Joyce and I were watching the history channel the other day. We both enjoy the show 'American Pickers.' We are continually amazed at how much those guys pay for things collectors and hoarders have in barns, warehouses and their homes. One episode the guys were picking a collector who had several buildings and warehouses mostly filled with old Studebaker cars and trucks. I admit I have always loved them myself. My first car was a $100 1955 Studebaker Commander with a V-8 engine and a 3 speed column shift. That car would practically fly it was so fast and believe me I tried to make that happen. I went through a set of tires in about two thousand miles by smoking those tires constantly. Those of you who know me now might find that difficult to imagine, but it is true.
Right now a 55 Commander basic junker is worth about $9000 and a restored one above $30,000. My big mistake was ever selling that car. Funny thing about that car was that my ignition key also fit my grandpa's 55 Plymouth and my dad's 53 Chrysler. My key would open the other car's doors and ignitions. It makes me wonder how frequent that sort of thing happened in the fifties.
One other car I had and never should have sold was a 1951 Henry J Kaiser shown below. Mine looked just like this one below.
I paid $50 for mine, now they sell for as high as $20,000 for a hot rod model. The Henry J was a popular car for people building a hot rod in the sixties. They were light weight and had a big enough engine compartment for a big V-8 engine. My 6 cylinder had enough open space I have stood between the engine and the fender wall. Many guys would put an Oldsmobile rocket 88 engine in them and of course a blower or a supercharger on the carburetor.
I had to sell everything when I enlisted in the navy. $70 a month didn't go too far, mom and dad didn't want cars sitting around the house and I don't blame them for that. I would buy either car today if I could afford either one. I would prefer the Studebaker.
On the 'American Pickers' show Mike Wolf bought a 64 Studebaker Avanti and had it semi-restored. His had a supercharged V-8 with a 4 speed transmission. They showed a short video of him racing around in his rocket ship Avanti. The 64 Avanti broke all speed records then with a 172 mph run. I can't be sure, but I have doubts that any production car today would beat that, if so it wouldn't be by much. All cars get pretty light at that speed and dangerous to drive anywhere near that speed.
Copyright Bill Weber 2006-2019 and beyond.
Right now a 55 Commander basic junker is worth about $9000 and a restored one above $30,000. My big mistake was ever selling that car. Funny thing about that car was that my ignition key also fit my grandpa's 55 Plymouth and my dad's 53 Chrysler. My key would open the other car's doors and ignitions. It makes me wonder how frequent that sort of thing happened in the fifties.
One other car I had and never should have sold was a 1951 Henry J Kaiser shown below. Mine looked just like this one below.
I paid $50 for mine, now they sell for as high as $20,000 for a hot rod model. The Henry J was a popular car for people building a hot rod in the sixties. They were light weight and had a big enough engine compartment for a big V-8 engine. My 6 cylinder had enough open space I have stood between the engine and the fender wall. Many guys would put an Oldsmobile rocket 88 engine in them and of course a blower or a supercharger on the carburetor.
I had to sell everything when I enlisted in the navy. $70 a month didn't go too far, mom and dad didn't want cars sitting around the house and I don't blame them for that. I would buy either car today if I could afford either one. I would prefer the Studebaker.
On the 'American Pickers' show Mike Wolf bought a 64 Studebaker Avanti and had it semi-restored. His had a supercharged V-8 with a 4 speed transmission. They showed a short video of him racing around in his rocket ship Avanti. The 64 Avanti broke all speed records then with a 172 mph run. I can't be sure, but I have doubts that any production car today would beat that, if so it wouldn't be by much. All cars get pretty light at that speed and dangerous to drive anywhere near that speed.
Copyright Bill Weber 2006-2019 and beyond.
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