1934 Studebaker Dictator Six De Luxe

The Studebaker Dictator was an evolution of the 1924 Standard Six, which in turn had succeeded the 1918 Light Six. The Dictator arrived in 1927 as the smallest of three siblings; the Commander and President series were larger, more expensive motor cars, thus the Dictator could be offered as a more affordable but aspirational mode of transportation for the pre-war public. Offered in a variety of innovative body styles, the model was initially powered by a six cylinder engine which was enlarged in 1929 to an eight cylinder unit. Due to events in Europe, the Dictator name was swiftly dropped in 1937 and the range replaced with the ‘Commander’. Studebaker had several factories across America, and also took advantage of links to the British Empire by operating a plant in Walkerville, Canada (replaced by Hamilton in the late Forties), which produced components for the right hand drive market.

This eighty year old, right hand drive example has a fascinating history. Originating from Studebaker’s Canadian factory, the model was exported directly to Guernsey for its first owner, Mr Sidney Godfrey, a dentist, who purchased the car as a gift to himself. As an Englishman, he found himself deported during the German occupation of the Channel Islands, so to prevent the military requisitioning the Dictator Six, he removed and hid the starter motor. On his return five years later, Mr Godfrey found his beloved motor car intact, with just some leather straps removed from the interior. After thirty years, the car passed through two further ownerships before being purchased by the previous custodian who kept the car in Guernsey for nearly forty years. The current owner purchased it in 2006 and repatriated the Studebaker to Canada while he worked there, before returning to Guernsey, and thence to Dorset, again with the motor car in tow. Due to many projects and not enough time, the vendor has reluctantly decided to part with his Dictator Six. This however presents a rare opportunity to purchase a true time-warp example; in very original condition, we are informed that this motor car was in running order two years ago, but should only require perhaps light recommissioning to return it to the road. Documentation supplied with the Studebaker will assist with the re-registering of the vehicle. Also included in the sale are moulds (from America) to cast replacement aluminium cylinder heads should the need arise, and we understand there to be a spare new cylinder head, which will require machining.

The small suitcase of history contains amongst others a States of Guernsey registration continuation book, a local newspaper cutting featuring the car, a spares book, manuals, a handbook, invoices, correspondence  and sundry paperwork.