Studebaker Champion Regal De Luxe Starlight Coupe 1950

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When you have to persuade a consumer to buy a new product you most have a storytelling that’s shows how “New” the item is. Furthermore the product shall have an impact of feeling that the buy can be justified and make others envy. This everlasting statement is so true in the auto motor business even today. Just after The 2. World war, the rise of availability in household’s goods was outstanding and in 1950 the Studebaker Company had the 3. Generation car ready for sale – this was a first in the industry!

In 1950 the future was bright and the space will soon be conquered, therefore all products were streamlined and look aerodynamic. The car industry was soon on the beat too, and Studebaker new 1950 Champion starlight was the new breed on the block. It was so new in its design that it most had repulsed some buyers from the start. But the majority soon loved the car and sales rose to new high levels in the Studebaker history.

Now all of the model car collectors have an opportunity to look back to 1950 and purchase an 1:18 scale of this rocket ship. Lucky Die-Cast from the Yatming group has the Studebaker in their inventory. This is really a fantastic bold decision as the car now look dated and out of category compared to the cars from the Big 3. However the model is a classic example of the time and evolution the motorcar had after the war.

The model had been released over the last 10 years in many colors and now comes in the dark blue metallic. The real name of the color is: Bahama Mist Metallic and I most say the color suits the car well. Again Lucky Die-Cast comes with a flawless paintjob that excels other more expensive makers on the marked. Very well done!
The chrome trim is as always fantastic bright and shines like the real thing. Often the grill on these models is missing the holes – not here; the grill is made of etched-metal. When we compare low priced models to more expensive; we will see detailed emblems and ornament. Here on the Studebaker fine emblems is present on hubcaps and hood and are embedded down in the warmish to last for ever!

This model is not shy to show you all the features inside! Here you get access to the trunk, with an extra spare wheel and up front, the hood can be opened to show a well detailed flat six motor. The interior welcomes you in two-tone upholstery, with a well made instrument panel and steering wheel. The carpets in the floor is missing as well in the trunk, but remember this is a model under half of the price of such features common in higher priced models. The casting is well made as the doors and lids fits well with no big gabs.

I have always been fan of Yatming “glass works” on the models and here is no exception, just look at the rear window – The Starlight Coupe rear Window was famous among the time comedians as they stated: You can not see witch way the car is going, as the front and rear looks alike! – That may be true, but one thing is for sure; Lucky Die-Cast has made a great little model car here!

I use to measure a model by its detailing and how easy it can be super detailed and here I’m really glad of the work Lucky Die-Cast have done so far. The only small thing I have done is: Painted blue metallic on rear side of the doors, Liquid Chrome on the three small pillars on the Starlight rear window and lastly; the exhaust pipe was drilled hollow.– After all that’s show how good this model is out of the box. In the future one can install carpet in the cabin and wires on the motor.

If you are a collector – just buy one yourself, you will not be disappointed.
 

I will give this model 3 out of 6 stars  ******

Below here are pictures of the model, historical description, old brochures, technical data and some movie clips for the real car. So please enjoy!

History:

1950-1951 Studebaker

Studebaker was proud to be "First by Far With a Postwar Car," but after three years on the market, its vehicles very much needed a distinctive new look for their carried-over bodies. In fact, the 1950-1951 Studebaker origins were as a counterpoint to the post-war car, when celebrated styling consultant Raymond Loewy decided his staff should look to the heavens for inspiration.

Perhaps no automaker is more identified with a single design than Studebaker with its 1950-1951 "bullet-nose" cars. The feisty South Bend independent didn't invent the "spinner" front end -- the 1948 Tucker and 1949-1950 Ford used similar themes, as have several European models. Studebaker's styling differed mainly in degree.

Ads called it "The Next Look," implying it would start a trend. It didn't, but that mattered little to company executives, who were content to chalk up sales unmatched in Studebaker's previous 48 years of auto production and in any of the next 16.

Studebaker styling in this period was handled by Raymond Loewy, who was established by the early Thirties as a top-flight industrial designer of everything from lipsticks to locomotives. His first production cars were for Hupmobile: the 1932 second-series line, followed in 1934 by the "Aero­dynamic," which was influential but not a commercial success.

