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1958 Studebaker President

Studebaker was among the world's oldest automakers, and they made great progress following the end of World War II, boasting it was 'First by Far with a Postwar Car.' In 1947, the company introduced the dramatic new Starlight coupe styled by Virgil Exner while at Raymond Loewy Studios. Initially, sales surged steadily upward to levels not witnessed before the war, earning the company eighth place in sales for 1949, before settling into a steady ninth as the other automakers' production caught up with demand and new designs debuted.

Alone among the independent manufacturers, Studebaker introduced its own automatic transmission design in 1950, developed in conjunction with Borg-Warner. Its cars received a facelift that year with an aircraft-inspired 'bullet nose' design. A modern V-8 engine followed in 1951, with a modern overhead-valve design that would remain in production for more than a decade. The controversial 'bullet nose' styling theme was dropped in 1952, and then in 1953, Raymond Loewy Studios' Robert E. Bourke designed the attractive and sleek Starliner hardtop, which formed the cornerstone of Studebaker body design through 1961.

Studebaker merged with Packard in October of 1954, and following this ill-fated venture, Studebaker continued to refine its automobiles with an upscale, performance-oriented theme. Styling changes followed in 1956 highlighted by a square, egg-crate grille, and a raised trunk lid.

The fourth and final generation of President nameplate was introduced in 1955, applied to all premium-trimmed vehicles. The 1958 Studebaker lineup consisted of the Champion and Silver Hawk Six series, the Commander and Silver Hawk 259, and the President, Silver Hawk 289, and Golden Hawk.

The President was offered as either a sedan or hardtop sedan. A single Deluxe Station wagon was built on the President line. The sedan was the most popular with 3,570 examples sold, with 1,171 of the two-door hardtop sedans. Power was from an overhead valve 289 CID V-8 with solid valve lifters, five main bearings, and a Carter four-barrel president, and it delivered 224 horsepower at 4,500 RPM. A three-speed manual transmission with a column-mounted gearshift as standard equipment.

1958 was the final year for the Studebaker President as Studebaker began focusing on the company Studebaker Lark.

by Dan Vaughan

HardTop Sedan

The Starlight Hardtop was Studebaker's top-of-the-line model in 1958. Studebaker called it 'a star of the first magnitude in the constellation of Studebaker-Packard automobiles.' Created on a shoestring budget, the 1958 Starlight seemed very up-to-date with quad headlamps, rear fender fins, and an airy hardtop roofline. With a wheelbase of 120.5 inches and an overall length of 206 inches, the Starlight offered spacious interior seating and a roomy trunk.

With a four-barrel carburetor and dual exhaust, the 'Sweepstakes 289' V8 engine was rated at an impressive 225 horsepower. There was an unusual amount of specific engineering and tooling required for this one-year-only model, but the final product is stately and distinctive.

This particular 1958 Studebaker President was completely restored in 2018 and made its show debut at the 40th annual Concours d'Elegance of America.

This car, one of just 1,171 Starlight Hardtop Coupes, was built on January 7, 1958, in South Bend, Indiana, and shipped to a dealer in Indiana, Pennsylvania. It was ordered with a full roster of optional equipment, including automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, whitewall tires, and turn signals. It also has the available 15-inch spoked wheel covers. The car is painted in authentic Parchment White with gold metallic accents on the roof and tailfins.

The Studebaker Company was formed in 1852 as a wagon manufacturer and eventually changed to automotive production, making them one of the oldest names in the automobile industry. They were in the automotive business from 1902 through 1966, a total of 64 years. They produced electric-powered cars for the first two years and introduced gasoline power in 1904. During the 1920s, they produced vehicles in the mid-priced range and showed great promise during the late 1920s. In 1927 Studebaker moved up-market and into the luxury car segment with their President model line. The President was given a powerful eight-cylinder engine that was worthy of the elegant coachwork that it carried. The engine earned Studebaker a reputation in power, performance, and endurance. In 1931 a Studebaker President outfitted with a nine-bearing engine won the Pikes Peak hillclimb.

The Studebaker President stayed in production until 1942 and later reappeared in 1955 and discontinued again in 1958. The first Studebaker was built on July 23rd, 1926, and was given the internal name the ES. The goal of the President was to be the finest, most powerful, dependable, and most luxurious car on the American market. By establishing land speed records in the late 1920's and early 1930's, the President cemented its name in the performance department. The powerful nine-bearing eight-cylinder engine captured 114 records, 35 of which would stand for 35 years. The long bodies meant there was plenty of interior room for the passengers, and no expense was spared when creating these automotive marvels.

In 1935 the Studebakers could be purchased with a steel sliding roof allowing passengers to enjoy the open air and picturesque views. Sales reached 2305 examples most with a selling price of around $1,529. Some of the optional equipment included exterior mounted chrome salon horns, chrome radiator mascot, two side-mounted spare tires, foot hassocks in the rear compartment, Startix automatic starting system, full automatic spark control and chock, overdrive with synchronized shifting, full cushioned power seats, special 4-spoke phantom type steering wheel.

The suspension was improved in 1936, with all Studebakers being equipped with the Startix suspension system. In 1937 a semi-automatic 'Miracle-Shift' transmission was offered, which featured a dashboard-mounted shifter. In 1939 the shift lever was moved to the steering wheel column, and the 'Miracle-Shift' unit was discontinued.

Raymond Loewy joined Studebaker as a design consultant near the close of the 1930s. His influence and designs can be seen on the later 1930 model Presidents.

In 1941 Studebaker offered a premium trim level President, named the Skyway President. This automobile had full fender skirts that enclosed the car's rear wheels, adding unique styling and improving aerodynamics. These examples were only offered for a short time, as the President line was discontinued in 1942.

The President name reappeared in 1955 and stayed in production until 1958.

The President Speedster was a one-year special edition car based on the 1953 Starliner. Ironically, the 1953 car had virtually no chrome, while the Speedster had chrome virtually everywhere. Three-toning was optional on the Speedster. It was the predecessor to the 1956 Hawk series.

In 1956 the Loewy Euro-style Studebaker was reskinned to look more American. The dashboard was totally redesigned with a 'Cyclops Eye' speedometer sitting atop it. The President Classic had a longer wheelbase than the standard President line, and it also had a more powerful engine. Despite the improvements, 1956 was a disastrous sales year for Studebaker.

The President Starlight hardtop was produced for only one year, 1958. The Starlight was complete with chrome and fins, but it was still based on the old 1953 body shell. The narrowness of the body prevented the use of conventional quad headlights, so Studebaker restored to a 'pod' design where the lights bulged out slightly on the sides of the car.

by Dan Vaughan