Car of the Week: 1933 Studebaker President Eight

The year 1933 found the automobile industry in the depths of the Great Depression. The worsening economy hit all automakers hard, but it was the independents that suffered the most. Pierce-Arrow, Auburn and Duesenberg as well as many others, all stopped production during the 1930s. 1935 was a dismal year for Studebaker, too, but he firm survived even as production plummeted. Internal restructuring of model lines brought the prestige of the President nameplate to a lower price level that, while still a couple of steps above Ford and Chevrolet in quality and price, gave astute buyers more value for their dollars.

Two President Eight series were offered for 1933. The 82 models were the smaller and less powerful of the two lines; virtually identical in size, performance and features to the 1932 Commander. The Model 92, called the President Speedway Eight, was the larger and more powerful with its wheelbase of 135 inches and proven 336.7-cubic inch inline eight-cylinder engine.

Styling features of the 82 included a more radically slanted V-type radiator grille, skirted fenders, double inside sun visors and beaver tail rear styling. Standard equipment included a Stromberg carburetor, Delco Remy ignition, Bendix vacuum-boosted power brakes, automatic choke, automatic starter, automatic manifold heat control, downdraft carburetion, ball bearing spring shackles, free-wheeling and a 17 1 /2-gallon fuel tank.

Despite the economic stress of the time, Studebaker initially offered some 41 model/body style combinations for 18933. Twelve of the these were eventually dropped with the temporary discontinuance of the Dictator series. The President Eight accounted for eight of these combinations with prices ranging from $1,325 for a two-door cope, to $1,650 for a five-passenger convertible sedan.

Model year production topped out at 45,074 vehicles for all of Studebaker’s 1933 lines, but on March 18, 1933, the company went into receivership, a temporary embarrassment from which it would quickly emerge.

Important Spec’s
Series: President
Model No.: 82
Wheelbase: 125 inches
Weight 3,560 lbs.
Engine type: L-head inline eight-cylinder
Displacement: 250 cubic inches
Horsepower: 110 @ 3,600 rpm
Compression: 5.0:1
Tire size: 6.50 x 17
Transmission: Three-speed manual

Popular Options:
Front and rear bumpers; spare tire; dual sidemount spares; sidemount covers; radio; heater; clock; trippe lights; trunk rack; trunk; white pencil stripe tires.

1933 Studebaker President Eight Convertible Sedan

Pruduction Figures:
Production numbers for each body style are inexact, but a total of 1,194 cars with eight different configurations in the series were built from Nov. 1932 to July 1933.

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