Loewy signed his first Studebaker contract in 1936; the 1938 models were the first credited to his firm. With dozens of clients, Raymond Loewy Associates employed many designers at its New York headquarters, including Clare Hodgman, Virgil Exner, and others who did most of the actual prewar styling work for Studebaker.

As his business grew, Loewy increasingly became a manager and a tireless self-promoter, taking credit for projects regardless of whether he himself put pen to paper.

In the late Thirties, Exner was sent to set up shop at the Studebaker factory and hit it off with engineering vice president Roy Cole. The two were soon conspiring to undermine Loewy's influence in South Bend. Exner felt his boss didn't give designers enough credit; Cole thought Loewy charged too much for his services.

When Studebaker contracted Loewy Associates to design all-new 1947 models, Exner and Cole worked up their own proposal in secret -- with the advantage of engineering parameters not made available to the "official" Loewy team. It was this design that management ultimately chose and introduced in mid 1946. Studebaker was two years ahead of the competition -- "First by Far With a Postwar Car," as ads blared. To Exner's chagrin, advertising credited Loewy with the new styling.

Loewy promptly fired Exner for his treachery and replaced him with Bob Bourke, Exner's subordinate and friend. Bourke, who made significant contributions to the '47 design, would head Loewy's South Bend studio into 1955, after which Studebaker and Loewy parted company.

People loved the 1947 Studebakers, the little-changed '48s, and the modestly updated '49s. Though the fresh styling concealed mostly prewar mechanical concepts, refinements were made to improve longevity and reliability.

For example, the low-price Champion had arrived in spring 1939 with a lightweight L-head six of 164.3 cubic inches. This went to 169.6 cubic inches and 80 horsepower for 1941-49, then added five horsepower. The costlier Commanders used a larger six dating from Stude­baker's 1932 Rockne. By 1949, this engine was up to 245.6 cubic inches and 100 horsepower.

The 1947s did introduce stronger new box- section frames, self-adjusting/self-centering brakes, and "black light" instrument-panel illumination, but retained "planar" front suspension, a Studebaker staple since 1935. This still used a transverse semi-elliptic leaf spring clamped to the box section of the front cross member, but was modified to lower the center of gravity. Shocks remained Houdaille double-action hydraulics, but the 1947s achieved a smoother ride through more-even weight distribution. A two-piece driveshaft with center universal joint eliminated the rear floor tunnel.

The 1947-1949 models were a great sales success, lifting Studebaker to eighth in the U.S. industry with a market share of 4.12 percent. Production was at record levels. So were corporate profits -- $27.56 million in calendar 1949 alone. Things looked great, and were about to get even better.

The bullet-nose idea had been on Bourke's drawing board since 1940-1941, when he first sketched several elements of the eventual 1950 Studebaker. Chief among them was a protruding nose with flanking pontoon fenders suggesting the front of an airplane.

Some Studebaker managers, doubtless recalling the Thirties, feared buyers might shun anything so radical. But Loewy, ever the master salesman, convinced them to go ahead. "We aimed at the light, fast impression of an airplane ... a feeling of motion and speed," he said later. This daring look drew critical comments, but not from Tom McCahill, then the dean of automotive journalists. "I think the new Studie is the best looking car in its class," he told Mechanix Illustrated readers. Not bad, coming from a guy capable of some pretty scathing remarks.

1950-1951 Studebaker
Public reaction is what matters in the auto industry, and "The Next Look" 1950 Studebaker, featuring the company's signature "bullet-nose" look for the first time, was a winner -- more popular than even the 1947. Sales began in August 1949, nearly a month ahead of other 1950 cars.

Hundreds of dealers sent glowing telegrams describing announcement day: "Showroom crowded to capacity." "Public acceptance best ever." "Huge crowds, all agreed Studebaker still leads the way." "Showing a definite flop, showroom holds 100 people, needed room for 500!"

For all this hoopla, the 1950s were identical to the 1947-49 models except for the bullet nose, minor trim, and vertical instead of horizontal taillights. However, the new front end added an inch to wheelbases, taking Champions to 113, Commanders to 120. Both lines again offered two- and four-door sedans, a convertible, and a five-passenger Starlight coupe with its distinctive panoramic rear window.

