Vehicle Description
Established in 1852 with roots in wagon manufacture, Studebaker
ranked among the world's longest-running automakers through 1966.
The company's post-WW II years were particularly vibrant, with the
company beating the "Big Three" with the "First by Far with a
Postwar Car" with its redesigned 1947 models, styled by future
legend Virgil Exner for Raymond Loewy Studios. Sleek and
modernistic, the new Studebakers struck a chord with buyers and
spurred sales to new heights. Studebaker's bold new cars drove it
to a solid eighth-place sales ranking for 1949, before settling
into a steady ninth as the other automakers' production levels
began catching up with buyer demand and new designs were
introduced. Continuing among America's remaining independent
automobile manufacturers, Studebaker introduced its own automatic
transmission for 1950, developed in conjunction with Borg-Warner.
For 1951, Studebaker beat its mid-priced competitors to market with
its modern new V-8 engine, a sturdy and efficient overhead-valve
design that would remain in production for more than a decade. One
of Studebaker's most attractively styled postwar model lines
arrived for 1953 through 1955, styled by Robert Bourke, again for
Raymond Loewy Associates. Despite its many strengths and fiercely
loyal customer base, Studebaker merged with Packard in 1955 in the
hope that the combined entity would compete against the
overwhelming might of the "Big Three." Against this backdrop,
Studebaker developed a new Grand Touring-themed "halo" model dubbed
the Speedster, based on the top-echelon President State series,
with production encouraged by a batch of twenty cars that drew rave
reviews on the show circuit. Studebaker's move into the growing
"Personal Luxury" market was logical, given the emergence of
younger and more affluent buyers seeking sportier automobiles, plus
the presence of the Corvette, C-300, and Thunderbird from archrival
marques Chevrolet, Chrysler, and Ford. A special one-year-only
model for 1955, the President Speedster was a sleek two-door
hardtop coupe on the "long" 120.5-inch wheelbase chassis.
Sophisticated design cues included a dashing C-pillar treatment,
reminiscent of contemporary designs from Italian design houses
including Ghia and Pinin Farina. Ample power came via the
185-horsepower 259 cubic-inch Studebaker V-8 engine with
four-barrel carburetion and dual exhaust outlets, exclusive to the
President. Speedster features and amenities were numerous,
including "Shoemaker-stitched," diamond-pleated upholstery in
top-grain leather, plus front and rear carpeting, a map pocket, and
eight-tube pushbutton AM radio, a striking machine-turned
instrument panel, and full instrumentation including a
Stewart-Warner 160 mph speedometer and 8,000 rpm tachometer. Other
highlights of the fully equipped President Speedster included
turn-signal indicators, an electric clock, tinted glass, a
cigarette lighter, oil filter and oil-bath air cleaner, dual backup
lamps, triple horns, two-speed electric wipers, tubeless whitewall
tires, wire-basket wheel covers, bumperettes, and fog lamps. With
base pricing at $3,253, the President Speedster was Studebaker's
most expensive model when new, and production was limited to 2,215
examples for 1955 only, divided between 1,795 from South Bend,
Indiana and 420 from Studebaker's Los Angeles assembly plant. This
outstanding 1955 President Speedster has been with one devoted
custodian for the past 27 years, a lifelong Studebaker enthusiast,
his father was the Studebaker dealer near Bisbee, Arizona from
post-World War II through the end of production. In January 1955, a
new President Speedster in this very color combination sat at his
father's dealership, and he vowed to have one someday. That time
finally came in 1996 when he acquired this car from Mr. Harold
Goepferich of Dallas Center, Iowa, who was believed to be the
second owner. Mr. Goepferich restored the Studebaker in the
factory-correct tri-tone color scheme of Conestoga White roof,
Pimlico Grey Metallic upper surfaces, and Coral body sides - a
particularly fetching combination. The most recent owner had
full-body paint protection film (PPF) applied to ensure the paint
stays as beautiful as ever. In addition to the standard Speedster
features listed above, this example adds factory-equipped options
including twin side mirrors, power brakes, and power steering. The
Congo Ivory interior presents in excellent condition with restored
seats in the correct diamond stitching motif complementing
preserved original grey door and interior panels. The original
radio remains in place and the fittings and controls all appear to
be excellent originals. The spacious and comfortable interior gave
the Speedster an advantage over the competition, allowing room for
five while appealing to the sporting driver with its purposeful
race-inspired gauges and engine-turned alloy fascia. The trunk is
properly detailed with original tartan mats, and spare wheel cover.
Appropriately, the Speedster is powered by the highly detailed,
numbers-matching Passmaster 259 cubic-inch V8 engine backed up by
an automatic transmission. The engine compartment is tidy and well
detailed, with the optional oil bath air cleaner and correct
decals. The engine runs strong, and the car is simply a pleasure to
drive. Proudly offered in exceptional condition, this exceedingly
rare and beautiful 1955 Studebaker President Speedster is a
compelling find for collectors and enthusiasts of postwar
automotive design icons. Offers welcome and trades considered For
additional details please view this listing directly on our website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/7680-1955-studebaker-president-speedster/
