1951 Studebaker Land Cruiser Comes Out of Storage With Original V8, Runs Like a Champ

Yes, most of us know this badge from Toyota's long-running SUV, but it was Studebaker that introduced it to the automotive world. It all began in 1933, when the Land Cruiser debuted at the Chicago World Fair as an extensively streamlined sedan inspired by the Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow concept.

The nameplate was discontinued during World War 2 but returned in 1947. It remained in production until 1954 and shared styling cues with the Champion and Commander, but it was marketed as a more premium model with a slightly longer wheelbase.

The Land Cruiser was part of Studebaker's "Next Look in Cars" design language introduced in 1950. The company's answer to Detroit's newer 1949 models, it had three-point front styling, popularly known as the "bullet-nose."

The design was considered very radical at the time, but the new Studebaker line became very popular. And thanks to a new overhead valve V8 that Studebaker introduced in 1951 (the first such mill in an affordable vehicle), sales jumped even higher.

Come 2022 and Champion and Commander models from the era are more popular with collectors. That's not to say that the Land Cruiser has been forgotten, but many of them have been forgotten in storage for years. This blue example is one of them, but luckily enough it's still in solid condition.

Saved by YouTube's "Sleeperdude" from a sad life in a barn, this 1951 Land Cruiser is a little gem. Because it's one of those first cars that was fitted with the company's first V8. A 233-cubic-inch (3.8-liter) engine with a two-barrel carburetor, it was good for 120 horsepower when new.

The V8 behind this blue nose hasn't been fired up for an unknown number of years, so it's obviously not running. But the new owner, also a skilled mechanic, does his magic and gets it up and running. And while the mill still needs a serious overhaul, it has enough oomph to get the four-door moving for a drive in the yard.

With the V8 only a few tweaks away from becoming road-worthy, this Land Cruiser is a fine candidate for restoration. Especially given that both the body and the undercarriage are in good shape save for some surface rust.

The interior is a different story with heavily worn-out seats that need new upholstery, but everything seems doable at a decent cost. It's also a somewhat low mileage example with just 62,000 miles (99,779 km) on the odo.

There's no word whether this Studebaker will get a proper restoration, but I'd love to see it back on the road all shiny and proud. Until that happens, watch it come out of storage and back to life in the video below.