Custom 1950 Studebaker Ice Princess XF58 (Built in 1987, Designed by Richard Fletcher)

The Studebaker Ice Princess XF58 is a one-off custom car built in 1987 by designer Richard Fletcher. His goal was to create a fantasy concept vehicle as if Studebaker had designed a show car for the Motorama era of the 1950s. What resulted was a 20-foot-long, six-wheeled dream machine that blends actual Studebaker styling with exaggerated features pulled from mid-century automotive futurism.

At its core, the XF58 is based on a 1950 Studebaker Champion, retaining the recognizable “bullet nose” front end. But the body was heavily modified, with dual front axles, extended fenders, and a set of oversized tailfins. The most striking feature is its twin “bubble top” canopy, reminiscent of 1950s jet-age prototypes.

Power comes from a Cadillac-sourced 500 cubic inch (8.2-liter) V8 engine, naturally aspirated and paired to an automatic transmission. The car rides on whitewall tires with custom solid face wheels, and its gold-accented interior includes bucket seats, red carpeting, and a skull-topped shifter—a mix of retro luxury and hot rod eccentricity.

Fletcher’s creation isn’t just a custom—it’s a time-warp. The XF58 imagines an alternate reality where Studebaker, known for innovation but not extravagance, pushed its designs to the edge of science fiction. The car was completed in the late 1980s, toured a few shows, and eventually entered the Klairmont Kollections in Chicago. It remains one of the more unusual and memorable custom concepts to ever emerge from the collector scene.