PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CAR IS CURRENTLY BEING SOLD ON THE "HEMMINGS" AUCTION WEBSITE & THERE IS A LINK TO THE AUCTION ON OUR "AUCTIONS" PAGE.
West Coast Classics are proud to present an extraordinarily well presented and great daily driving and beautifully restored as required over the years example of this very striking top-of-the-line model for 1955 Studebaker President State Speedster 2 Door Hardtop 259 V8 with an automatic transmission and power steering with a beautiful repaint in 'Velvet Black' paint with the interior restored to factory correct specs in 'Ivory' with a new headliner and all the chrome re-plated. The floor boards, trunk and all the typical rust-prone areas are solid and rust-free.
The car looks extremely impressive with a very striking 'Velvet Black' repaint with the 'Ivory' interior also having been restored as required in to original factory specifications throughout with the dashboard, the headliner, the carpets and all the seats having been restored and in exceptional condition throughout and the car has all new chrome!
The original factory correct high performance rendition of the Studebaker small block V8 was now bored out to 259 cid and this engine is extremely strong and powerful and this particular car drives very well - must be driven to be fully appreciated - a truly remarkable daily driver that will give any modern day sports car a run for it's money! The Speedster featured quilted pattern leather and vinyl upholstery, power steering, power brakes, and the 'Starline' 6 tube or optional 8 tube radio, heater, windshield washer, electric clock, hubcaps, full wheel covers, whitewall tires, deluxe steering wheel, front & rear armrests, dual sunvisors, automatic dome & courtesy lights, rear quarter panel stainless trim & full carpeting and a full complement of White on Black instruments set into a dash with an engine turned tooled metal applique with this particular example having been ordered with a padded vinyl dashboard top which was a safety feature.
The Studebaker Speedster was an automobile produced by the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana during the 1955 model year. The vehicle was considered Studebaker's halo model for the 1955 season and the top-of-the-line for the years revived President series. Studebaker had previously used the Speedster name in the early 1920s, and was a marketing strategy revival of the President during that time. The Speedster was a member of the President series, and was based on President hardtop coupe. For 1955, the company heavily restyled its models to incorporate a larger front bumper and a massive chrome grille more in keeping with American cars of the era.
An initial run of twenty Speedsters was made to be displayed at car shows for the 1955 model year. Reaction to the show cars caused Studebaker's management to put the car into production mid-year and offer it for the rest of the model year, after which it was replaced by the previously planned Hawk series. It allowed the company to offer a competitor to the Ford Thunderbird and Chrysler 300. Power came from Studebaker's 259 cubic inches (4.2 L) V8 engine producing 185 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque.
The 1955 President Speedster was loaded with standard equipment including: choice of Studebaker Automatic Drive or overdrive transmissions, power steering, power brakes, power front seat adjustment, four-barrel carburetor, dual exhaust, "Shoemaker-stitched" diamond-quilted genuine top-grain leather seating, carpeting front and rear, a map pocket (but no glove box) a six or optional eight-tube push-button radio, an machine turned instrument panel with a Stewart-Warner 160 mph speedometer and an 8,000 rpm tachometer, hill holder, 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, simulated wire wheel covers and fog-light within the bumperettes. There was also Speedster-specific trim including a hood-length hood ornament, stainless roof band, Speedster nameplates and checkered emblems as well as chrome-plated ashtrays, rear-view mirror, moldings and tailpipe extensions. They also came in 2- and 3-tone paint jobs, the most famous of which was Hialeah Green & Sun Valley Yellow, called "Lemon/Lime" by the public. The green was a gold flake metallic. Studebaker produced 2,215 Speedsters during the 1955 model year.
In summary, this particular example is a beautifully restored example in a very striking color combination with both cosmetics and mechanics attended to in great daily driving and turn-key ready to enjoy today condition and a simply fabulous example of this increasingly desirable and collectible top-of-the-line and desirably optioned 1955 Studebaker President State Speedster V8 2 Door hardtop!
