Image Source: Engine Swap Depot

When we came across this awesome Studebaker Commander Regal Starlight Coupe with a turbocharged LQ4 on Engine Swap Depot, we were immediately sucked in.

We clicked the link to the eBay listing, and oddly enough, the car was sold for $42,000 in July of 2014. That doesn’t stop us from admiring it, though! Per the description in the seller’s eBay listing, “If you like noisy, fun-to–drive fast cars, then this one may be for you. It is a true dual purpose race car that is driven on the street (20,000 miles) and Land Speed raced at Wilmington Ohio with the ECTA. It has an NSRA Safety 23 sticker and holds the C/BGALT record for the East Coast Timing Association at over 200mph. This car is driven to Wilmington Ohio from Barrie Ontario, towing a utility trailer, raced at 200mph, and driven home again. The car was completed in 2008 and everything associated with this car is for sale in the package.”

The modification list on this 1953 Studebaker Coupe is pretty hefty, but we’ll name off some of the key components used in the build. The engine is a 2006 LQ4 with 370 cubic inches of displacement and employs a Callies Dragonslayer crank, Callies H-beam rods, Custom Diamond pistons, Total Engine Airflow ported 317 heads with s/s valves and dual PAC springs, a Precision PT91 custom turbo, and much more. The engine is completely re-built and puts 810 horsepower to the rear wheels through a T56 Magnum transmission and an 8.8-inch rear axle with 3.08:1 gears. There’s even an actual drink cooler repurposed as a water tank for the air-to-water intercooler that sits in the passenger seat footwell. A neat little touch.

We really dig this thing, and we want to see it in action. If you are reading this and own the car, hit us up – we want to feature it!