1955 Studebaker

SPEEDSTER Coupe

8 - Cyl.

Automatic

7160550

Clear

Gasoline

The Owners: This well documented rare, rust free,1955 President Speedster was bought new in California at David Bricker, Inc, dealership, Hollywood, by Mary Brian in February 1955. Mary( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Brian) was a historically significant Hollywood actress. Her first acting gig was in 1923 as Wendy in Peter Pan (an early talkie). She appeared in 82 Hollywood movies before her last appearance in the 1955 TV sitcom Meet Corliss Archer. Several videotapes of her movies are included, glamour shots, etc. Google her She owned the car until she entered a nursing home in 2000, and died on December 30,in 2002 at age 96, in Del Mar, , the day I paid for the car --weird--Mary Brian was a founding member of the ScreenActor's Guild and appeared with leading men of the time, WC. Fields, Gary Cooper, Dick Powell,Douglas Fairbanks, and was engaged to Cary Grant. She was a hottie. Her Husband, until his death in 1955 ,was George Tomasini (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Tomasini), who was nominated for an Academy Award for his editing in Hitchcock's North by Northwest -1959. Tomasini was Hitchcock's main editor for many movies (Rear Window, Psycho,,Vertigo, The Birds, Cape Fear). The second Speedster,owner, 44 years later, was Mary's Godson, Stuart Erwin Jr, the son of actor Stuart Erwin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Erwin) and Mary's bestfriend, actress June Collyer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_Collyer), a famous TV executive in his own right. Stuart, graduated Beverly Hills High 1950, and lusted after this car from the day his Godmother bought it. Stuart started as a producer with Ed Sullivan Show, VP of Universal Television,(Marcus Welby, It Takes a Thief, McCloud, Ironside), later Chairman and Managing Director of Universal Pictures, Television (Hill St Blues, Remington Steele, St Elsewhere) and in semi retirement an executive with PBS in Southern California. He spared no expense circa 2003 spending over $40,000 in restoration. Famed Hot Rods and Custom Stuff of Escondido, California, Receipts included, too much too list , but over 36,000 by this vendor alone. excluding new interior and dash. New Dash was custom made by the only guy that can Phantom autoworks. Third owner- I(http://www.tomstrongman.com/ClassicCars/RobBallard/Index.htm) bought the car in 2003 and have finished the restoration, new interior , dash, etc. The car has been driven judiciously used for its health and only in perfect weather in Kansas since 2003. The Studebaker Company: Fun history. Bidders, not tire kickers, can receive a more detailed published article about this car by e-mail. The immigration of the Stutenbeckers led to the H and C Studebaker Blacksmith Shop opening in South Bend in 1852. The Studebakers (Americanized name) were first famous for being the world's largest producer of Wagons, The only wagon company to make it after horse and buggys ended(1852-1920), ultimately becoming at one time the third biggest car maker in America, but the company gasped out of competitiveness after merger with Packard in 1954. Studebaker was always an industry leader. The 1929 depression ledti the suicide of its CEO/President and sale of its prized Pierce Arrow acquisition. By 1947 Packard, Kaiser Nash, Studebaker, and Hudson had 20% of the market, by 1954--6% was left for the 5 independents. Many mark this period as the begining of the decline of the US auto industry-now dominated by what would become to be known as "the big three".. As such a high price the Speedster was at best to be a Halo product for Studebaker. Despite some later successes and innovations, (Golden Hawk, Avanti the gas sipping Larks). The Los Angeles plant closed in 1956. The company lost money to 1958 when Packard sadly closed.The last Studebaker plant gasped to a close in 1966 in Canada, though various iterations of the Avanti remained until 1991.Loewy dessigned the timeless Avanti as well as the Speedster. The Speedster: Designed by French born iconic industrial designer Raymond Loewy (http://www.raymondloewy.com/. This was the most expensive ($3,253)Studebaker made at the time and did not see a higher price until the 1957 Turbo Golden Hawk (+$29.00), that in fact has many common parts with this Speedster. Engine turned dash, (Replaced by me new a few years ago at great expense) Stewart Warner Gauges, a 160 MPHSpeedo,8000 RPM tach, Gobs of Chrome and Stainless Steel, dual back-up lights, foglights incorporated in the Bumperettes, electric windows, "Shoemaker-stitched" diamond-quilted genuine top-grain leather seating,carpeting front and rear, a map pocket, an eight-tube radio, a in a strikingengine-turned facing, turn signals, electric clock, tinted glass, cigarette lighter, oil filter and oil bath air cleaner, dual backup lamps, triple horns, two-speed electric wipers, tubeless whitewall tires and wire Kelsey Hayes styled wheel covers, fstainless roof band, specific trim includinga hood-length hood ornament, Speedster nameplates and checkered emblems,and chrome-plated ashtrays, rear-view mirror, moldings and tailpipe extensions. Shop manuals,sales literature, and an original owners manual included...as well as the original sales papers from original purchase in 1955 These don't come around every day., only 2215 ever in a1 year production run, perhaps only hundreds left in the world. and no doubt a very rare car and getting rarer by the minute. Powered by a Passmaster 259 V8 with 185 HP, dual exhaust, startling power brakes, duo tone color paint, new wire wheel covers, diamond pattern leather,. 1,795 were produced in South bend and only364 with this Congo Ivory and Pimlico Gray Metallic color scheme. This Speedster was a product of the deperate sales situation described above. Slated for only 2,215 copies a home run would at best stimulate showroom sales, not turn around a floundering car maker. The merger of Packard and Studebaker, former dynamos, did not turn fortunes around. Only 600 Speedsters were cautiously made (426 in the parakeet color scheme) to gaugepublic and dealer reaction before committing to the full 2,215. This car wasin the top 6 in power to weight ratio for American cars at 19.02 lbs per HP in 1955. Many have described this Speedster as ..."the very first American muscle car..." In February 1955 Motor life rated its brakes as "the most startling performance ever encountered in road testing" Shipping, Will deliver free on my trailer up to 500 miles to winning bidder, or 2.40 per mile thereafter mile or help you arrange shipping, including internationally, but at buyers expense. I can show you a similar car went at Barratt a few years back for over $43,000 in 2004. search Barett Jackson lot 128.