1928 Commander GB&GH – Rock River Valley Chapter SDC

1928 Commander GB

The 1928 GB Commander started production sometime in October of 1927 and ended with the release of th GH Commander’s in June of 1928. The GB Commander was almost identical to the EW, except that as the front axle had now been redesigned, wooden spoke wheels were standard with wire wheels or disc wheels, optional at extra cost. A number of mechanical changes were made as follows.

The spark, throttle, and light switch levers were mounted in the steering wheel hub.
The steering wheel lock was redesigned, so it could not be engaged when ignition was on.
The intake manifold heater was controlled by a button in the dash marked “H”.
The brakes were now Bendix-Perrot three-shoe expanding, both front and rear.
Both the front and rear axles were redesigned,
A Ross cam and lever steering gear was used.
The tire size changed to 5.50 x 20 inches
Adjustment and lubrication of the fan was improved.
Fuses were eliminated in favor of a buzzer type alarm, mounted behind the instrument panel.

GB Commander body styles 1^st design:

Regular Sedan
Regal Sedans
Business Coupe
Sports Coupe w/rumble seat
Regular Victoria
Regal Victoria
Sports Roadster

After about 5,000 GB were produced new bodies were introduced, with longer and more sweeping, full crown, front fenders. A new “World Champion” emblem was add to the headlight support cross bar, a contrasting trapezoidal belt line was added, and a new instrument panel design was introduced. Mechanical changes were minor, but Monroe hydraulic shock absorbers replace the Wahl spring brakes. These new GB are referred to as 2^nd design in the parts books, where the first GB’s are referred to as 1^st design cars. There were no Coupes or Sports Roadsters produced in this 2^nd design. But, a new Cabriolet and two door Club Sedan were introduced.

Tell’s for 1928 GB:

(1^st design)
Wooden spoke wheels
Screw on Atalanta radiator cap
(2^nd design)
New trapezoidal belt line treatment
Full crowned sweeping fenders
The “Commander World’s Champion” emblem, on the headlamp support bar
Eaton oval bar bumper

Side Bar:

The Club Sedan, was essentially the same as the Victoria, in that it was a two door car. However, the rear window was much larger and the car was more stretched out. Considering it was suppose to be the lowest price ever Commander at release, we can assume it was quite spartan in comparison to the Victoria’s very fine appointments.

Ref: “The Prewar Commanders, 1927 – 1942 Part 2: Model; GB/GH” [ASR, William Cannon].

When data was available from Turning Wheels (TW) or Studebaker the Complete Story (STCS) it is used. Else, The Classic Car Database (TCCD) & The Standard Catalog of American Cars (SCAC) is used.
→Information found between the arrows is from Turning Wheel feature articles written by Fred Fox←
What we can be fairly sure of is that the same body styles, depending on the source, were sometimes listed in different terms.
SB= South Bend, LA= Los Angles, and CAN= Canada

1928 Model GB Commander
Model	Doors	Passenger	Price
Sedan 5-Passenger (W3)	4	5	$1,485.00
Regal Sedan 5-Passenger (W1,2)	4	5	$1,625.00
Victoria 5-Passenger (C3)	2	5	$1,495.00
Victoria Regal 5-Passenger (C1,2)	2	5	$1,625.00
Coupe (Q1)	2	2	$1,495.00
Regal Coupe w/rumble seat (Q2)	2	4	$1,625.00
Regal Roadster w/rumble seat (J)	2	4	$1,595.00
Club Sedan (F)	2	5	$1,435.00
Regal Cabriolet w/rumble seat (E)	2	4	$1,625.00
→ The GB Model started production sometime in October of 1927 and finished production in June of 1928. Studebaker assigned 22,300 SB serial numbers and 650 and CAN serial number to the Model GB. According to Fred Foxes article in TW 22,848 were manufactured, close to the 22,950 serial numbers assigned. Engine Serial Numbers GB-1 up. All the data in this chart comes from Foxes article in TW. April 2004.← In an article from “The Antique Studebaker Review” Bill Cannon names the Coupe a Business Coupe. SCAC and TCCD named the same models. Note: When two numbers are listed as for example (W1,2), they were used to differentiate trim differences.

1928 Commander GH

The GH Commander started production sometime in June of 1928 and ended in October of 1928. The bodies were extensively redesigned, as was the entire Studebaker line, few changes were made to the chassis. The GH Commander’s ran on a 121 inch wheel base and Fafnir ball bearing spring shackles were introduced. Newer and lighter six and eight engine designs were in the works, consequently the GH Model was only in production for about five months.

Only two body styles were produced:

Sedan Standard
Sedan Regal
Victoria Standard
Victoria Regal

With the end of GH production, the famous Big Six engine would also reach it’s end.

Tell’s for 1928 GH:

The “Commander World’s Champion” emblem is relocated to the headlamp tie bar
The Atalanta is gone, in favor of a new winged-motif radiator cap, which was also extended to the tops of the headlights
The roof extension visor is replaced by a much shorter “Polo Cap”

Ref: “The Prewar Commanders, 1927 – 1942 Part 2: Model; GB/GH” [ASR, William Cannon].

1928 ½ Model GH Commander
Model	Doors	Passenger	Price
Regular Sedan (W3)	4	5	$1,495.00
Regal Sedan (W1,2)	4	5	$1,665.00
Victoria (C)	2	4	$1,545.00
Regal Victoria (C)	2	4	$1,625.00
→ The GH Model started production sometime in June of 1928 and finished production in October of 1928. Studebaker assigned 8,300 SB serial numbers and 200 and CAN serial number to the Model GH. According to Fred Foxes article in TW 8,428 were manufactured, close to the 8,500 serial numbers assigned. Engine Serial Numbers GH-1 up. All the data in this chart comes from Foxes article in TW. April 2004.← In an article from “The Antique Studebaker Review” Bill Cannon did not list the Regal Victoria. SCAC and TCCD agreed with Cannon and did not list the Regal Victoria. Note: When two numbers are listed, for example (W1,2), they were used to differentiate trim differences.