1956 to 1958 Commander

After the 1953 to 1955 design cycle, in 1956, Studebaker was ready to reshape the sedan and wagon body panels front and back.  While the center section would remain the same, gone were the sloping hood and trunk.  The new face lift would introduce squared-up styling for 1956.  Many of the Studebaker executives felt that Studebaker had developed a reputation for creating odd looking cars and wanted to break that cycle for 1956.  Lowey’s expensive contract was not renewed for the sedan and wagon design.  Most of the exterior design work is done by Vince Gardner (now a freelance designer) and most of the interior is done by Duncan McRae.

 

The wagon, still has the sloping rear quarter panel, but a small fin is added to remove the slope.  The new grille has a large center section of square mesh, with two side grilles.  The coat of arms badge returns to the center of the hood and there is a new bull’s eye hood ornament.

 

The 1947 to 1949 regular hubcaps return, the full wheel covers are new.  Eyebrows top the headlights and a single side trim starts near the headlight and ends at the taillight.  It droops starting at the front of the front door, running just below the door handles and then kicks up rapidly and finishes in a straight line to the end.  Exception on this trim is the Sedanet, where the side trim ends just before the rear wheel well.  Both the front fenders and the rear-quarter panels have stamped-in flares just behind the wheel wells.

 

The interior has a new dash design featuring a “Cyclops Eye” speedometer on top of the four remaining instruments below; two “idiot lights” for amps and oil pressure; and two red and green lighted gauges for gas and temperature.  The light and heater controls were placed below these four gauges.  The glove box is in the center of the dash, below the radio (if installed else below the radio delete panel).  The clock and radio speaker (if installed) are to the far right.

 

 

Built in arm rests and colorful new cloth/vinyl or all-vinyl upholstery are available.  The door handles and window cranks are now installed with hidden snap rings instead of those former visible Phillips screws.

 

 

Mechanical changes were limited, but significant.  First, the electrical system is now 12 volts.  This would be the year most American car manufactures changed over from 6 volts to 12 volts.  12 volt system provided more starting power and could support a heavier electrical load for things like power windows, power seats, and air conditioning.  Second, gone forever is the Automatic Drive transmission.  Having never lived up the volume Borg Warner or for that matter Studebaker it’s self had expected, this transmission just becomes to expensive.  The replacement is the Flightomatic, a two speed automatic similar to a transmission Borg Warner would make for Ford called the Fordomatic.  Studebaker would use the PNDLR shift pattern where Ford used PRNDL.  The Flightomatic has no torque converter bypass, but is a lot cheaper to produce.  This would be the staple automatic for Studebaker until the end of production.

 

Restoration Information:  Commanders and Champion ride on the same wheel base, 116.5 inches and the sheet metal was the same for both cars.  The difference, mainly in the engine where Commanders were V8’s and Champion’s were straight-six.  The model line-up was identical.  One Wagon (Parkview / Pelham), one 4-door Sedan, one 2-door Sedan, and one 2-door Sedanet.  The former trim levels like “Custom”, “DeLuxe”, “Regal” are eliminated.  The Sedanet is the least expensive car, but is not near as spartan as the former “Custom” series.  They were initially painted only in single tone colors.  Studebaker like most manufactures though the public was not interested in a stripped down very spartan car.  The Scotsman’s for 1957 would prove how much they were wrong.  At start of production 23 two-tone paint combinations were available and 10 solid colors.  In the spring, 6 new two-tone combinations would be offered and the Sedanet could be had with most of the color combinations.  Five metallic colors were used and two of the two-tone color combinations were available only on President Classic, (Mocha/Doeskin and Mocha/Snowcap White).  While of coarse , many options and accessories were available, the newest would be the uniquely mounted “Karbelt” (seat belt), which was attached to the door, not the floor.  When not in use, the longer section clipped to the door for storage.  It was though that this set-up would prevent the door from flying open in the event of an accident.

 

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