1956 Studebaker President Sedan

Studebaker emerged from World War II, boasting it was ''First by Far with a Postwar Car,' introducing their new Starlight coupe in 1947. The new model wore styling courtesy of Virgil Exner while at Raymond Loewy Studios. Sales surged steadily upward to levels not seen before the war, bringing the company into eighth place in sales for 1949. As other automakers continued to catch up, Studebaker settled into a steady ninth. Studebaker continued to compete, introducing its own automatic transmission design for 1950, developed in conjunction with Borg-Warner. During that same year, their cars received styling updates that included an aircraft-inspired 'bullet nose' design (which would prove to be a controversial design). In 1958, a modern V-8 engine was introduced, featuring an overhead-valve design that would remain in production for over a decade.

The 'bullet nose' styling theme was dropped from Studebaker's line-up in 1952. For 1953, Raymond Loewy Studios' Robert E. Bourke designed the Starliner hardtop, which would form the cornerstone of Studebaker body designs through 1961. In 1956, the styling was updated with a raised trunk lid and a square, egg-crate grille.

This particular 1956 Studebaker President is finished in a black and white two-tone paint scheme. It is powered by a 289 cubic-inch V-8 engine mated to a standard transmission with overdrive. It has the original floors, trunk, and sheet metal. It has remained essentially stock in overall appearance, though it has been given replacement parts as needed.

By Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2015