An ex-Unique Cars feature car, and possibly the most original Studebaker on earth
Think about how many kilometres you put on your cars every year.
A daily driver in a metropolitan area, to and from work five days a week and some errands on the weekend – perhaps ten to fifteen thousand kilometres?
Out in the country, long highway drives, frequently more?
Now look at this 1958 Studebaker Champion. A 60 year old car – with the odo currently sitting at 128 miles (205.996kms).
That’s 3.4 kilometres per year!
Currently listed in New Zealand for NZD$99,500, the car’s history is extensively documented.
Right-hand drive from new, the car’s history begins with a Wellington plumber who bought the car as a honeymoon gift for his bride-to-be. Prior to receiving the gift, his fiancée got cold feet, and the car’s – a painful reminder – was stuck in a garage where it sat dormant for 25 years until 1984.
That year it was sold and spent most of the next ten years as a display piece in the Queenstown Motor Museum.
In 1993 it was further sold on to a syndicate of friends who vowed to preserve the car’s condition, and ensure it was never driven throughout their tenure.
Over 20 years later, the group of friends could no longer hold on to it and the car went to auction.
The year was 2016, and the car was such a unicorn that we wrote about it in Issue 391 – at the time with only 75 miles, and the plastic still on the seats.
Since that sale, the car has undergone the process of being road-registered, and earlier this year was entered into the New Zealand Classic Car Concours where it took out top honours in the ‘survivor’ class.
Once more, the car is up for sale and the seller states that they are looking for a dedicated collector who may continue to preserve and appreciate the car in all its original condition.
Hagerty currently values concourse level Champions of this vintage at approximately USD$11,000, with most collectors preferring the “Low Boy” coupe body-styles.
With such a unique history, and in such unique condition – it’s almost impossible to draw a comparative value on this car. We only hope that its next owner appreciates its story the same way its past owners for 60 years.
The full listing can be viewed here.