1964 Studebaker Daytona 2 Door Hardtop

This is an exceptionally rare 1964 Studebaker R-2 Daytona Hardtop, which we spotted listed on ebay USA in August 2019. Much of tjhis wording heer comes directly from the original advertoisement. Fitted with a factory 289 cubic inch Paxton supercharged engine and full performance package. The package included:  Heavy duty springs and shocks, power front disc brakes, 3.73  Twin Traction rear end, dual exhaust, rear radius rods, rear stabilizer bar, tachometer, 160 mph speedometer, front bucket seats

Options:  Powershift floor shift automatic transmission.  Factory AM/FM radio, power steering, white padded sun visors, Climatizer, electric windshield washers, undercoat, front bumper guards, wheel discs, seat belts left and right, 6.70 x 15 white wall tires. Only 27 hardtops were made with the R-2 high performance package and this is the "one of one" made in this color combination (Laguna blue and brown vinyl interior).

The car was ordered by a customer at Porterfield’s Studebaker, the dealer in Martinsburg, WV.  The Passenger Car Production Final Assembly Line document is dated 10-24-63 with delivery scheduled to “MARTINSBURG W VA”.  When the customer was advised that his car was in and ready to go, he brought his wife along to pick up the car.  However, the wife had other “thoughts” and they ended up buying a different Studebaker from the showroom.  Later he got a new wife, but the car was gone.   The dealer’s son wanted the car, but dad said “NO !!”. 

The car was then sold to a local Martinsburg man.  When he enlisted in the service he drove the car to California and then home again when his enlistment ended.  After he returned to Martinsburg he traded the car in to the local Chrysler dealer.  Over the years several local people owned the car.  Eventually a local Martinsburg car collector bought the car and put it in one of his garages.  The car remained in his garage until about the end of 2004 or the beginning of 2005 when the son of the original Studebaker dealer bought the car.  However, after a year or so he decided that he didn’t want it after all and  sold it to the present owner, a retired Martinsburg policeman.