THE SPECS
ENGINES:
2.8L L-head 6,
85 hp, 138 lb-ft; 3.8L OHV V-8,
120 hp, 190 lb-ft; 4.0L L-head 6,
102 hp, 205 lb-ft
TRANSMISSIONS:
3-speed manual with optional overdrive
3-speed automatic
DRIVE:
Rear-wheel
SUSPENSION, FRONT: Control arms, coil springs
SUSPENSION, REAR: Live axle, leaf springs
BRAKES: Drums
WEIGHT: 2585-3375 lb
THE INFO
Years produced
1950-1951
Number produced
611,729 (including 110,492 Starlight coupes)
Original price
$1419-$2328
Value today
$5000-$50,000 (approximately $10,000-$30,000 for Starlights)
Why buy?
It's the most futuristic car of the past - a dream car that you can drive on a regular basis. Styling sets it apart, and straightforward mechanicals make it relatively easy to live with. Spare and reproduction parts abound, and the Studebaker community is very supportive. Nothing says "postwar" more emphatically; the Muppets drove one to box-office glory. You get to admit that it is, in fact, both going and coming and was, yes, ahead of its time, which seems to still have not arrived.