1955 STUDEBAKER SPEEDSTER

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Car Details

Year: 1955

Manufacturer: Studebaker

Model: President

Transmission: Automatic

Engine: 418 Passmaster

Style: 2-door hardtop

Radio: Yes

Air-conditioning: No

Pricing: Available upon request

** Rentals Not available for wedding, prom, birthday or other personal events **

History: This rust-free Speedster has been restored in Scottsdale, Arizona by a well-respected and long-established shop. Mechanicals were thoroughly attended to and most chrome and gold plating was redone. Taillights and exhaust tips are NOS. The correct leather interior and paint were done 10 years ago and can attest to the proper care this car has been given since then. 

Chevrolet had finally put its small block V8 engine into the Corvette and had shown Corvette-based concepts wearing Oldsmobile and Pontiac badges and styling cues. Ford had introduced its new two-seat Thuderbird. Chrysler didn't have a production sports car but had unveiled concepts for the genre including the Special Sports Coupe, the Falcon, the Dodge Granada, the Firearrow series, and the Plymouth Explorer.

Kaiser had actually beaten GM in the fiberglass body-building race with its sliding-door sports car, the Darrin. Were that not enough, Jaguar's XK120 was tearing up country roads and road racing tracks. And, of course, there were MGs (TDs and the new TF), Triumphs, Porsche 356s, and 250 GT and 375 America Ferraris. 

By the mid-1950s, sports cars — or at least two-seaters that looked like sports cars — were all the rage among America's post-war driving enthusiasts.

Studebaker was desperate to participate, though the historic but financially struggling automaker from South Bend, Indiana, simply couldn't afford to tool up an all-new and purpose-built model. So it did the next best thing. It rolled out the Studebaker Speedster, a car built only for the 1955 model year. 

"They built 2,215 of them," said car collector Gordon Apker. They built them because of the Corvette, Thunderbird, Jaguar XK120, and Kaiser Darrin. Everyone was building a sports car, so Studebaker decided to build a sports car too, but it didn't have a budget for it, so it took its top of the line model, the President, and tweaked it. 

In 1955, Studebaker returned the President model to its lineup for the first time since 1942. But instead of an upright, big-fendered, pre-war car, the new President was a Raymond Loewy-designed car, available as a 4-door sedan, a 2-door coupe or as the low-slung, 2-door Speedster. 

Presidents were powered by a 175 horsepower, 259.2 cid. V8 engine. However, for the special Speedster version of the car, the engine was tuned to provide 185 horsepower and 258 ft-lb of torque while breathing through a 4-barrel Carter carburetor and exhaling through a dual exhaust system.

The standard equipment list allowed buyers to choose either an automatic or overdrive transmission. The car also came with power steering and brakes, an 8-tube radio, tinted glass, 2-speed windshield window wipers, Speedster badges with checkered flag emblems and more. (Cars built in South Bend wore Speedster badges, while those built in Los Angeles had President and Speedster insignia on their quarter panels.)

Inside, the Speedster had a very special engine-turned dashboard — much like some historic Duesenbergs had featured — with a  160-mph speedometer and a tachometer with a needle that could point to 8,000 rpm. Seats were covered with quilted leather. 

To enhance the Speedster's visual appeal, it had a Crown Vic-style basket handle over its roof panel, a gold-plated hood ornament, and was available in half a dozen 2-tone and even two 3-tone paint combinations.

The most memorable of those color combinations was a Hialeah Green and Sun Valley Yellow duo known as "Lemon and Lime," which is the paint scheme of this Speedster. 

This car would make an excellent addition to a photo shoot, special event, commercial, or movie production. Just click Get Quote or call (423) 479-5353 today.

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Rental Polices

Vehicles are offered for short-term rentals usually associated with an event such as:

  • parades
  • VIP transportation
  • promotion of a business grand opening or charitable fundraiser 
  • one-time commercials, and other permissible activities with rental duration of less than one week.  

Vehicles are also available for long-term rentals to be used: 

  • in-movie productions
  • recurring product-promotional campaigns
  • seasonal commitments from world-class resort hotels for local VIP transportation
  • and a variety of other multi-week or monthly usage activities

Due to their value or unique history, certain vehicles are only available with a CCC chauffeur, who will maintain control of the vehicle. For all vehicles rented without a CCC chauffer, the customer will be responsible for all damages or unusual wear and tear, and must be a licensed driver with insurance coverage considered adequate in the sole discretion of CCC.