Champion also listed a three-passenger business coupe. Commanders again included a top-line Land Cruiser sedan, now on a 124-inch wheelbase, with extra rear-seat legroom and rear-door vent windows. All models offered De Luxe and extra-cost Regal De Luxe trim save the convertibles and Land Cruiser, which were Regals only.

The Champ's Regal package, priced at $79, included stainless-steel rocker-panel and window moldings, wool upholstery in place of pile cloth, front floor carpeting instead of a rubber covering, and a fancier steering wheel with chrome horn half-ring. In Commanders, the $124 option substituted luxurious nylon-cord upholstery.

All models continued on 15-inch wheels, but Commanders were heavier, so they came with 7.60 tires on six-inch-wide rims versus 6.40s on five-inch-wide wheels. Commanders also had 11-inch cast-iron brake drums, while Champions used nine-inch drums.

Added in March 1950 were Champ Custom sedans and coupes with no hood ornament or rear fender shields, painted rather than chromed headlamp/taillight rims, and only a small round trunk handle/light assembly. They looked spartan, but at $1,419-$1,519, they were among the most affordable full-size cars around. Studebaker was targeting traditional low-priced leaders Chevy, Ford, and Plymouth, and thus advertised Champ Customs with the clever slogan "It's 4 To See Instead of 3!"

All 1950 Studebakers boasted a new double-A-arm front suspension, with Champions featuring tubular shocks mounted inside new "long-travel" coil springs. Commanders had slightly different geometry to handle their extra weight and retained lever-action shocks. Champs used an antiroll torsion bar in front; Commanders added a rear bar, plus center-point steering.

But the big engineering news was Automatic Drive transmission. Devel­oped jointly with the Detroit Gear Division of Borg-Warner, it became available for Land Cruisers in late April 1950, then spread to other models as production increased. Automatic Drive was superior to most competitive automatics in several ways.

First, it was air-cooled, so it did without costly, complex water-cooling. It also allowed push-starts if needed, did not "creep" the car forward from a stop if the driver released the brake, and included a hill-holder that prevented rolling down an incline at idle. Selecting Reverse at more than 10 mph automatically put the transmission in Neutral to prevent damage.

Stude­baker was the only independent besides Packard to develop its own automatic transmission. Ford Motor Company wanted to buy Automatic Drive for its 1951 line, but Studebaker declined, thus missing a chance to make considerable extra money. This transmission continued through 1954, after which Studebaker switched to the less-costly Flight-O-Matic.

Demand for the bullet-nose '50s proved so strong that Studebaker added a third shift at its large South Bend factory and ran its Southern California and Hamilton, Ontario, assembly plants at or near capacity. A 14-month model "year" (July 15, 1949, to September 27, 1950) produced 343,164 cars -- the most for any vehicle in Studebaker's long history. By the end of 1950, company employment was up to 25,000, a peacetime record.

The dealer count grew too, swelling from 2,628 in December 1949 to 2,851 a year later. Net sales totaled $477,066,000. After-tax profits were more than $22.5 million. And Studebaker's market share, which had improved every year since 1936, reached a new high of 4.25 percent (or more than 5 percent including truck sales). With that, Studebaker could again claim to be America's most successful independent vehicle maker. Some analysts began speculating that the Big Three might soon be the Big Four.

Studebaker had a terrific follow-up to blockbluster 1950: a modern new V-8. Like the trendsetting 1949 Oldsmobile and Cadillac engines, it was a light, compact, and efficient overhead-valve design. Engineers led by Stanwood Sparrow began work in 1948, with development headed by engine specialist T. S. Scherger. The result was another Stude­baker exclusive among the independents, and years ahead of the Chevy, Ford, and Plymouth overhead-valve V-8s.

Arriving as standard for the 1951 Land Cruiser and Commander, the Studebaker V-8 was an oversquare design with 232.9 cubic inches on a bore and stroke of 3.38x3.25 inches. Horsepower was a lively 120 despite a conservative 7.0:1 compression ratio.

Some have likened the engine to a smaller Cadillac V-8. Indeed, the two were close in physical size. But there were significant differences. The Stude­baker engine used solid lifters instead of hydraulic, camshafts driven by gear rather than chain, conventional instead of "slipper" pistons, and locked rather than "floating" piston pins.

