The History of the Hill-Boys’ 1953 Studebaker

The year was 1961, and Don Hill bought the 1953 Studebaker as a parts car to his street 53 Studebaker. After pilfering all the parts Don needed off the Studebaker, one sunny summer day in 1963 Don and family was having a picnic at their house in Ballwin Missouri. Don’s brother Jack Hill was there and the two of them were playing horseshoes and Jack made a bet with Don that if he throw the next horseshoe as a ringer Don would have to sell the Studebaker parts car for $25.00. Well Jack did just that and handed over the $25.00 to his older brother Don. 

You see, Don and Jack Hill were not just brothers, they were also a team together as the Hill-Boys racing team out of the Midwest. After the second world war, the two of them started racing an open wheel stock car. The Hill-Boys were known coast to coast on dirt tracks and later, asphalt track as a fierce competitor. It was their way of life. In 1963 by now they both were not racing open wheel cars any more and Jack had the need to play around with the 1953 Studebaker that he just bought from Don.

Jack decided to put a 392 Chrysler Hemi with two four barrels, 727 torque flight transmission that was all put in to the stock Studebaker chassis. Custom headers, Olds read-end, ladder bars and a 4-point roll cage were added. The car was now ready to race and the year was 1964.

After a few runs the Studebaker took a back seat to work. Just a few years earlier Jack started a company called Precision Rebuilders which is still in operation today.

In 1972 Jack gave the car to his son Mike Hill on his 16th birthday. The car sat around for a few years and in 1979 Don’s son Butch Hill and Mike became partners/owners in the Studebaker. In 1990 Butch decided to sell out to Mike to build a 1939 Ford Coupe so they could go racing together.

In the late 80’s during a race in Wentsville, MO at MAR raceway, the Studebake was having some troubles creating real horsepower. Don Garlets was at this race and he took a liking to the car and with in one hour after sitting down with Big Daddy he spelled out all the tricks to make the Hemi perform like it should.

In 1992 the car was chopped. Later in 92 Jack Hill lost his battle with cancer.

In 1994 Both Mike and Butch willed their cars to one another to make sure they stay in the Hill family. In 1995 Golden Hawk fins where added to the car. 1997 came along a new paint scheme from red to the Blue/Purple with flames. In 2006 the car was awarded Dupont’s paint of the year.

In 2007 Don Hill lost his life to a stroke and in 2009 Mike Hill lost his battle of 4 years with cancer. In 2012, Butch willed the Studebaker to his son Cameron Hill to once again keep it in the family.

Today Butch Hill is still racing the car in the NDRL Nostalgia Drag Racing League. And the car is considered the world’s quickest all steel Studebaker. Yes I just said all Steel. 

The car weighs in at 3,200 + pounds and is still running a 392 Hemi. Although it does not run a steel block anymore, the aluminum Donovan motor from the 60’s puts out 1,100 hp and 1,092 foot pounds of torque. Sitting on top of that Donovan is a 671 blower with a 4 port hilborn injection running on alcohol. The car is still running a 727 torque flight, ford 9” rear end with 4.10 gears and believe it or not, it is still running the same latter bars that were built in 1963.

No electronics other than a trans button.

Even thought this car looks like it is a fiberglass car going 250 mph sitting still. This car is truly old school in it’s body and power plant.  The body is original Studebaker steel even down to the door hinges and steel chrome bumpers.