Beschreibung:

This rare righthand drive 1939 Studebaker Commander was sold new via Needham's Motors Studebaker dealership in Sydney, Australia. The car was originally given as an 18th birthday present by her father to a Miss Clare Glasson who kept it until the car was sold after she passed away in the early 1990's. Typically, export Studebakers were shipped from South Bend, Indiana as a chassis with bonnet, wings and doors and finished on arrival to avoid import duties that fully assembled cars attracted. This particular example was assembled and bodied by T. J. Richards coachworks in Adelaide, South Australia. T. J. Richards later became Holden bodyworks in 1940 and was taken over by General Motors just after the second world war. In the mid-1990's, the car was given a full 'nut and bolt' down to the chassis, body-off restoration. Originally finished in Balsam Green, the body was repainted in two-tone green metallic, giving the car a striking look, while the mechanics, including the engine, gearbox, front suspension and brakes, were fully rebuilt. The interior was also fully restored in maroon leather with all fittings and wood graining restored and dashboard gauges reconditioned. A genuine period AWA radio has also been fitted under the dash and is in full working order following recent refurbishment. Acquired in 2007 from a UK based Studebaker collector, over the next six years the car made a number of appearances in the pre-1966 car park at the Goodwood Revival and always attracted considerable attention. With its lounge-like interior, the car provides the perfect period transportation for this type of event. Under the previous ownership, the car had required very little attention and has benefitted from approximately £4,000 worth of invoices, maintaining the vehicle to a high standard and making some minor improvements (including a new set of white wall tires in 2010 which are still perfectly fresh). The only non-standard modification to the car has been the fitting of a discreet 12v starter circuit to ensure the car starts 'on the button'. The vendor purchased the car in 2013 and put the car away in his collection. This Studebaker Commander has covered proximally 103,000 miles from new and is supplied with a folder of paperwork, restoration photographs, V5 registration document, owner's handbook, a complete set of workshop and parts manuals, it is exempt from both road tax and an MoT test. Studebakers of this period are renowned for being powerful, reliable, comfortable and above all very drivable. This example is in fine condition and should give the next owner many years of driving pleasure.