Studebaker

1929
Studebaker Commander
Frame Off Restored Regal Commander GJ Cabriolet Six

Description:

Engine:353 I6
Body Style: Coupe
Miles : 65935
Stock # 131370
Interior Color: Brown
Exterior Color : Yellow
Certified Price:  $39,900


What makes a car truly rare? How about one of three – no, not one of three made with purple paint, a white interior and a green vinyl top, but one of three vehicles in the entire world! This beautiful and rare Regal Commander Six Cabriolet is an original California car retaining all of its original body panels and trim. Resplendent in Canary Yellow and Alhambra Tan, this wonderful example of early motoring is back stateside again after a 20 year romp through England – grab your favorite flapper girl and don’t miss this one!

“Where those who best know and appreciate fine motor cars foregather – Studebaker prestige runs deservedly high.” The Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana, started building automobiles in 1902. Their first automobiles were electric, although they quickly moved into gasoline powered vehicles. Production increased during 1913, and by 1915 there were more than 45,000 cars sold annually. The type and numbers of cars increased through the years, and in 1928, Studebaker acquired Pierce-Arrow. They began using the Commander name in the 1920s and continued to use it sporadically until the company’s demise in 1966. Studebaker had established themselves as a successful manufacturer of affordable mid-market cars that offered luxury, performance and handsome styling.

For 1929 the model was assigned to Studebaker’s middle series positioned between the range topping President and economical Dictator lines, with a choice of 26 different body styles, two lighter and more powerful engines and greater interior room courtesy of a double-dropped frame design. The Cabriolet was the third most expensive Commander model behind the upscale Brougham sedans, and was more than 20% more expensive than the basic coupe. Coded the “Count” in sales literature, the model came with Regal trim as standard, with six Budd wire wheels (dual spares in front fender coves) rather than the standard compliment of five Kelsey Hayes wooden wheels. Also included was a rear mounted trunk rack (fitted with luggage in our car’s case,) though the bumpers shown here were a $30 option.

The paint is bright and shiny, and the color scheme is both subdued and beautiful. The grille shell is in excellent condition, as are the driving lights, headlights and headlight torsion rod. 5.5×19 Wide whitewall tires are at all four corners and both spare positions, the latter held down under shiny stainless covers with correct leather straps which also hold dual rear view mirrors. The wheels themselves are body color with early 5” chrome hubcaps. The top is in great shape. Small details on cars of this era had special touches that are lost today, such as the repeating wing theme on top of the radiator cap, headlights and driving lights. These cars were built more for a purpose than for a price.

The interior is equipped for comfortable touring with supple, deeply padded tan leather upholstery while a newly upholstered rumble seat hides out back. The original wood dash is in excellent shape and holds a full complement of very handsome, art deco Stewart Warner gauges. Additional information comes via a set of VDO classic series gauges under the dash. The door panels are in great shape as is the carpeting. Handles, knobs and switchgear all present themselves as clean originals. Choke and throttle controls are on the steering wheel, and there’s an underlying feel of quality to the materials and construction used inside. This wasn’t a Model T – that’s for sure!

Under the hood is the excellent GJ series 248ci six which starts immediately. It idles smoothly thanks to the heavyweight rotating assembly and pulls smartly away from stops thanks to its 74hp rating. The motor is finished in its correct aqua, the water outlet/distribution cover is chrome, the drive belt is the correct riveted type and the generator is a proper replacement. There’s a brand new period correct horn in place and the radiator has been re-cored. The wiring harness is an aftermarket updated unit with a new fuse panel for safety (wiring wasn’t exactly a science in the 20s,) there’s an electric fuel pump under the hood for sure starts and there are new rope seals for both ends of the engine compartment lids. Although the motor runs fine as is, we tracked down an NOS distributor cap, rotor, point set and condenser for the next tune up!

We have some very interesting literature which goes with the car, as well. We have three sales brochures, a 114 page book detailing the Commander line, a number of tech diagrams and assorted technical information, the original owner’s manual, a copy of the N.A.C.C. questionnaire from 1929 concerning all of the equipment on the car and a DVD slide show featuring clips of the Commanders in pop culture, on the street and on the assembly line. The brochures themselves are also works of art – illustrated line drawings of men and women dressed impeccably, heading to or away from social gatherings. If you’re a fan of 1920s architecture, style and dress these booklets are a must have!

There are three photographs of the car taken in the spring of 1971 in San Bernardino, CA. Another nice touch are the antique plates used in England and a full color ad from the March 30, 1929 issue of The Literary Digest showing this exact color scheme, including factory pin-stripes! This ad helped solve an argument a few years ago at one of the Studebaker club meets. A number of experts claimed that Studebaker never painted a car like this, and most assuredly never painted pin-stripes on a Commander. Locating this original 1929 ad, and producing pictures of the car pre-restoration quickly ended the argument! With only three in existence, no one had ever seen like this before, so who can blame them for questioning the colors and paint scheme!

The best thing about this 1929 Commander Cabriolet is that you can drive it anywhere! This car was owned by a pre-war collector with 30 + cars, who is also a mechanic. Over the past few years, this Commander has been on numerous touring events, and has rolled up more than 2000 miles. To make this Commander more drivable, a set of gauges have been added, as well as a hidden ignition key/battery shut-off.

Studebaker built 24,639 Commanders in 18 months, with fewer than 800 Commander Roadster bodies built and a mere three remaining. It spent its early life on the West Coast of the United States, was sold to England in 1980 and was unavailable until its return in 2001 – who knows where it may end up next? This Commander has been a true world traveler! The car is in excellent shape, is fun to drive, is very rare and an excellent example of the enthusiasm of the Roaring Twenties! If you are a pre-war collector and want to pull into a show or tour and have everyone scratch their heads and ask “what’s that?”, this is your car!Add caption

Specifications
Basic
Year
1929
Make
Studebaker
Secondary Make
n/a
Model Name
Commander
Secondary Model
n/a
Vehicle Type
Passenger Car
Hobby Segment
Antique
Mileage
65935
Engine / Transmission
Engine Type
Gasoline
Engine Size
353 I6
Engine Number
n/a
Fuel Specification
n/a
Fuel Delivery System Type
n/a
Transmission Type
3 Speed Manual
Transmission Spec
n/a
Transmission Number
n/a
Misc
Entertainment System Type
n/a
Battery Location
n/a
Battery Shut Off
n/a
Battery Charger
n/a
Interior
Interior Color
Brown
Seating Type
Bench
Seat Material
Leather
Shifter Type
Floor
Center Console
No
Body
Body Style
Coupe
Doors
2
Body Color
n/a
Paint Type
n/a
Stripes
No
Chassis
Front Suspension Type
n/a
Rear Suspension Type
n/a
Axle Specification
n/a
Front Wheel Specification
n/a
Rear Wheel Specification
n/a
Front Tire Specification
n/a
Rear Tire Specification
n/a
Front Brakes Specification
n/a
Rear Brakes Specification
n/a
Spare
n/a
Exhaust Type
n/a
Muffler Type
n/a
History
Restoration Status
n/a
Mileage Since Restoration
n/a
Awards Summary
n/a
Historical Documents Summary
n/a
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