Ace-Garageguy Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 (edited) Raymond Loewy's '53 Studebaker design is so good, so all-of-a-piece, that the vast majority of attempts to "improve" it as customs fall short, and usually make a beautiful car into an ugly mess. This one looks pretty good to me. Not entirely my taste, but respect for the purity of the original design is what makes this one work better than most. More here... http://www.barrett-jackson.com/Archive/Event/Item/1953-STUDEBAKER-CHAMPION-CUSTOM-ROADSTER-112604 Edited February 14, 2015 by Ace-Garageguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 It's hard to improve upon the original, and I would say this one didn't do that. That roof and the door tops/A-pillar is just not working for me. If you're going to lower the roof, section the body to match it, otherwise you end up with this: The entire lower 2/3 of the body looks massive compared the the low, flowing roof now, and those huge rear wheels only serve to exaggerate the proportions. Stock (I think) body: Bill, do you recall who built the red '53 Stude Starliner which was featured in Hot Rod in '91 or so? It had a camel leather interior and was fairly low key... And while I'm hi-jacking, check out this Special Interest Autos article which has a drawing on the bottom of the first page (page 22) showing a very familiar C-pillar... http://deansgarage.com/wp-content/uploads/EarlsSketchbook.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted February 14, 2015 Author Share Posted February 14, 2015 (edited) It's hard to improve upon the original, and I would say this one didn't do that. That roof and the door tops/A-pillar is just not working for me. If you're going to lower the roof, section the body to match it, otherwise you end up with this: I agree entirely, and that's why I said this one works "better than most.". Where the less-than-entirely-successful proportions come from on this particular car is the shortening of the wheelbase (through the quarter panels) to make it a "roadster", and the unfortunate new door cut-line. Put your thumb over the cut-line and imagine it with a just-slightly longer wheelbase, and just slightly smaller rear tires, and it's quite good. (Enough of an inspiration for me to put photos and notes in the "someday" build list, anyway.) Edited February 14, 2015 by Ace-Garageguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Put your thumb over the cut-line and imagine it with a just-slightly longer wheelbase, and just slightly smaller rear tires, and it's quite good. (Enough of an inspiration for me to put photos and notes in the "someday" build list, anyway.) That rear door line draws all the eye-tention away from the best styling line on the car. Not good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted February 14, 2015 Author Share Posted February 14, 2015 This is one of the parts of modeling I love the best...to see a real custom that has a lot of good ideas, but just doesn't quite make it all the way (in my opinion, anyway) and to be able to rework it in model form into what I would have preferred the original to be. I agree that with the wheelbase as short as it is on the silver car, a light sectioning of the lower body would benefit the proportions. Bill, do you recall who built the red '53 Stude Starliner which was featured in Hot Rod in '91 or so? It had a camel leather interior and was fairly low key... No, but there are a ton of attempts at "improving" this car that miss by a mile... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Strike three. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl Marischal Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 "Strike 3"" Oh dear, that's awful. The original takes a lot of beating. steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramfins59 Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 I built this version of a custom Studebaker back in the mid 90's. I cut off the roof, added '57 T-Bird headlight bezels and custom taillights from the AMT '58 Impala. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne swayze Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 That's a nice model Rich. It looks kinda European with the styling...a bit (dare I say it?) sexy. But I must agree, the original is the best! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmer1 Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Well I think that silver car is absolutely beautiful, better proportions than the original by far, the designer did a great job, wouldn't change a thing. The stock body has way too much greenhouse and is quite top heavy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 The door line and roof ruin that silver car, but atleast the top now appears to be removeable (should have made that a Carson top!) to help partially fix the issue. No clue what they were thinking by shaping the door like that either,just looks off to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobthehobbyguy Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Bill do you know which shop built the stude I fing it interesting that the barret jeckson catalog page doesn't mention the huilder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 Bill do you know which shop built the stude I fing it interesting that the barret jeckson catalog page doesn't mention the huilder. Jimmy Varacalli built the car, called the "Studester". Here's more pix with the top off. Click "About" for info on the build, the mods and the builder. http://www.hubgarage.com/mygarage/jasch/vehicles/25322 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobthehobbyguy Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danno Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Strike three. This one would be better with some minor work, like getting rid of the upper, toothed grill and continuing the shape across the front of the car, ditching that phoney scoop behind the door, and a better choice in color... .......like candy red with a gold base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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