DRIVER LICENSE

For rentals without a CCC chauffeur, a valid government-issued driver’s license will be required of all drivers at the time of rental. The license may not be expired, cracked, broken, or a temporary permit/license. International customers will be required to provide a passport, international driver’s license and proof of insurance.

MINIMUM DRIVING AGE

All drivers must be 25 years or older.

INSURANCE & PAYMENT REQUIREMENTS

For all rentals without a CCC chauffeur, drivers are required to provide proof of full coverage (collision, liability and comprehensive) insurance with a maximum deductible of $500. We do not sell insurance coverage for our rentals. If you do not have full coverage verifiable insurance, we cannot rent a vehicle to you. All drivers must have verifiable auto insurance with a minimum of $1,000,000 in property damage coverage, and with other maximum coverages depending on the value of any vehicle rented without a CCC chauffeur. Debit cards are not accepted. All payments to be made by verifiable credit card, cash or wire transfer.

CURRENCY

For all rentals without a CCC chauffeur, drivers must have a valid credit card for security damage deposit. All major credit cards except American Express are accepted. Cash, credit cards, and wire transfer are accepted in U.S. currency only.

SECURITY DEPOSIT

The security deposits vary depending on the vehicle rented without a CCC chauffeur.

RENTAL PERIOD

For short-term rental agreements, a 24 hour period constitutes a rental day.

MILEAGE

For short-term rentals, the agreement includes 100 miles per day. Excess mileage will be billed at a minimum of $ 4.99 per mile up to $9.99 per mile, depending upon the vehicle. Mileage limits will be negotiated for long-term rentals.

ADDITIONAL DRIVERS

Additional Drivers may be added for a charge of $100 per day per driver. A valid driver’s license and proof of insurance will be required for each additional driver.

CANCELLATION POLICY

Cancellations must occur at least 72 hours prior to reservation date

FUEL

For vehicles rented with a CCC chauffeur, the rental agreement will include fuel. For vehicles rented without a CCC chauffeur, fuel level will be checked and confirmed at the time of rental. Depending on the vehicle, premium fuel may be required and the customer must agree to provide receipts clearly reflecting purchases of premium fuel. The customer is required to bring the vehicle back with the same amount of fuel as when rented. Fuel discrepancies will be billed at $10.00 per gallon. If the vehicle requires premium fuel and the customer fails to provide proof that such fuel was used, the renter agrees to pay a special vehicle maintenance fee of $1,000.

PETS

No pets are allowed in any vehicle unless the rental agreement includes a pet fee. It is the customer’s responsibility to ensure that the vehicle is clean and odor-free and has no signs of pet hair, etc. Service animals are allowed in our vehicles with proper documentation. A minimum $250 cleanup fee will be assessed to any vehicle with any signs of pet transport.

OVERSTAYS

Keeping rental vehicles longer than originally scheduled is a serious problem unless you contact us in advance and receive our permission. Verbal extensions (calling by phone, etc.) are NOT honored. Customer must sign a new rental agreement with extended dates and times in order to extend a rental.

INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS

International customers will be required to present a valid passport in order to rent a vehicle. We will not accept credit card coverage as insurance. Credit card coverage is not primary and does not provide any liability coverage for the vehicle. Unless CCC provides a chauffeur, the complete (collision, liability and comprehensive) insurance coverage issued by companies (rated B+ or better by AM BEST) properly licensed in the State(s) where the vehicle will be used must be provided by the customer.

PAYMENT INFORMATION

Prepayment of one-half of the amounts due under the vehicle rental agreement is required with all reservations.

PICKUP/RETURN

Vehicle rental agreements require pick up of the vehicle at a location specified by CCC. Arrangements for vehicle delivery to other locations must be specified in the vehicle rental agreement established a minimum of 72 hours prior to pick up. All vehicles should be returned to the same location where they were picked up.

EARLY RETURNS

Vehicles returning earlier than the scheduled time on the rental agreement will not receive a refund or a credit.

RESERVATION HOLD TIME

Reservations are held for three hours from the specified pickup time. If the customer fails to arrive within the three-hour pick-up window and fails to contact us to make alternative arrangements we will attempt to contact you via email, text and/or phone. If we are unable to reach you in the three hour time, we reserve the right to cancel the reservation and retain the reservation deposit.

SMOKING/CLEANING

Smoking is NOT allowed in any vehicle. We impose a minimum $1,000 cleaning fee for ANY detection of smoking including smoke odor, ashes, and butts in ashtrays.

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