1951 Studebaker Champion Regal Convertible

This is a rarely seen 1951 Studebaker Champion Regal Convertible, a distinctive car from that conservative era with its dramatic bullet-nose styling.

While some other brands added central “bullets” to their grilles, Studebaker’s was without doubt the most extreme example.  As the story goes, these cars were designed to have a central headlight in the middle that swiveled with the steering, ala Tucker, but management found that such a complex embellishment was too expensive for their modestly priced cars.

America was fascinated with airplanes after World War II, and with good reason airplane themes and motifs quickly found their way into automobile design. The postwar Studebakers were prime examples, especially the 1950-51 redesign which featured a “bullet-nose” front end that recalled the propeller spinner of fighter planes and the round air intake of the exciting new jet planes. This 1951 Studebaker Champion Regal Convertible epitomizes was fully restored to show-winning condition by a Michigan collector. It is finished in the light yellow which Studebaker called Tulip Cream and has an inviting Tan leather interior enclosed by a Black cloth top. The 85hp Champion six-cylinder engine has an oil bath air cleaner, oil filter and drives through the automatic transmission which Studebaker introduced in mid-1950. A remotely-operated spotlight, wheel covers, wide whitewalls, heater, electric windshield wipers, hood ornament and clock complete its list of optional equipment and accessories.

Inside, the car’s tan interior is in overall excellent shape. The split-folding front and rear bench seats are in fantastic condition and as must be noted again, the color really stands out against the body color. The car’s dark floormats are in good, original shape. The three-spoke steering wheel is more like an objet d’art than a tool to change the car’s direction.