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The first thing I did after finding my Studebaker was to go online and try to figure out the usual stuff like year, model, "collectability", etc. I actually found the car in a treeline but that will be a future blog post. After the usual Google searches and picture comparisons I pretty much knew I had a 1953 or 1954 Studebaker Commander but I learned pretty quickly that there were a lot of descriptors. Heck, what I thought was the VIN tag on the door jamb wasn't actually a VIN tag. So let's take a shot at defining some terms that are tossed around in Studebakerland. If I get it wrong or you have more/better information just post it in comments or send me an email and I'll adjust. I am only discussing the 1953 models so please keep that in mind.
Commander vs. Champion
The Commander is an eight cylinder version of one of the several options of Studebaker cars available in 1953. The Champion is a six cylinder version of one of the several options of Studebaker cars available in 1953. The Commander is designated as "4H" in the model identification number. The Champion is designated as "14G".
Hardtop vs. Convertible
For 1953 Studebakers, hardtop (actually "HARD-TOP" in manuals) and convertible are used interchangeably, although I don't think many people use the term convertible when talking about the hardtops. No actual 1953 Studebaker ragtops were sold to the public.
Hardtop vs. Coupe
These near identical models have one distinct difference in body styling. The hardtop does not have a roof support pillar (post) located between the door and rear side window. The coupe has a roof support pillar ("B pillar") located between the door and rear side window area. It is common for people to call a hardtop a coupe but it is not technically correct. Collectively the hardtops and coupes are known as "C/K" models due to the similarity of models and interchangeability of parts. The C and K are used because the coupe is designated as C3 and the hardtop is designated as K5 for the 1953 model year.
Starliner vs. Starlite
"Starliner" is a nickname for the hardtop and "Starlite"(actually "Starlight" in ads) is a nickname for the coupe. The nicknames go with either the eight cylinder Commanders or the six cylinder Champions.
Regal vs. Deluxe
These two trim levels were available for the 1953 cars. Regal designated an upgraded level of trim and upholstery which was available on both the the Starliners and Starlights. Deluxe was the lower end level of trim and upholstery and it was only available on the Starlights. Deluxe was not available on Starliners.
C/K vs. Sedan
C/K models are two door vehicles and the sedans can have two or four doors depending on the model. The two door sedans have B-pillar rear quarter windows that can be rolled up and down. The C/K models either have no B-pillar or a rear quarter window that can't be rolled up or down. The most important thing to remember is that many parts do not interchange between the C/K and sedan models even though they look similar.
These explanations took me awhile to understand because there are so many conflicting explanations and opinions on the web. Hopefully the above explanations help someone.