1954 Studebaker Champion Starlight Coupe–Bodied 2011 Chevrolet Camaro 2SS Race Car
Sold for
USD $18,555 on 5/19/25
This custom race car was built for Mefford Motors of Columbia, Tennessee, with the intention of driving it in the Carrera Panamericana endurance race. The project involved fitting bodywork from a 1954 Studebaker Champion Starlight coupe over the modified underpinnings and powertrain of a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro 2SS. The car wears unfinished steel bodywork that has been painted with Carrera Panamericana–style graphics and features flared fenders as well as side exhaust outlets. Power is supplied by a 6.2-liter LS3 V8 linked to a six-speed manual transmission and a limited-slip differential. A welded roll cage and Racetech seats have been added inside, and further equipment includes multi-point harnesses and window safety nets along with Brembo disc brakes and 20” alloy wheels. This custom Studebaker-style race car is now offered by the seller on behalf of the owner in California with a display piece and a Tennessee title listing it as a 1954 Studebaker.
The Camaro’s body panels were removed, and the upper portions of the unibody were cut away before a roll cage with door bars was welded in at Coffey Fabrication & Race Prep in Nashville, Tennessee. The Studebaker’s steel body was stripped to bare metal, the fenders and quarter panels were widened, the doors were shaved, and filler panels were fashioned from steel sheet to complete the supporting structure. Sections of the hood and fenders have been cut out around the front strut towers, and the exhaust outlets pass through holes in the quarter panels. The seller notes that additional work may be required before the car is used in competition.
Carrera Panamericana–style graphics featuring mirrored Pegasus logos on the hood were painted on the unfinished steel body by Tennessee artist Browder Ledbetter. Bullet-style side mirrors are affixed to the doors, and front and rear tow hooks have also been added. The car is not equipped with windshield wipers. The right quarter window is cracked, and rust holes, corrosion, and other imperfections around the car can be viewed in the gallery.