Dr. George Vassos’s 1932 Studebaker President convertible sedan. Photos by Terry Shea, unless otherwise noted.
Of the 2,399 Studebaker Presidents built for the 1932 model year, somewhere between 10 and 20 originally wore convertible sedan bodywork. Today, just two of these are known to survive, including the recently restored example owned by Dr. George Vassos of Westfield, Massachusetts. In a field of stand-out automobiles, Dr. Vassos’s 1932 Studebaker President convertible sedan was chosen by the team of Hemmings judges as Best in Show at the 2016 Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance.
Sold new in California, the Studebaker followed its original owner to Mexico upon his south-of-the-border retirement. It remained in Mexico for decades, passing through several owners and at least one engine swap, until located and purchased by California Studebaker collector Lionel Stone in 1977. Exported back to the United States via Flying Tigers air freight, the Studebaker sat, largely untouched, in Stone’s collection for the next three decades.
Dr. Vassos.
Dr. Vassos purchased the car from Stone in 2007, and as he explained to us, “everything needed to be redone.” The car’s original gauges were missing, as was the 337-cu.-in. inline eight-cylinder engine that first powered the President, exchanged for the 312.5-cu.in. eight from a 1931 Studebaker. The car’s tear-down revealed no less than six layers of upholstery in the interior, including enough of the original material to provide a near-exact match during restoration.
The President’s original engine has been returned to the car.
With the help of his colleagues in the Antique Studebaker Club (ASC), Dr. Vassos was able to locate and repurchase the President’s original engine, a process that he told us “didn’t take long.” He also reminded us that without the resources of such organizations, it would be virtually impossible to accurately restore a car as rare as his President convertible sedan, as the ASC proved invaluable in his research on the car and its history.
Much of the original tear-down and later reassembly was tackled by Dr. Vassos himself, though the paint work was handed off to a friend. Like the interior (including the convertible top’s liner, crafted from the correct fabric in the correct color), the Studebaker’s exterior matches the original colors as closely as possible using modern materials. Once the car was finished and reassembled, the final detail work was performed by Al Pruieitt and Sons, a classic car restoration shop in Glen Rock, Pennsylvania.
Following nine years of restorative work, the finished Studebaker was delivered in mid-June of 2016, one week from the car’s scheduled debut at the 2016 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance, where it captured a class win on its way to Best in Show. The 10th annual Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance represents just the car’s second public outing, meaning that the President is now undefeated in concours d’elegance competition.
1954 Cunningham C-3 Vignale coupe. Photo by David Conwill.
1958 De Soto Adventurer convertible. Photo by David Conwill.
Congratulations also go to our other finalists for Best in Show, including the 1954 Cunningham C-3 Vignale coupe owned by Jim Taylor of Gloversville, New York, and the 1958 De Soto Adventurer convertible owned by Vernon Smith of Newfoundland, Canada. A shout of appreciation also goes out to the sponsors that help make an event like this possible, including presenting sponsor Gullwing Motor Cars, supporting sponsors McCollister’s Transportation, Restoration & Performance Motorcars, Restoration Parts Unlimited Inc., Stewart-Warner Genuine Parts, Magic Creeper, Colonel Crawford Eagles All-Sports Booster Club, the New England Auto Auction, Coker Tire, Car Dolly, Microbead Car Covers, and hospitality sponsor Prestige Family of fine cars.
Look for details on the 11th annual Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance, including cars to be honored, in tomorrow’s Hemmings Daily. For those who like to plan ahead, pencil in September 22-24, 2017, as the dates for next year’s concours in Saratoga Springs, New York.
See original article at" https://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2016/09/27/1932-studebaker-president-takes-best-in-show-at-2016-hemmings-motor-news-concours-delegance/
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