1966 Studebaker - A Daytona that can be tricky to identify

This week's Nice Ride is sort of a tricky one to identify if you don't happen to know what it is. At a casual glance, some folks may mistake it for a Ford, but that's way off the mark.

Scott Smith of Lebanon, Tenn., is the owner of this slick 1966 Studebaker Daytona. Scott's Daytona is mostly original and only has 75,000 miles showing on the clock. The car was built in Canada and '66 was the last production year for Studebaker. Studebaker produced 8,935 vehicles for 1966, the least units ever. Of these, 620 were V8 Daytona's, the top-of-the-line. Studebaker produced its final car March 17, 1966.

Paint is the gold color, while the interior has been left in stock form and has factory bucket seats. Taking a peek under the hood may add further confusion to the car's identity, as it has a Chevrolet 283, a Canadian GM "McKinnon" engine built for Studebaker by Chevy. The transmission is also a Chevy piece, a two-speed Powerglide. The ignition is stock GM as well. Gas is fed through a stock two-barrel carb and spent fumes exit through a stock single pipe and manifold system.

Suspension is stock as well with coil springs and power disc brakes on the front. The rear end is the stock 10-bolt with leaf springs and drum brakes. Wheels are aftermarket 20-inch and 18-inch

The Daytona was commonly known as the unknown muscle car. Scott's is a great example of a car that is pretty rare, but is still obtainable for someone who is wanting a collectible automobile without the price of say a Shelby GT. If you happen to be in Lebanon and see the car out, stop and take a look, you can even impress your friends by knowing it isn't a Falcon! Oh, and be sure to tell Scott you saw it in Auto & RV!