morpheweb.com - 1955 Studebaker Commander

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Click HERE for Sept. 15, 2015 photos of our Studebaker!

Larry and Susan Morphew's 1955 Studebaker Commander

Welcome to a website dedicated to our 1955 Studebaker Commander Ultra Vista 4 door sedan. This is the same exact year and model vehicle we drove when we started dating in high school. We've now been married for 53 years!

This site is dedicated to photographically documenting our Studebaker. This car is pretty authentic so we hope this effort will be appreciated by other Studebaker enthusiasts some time in the future. This page has grown from the original intent and it now includes general information about '55's, photos and info of some friends' Studebakers as well as a photo of my first car, a 1941 Chevy convertible with whitewalls, side-pipes and a flame paint job. It was quite the rod in its day!

L-R: Stude, Christopher, Larry

This photo was taken in our son Christopher's garage the weekend we drove to Kansas to pick up the car. Chris lived just 60 miles or so from the former owner so he kindly test drove the car and made the decision as to whether or not this was going to become ours. He chose well!

Our granddaughters Alex and Rachael and their friends Katie and Carlene
preparing for a Studebaker cruise (it's a spiritual thing, you must prepare!)

According to Bob Corum (owner of this car from 1991-1999) and Jim Caldwell (owner of this car from 1984-1991) it won the following show awards during their ownerships:

  • Upper Mississippi Valley Zone Meet (first in class) '88
  • Marysville Germanfest (top three in class), '92,'93,'95,'97
  • Pawnee County Car Show (first, class 49-57), '93
  • Crossroads Car Festival (top five), '95
  • Sabetha Oxen Days (2nd in class), '92
  • Little Apple Car Show Manhattan, (2nd in class), '98
  • Beatty Parade on Wheels (2nd in class), '95
  • Clay Center Car Show (top 25), '94
  • Studebaker Zone Meet Topeka (2nd in class), '93
  • Studebaker Zone Meet Topeka (3rd in class), '95
  • Walter Chrysler Car Show, Wamego, Silver Trophy, '97
  • Walter Chrysler Car Show, Wamego, Gold Trophy, '94
  • Wah-Shun-Gah Days Council Grove, (3rd in class), '94
Since Sue and Larry bought the car:
  • 8-5-00 - Estherville, IA Sweet Corn Days (3rd in class)
  • 8-5-00 - Estherville, IA Sweet Corn Days (1st Place - People's Choice Trophy)
  • 8-3-02 - Estherville, IA Sweet Corn Days (1st Place - People's Choice Trophy)
  • Car Has Been In Storage Since 2003
  • Car Out of Storage and Cruisin' Again 9-1-2010

Vacation Deals" Summer vacation safety"

Susan and Larry getting ready to drive in a parade.

A couple of shots of "The Baker" being shown in an area car show summer of '99.

Take a trip to New Hampshire!"

Compared to other vehicles at a typical show, "The Baker" always seems to attract an appreciative crowd. Other Stude owners/exhibitors know the feeling well!

New Battery Gets Decals

Caught Drooling Over That Beautiful 259!

Cancun Corn" Cancun"
Clifford Fisher's Commander Regal Coupe - Lindell Riddle's President State 4 Door Sedan

President Bush meets Cancun's President The Cancun Agreements"
John Kefer's President State Coupe - Robert Corum's Commander 4-Door Sedan

Turning Wheels, the periodical of The Studebaker Drivers Club, Inc., featured our Baker, at that time owned by Robert Corum, on the inside back cover of their 2-94 issue. This is what the magazine article had to say. "Our inside back cover features a sharp 1955 Commander Deluxe Ultra Vista four-door sedan (16G8-W4) owned by member Robert T. Corum, Jr., of Manhattan, Kansas. Note the original 1955 Kansas license plate. The photo was taken at Tuttle Creek Dam, source of some serious flodding this past summer. Robert has owned his Commander for 2-1/2 years, having bought it from Jim Caldwell at the Springfield, Missouri, International Meet. It has gone 107,000 miles and the unrebuilt engine still runs great. It is Pima Red with a Sonora Beige top. Unlike State and Regal models, the two-tone separation line on Deluxe models was not lowered in January 1955. Robert grew up with Studebakers and fondly remembers his dad's black 1948 Land Cruiser and red and black 1956 President. Robert and his wife show their Commander for the enjoyment of people of all ages. (Note: Unlike Regal and State models, the Deluxe two-tones had the same color separation line during all of the 1955 model year. Note that the W-bodied sedans do not have rear door vent windows like the long wheelbase Y-bodied President sedans (fixed on the rare President Deluxe sedan, 6H-Y3/Y4)."

Gordon and Elaine Bueling (Gordon also drives a '55 Commander - Click Here To See It!) stopped by (6-'01) and spent a few days in our area making us a part of their vacation plans. Gordon and Elaine are from Yakima, WA. It's always a pleasure to meet other Studebaker enthusiasts!

On a 2001 trip to Los Angeles, I was fortunate enough to hook up with Jim Jacobson and his friend Kathy in Santa Monica. They took me for a drive north on the Pacific Coast Highway in Jim's beautiful '55 Commander coupe. They even took me out to dinner! Had a wonderful 50's kind of day! Access Jim's Studebaker/South Bend History Site by CLICKING HERE.

Shot of me with my first car
a '41 Chevy Convert - around 1958

Click On One Of The Following Thumbs To Access A Larger Photo.

Studebaker T.V. Commercials Courtesy of YouTube

Copyright 2000-2015
Larry and Sue are members of the Black Knights Car Club


"Happy Studebakering!"