Looking for a hot rod that he could cruise on the street and take to the drag strip to race, California hot rodder Hal Bankhead created this custom 1954 Studebaker Starlight Coupe to satiate his needs. In the 1990s Bankhead commissioned car builder Paul Newman of California to fabricate a full tube frame chassis. Newman then fit a Heidt’s Mustang II front suspension kit, Alston Pro-Link suspension and adjustable shock absorbers. Then a 540 cubic inch big-block Chevrolet V-8 engine with an H&K tuned-port injection system was built for Bankhead by legendary tuner John Lingenfelter. Lingenfelter mated it to a Turbo 400 automatic transmission.

This Studebaker hot rod features a full Pro-Street rollcage and Mickey Thompson tires mounted on Centerline wheels. The Studebaker has had its door handles shaved, while the bright red paint contrasts perfectly with a classic, yet contemporary, beige cloth interior that features sculpted door panel patterns.