Rare Big Six: 1927 Studebaker Commander Sedan
Studebaker was hitting its stride in the early 1920s. Its Six-series – the Light on a 112″ wheelbase, the Special at 120″, and the Big at 127″ – covered every corner of the burgeoning market. The powerful Big Six gained favor among moonshiners (check) and then showed up in sheriff’s departments (checkmate), as well as countless garages belonging to everyman. The Big Six engine evolved substantially over the years. Coming in with a displacement of 354 cu. in., it first produced about 60 hp in the late ‘teens. By 1927, horsepower had increased to 75, and with a change of carburetor for the GB model, even 85 hp. The long attention to development resulted in a rugged, reliable engine capable of propelling even this big car to 80 mph. In 1927, the company renamed its line-up. The Light Six became the Dictator, the Standard was now the President and the Big Six was called the Commander. By now multiple body styles were available. What we have here on craigslist is a 1927 Studebaker Commander Regal Sedan. The asking price is $35,000 and the new owner can pick it up from Peoria, Arizona. This car has apparently covered just 50,000 miles, has its original interior, and runs and drives well.
If this interior is original, this car’s caretakers have been exceptional. The velour is still plush and unmarked. The color is vibrant. Wear is evident on the steering wheel – but how handsome it is! – and we can see that rust has set in on one of the gauges. The floor shift for the three-speed manual is just visible here. This car has an “aftermarket” turn signal switch, called a Signal Stat Burn-Out Proof. Incredibly, I found another of these on eBay, so if you want an extra…. Meanwhile, here’s the view from the back seat. Majestic, eh? Yes, the headliner has a minor stain, but all in all, a remarkably preserved interior.
The undercarriage is in wonderful condition as well; this car must have a restoration in its past. By 1927, Studebaker was offering four-wheel hydraulic brakes, necessitating disc wheels for this one year. Neither wires nor artillery wheels would fit until the front axle was re-designed for 1928.
These Commanders were offered in at least six body styles and two or three trim levels. The all-chrome headlamp buckets probably mean this is a Regal, the slightly-better-than-standard trim level. The cowl lights are also chromed. Idiosyncratic for 1927 are the double-bar, fluted bumpers, both front and rear. While we’re talking about configuration, bonus points to anyone who can answer: why are the roofs of cars made before about 1934 not all steel? … Ok, back to our program: what’s this worth! Mecum sold one for $6600 in 2022; and then here’s one for $11k (note the partially black headlamp buckets). Neither is as nice as this example. What would you pay for a top-notch ’27 Commander?
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Comments
Wow, what a car. While it’s not my intent to upstage the author in any way, this was a very important car. A man named Ab Jenkins, who worked for Studebaker in some capacity, set a coast to coast record of 77 hours in a 1927 Commander. I was fascinated by the Studebaker museums curator explain that journey. I was at the museum and I recognized the car he speaks of. Think about that for a sec, 1927, 77 hours, you can barely do that today with modern interstates. So who ELSE drove a Commander? Not many, as the cost new was almost $1700 new, when a Ford was half that. Still, Studebaker, as well as most car makers, knew speed was the next big thing, and Studebaker led the way.
Oh, I had to look up the roof question, as I always wondered that too. Apparently, steel manufacturing hadn’t progressed enough to make big sheets for the roof. Now we know. Listen to the Jenkins journey, and by all means, if ever barreling through the Hoosier on I-90,( boring) spend some time at the museum in South Bend. It’s a wonderful place, you shan’t be disappointed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBDPoAcK488
Yes, Howard, you got the roof question correct! And yes, the Studebaker museum is most excellent. I hope to make it back someday soon.
Wonderful antique automobile in what appears to be very fine condition. The audience for these cars ( late 20’s – 30’s ) is aging out and the yougins have little interest. When you factor in the 4 doors and a hard top the audience further thins out. Mecum was surely the wrong place to sell one but I believe it would be hard pressed to cross the $10,000 mark.
Sadly, you’re spot on, and the lack of comments, which I kind of use as a “scale of interest”, tells the story. If modern tv auctions are correct, and there’s no reason to think otherwise( cough) these types of cars almost never cross the block, and if they do, barely crack $10gs. The only people that may be interested, are the gray ( or no) haired old men, that are finally buying that ’69 Corvette they always wanted, not cars from the depression. Fact is, if any left, I bet they’d like to forget those times. I really don’t know what will happen to these types of cars. Sit in garages until uncovered by archaeologists a thousand years from now.
Nice old car but I would be surprised if it sells for anywhere near that $35K asking price. As Howard says, these antique cars are truly museum pieces. I can’t even remember the last time I saw something like this on the road or at a car event. The folks who know all about this era of cars and really like them are thin on the ground these days. I’m kind of old myself and I wouldn’t know off hand how to set the steering wheel levers to start and operate this car. I often wonder what the future holds for old cars, say pre sixties. Most of the under forty car people that I know have no interest in this stuff. I guess I’ll find out if I’m blessed to live another quarter century or so.
No cup holders, USB ports or wireless charging . . . younger folks don’t get it.
Absolutely. None of the modern conveniences. No hp. No fuel mileage.
Just elegance and its enough to make you cry. Pure class.
The elegance of the passenger back seat area includes my favorite design obsession: “suicide” doors.
The one badly corroded gauge appears to be a liquid-filled tube for fuel level. In that design it would have to be open at the top to vent it and gas vapors would have contributed to the corrosion.
BimmerDude if you want suicide doors you could buy a Rolls Royce Wraith and it comes with all the appropriate gauges.
Fun fact: If you own a 1979-1991 Mustang fastback chances are very good that your quarter panels, fenders, roof and hood was stamped in the same presses that squeezed these fenders and panels out.
I had two summer gigs in the Tool and Die department ‘79 & ‘80.
The largest press was in its own building and was put to use for one piece roofs and later, floors. In ‘79 we were using it for International Harvester semi truck cab floors.
There were ghosts in that plant. Lots of places that hadn’t been touched since early 1964. You could tell who the Studebaker old timers were when you’d count less than ten fingers on them… no two button presses or OSHA then.
There are several nearly identical cars to this one in the museum collection which are rotated in and out of displays much as other cars and trucks are… there’s even a few of Studebaker’s first Conestoga type wagon and buggies on display.
Raymond Lowey figures prominently with several of his car designs and a recreation of his office on display.
No windshield wipers?
No windshield wipers?