Photo: fsbovehicles/eBay
Studebaker disappeared completely 66 years ago as of 2022, but it left a few iconic models behind. The list includes the Champion, the Hawk Series, and the Avanti. The Speedster isn't one of them, but that's because it was built in limited numbers for one model year only. And also because it was part of the President line.
Originally introduced in 1926, the President was phased off in 1942. It returned for a fourth-generation in 1955, when Studebaker restyled its entire lineup. A line of premium-trimmed vehicles, the President included everything from two-door coupes to four-door station wagons.
But what most people don't know is that the nameplate also spawned the company's most luxurious two-door coupe yet. It was called the Speedster and became the brand's halo model for the 1955 model year.
Based on the President hard-top coupe, the Speedster was originally built in only 20 units as a show car. The idea became a hit, and Studebaker management decided to put it into production.
About 25% more expensive than the President coupe, the Speedster was loaded with extras, including diamond-quilted upholstery, full carpeting, a bespoke instrument cluster, and unique ornamentation in chrome and stainless steel. They were also available in two- and three-tone paint jobs, some of them combining flashy colors.
Studebaker eventually produced 2,215 Speedsters for the 1955 model year, but the nameplate was retired in 1956 when the similar-looking Hawk series arrived in dealerships. Come 2022, and the Speedster is a very rare bird. And this yellow-over-green example might just be one of only a few all-original, low-mileage survivors out there.
Amazingly enough, this Speedster shows only 23,383 miles (37,631 km) on the odometer and appears to be in pristine condition inside and out. The car is still finished in its original two-tone combo with a green lower body and roof and a yellow upper section.
A popular Speedster option back in the day, this combo is known as "lemon/lime," but these hues were called Hialeah Green and Sun Valley Yellow by Studebaker. The interior is just as flashy as the exterior, combining yellow and gold upholstery. Needless to say, this Studebaker is an attention grabber and will break a few necks at any car show.
Look under the hood, and you'll see an impressively clean V8 engine. A 259-cubic-inch (4.2-liter) mill, this V8 was rated at 185 horsepower and 258 pound-feet (350 Nm) of torque back in the day. It wasn't the most powerful V8 out there, but it was potent enough to help the Speedster give the Ford Thunderbird and the Chrysler 300 "letter series" a run for their money.
Speaking of which, this Studebaker is anything but cheap. The seller is asking $71,000 for the coupe. And even though he is accepting offers, I'm pretty sure he isn't willing to let the car go for less than $65,000. That's a lot of cash for a 1955 Studebaker, but I wouldn't say it's out of line.
While President models in perfect condition are known to sell for less than $40,000, Speedster versions usually go for more than that. I've seen a few change hands for more than $50,000 in recent years, and they weren't even finished in this exotic lemon/lime combo. Would you pay Chevrolet C8 Corvette money for a 1955 classic? Let me know in the comments.
But what most people don't know is that the nameplate also spawned the company's most luxurious two-door coupe yet. It was called the Speedster and became the brand's halo model for the 1955 model year.
Based on the President hard-top coupe, the Speedster was originally built in only 20 units as a show car. The idea became a hit, and Studebaker management decided to put it into production.
About 25% more expensive than the President coupe, the Speedster was loaded with extras, including diamond-quilted upholstery, full carpeting, a bespoke instrument cluster, and unique ornamentation in chrome and stainless steel. They were also available in two- and three-tone paint jobs, some of them combining flashy colors.
Studebaker eventually produced 2,215 Speedsters for the 1955 model year, but the nameplate was retired in 1956 when the similar-looking Hawk series arrived in dealerships. Come 2022, and the Speedster is a very rare bird. And this yellow-over-green example might just be one of only a few all-original, low-mileage survivors out there.
Amazingly enough, this Speedster shows only 23,383 miles (37,631 km) on the odometer and appears to be in pristine condition inside and out. The car is still finished in its original two-tone combo with a green lower body and roof and a yellow upper section.
A popular Speedster option back in the day, this combo is known as "lemon/lime," but these hues were called Hialeah Green and Sun Valley Yellow by Studebaker. The interior is just as flashy as the exterior, combining yellow and gold upholstery. Needless to say, this Studebaker is an attention grabber and will break a few necks at any car show.
Look under the hood, and you'll see an impressively clean V8 engine. A 259-cubic-inch (4.2-liter) mill, this V8 was rated at 185 horsepower and 258 pound-feet (350 Nm) of torque back in the day. It wasn't the most powerful V8 out there, but it was potent enough to help the Speedster give the Ford Thunderbird and the Chrysler 300 "letter series" a run for their money.
Speaking of which, this Studebaker is anything but cheap. The seller is asking $71,000 for the coupe. And even though he is accepting offers, I'm pretty sure he isn't willing to let the car go for less than $65,000. That's a lot of cash for a 1955 Studebaker, but I wouldn't say it's out of line.
While President models in perfect condition are known to sell for less than $40,000, Speedster versions usually go for more than that. I've seen a few change hands for more than $50,000 in recent years, and they weren't even finished in this exotic lemon/lime combo. Would you pay Chevrolet C8 Corvette money for a 1955 classic? Let me know in the comments.
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