1929/1930 GJ Commander
The GJ Commander’s has a new six cylinder engine, a stroked version of the Dictator Six (248.3 cu. in.). The new motor puts out 75 HP, but is 200 pounds lighter. Couple that with an additional 200 pounds of weight reduction in the rest of the car and the performance is equal to or better then it was with the previous 85 HP “Big Six” engine. The styling is very similar to the GH ½ Commander’s, but the bodies are slightly wider and lower, sitting on a new double-drop frame. The belt line is changed, the “A” pillar is curved instead of vertical, and the wheel base is back to 120 inches. The GJ Six and the FD Eight are identical, other then the motors, using the same transmission, clutch, and drive train. The only external sign is the emblem found on the headlight cross-bar, using an “8” for the FD and a “6” for the GJ. Otherwise you cannot tell the difference, unless you open the hood. The windshields now have safety glass.
Body styles are:
- Sedan
- Brougham
- Victoria
- Convertible Cabriolet
- Business Coupe
- Coupe w/rumble seat
- Roadster
- Tourer.
The Brougham (Mohair B2 or Broadcloth B4) and Convertible were only offered in Regal trim. The coupes were added in March 1929 in regular trim as either GJ or FD models.
Tells for GJ:
- Curved rather then straight “A” pillar
- The trapezoidal belt line was gone
- The new belt line was squared off in the back and finished with a point at the cowl
- New 6 emblem on the headlight bar
- A much lower stance.
Ref: TW Nov. 2008 Feature Article “Studebaker’s 1929-30 GJ & FD Commander’s” by Fred Fox
| 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 |
| 1929/1930 Model GJ Commander | |||
| Model | Doors | Passenger | Price |
| Regular Sedan 5-Passenger (W1) | 4 | 5 | $1,375.00 |
| Regal 5-Passenger Sedan (W2) | 4 | 5 | $1,495.00 |
| Brougham – Mohair (B2), Broadcloth (B4) | 4 | 5 | $1,525.00 |
| Victoria 4-Passenger (C1) | 2 | 4 | $1,375.00 |
| Convertible Cabriolet 4-Passenger (E) | 2 | 4 | $1,495.00 |
| Sport Roadster (R) | 2 | 4 | $1,375.00 |
| Regal Sport Roadster (R) | 2 | 4 | $1,450.00 |
| Coupe 2-Passenger (Q1) | 2 | 2 | $1,350.00 |
| Coupe 4-Passenger w/rumble seat (Q3) | 2 | 4 | $1,425.00 |
| Tourer 5-Passenger (T1) | 4 | 5 | $1,350.00 |
| Regal Tourer 5-Passenger (T2) | 4 | 5 | $1,450.00 |
| Tourer 7-Passenger (L1) | 4 | 7 | $1,410.00 |
| Regal Tourer 7-Passenger (L2) | 4 | 7 | $1,510.00 |
| →Production of the GJ Model started sometime in December of 1928 and was released to the public in January of 1929. It ended production in August of 1929, however Studebaker continued to run ad’s for the GJ Model well into 1930, thus the assumption is that production stopped because the Six just was not selling that well. Studebaker assigned 15,541 SB serial numbers and 604 CAN serial numbers to the Model GJ. Fox listed total production at 16,145 an exact match (likely used the serial number to calculate production). Engine Serial Numbers GJ-1 to 16,250. Model names and prices come from TW. For more complete information see TW Nov. 2008← TCCD, SCAC both agree for most part with these model listing. Cannon article from “The Antique Studebaker Review” called the Roadsters “Sport” Roadsters, where Fox just called them Roadsters. | |||
1929/1930 FD Commander's
Body styles are:
- Sedan
- Brougham
- Victoria
- Convertible Cabriolet
- Business Coupe
- Coupe w/rumble seat
- Roadster
- Tourer
- The Brougham (Mohair B2 or Broadcloth B4) Convertibles were only offered in Regal trim.
- The coupes were added in March 1929 and could be had only in regular trim.
- Any regular Coupe, Sedan, Victoria, Roadster, or Tourer could be switched to five wire wheels for $60.00.
- In April 1929 the 5 Passenger and 7 Passenger Tourer, in Standard and Regal trim, were added, very few were made.
- In late August or early September 1929, Studebaker added a 7 Passenger Sedan to the FD series in both Standard and Regal trim. Sales of this model must not have been great, as later in 1930 both were dropped.
