Bonneville record-breaking Studebaker goes up for auction

If you like unusual cars with superb patina, huge historical importance and a host of extras that tell the story of a life in the automotive limelight, you’ll love this record-breaking Studebaker. It began life in 1953 as a standard road-going coupé that ended up on a used car lot in Los Angeles a couple of years later – from where it was liberated by the owner’s speed-hungry son, Belmont Sanchez.

Working with Louie Senter – a former US Navy machinist who set-up the celebrated LA tuning business Ansen Automotive with engine builder Jack Andrews – Sanchez converted the car into a fire-breathing speed machine to run at Bonneville Salt Flats.

It began to set records almost immediately, initially in the B and C coupé/sedan classes with runs of more than 150mph in 1955. But that was nothing compared with what was to come because, fitted with a supercharged Chrysler engine and aerodynamic bodywork modifications, the ‘Stude’ became the first full-bodied race car to achieve the ‘double ton’ when Joe Lacosto took it to 213.835mph in ’59.

From there, the records kept tumbling as the speeds kept increasing, peaking in 1966 when then owner/driver Neil Thompson achieved 265.131mph in the A Competition Coupé class (although it’s said that a timing slip exists showing it touched 297mph).

In any event, the car was dubbed “the world’s fastest coupé” and, in the hands of its various driving teams, established Studebaker as being one of the most successful marques ever to take to the salt.

Despite its appearance, the Thompson/Sanchez coupé is being offered in full working order following a full mechanical rebuild of its supercharged Hemi engine which drives through a four-speed GM Muncie transmission and is cooled using the original, boot/trunk-mounted system designed by Sanchez.

Almost as interesting as the car itself is the plethora of ephemera being sold with it, among which are original timing tags, speed trial record books and official programmes.

Neil Thompson’s race jacket, helmet and toolbox are also included, as well as the car’s 1971 record-setting Plymouth engine. It all adds up to what is probably an unrepeatable piece of record-breaking history.

1953 Studebaker Land Speed Coupé. On sale at Gooding & Company, Pebble Beach, California, August 18. Estimate: £200,000-£300,000