1965 Studebaker Wagonaire, station wagon, traditional, rat rod

1965 P4 Studebaker Commander Wagonaire VIN CS11257

History

In 2004, GMC called its new Envoy XUV's sliding roof section "unprecedented." Four years later, Ford described the Super Duty's new tailgate step as an "innovation." Perhaps neither realized that Studebaker beat them to the punch forty years prior -- and with a station wagon, at that.

In the early 1960s, Studebaker desperately needed to update its Lark model line. Launched in 1959, the Lark resonated with buyers seeking thrifty, economical automobiles, but that didn't last long. By 1960, the South Bend, Indiana, automaker found itself fighting competition from Detroit, including the Ford Falcon, the Chevrolet Corvair, the Plymouth Valiant. Predictably, Lark sales began to tumble, and production fell from 131,075 in 1959 to only 66,585 in 1961.

Studebaker was already on the fiscal ropes, so designing an all-new Lark was out of the question. Instead, the company hired industrial designer Brooks Stevens to reshape the Lark on a minuscule budget. Stevens's biggest revisions came when he overhauled the Lark station wagon for 1963- 66. He scrapped everything aft of the A-pillars in favor of a flatter roofline, whisker-thin pillars, tall windows, and crisp rear fenders. The new model was called the Wagonaire, and both its name and appearance were strikingly similar to another new Stevens-designed product -- the Jeep Wagoneer.

Stevens saved one unique feature for the Studebaker: the section of roof immediately over the cargo area could be retracted into the forward roof panel. Rolling it all the way forward exposed the cargo area to the elements, which eased loading and allowed tall objects to be carried standing upright. Transforming this concept from a flight of fancy to reality was easier said than done -- the giant gap in the roof structure required the addition of X-frame reinforcements, and counterweights in the front corners of the car. Studebaker also added a fixed-roof-panel option -- which also stripped $100 off the wagon's price tag.

Advertisements pitched the Wagonaire as "three cars in one." It could function as a work wagon, a family sedan, and -- with the top rolled forward -- a convertible. Properly equipped, the Wagonaire boasted a fourth personality: muscle car. Better yet, engines could be ordered with a high-performance packages that added a rear antiroll bar, a limited-slip differential, and firmer springs and dampers.

Wagonaires give a surprising amount of headroom, and the visibility afforded by the expansive windows only adds to the airy sensation. On the freeway, the Wagonaire is quite supple, and advertisements claimed that the Wagonaire made other station wagons obsolete. Nearly 12,000 Wagonaires rolled off the line in 1963, but that figure couldn't counteract Studebaker's continued sales spiral. Stevens redesigned the Lark's front end for 1964-66, adding a handsomely chiseled fascia. By 1964, Studebaker shuttered its long-standing assembly line in South Bend, opting instead to build Lark models in its Canadian factory. Once supplies of Studebaker-built engines dried up, the automaker rode out the 1965 and 1966 model years by using Chevrolet-sourced V-8 283 CID power plants. Studebaker abandoned automobile production in March 1966.

Wagonaire VIN CS11257

I purchased this wagon in 2013 in Bellingham Washington. The car was manufactured in Canada in 1965 as were all Studebakers in the companies last two years of 1965-66. As far as I can tell from records the wagon spent time in California and a previous owner in Fife Washington.

Mechanical Condition:

Mechanically the car is equipped with a 275 hp. 1967 327 engine. It is equipped with a new Offenhauser intake manifold and new Edelbrock carburetor, new rams horn exhaust manifolds and a complete new duel exhaust with Flow-master mufflers. It has PowerPak heads, and all new ignition, pertronics and new alternator. The cooling system has been boiled out with a new 4 core radiator installed with new coolant. Runs cool. Although the engine has un-known mileage, as it was installed by previous owners, It has been overhauled at some point in the past and the tested compression is good and strong across all cylinders at about 160psi. Oil pressure is 65lbs. cold – 40 warm. This engine runs strong, pulls hard and is fast and fun!

The transmission is THM 350 and was in the car when I got it. Tight, shifts nice and no issues. Shift indicator doesn’t line up exactly with all gears, as the stock trans was a 2 speed.

The differential is a 9 inch ford Trac-Lock (limited slip) with 3:00 to 1 ratio with 28 spline alloy axles and new bearings. It also is outfitted with a quality looking 4 link set-up with air bags in the rear. New steel wheel from Wheel Vintiques. All new Ford drum brakes and hydraulics in the rear. No issues.

Front Suspension is stock Studebaker but all rebuilt and brand new. New springs, all bushings, A arms, shocks, roll bar, and new GM 11 inch disc brakes. All brakes, cylinders, hard lines, flex lines are new. Tight and steers and stops great.

Body Condition:

The body was completely disassembled and stripped down to bare metal. All the doors were removed and disassembled, hood and tail gate removed, all windows taken out and complete interior removed including the sliding roof. The body was really solid and rust free with the only rust being the bottom of the tail gate and a spot on the roof. All rust was cut out and replaced with new metal. A very solid and rust free car.

There was only one major dent and that was the left rear. All repairs were done with new metal and correct body work. Body was primed, sealed, and sanded before complete acrylic enamel paint. (Sunflower yellow & white) After weeks of curing, body was color sanded and buffed to high level.

All chrome and stainless was either replaced with new or very good used and buffed to shine.

Interior:

All doors and windows have all new rubber seals, gaskets, window channels and whiskers. Windows received new rollers, with all mechanisms rebuilt and lubricated.

Windshield was removed, cleaned, and installed with a new seal.

Tailgate was rebuilt with new window regulator, channels, whiskers, and rollers.

Rear sliding roof panel was removed, cleaned and lubed with new rollers installed. New roof seals installed with new water drains also.

Amazingly the seats and door panels are all original and are in excellent condition with no holes, rips, or stains. Carpet is new.

All interior metal work was repainted, and most of the headliner is original in excellent shape, with the front section being new.

Dash board has been renewed with new engine turned finish, new speedometer, tachometer, and multi gauge cluster. New gas gauge sending unit in cleaned and lined fuel tank.

All gauges are new and work, windows and doors, lights and turns function as should.

Driving:

The car starts right up with no smoke, goes to nice fast idle when cold, and kicks down to very nice sounding idle after about 2-3 minutes. Transmission engages as soon as in gear with no lag, accelerates very strong, and is quite fast. No pulls on the road, tracks good, brakes very nice with the big 11 inch disc brakes, turns good with no noises and no rattles or squeaks as it goes down the road on the completely rebuilt front-end. All accessories work, light, turns, heater, wipers, etc. Tail gate and window operate smoothly and rear sliding roof unlatches and manually opens and closes as it should. Very fun to drive with open top!

The only problems are very minor. Gear shift indicator doesn’t line up in all gears (originally 2 speed trans. & now 3 speed). One hub cap has a tendency to come off, and although the speedometer is a brand new NOS 160 mph unit, it is not working because it needs a drive gear for the cable.

Please feel free to call or ask questions

I have 116 more pictures on a Flickr account that e bay wont let me link. e-mail me and I will provide the link!!