The FD Commander’s has a new eight cylinder engine with nine main bearings (250.4 cu. in.). The new motor puts out 80 HP. The styling is very similar to the GH ½ Commander’s, but the bodies are slightly wider and lower, sitting on a new double-drop frame. The belt line is changed, the “A” pillar is curved instead of vertical, and the wheel base is back to 120 inches. The FD Eight and GJ Six are identical, other then the motors, using the same transmission, clutch, and drive train, except the rear gear ratio. The only external sign is the emblem found on the headlight cross-bar, using an “8” for the FD and a “6” for the GJ. Otherwise you cannot tell the difference, unless you open the hood. The windshields now have safety glass.
- Where initially the only model to lack the polo cap style visor was the Brougham, after mid 1930, all the FD closed models would adapt the “French Front” (no Polo Cap visor) style.
- In January of 1930, chrome spoke wheels were added as an option ($75).
- Interior seat upholstery, mohair or broadcloth on Brougham’s, Mohair on all other closed models except the two-door coupe.
- Genuine leather on the Coupe and all open models.
- For the GJ Tourers, the leather color was Blue Bedouin Grain. For FD regular Tourers, (?) color Bedouin Grain
- For Regal FD Tourers, Black Pinseal.
(Tourer upholstery information above courtesy of Richard Quinn)
Other mid 1930 FD changes are as follows:
Hubcaps change from 5 inch to 8 inch.
Thermostat controlled radiator shutters. [Some question if they were used on open cars.]
Side window safety glass on Regal trim models.
Burgess “power conserving” muffler.
Valve spring dampeners (engine number FD-19,761).
Fenders bead changes from flat wide to oval (Serial No 8,019,282).
White instrument panel face and dials change to black face with black dials (Serial No 8,020,500).
Tells for FD:
- Curved rather then straight “A” pillar, the trapezoidal belt line was gone
- A new belt line is squared off in the back and finished with a point at the cowl
- New 8 emblem on the headlight bar
- A much lower stance
- After mid-year 8 inch hubcaps.
Side Bar:
So what’s the difference between the Brougham and the Six Window Sedan. Just one window each side. The Brougham has only four side windows. Where the third and farthest back pair of windows on a sedan were glass the Brougham has this same area covered with steel which wrapped around and meet the back window. The Brougham which is a 4-door, 5-passenger car, should not to be confused with the St. Regis Brougham which would come in 1932, as that car is a close-coupled 2-door sedans.
Ref: TW Nov. 2008 Feature Article “Studebaker’s 1929-30 GJ & FD Commander’s” by Fred Fox
| 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 |
| 1029/1930 Model FD Commander | |||
| Model | Doors | Passenger | Price |
| Regular Sedan 5-Passenger (W1) | 4 | 5 | $1,525.00 |
| Regal 5-Passenger Sedan (W2) | 4 | 5 | $1,645.00 |
| Brougham – Mohair (B2), Broadcloth (B4) | 4 | 5 | $1,675.00 |
| Victoria 4-Passenger (C1) | 2 | 4 | $1,525.00 |
| Convertible Cabriolet 4-Passenger (E) | 2 | 4 | $1,645.00 |
| Regal Sport Roadster (R) | 2 | 4 | $1,595.00 |
| Coupe 2-Passenger (Q1) | 2 | 2 | $1,495.00 |
| Coupe 4-Passenger (Q3) | 2 | 4 | $1,550.00 |
| Tourer 5-Passenger (T1) | 4 | 5 | $1,495.00 |
| Regal Tourer 5-Passenger (T2) | 4 | 5 | $1,595.00 |
| Tourer 7-Passenger (L1) | 4 | 7 | $1,545.00 |
| Regal Tourer 7-Passenger (L2) | 4 | 7 | $1,645.00 |
| Sedan 7-Passenger (X1) | 4 | 7 | $1,695.00 |
| Regal Sedan 7-Passenger (X2) | 4 | 7 | $1,845.00 |
| →Production of the FD started sometime in December of 1928 and was released to the public in January of 1929, It most likely ended production in June of 1930 (not confirmed by Fox). Studebaker assigned 24,331 SB serial numbers and 404 CAN serial numbers to the Model FD. Fox listed total production at 24,735 an exact match (likely used the serial numbers to calculate production). Engine Serial Numbers FD-1 to 24,900. For more complete information see TW Nov. 2008← TCCD, SCAC both agree for most part with these model listing. Cannon’s article from “The Antique Studebaker Review” called the Roadsters “Sport” Roadsters, where Fox just called them Roadsters. Cannon also mentioned that there may have been a FD Q5 Coupe. Which makes us wonder if that could have been a FD Regal Coupe? | |||