As classic as you can get – Radius

Stuart Bilbrough, the CFO for Radius Care, has an appreciation for classic vehicles that have been kept largely original and unsullied. Earlier this year his much loved 1974 Citroen DS23 was critically injured in Huntly as it sat parked on the roadside. Fate would see another driver fall asleep and drive straight into the DS. This led Stuart, in part due to grief and in part due to a good insurance pay-out, to search for a replacement to fill the space in his garage.

Enter the 1958 Studebaker Champion.

Still in its original condition and with only 74 miles on the clock, the Studebaker still had the delivery plastic over its seats from when it was originally delivered from Studebaker’s Indiana production line. For a classic car to only have 74 miles on the clock is unusual, and what makes this Studebaker even more interesting is why.

Vincent Roberts, a Kilbirnie plumber, purchased the Studebaker directly from the factory with it being registered in Wellington on June 25th, 1958. It was reportedly a honeymoon gift for his soon to be wife. No one seems to know the story of what happened between Vincent and his soon to be bride, but the marriage never eventuated. Sadly the car was parked away in Vincent’s garage, unused for the next 26 years. Some say as a reminder of a lost love and a married life that never happened.

It wasn’t until 1984 when Vincent had retired to Kerikeri, that the Studebaker Champion was put up for sale. At that time she only had 71 miles on the clock and one ageing bachelor owner. The new owner was Tony Edwards, a car dealer associated with Henshaw Motors, of Timaru, and who put the car on display in the showroom.

With registration lapsed, records of the next owner are unknown except that the car was moved to a Queenstown Museum and then moved back to Wellington to be auctioned by Dunbar Sloane in 1993.

On the day of the auction, seven Wellington friends met at a hotel to buy the Studebaker to preserve it as a low-mileage rarity. A spokesman for the syndicate said at the time, “The car shall never be driven – shall never be allowed to be driven.” The last owners were the adult children of two of the original members of the syndicate.

In July of this year, Turners put the Studebaker up for auction through Trademe. By the time the auction on Trademe closed the Studebaker had been viewed 44,759 times!!

Stuart informed the Orbiter that since buying the Stude back in July she has done a few additional miles as he gets her back on the road and re-registered. Stuart says, “Although very original, sitting in dark garages and being pulled on and off car transporters all for the sake of keeping the miles low hasn’t been the best for this Champion. Now greased and lubricated, the engine runs like a kitten.”

And for the future, Stuart said, “The miles will be kept low but she will be driven now and then especially to the likes of Ellerslie Car Show and Whangamata Beach Hop to be displayed where the New Zealand public can see her rather than being hidden away. If I am invited, I’ll even bring her to the Radius St Joans annual classic car day.”

Stuart’s closing words of wisdom on this truly unique Studebaker is that “Paintings are for looking at, cars are for driving and that’s what I am going to do.”

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