-This Ax’s playing well for 150 bucks or what do you think? Paul Hodson Southwestern Florida shouted from behind the garage. He had sought to escape the heat and blew out rock riffs, as he sat behind his Studebaker Coupe from 1940. The guitar was a Sheckter he just bought for $ 150. Out there the sun went right down with rocket speed. Can we go now, ‘I said. Nyah, nyah, nyah, he replied. by Lars Krantz
Paul pumped the throttle and hit the starter motor with a shock wave of power from the ignition key.
The engine, a 350 Chevy small block from a 72 Camaro, never had time to rush up to speed before he released the clutch and let the Muncie 21, pop out the 2500 pound lightweight car of the garage.
The 350 small block with manual Muncie 21 and rear axle from a Chevrolet 55 were sitting there when Paul bought. Here was originally a sixth of 2.8 liters lurking which gave 80 horses. Five times more power did good.
The low sun hit the cupe’s inside, Paul knocked it in first gear with a clunk, met with the gas pedal and we skidded out on Biscayne Drive in the late afternoon traffic. He never used the brake.
-I have never seen one of these before. What’s the full name I said.
-1940 Studebaker Champion Coupe, he replied and continued.
-Understandable you haven’t heard. There are not many in circulation. Six of them in the US I think.
He went from third to second and floored it. From the two megaphones behind came a giant roar and rear axle from Chevy 55 hang on to the leaf springs when the eight inch rims began shoveling. (Click on the photos and they will rock and roll.)
The colour that burns deep in the sun and look almost black out at night is a ninety color Toyota named Wine Berry. The wheels are the Torque Thrust 7×15 front and 8×15 rear. The massive scoop grabs the forty coupe by the neck. A successful collision.
Paul grinned maliciously, commanded third gear again and we passed Northport Hot Mineral Springs like a pinball ball shoot out on the track.
And …. that was the Mineral Springs I said. 
Nonsense said Paul. Rich bitches pay 120 bucks to bubble in lukewarm acid smelling cow dung. He took a firm grip on the steering wheel and hang a right into a dirt road, span into the woods, hit the reverse with a new klonk and pulled to a stop. He never uses the brake, I thought.
Paul had brought the amplifier and guitar. The air was still. The calm was like a sudden craving ears. From the roaring car to a vacuum of silence, but it would soon be neutralized when various well known Billy Gibbons, ZZ top riff were squeezed out of the strings.
Paul Hodson was born in New Jersey and came to Florida as a teenager.
No desire to return. He rather grabs the spanner at any time in the 85-degree shade with a fan behind the back.
By day he carries out spare parts to shops and garages and in the evenings he plays the bars.
A desire for cars and guitars has become the life of the old cowboy. Four hour gigs five nights a week during the 80’s and 90’s. Say a song and he plays the intro.
He finds fixer upers around 3000 and gets them going and shining. A complete car guy with a range from welding to assembling motors to painting. But for the Studebaker he paid dearly.
Poor mans Willys, said Paul of his own cupe. He fell hard. Bought it on the spot, laced up the electrical system and drove home.
It was a whim, he summarized.
Strolling around at the annual meeting in Port Charlotte, he saw it under a tree. An object with complete drive line.
The car had no dashboard and no interior. Paul chased the guy for an hour on the field before he got hold of him, made up the price, twisted together a few wires to the ignition coil and starter, got started it and drove home!
The stick is from a crib. I saw the curvature and the hole, and it suited directly. Just putting in a screw. Finished.
It was in February 2005. In April 2006, he drove it, completely done with freshly enriched AC and all, 200 miles to Street Rod Nationals in Jacksonville.
I can wake up at night, coming up with a solution and get out in the garage firing up the welder , not stopping until I’m done
– The car was expensive but I wanted it and there are not many “around”.
After the Studebaker had served as a regular car it became a gasser during the sixties. The conversion to a hot rod was then made by a firm in Connecticut. Mustang II front suspension with disc brakes, rear axle Chevy 55 and Chevrolet Camaro engine was added. Paul built the electrical system of 12 volts and took it to the finish line. The guy he bought it from had an air conditioned garage with a bunch of nice cars, jukeboxes and cafe furniture.
-There are not many left of them, said Paul. Champion was the brand’s best seller so 1940 were small changes done . Sealed beam was new and it got more ribs in the grille. 66000 Studebaker of all models were manufactured in 1940.
-I, I saw that you thought I paid too much but I liked the car, said Paul.
He wants to buy it back now and make a gasser of it again but I do not want to sell. I am happy with my car collection and plan to enjoy more of it and spend less hours building says Paul, (simultaneously he has pulled home a bouncing Nova 1971 with Rupp-Rupp engine of 355 cubic inches.) We stand and hang over the engine and hums about nothing.
-Are You hungry he continues?
The sun’s gone. The Sheckter lies lame. Well, there may as well be a turn to Sonny’s BBQ and Grille ventilating some golden rumors ’bout missing junkyards in the deep Everglades.