It was also 54 pounds lighter than the Caddy engine. Both put spark plugs above the exhaust manifold for easy access, a feature lacking in the later Ford and Chevy overhead-valve V-8s.

Studebaker engineers didn't overlook fuel efficiency with their V-8. In the 1951 Mobilgas Economy Run, a Commander won Class B with a 28-mpg average. A Land Cruiser posted 27.6 -- nearly three mpg better than the previous year's Commander Six. (The Champion, with an unchanged six, managed 28.6 mpg, tops for all full-size cars entered.)

The new V-8 Commander was not a muscle machine, but "Uncle Tom" McCahill termed it "a rip-roaring, hell-for-leather performer that can belt the starch out of practically every other American car on the road."

His overdrive-equipped test model clocked 0-60 mph in 12.5 seconds and reached nearly 100 mph. After driving two more '51s, McCahill concluded, "The new engines are swell. Comfort, performance, and durability are excellent, and I believe Studebaker people are due for one of the biggest years in their history."

1951 Studebaker
All 1951 Studebakers wore a smaller, silver-hued spinner with a painted instead of chrome trim ring, plus large chrome-plated diecast grilles in place of the low, deep-set twin intakes of 1950. A support shield between the bumper and fenders replaced the previous tubular bumper mounts.

Sedans adopted the one-piece windshield previously reserved for Starlights, convertibles, and the Land Cruiser, plus one-piece rear windows. Tail lamps were enlarged and the deck lid handle was redesigned. A few model names changed. Champion now offered Custom, De Luxe, and Regal trim. Commanders regrouped into Regal and State models below the company's flagship Land Cruiser.

More significantly, the compact V-8 allowed Commanders to share the Champion's shorter chassis and front "clip," trimming seven inches of wheelbase, 10 inches of overall length, and 205 pounds from the 1950 versions. Land Cruiser went to a 119-inch wheelbase.

Though this change saved considerable tooling expense, there was another reason for it. As sales vice president K. B. Elliot told dealers in an October 1950 bulletin, the aim was to narrow the Champion/Commander price gap, thus encouraging six-cylinder prospects to splurge for a V-8. As a result, the previous year's $348 spread between the top-trim Champion and Commander four-doors shrunk to $111.

All 1951s used an improved "Miracle Ride" chassis with wider and stronger front control arms, all-round tubular shocks, and softer new four-leaf rear springs widened 43 percent (to 2.5 inches) from the previous five-leaf springs. Champs also adopted center-point steering.

As before, three-speed column-shift manual transmission was standard. Overdrive cost $87, Automatic Drive $190. Studebaker pioneered the hill-holder in 1936, and this remained standard for Commanders and the Land Cruiser. Champ buyers paid $12.50 for this convenience.

Though model-year sales were down considerably at 268,565, the 1951 run was shorter than 1950, and the government had curbed civilian production on account of the widening Korean conflict. But as the sales staff hoped, Commander sales improved from 23 percent of the total to 48 percent as buyers responded to the new V-8 and lower prices.

Unquestionably, 1950 and 1951 were the peak years for Studebaker car sales, profits, and employment. But fashion is fickle, and the bullet-nose models were soon forgotten. By the mid Eighties, though, they were back in vogue as collector cars and as Fifties icons for movies, museum exhibits, and ad campaigns.

As one author put it, "they were so far out, they were in." Modern cars may be hard to tell apart, but you can still spot a bullet nose a block away and know it's a Studebaker -- just as South Bend intended.
The author gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Fred K. Fox of the Studebaker Drivers Club.
                                                                                                                                                   

Technical specification:

1950 Studebaker Champion

1950 Studebaker Commander

Power train:

Engine 169.9 cu in (2.8 L) I6 85 Hp

Transmission

3-speed manual, synchromesh on 2nd and 3rd gears column-mounted shifter.

Dimensions

Wheelbase 112 in (2,845 mm)
Length:197.3 in (5,011 mm)

Old brochures of the car

Video of the real car from YouTube

If you have any question or comment your are free to contact me at: aeronautic@stofanet.dk

Dealers are welcome to get their models reviewed too.

Aeronautic Nov. 2018

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