Car: Studebaker President Land Cruiser
Year: 1934
What makes it special: The Land Cruiser was produced by the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana from 1934-1954. The Land Cruiser debuted at the World’s Fair alongside the Silver Arrow, a product of Studebaker’s former premium make Pierce-Arrow. It was also manufactured in Vernon, California. The Land Cruiser was introduced at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair as an extensively streamlined sedan. Many of the same aerodynamic features of the car were shared with Pierce-Arrow’s Silver Arrow show car that also debuted at the fair.
What made it famous: The 1934 Studebaker Land Cruiser was one of the streamlined cars of the era, much like the Chrysler Airflow. It had a smooth trunk deck, a five-piece rear window, skirted fenders, teardrop headlamps, and horizontal hood slats. The Land Cruiser body was available as a Commander and the upscale President. The Land Cruiser body was available for the 1935 model year before being dropped. It was powered by an L-Head inline cast iron 8 cylinder engine with aluminum heads, creating 103 hp at 3,800 rpm.
Why I would want one: Again, this car goes under the heading of “something different.” It’s not often you see a Studebaker in a car show, it’s even more rare to see a streamlined version from the early 30’s.
Fun fact: The Land Cruiser name was used by Japanese automaker Toyota for the name of it’s new off-road vehicle beginning in 1957.
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