1931 Studebaker President Series 80

The Studebaker Company was formed in 1852 as a wagon manufacturer and became one of the oldest names in the automobile industry. It was son-in-law Fred Fish who had promoted the importance of the emerging automobile business. Studebaker moved slowly, first with a few electric cars and commercial vehicles, then in a partnership with Garford into gasoline vehicles. Studebaker had a large network of dealers for its wagons, and began marketing the E-M-F and Flanders automobiles, eventually in 1911 acquiring E-M-F.

Studebaker was one of the first companies to cast four and six-cylinder engines in single-piece en bloc castings. By 1926 Studebakers all were 6-cylinder powered and priced comparably with Buick's sixes of the period. By the late twenties, the company had become a successful manufacturer of mid-market cars that offered style, comfort, and luxury at an affordable price. During this time, the company made a bid for the high-end car market with the introduction of the new President powered by a high output eight-cylinder engine. According to Studebaker, the new President 'finds a parallel in sustained speed only in the light of comets, meteors, and other heavenly bodies'. By 1928, the engine's size measured 337 cubic inches and it produced 109 horsepower.

The company had a solid reputation and a quality product, but it was the engine that earned the company its pedigree in the performance arena. In 1928, three Presidents circled the Atlantic City board track for 25,000 miles, averaging 68mph. Later, in 1931, the engine was upgraded to nine main bearing construction, and a modified President won the Pike's Peak hillclimb. Even at the Indianapolis 500, Studebakers consistently finished in the top ten.

The company was still a force in the market in 1931, despite the Great Depression and what many consider to be a series of management misadventures. The company had become burdened with a diverse product line, and struggled with the acquisition of Pierce-Arrow, yet rallied around the new President model and continued to grow its performance image.

With the help of the nine main bearing engine, Studebaker held 114 records, 35 of which would still stand 35 years later. No other car of its era was as successful in motorsports competition. The competition's success helped bolster sales in the showroom, and every little bit helped during the lean year of the Depression.

The 1931 President was built on either a 'short' 130-inch wheelbase (Series 80) or a longer 136-inch platform (Series 90). Body styles on the Series 80 included a sedan and coupe priced at $1,850, a two-door state Roadster at $1,900, and a four-door State Sedan and two-door State Coupe priced at $1,950. Body styles on the larger Series 90 included a seven-passenger tourer priced at $1,850, a seven-passenger state tourer at $2,050, a seven-passenger sedan at $2,150, and a State Victoria, State Brougham, State sedan, and State Limousine at $2,250. The Model 80 four-seasons convertible roadster was a new body style for 1931.

Both the Series 80 and Series 90 were equipped with an L-head, inline eight-cylinder engine with a 337 cubic-inch displacement, a Stromberg two-barrel carburetor, nine main bearings, solid valve lifters, 5.10:1 compression ratio, and 122 horsepower at 3,200 RPM. The engine was backed by a three-speed manual transmission with a multiple dry disc clutch and floor-mounted gearshift controls. Bendix external expanding mechanical brakes were on all four wheels, as were Kelsey-Hayes wood spoke wheels. Regal and State Studebaker models wore wire-spoke wheels as standard equipment.

Along with the nine main bearing engines, additional mechanical innovations for 1931 included improved carburetion and manifolding, freewheeling, improved steering gear, and improved brakes with cable control (a mid-year introduction). The President wore a larger radiator cap, a vee-shaped radiator, 'veed' single bar bumper, oval-shaped headlights, and parking lamps on the front fenders.

Standard equipment on the President models included Houdaille shock absorbers and spring covers, ball bearing spring shackles, non-shatterable glass, windshield wiper, cigar lighter, ignition lock, speedometer, gas gauge, thermometer, freewheeling, and tail and stoplight.

Between June of 1930 to September of 1931, Studebaker built approximately 6,340 examplse of the Presdient Series 80 and approximately 2,762 examples of the President Series 90.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2021