700 pounds and had a 170 cid (2.8L) six. A modern Honda Fit/Jazz weighs about 2500. With overdrive, it was reputed that you could get 30 mpg out of these if driven carefully.
In my estimation, the Studebaker Champion was probably the biggest single reason that the compacts of the early 1950s failed to get any significant traction in the U.S. market. None of them offered any significant advantage in price or economy and they were even smaller.
On the flip side, this car’s dimensions (the larger Commanders and Land Cruisers were longer, but still narrow) prevented Studebaker from being competitive with larger cars as the 1950s wore on.
I love this generation of Studebaker. Although I am more of a Commander/Land Cruiser kind of guy, I can certainly find love for the little Champion. I much prefer these to the 50-51 bullet nose. The tradeoff, however, is that the later models offer the V8.
One of these would make a great hobby car. A small footprint in the garage, simple, economical, and inexpensive. Hmmmmmm – is this Champion looking for a home? (Kidding, Mrs. JPC, kidding.)
My first car. Differences being that mine was green and this looks blue to my color challenged eyes. Mine was a 47 model but to my eyes this appears to be the same car.
Mine ran terribly and we sold it to a guy with better mechanical abilities who fixed some things and never missed the opportunity to brag about it when he saw us. Went to my brothers 46 chevy and it was a better car.
Time plays tricks with memory but that’s how I see it today.
A neighbor had a goat-vomit green 2-door sedan of this vintage that I’m sure he was simply tired of, because he sold it to me for $15.00. (This was in 1958 or so when I was 18.) I couldn’t understand why the starter switch would be wired to be actuated by the clutch pedal, so I mounted a 1949 Ford starter switch in a vacant spot below the dash and wired that up – not much of a job, as I remember. I rubbed out the oxidized paint and sold the car for $60.00. I don’t think I ever even put gas in it, and certainly didn’t drive it more than a few miles. I subsequently owned, for a similarly short time in 1962, a maroon convertible. I bought it at an inopportune time, and it had to be sold when I went off to grad school.
I wonder if the owner of the dark blue sedan shown moved on to some place in which he’s no longer concerned with earthly things, leaving it to a non-car-oriented descendant to deal with.
My grandfather was responsible for the studillac. He was so ahead of his time in that head of his . would’nt you agree?
Jenny Frick
Thanks for stopping by, Jenny! Would love to hear more about your grandfather if you have time… I just did a little googling – fascinating story.
Id love to hear from you… I am currently working on a big project about my grandfather and people will wonder no more. let’s just say that for now.
Jenny Frick
contact me at feders5@hotmail.com
Hi Jenny. Yes, I’ve been aware of Bill Frick and his doings going way back. I did a short post on the Studillac here: https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/one-more-53-studie-post-tom-mccahill-tests-the-125-mph-studillac/
And I’ve mentioned him before in older posts. He was on to something; ahead of his time.
Well, thank you Paul . that’s very sweet to say. You should give me a shout every now and then . at feders5@hotmail.com
Love to hear from you.
Jenny Frick
I have some research I need to ask you about if it would be o.k with you?
Sure. You can reach me via the Contact form on the top menu bar.