DIOCCUSA: A Pointier Land Cruiser

"Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available" (whoistheleader2) 06/25/2020 at 10:45 • Filed to: land cruiser, Studebaker, DIOCCUSA, Old Car City USA

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This pointy old Studebaker Land Cruiser, yes, a Land Cruiser, is rotting away !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

The !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! for this car is much less complete than that of the more recognized coupe version, the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . The third generation of Studebaker’s full sized sedan enjoyed a long run from 1947 to 1952, playing off being one of the first post WWII designs to market.

I can’t read the script on the right side of the bullet nose. “Studebaker” what?

This car features the unique “spinner” grille design, pinning this one as a 1950-1952.

The first picture really looks like a coupe but as you can see it is a sedan. Boasting suicide doors and a tall upright profile, the pre war influence is apparent. The Big Three went a very different direction with their post war cars that makes the Land Cruiser stand out today but perhaps aged it prematurely in its time.

I believe that is another land Cruiser besides it in the above photo. Quarters were tight and good photography was pretty difficult.

The interior is pretty destroyed but you can see evidence what used to be a pretty stylish design. Dash mounted mirrors were not quite on their way out yet so it is interesting to see an example of when such a design was commonplace. I wonder what the button in front of the mirror stand on the top of the dash was for. Perhaps heater controls? Push in for power and twist to adjust the air? Or maybe that opened a fresh air vent below the windscreen.

Actually, all the controls seem pretty interesting. The AM radio appears to have preset buttons, which must have been pretty futuristic. The handle control is somewhat enigmatic. Wipers? Three gauge clusters must also stood out.

I wonder why the gas filler cap is so oblong. I assume it has an internal catch to open it.

I’ve filed this to “Land Cruiser” to annoy all the Toyota guys FYI. Studebaker was here first. Clearly Toyota was blatantly playing off the legendary reputation of Studebaker to sell their 4x4s.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 06/25/2020 at 10:52

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I believe the script at the right of the ‘bullet nose’ says ‘Commander’?

Guessing ‘Land Cruiser’ was a trim level for the Commander, maybe?

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 06/25/2020 at 11:10

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Perhaps you are right. Maybe Commander was the name of the Sedan and the Land Cruiser was a trim. I had thought it was more like the 55 Chevy Bel Aire vs 55 Chevy 210 which are the same body with different names and different levels of luxury.

“Studebaker Commander Land Cruiser” is a mouthful but it wouldn’t make sense to include the script on the hood if that were not the case. 

50ford500 > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 06/25/2020 at 11:10

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I always thought those were extremely handsome little cars. 

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 06/25/2020 at 11:13

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>bulletnose stude beyond saving

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 06/25/2020 at 11:19

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We could all use more bullet nose in our life. Indeed.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > 50ford500 06/25/2020 at 11:21

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Distinctive well proportioned little cars. They really are masterpieces. 

punkgoose17 > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 06/25/2020 at 11:31

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I believe the trim levels went:

Scottsman

Champion

Commander

Commander Landcruiser (longer wheel base)

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > punkgoose17 06/25/2020 at 11:34

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Fascinating. So this was a top trim long wheelbase sedan? I thought the Champion was coupe only so what was the Scottsman?

It is still the world’s pointiest Land Cruiser so that is a victory.

Jim Spanfeller > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 06/25/2020 at 11:36

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Ah, a Studebaker in its natural habitat. A bear.

Wait, that’s not right...

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jim Spanfeller 06/25/2020 at 11:40

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A bullet nose’s natural habitat should be a car show but sadly this one will just rust away. It would be a real bear to restore.

A Commander’s natural habitat is Cruising the Land. This is a Commander Land Cruiser. Coincidence? No.

Jim Spanfeller > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 06/25/2020 at 11:42

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Besides, I don’t think any of the cars at Old Car City U.S.A. are for sale, are they? So really, all the cars there are doomed.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jim Spanfeller 06/25/2020 at 11:44

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Yes, they are all doomed. Even the Caravelle. This Land Cruiser’s cruising days are over. It has seen more dirt than most Toyotas of the same name I know of.

punkgoose17 > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 06/25/2020 at 11:51

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Champion was pretty much the base version w/ less chrome and options than a Commander.

A Sco tsman was a stripped down cheap model. It ended up selling really well. I just checked , it is a ‘ 57 and ‘ 58 trim only, so it was the 5th gen not the 3rd gen.

Bylan - Hoarder of LS400's > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 06/25/2020 at 14:56

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Such an awesome design, love Studebaker’ s. A nd its near torture knowing the masses of cool quirky old cars, that DONT have a ridiculous cult following, are going to rot away back into the earth.

I’ m 23 and I’ m definitely already an old ass man.

50ford500 > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 06/26/2020 at 00:13

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Indeed. Bullet nose Studebakers and shoebox fords (of which as my username implies im a big fan of) are really what I think about when I think of 50’s cars. Not the tired old Tri year Chevy or their ilk. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > 50ford500 06/26/2020 at 00:17

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Yes, this epitomized the era. I love the early post war cars in particular. I feel like we need to get back to those honest upright proportions.

50ford500 > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 06/26/2020 at 18:03

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Agreed totally. My 50 still looks a lot like that one there except being bright red, detrimmed on the side and running a Caddy500 under the hood. Funny enough it was my first real car and I’ve owned it since I was 15

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > 50ford500 06/26/2020 at 18:09

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Wow, you still have your first car. Good for you. How old was it then when you got it? I'm picturing it being around the 35 year old mark or older.

50ford500 > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 06/27/2020 at 11:32

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Yeah It was about 45  when I got it. I was 15 at the time and I got it in the summer of 95 and I’m almost 40 now. Of course it was a total wreck when I got it so it had to be revived from the dead.