JOYRIDE SERIES - S1 EP7 | 1953 Studebaker Commander Starliner

The ALL NEW for 1953 Commander Starliner by Studebaker! Studebaker scoops the entire American automotive industry in 1953 with the way-ahead-of-its-time, supreme styling of the Commander Starliner. This exquisite Bombay red and Salem white beauty may well be the finest example in the known universe…Behold the glory…I KNOW !!!

[BlueSky...]

I remember seeing a 1953 Studebaker Commander coupe once for 3k. Wish I'd bought it.

[davidallen]

One of the most attractive Studebakers of all time!

[wadekempd]

My father graduated art school in 1954 and purchased a Studebaker Commander Starliner from the dealer in West Memphis, Arkasas. He originally planned to buy it in Memphis, Tennessee, but the dealer blew him off as a kid who was just dreaming. My parents married and moved to Miami, Florida soon after, where dad began his career in advertising. I was born in 1960 and was driven home in this car. Throughout the 60's this car was my mothers daily driver. I can remember mom and I driving in the front seat (no seatbelts), mom smoking and shifting that column shifter. Whenever she'd brake hard, she'd stiff arm my chest (who needs seatbelts?) My very earliest memory is of being about 3 years old and somehow sneaking out of the house and immediately going over to the car and lifting the fuel door up and smelling the intoxicating smell of leaded gas! In the 70's both my brother Forrest and I took turns driving it to high school. I can remember one day driving way too fast and cresting the only hill in Coconut Grove, only to pass my father going the opposite direction. Kind of hard to look innocent when you get busted doing 70 in a 35, driving a bright yellow '54 Stude. Yes I got lectured, but still got to keep my driving privileges. In the early 80's dad had the car painted black. Not long after he told me that he was going to sell the car. I was really sad about it. Soon thereafter my birthday came around and my folks asked me what I wanted for my B day present. Normally gifts were either not given or were very basic and inexpensive. I took a deep breath and gathered my courage and said " what I'd REALLY like is your Studebaker!" I nearly fainted when he said yes. In the mid 80's I drove cross country by myself and had a few adventures along the way. Somewhere west of Fort Stockton, TX I got pulled over by a trooper who said he paced me going nearly 100 MPH. He asked what was under the hood and I told him it was a stock. The cop was cool and also really liked the car so he let me go with NO citation! Today, I am almost 61 years old. I still own the car, but it sadly sits in my garage, not running. Logically, I should get rid of it as I can't afford to put it back on the road, but I just cannot bring myself to part with it. I tell myself, "Maybe someday..."

[swabby]

My high school best pal's father owned one of these with the same color scheme. It was his daily driver for many years. It was amazingly comfortable and smooth handling. I rode in it countless times in the late 1960s.

[Porschedriver]

You could do a 30 minute video just on that Dealer Guidebook!
I knoooowwww! 🤣

[randorific]

The styling of this car is so amazing. Hard to believe this is from 1953. Beats every other American car for styling for that year IMO.

[waynel]

Love this guy. Cracks me up while being informative and enjoyable to watch and listen to. Great voice!!!!

[icewaterslim]

Now you are stylin' in a Raymond Loewy forerunner to the Hawks. Sleek enough for a Salt Flats classic and ahead of it's era with a near timeless presence.. That's a really nice one too.

[bozodog]

What a beauty! Thanks for sharing Charles.

[winstonelston]

3:08 Designed by Bob Bourke, an employee within Raymond Loewy's design firm. Loewy spotted the Starliner sketches and presented them to Studebaker. Yeah, other designers within Loewy's organization refined the shape and feasibility for production, but Bourke had the idea.

[dannork]

Someday my Studebaker will be this nice. And I’d love to have a passenger as excited about it as Mr Phoenix! I’m glad I found this channel, all the videos are super fun to watch!

[jamesleathers]

So far ahead of its time. I wish I could afford one as I am a 53 model myself. Come on Lotto numbers !

[stephendavidbailey]

Studebaker used this chassis in an amazing variety of models. Avanti, Gran Turismo Hawk, President, the 1957 and 1958 Packard, the Lark - right up to the bitter end in 1966. Fantastically beautiful and exciting styling. Thank you, Charles.

[alanblanes]

You have your values very well sorted on the subject of S T U D E B A K ER...

[MajTom-wdyt]

I WANT BUT where's the engine?

Dad loved Studebakers. We had four during my teenage years.
 I learned to drive on a 53 Commander V8 stick shift. Never forgot that car. He even let me cool it up. 3" lowering blocks, spun aluminum Bonneville moon hubcaps, glasspac duel exhaust, 3 on the floor and of course the Black DiceI in the windshield.I only had my learners permit at the time, but boy that car was fun
.
The last Stude I remember was a 56 Golden Hawk with the Packard V/8 that he bought for 'Mom'. 
My brother and I new better though, the grin on his face when he brought it home gave him away.
It was just time for me to be the head of the "crew."  Me with my 200ft one wheel burnouts.
I still consider to be it the first muscle car, that ride was a HOOT.
Aluminum engine turned dash with Stewart Warner gauges, Golden & Cream two-tone paint, it was one cool ride. 
I still have those Dice...wish I had the car to put them in.
RLC

[autocamping]

Sad that such an industry has ended, ,, distinctive, beautiful and practical design !!!

[LouieDoesaThing]

It really is amazing how different this looked than other American cars of the early '50s. Not to take away anything from the many beautifully-designed cars of that era, but this is just so elegant in its form and posture. Wow.

[TighelanderII]

Gawd, this guy looks like the kid in, "Christmas Story" all grown up.

[williamschoemann]

That car was radically simple and modern in '53, and is still beautiful today. I remember some very stylish friends of my grandparents had a new one, yellow with a black roof. Your choice of Rose Hills as venue was fabulous.

[billmagorian]

Charles this is about class and clean lines not a boat load of chrome and gargantuan fins. I can tell this is a first class quality restoration by the pristine chrome bumpers. As always your JOYRIDE SERIES stands alone in the car story Universe. Amazing!!