Say the name “Studebaker” today and most people — if they even recognize the brand — think only of the Avanti, the star-crossed sports coupe that many consider one of the most beautiful cars of the 1960s. Long before this one became a rat rod, however, the Studebaker Champion Starlite Coupe was equally revolutionary.

John Betzer, the owner of the raunchy rat rod with the long name you see here, knows better. In the postwar era, aviation’s influence on automotive styling was in full force, and he fully appreciates the far-reaching design.

Before the ’63 Corvette was a gleam in Harley J. Earl’s eye, the Studebaker Champion Starlite Coupe had not one, but three splits in the rear window. (Photo by Caecey Killian)

For 1950, the bullet nose appeared on the entry-level Stude and created a sensation. So aircraft inspired was the nose that dealers would sell you a small propeller to bolt onto the front! By ’51 that piece had been updated with a plastic center section that could light up.

Stylistically, not much was overlooked, however it does not do much for performance. It may have been inspired by fighter planes, but it couldn’t fly. The standard flathead six-banger only made 85 horsepower from the factory and the optional V8 (which this car had) produced 120.

While its rat rod patina is legit, the powerplant under the hood of the Coupe is a total fake-out. It’s a 427 cubic inch Chevrolet Performance LS7 that makes 625 horsepower, over five times what the Stude was born with.

But the LS is dressed to look like a traditional small-block Chevy, so at first glance its actual identity fools onlookers.

It’s well disguised. We put the valve covers on there,” said Betzer. “Everyone comments on that. I think that was a nice little trick they did. That thing is a monster. It is so fast.

The engine is topped by an Edelbrock AVS 2 carburetor, an excellent fuel mixture, and definitely in keeping with the vintage vibe.

The Rest Of The Powertrain

Transmission-wise, Betzer’s Starlite Coupe employs a Turbo 400, which transmits power to a 4.10 geared rear. Sounds like a loud combination for highway driving, but he added a Gear Vendors overdrive to the GM unit. In concert with the 29.5-inch tall Hoosier radials (on Billet Specialties wheels), cruising is a breeze.

And drive it he does. Virtually every day, in fact. Long distance or short, he thinks nothing of hopping in this car. The exhaust has electric cut-outs, so it is plenty throaty, which Betzer appreciates. When he’s driving on the highway, he puts it in quiet mode, but when he gets into town for some cruising, the cutouts are opened and Starlite Coupe announces its presence with authority.

“I hit that button, open it up, and it just comes to life,” said Betzer. “It’s just gnarly sounding.”

Just Drive It!

Just because the Studebaker is 74 years old does not mean that Betzer is afraid to take it on long journeys from his home in Missouri.

“I like to drive. People look at me like I’m crazy and say, ‘You drive that thing to Georgia’ or wherever if I’m taking an out-of-state trip,” the owner stated, “and I say sure, why not? I like to be engaged when I’m driving. I like to have fun. I get bored if I’m on a long trip and I’m in a sedan or whatever. That’s why I like the old stuff. I like stuff that’s unique. I just get a kick out of driving it.”

That’s a bit of an understatement. One of his bucket list items was to drive old Route 66, so he and his nephew hopped into the Starlite and off they went from Kansas City to Reno, Nevada, for Hot August Nights.

The interior looks as worn as the exterior, at least at first. But a closer inspection reveals digital gauges, a custom steering wheel on a chrome tilt column, USB ports, and a Vintage Air climate control system.

The factory bench seat is now covered in black and brown vinyl. Though the Starlite was available as a Business Coupe with no rear seat, this example was not ordered as such, so there’s room for friends. The door panels are also plain, in keeping with the theme.

“With that chopped roof on it, you feel like you’re looking out of an old World War II fighter plane,” Betzer said. “It was just so cool. I’ve got a lot of fond memories and those memories will always be there, even if the car isn’t.”

In addition to the wild nose, the Champion Starlite had a wrap-around rear window treatment with no one, not two, but three dividers, making it a split window coupe a decade before Chevy adopted that design cue for the Corvette Sting Ray.

Of course, driving these old hot rods is not without its pitfalls. On a recent cruise, Betzer was out for a ride and lost his brakes while pulling into a parking lot. He almost stopped without hitting anything, but he tapped the right front headlight bucket.

How do you match the original patina? You really can’t, so you improvise. Once the repair was made, he had local pinstriper Paul Comeau add the custom touches you see here to both headlight buckets.

His favorite part of the rat rod is its uniqueness, and how much it stands out from the crowd.