T he beauty of rodding is there is no way you have seen it all and high on the list of things you got to see is a Studebaker Express Coupe. Studebaker was way ahead of the curve, offering a sport utility vehicle in the ‘30s by combining the beauty and function of a car (the Studebaker Dictator) with much of the functionality of a pickup. Like many ahead of their time, the Express Coupe only lasted from 1937 to 1939 with less than 5,000 being manufactured (Ford sold more than a quarter million trucks in the same three years). Kurt Finton hunted down his ’37 Studebaker Express Coupe seven years ago off eBay relatively close to his Coshocton, Ohio, home. Like many of us, Kurt loves Studebaker’s rather unique stylings through the
years, but he had plans to really perfect this Studebaker’s beautiful Art Deco styling and make her run better than the old 218ci flathead six could ever dream. Kurt knew he wanted to make this more than a pretty face, so he got together with James Ames to make a plan. First on that plan was James building an extended chassis (to accommodate a lengthened cab) out of round tube that would also let the body sit a bit lower (a mild channel in effect). The front suspension of choice is a Heidt’s SuperRide II IFS with tubular control arms, coilovers, an anti-roll bar, big Wilwood brakes, and rack and pinion steering. The rear suspension is a Heidt’s High HP IRS with beefy tubular control arms, a Moser third member,
58 JANUARY 2026
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker