Fort Worth, TX | USA
$5,000
/ USDDescription
1949 Studebaker Commander in fair condition. Runs and drives but still needs a fair bit of work. Frame and body are in fair condition. Engine has new head gasket, water pump, and the carb has been completely gone through. Has a new gas tank that was made by the previous owner. Seats are good for their age, headliner is gone, has door cards. Tires are old and dry rotted except one new one. It’s a 3 speed with overdrive. I’ve been able to drive it anywhere around town but again there’s things tha...
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Our Take:
- A Slice of Post-War Americana: The 1949 Studebaker Commander is quite a relic from the post-World War II era when American car manufacturers were wrestling with peacetime production. Studebaker was known for its innovative designs, and the 1949 model introduced the "bullet nose" styling, which would become a design hallmark (though it’s more apparent in the 1950 models). This car reflects the transition from war-focused production to the consumer-driven market that shaped the '50s automobile scene.
- Engineering Innovation: Underneath its sleek exterior, the Commander was among the first to feature a "longer, lower, and wider" body design. That three-speed manual transmission with overdrive is essentially offering a bona fide history lesson on technological advancements of the era. It's like stepping back to a time when cruising referred to more than just a pleasant drive on a scenic road.
- Rare Bird in Modern Times: Though not as rare as its older siblings from the pre-war period, finding a Commander from this era in any condition is becoming increasingly uncommon. Most have either succumbed to the rigors of time or been supplanted by their more famous muscle-bound descendants of the '60s. This one, with its homemade gas tank and a nicely revived engine, is like a quest for an automotive archaeologist.
- Fixer-Upper with Potential: The fact that it needs work and still runs is both a caution and an invitation—it’s a restoration project waiting for a passionate enthusiast. The new head gasket and water pump suggest that someone’s put some serious love into keeping it alive. Those dry-rotted tires might mean you can’t just put the pedal to the metal, but they’re a small hurdle towards resurrecting a piece of history.
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