Customized '53 Studebaker Starliner "Studillac" Hardtop

[Dr. Cranky]

Oh, what a beauty. Great color and finish.

[Silver Foxx]

So nice , a lovely build.

[S. Svendsen]

Nicely done

[Bernard Kron]

Thank you, everyone. I'm flattered by the kudos from some builders whose work I genuinely admire!

[Tom Geiger]

I'm amazed that I didn't see this model before since I spend more than a healthy share of my time here on the board. It's absolutely fantastic. A great rendition of a '53 that we'd all love to drive in 1:1.

I think I inherited my Studebaker gene, my father was a big fan. He was completely in love with the '53 coupe, but the best he could do was to acquire a '54 4 door sedan in 1956 as our first family car. I was brought home in that car in 1958, and he painted it green when I was 3 and as family lore says, I was so excited that I exclaimed "Daddy's new car!" and put a hand print on the door of the fresh paint job!

[kennb]

The Stud engines were the same configuration as the Caddy,,,,,,when I rebuilt my 1;1 52 Commander i had all Caddy kits to rebuild the engine....a natural install

Edited September 1, 2013 by kennb

[Bernard Kron]

I'm amazed that I didn't see this model before since I spend more than a healthy share of my time here on the board. It's absolutely fantastic. A great rendition of a '53 that we'd all love to drive in 1:1.

I think I inherited my Studebaker gene, my father was a big fan. He was completely in love with the '53 coupe, but the best he could do was to acquire a '54 4 door sedan in 1956 as our first family car. I was brought home in that car in 1958, and he painted it green when I was 3 and as family lore says, I was so excited that I exclaimed "Daddy's new car!" and put a hand print on the door of the fresh paint job!

Thanx Tom! The Loewy '53 is perhaps the ultimate pre-fin, postwar (is that a category? ) design, maybe even on both sides of the atalntic, and certainly among mass produced cars. I think any adult male of the period had to have responded to it's beautiful lines, incredible originality and obvious sophistication. Butr the remarkanle thing is that the team at AMT created such superbly integrated customizing parts. I really have to credit them with giving me the means to refine Loewy's classic without stepping all over it.

Edited September 1, 2013 by Bernard Kron

[High octane]

VERY cool build Bernard, excellent!

[Bruce Poage]

Having grown up with Sudebakers from the start with a "56, then '59, '61( drove it on honeymoon 49 years ago today) and a '63 plus being on a farm with 2 ton and a half trucks plus a '62 Omaha Orange pickup you have a done an awesome job. I built one of these have two more in the stash. Think I need to work on another. Congrats.

[Bernard Kron]

Thanx guys!

Bruce, the '53 Studebaker body style was a unique and yet pivotal moment in automotive styling. It was extraordinarily modern, low and clean. I don't believe Loewy ever equaled it, even with the Avanti. In many ways it even out-shone the Italians, or at least beat them to it by a few years. As I said earlier in this thread, I think it was remarkable that AMT were able to show so much "respect" and sensitivity to the original design. I'm gratified that someone with as much history and emotion attached to Studebakers as you have would like my effort. I'm flattered and pleased. Thanx again!

[surfjunke]

beautiful build, Bernard! Great color combo!

[Studemax]

Sweetness and light!

[charlie8575]

How'd I miss this?

Nice job.

Charlie Larkin

[Bernard Kron]

Thanx guys!

[Terminator-Fox]

Awesome

[am73grand]

Gorgeous!

[Bernard Kron]

Broken Photobucket links repaired. For now I'm only updating completed model pics. Updating w.i.p. links is just too huge a task! I'll update them on request...

[unclescott58]

Presently I reading Ian Fleming's Bond novel Diamond Are Forever. In the novel Bond's buddy Felix Leiter drives a Studillac. In fact chapter 10 of the novel is titled, Studillac to Saratoga. 

Being the car "nut" I am, I naturally had to start doing a thorough research on Studillacs. I knew of them. But, I didn't know a lot about them until doing my web search on them. Besides the other great info I found on the real cars, I ran across a link to this thread. A I'm delighted to see somebody here tackle the subject of the Studillac in model form. And did a pretty nice job of it. Went a little farther than Bill Frick did on conversions of the real think. But, I like it none the less. 

Below is a painting inspired by the scene from Diamonds Are Forever of Bond and Leiter going to Saratoga in Leiter's Studillac. 

 

Edited September 2, 2020 by unclescott58

[Ace-Garageguy]

Fine model. Missed it before somehow, glad I found it. These cars are so clean that they respond well to mild customizing, and the Caddy swap is an old-school natural I've seen done frequently in 1:1.

On 8/31/2013 at 9:24 PM, Bernard Kron said:

...I think any adult male of the period had to have responded to it's beautiful lines, incredible originality and obvious sophistication...

My father agreed, and bought one to replace our '51. My mother, who was a designer herself (clothing mostly) loved the way it looked, but made the Old Man take it back because the much lower seating position bothered her so much.

Edited September 1, 2020 by Ace-Garageguy

[Jonathan]

As others have said, this is a beautiful build!

[Slotto]

That is sexy. Great colors

[Danno]

Holy resurrected thread, Batman!

I got excited when I saw the “Studillac” title, and our long lost friend Bernard. Once I opened the thread and saw it was a 7 year old post, well, I was disappointed it wasn’t a “new” build.

Nonetheless, I said it back then and I’ll say it again: that’s one very beautiful build - very tastefully styled, including choice of colors, and exceptionally executed!

Very nice to see this blast from the past again.

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[Misha]

Thanks Bernard for fixing up the photo links, as I had entirely missed it the first time around. A beautiful build of the Lowey design especially considering it’s from the early 50s, like I am! It was this design that got me hooked on cars to begin with as it was so different from everything else on the road. One of my father’s draughtsmen had.bought one and it grabbed me right away! Thanks for sharing, cheers Misha. 

[Peter Lombardo]

You've got to love it, very nicely done.  The color combo works very well.  Super job.

[NitroMarty]

Beautifully done, Bernard.... Your mods are period perfect!!!!