Studebaker Car Club Of New South Wales

1953 Champion 4 door Sedan

As found in barn at Nareleen (NSW) where it had been for a few years,

after spending many years in a barn at Parkes.

Engine, gearbox and chassis in original rusty condition.

Rear of chassis in original rusty condition.

Rear of chassis, has been stripped to bare metal and coated with epoxy black.

Leaf springs have been dismantled, de-rusted, repainted and reassembled with

new plastic separators, bushes and new shockers. (Gas Gabriel from USA)

This shows doors on special table straddling chassis.

Only space to work on stripping doors of rust, old paint and spraying primer.

Body moved to middle of garage for door removal.

Body now less doors & interior seats and showing overhead

hoist/trolley with spreader bar and certified lifting chains.

Part of the work shop.

The car was bought in 1953 by a farmer in Parkes from a sub agent/ farm machinery dealer at Parkes, I was told it was ordered by Bert Needham from the USA.

The car was last registered in 1962 and was then stored on the property till it was brought to Sydney on a flat top truck still unregistered.

I bought the vehicle in August 2002, from the brother of the man who brought the car from Parkes. The car was stored at Narellen when my son and I dragged it out of the barn on a car trailer. 

The car has been under cover, for over 46 years so had very little rust but a lot of fine red dust, in fact the chassis rails were completely filled with red dust from the open ends near the front coil springs back to the engine cross mount member.  Inside the doors were filled with red dust to a depth of 50mm.  Behind every bit of trim on the doors and body was, you guessed it, red dust.
 

When I separated the rear leaf springs I found the plastic separators had been almost pounded away to nothing, I suppose there were a lot of corrugated dirt roads back in the fifties.
 

I stripped the boot lid, bonnet and mudguards for glass bead blasting in late 2002 and could then see it had to be a body off restoration.
 

By April 2003 I had erected the overhead 2 tonne monorail in the garage and fabricated a spreader bar to attach lifting chains to two parallel heavy square RHS Tubes which were placed under the car body next to the chassis rail.

As it looked like a 2 year part time restoration to finish the 53, I bought a 1962 Lark in 2003 thinking I would have it on the road in 6 weeks, (and take it to club events) only brakes to be fixed. The 62 then took two years in my spare time and the 53 project stopped until the 14.08.08.

Back on to the 53, the chassis has been back to bare metal after removing the engine, gear box and drive chain and painted a semi gloss black epoxy finish.

The rear springs have been cleaned and painted and new plastic separators inserted between the leaves and new bushes pushed in to the mounting points.
 

New Gabriel gas shockers from the USA have replaced the old oil filled ones which had passed their use by date.

The starter and generator have been over hauled and a new water pump fitted.  I have a carbie kit to overhaul the carbie.

The correct olive green painted was bought from the USA to paint the motor which now looks as good as new.

The bonnet, boot lid and mud guards have been glass bead blasted and I have now started stripping the doors.
 

I intend to leave the interior upholstery original as it is in good condition. I don't think there would be to many 53,s with original upholstery in this condition. The only thing the mice have eaten is the glove box lining, maybe it tasted like cheese.
 

To be Continued.

Gary K.

If you would like to contact the owner of this vehicle, please email to address shown on our Contact Us page, and include this vehicle reference 53champion-gk01 in your message.