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When the Avanti was introduced, supposedly Studebaker worked in conjunction with B-W to come up with a 3-speed automatic that could be shifted manually through three forward speeds (quadrant PRND21). Supposedly that was an Avanti exclusive at the time of introduction--summer '62. Later, in the '63 model year, that trans was offered in Larks and Hawks too.
Hope this helps a little.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_Drive
It was too expensive for Studebaker after their sales decreased, so they switched to the Ford automatic in 1956, but then the very same transmission that Studebaker developed with Borg Warner showed up in Mercedes Benz cars until approximately 1962. It was used in Jaguars too.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1966_Studebaker_Cruiser.jpg
Options include white vinyl top, disc brakes, factory air, transistorized ignition, and 50/50 split front seats. It has a beautiful black brocade cloth interior with rear-seat center armrest.
Immediately given to a Stude exec in South Bend to drive (although was built in Hamilton, Ontario), in 1969 Studebaker Corp. gave the car to the city of South Bend. It had just under 20K miles when I last looked inside of it.
The first one I received is about the Studebaker-Mercedes Benz connection. It is worth seeing. http://johnstraub.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-mercedes-studebaker-connection.html Many great photos and it seems like an interesting site. I will check it out more when I have the time.
The second one was from a girl named Gina who claims to be a descendant of Clem Studebaker and is seeking information about the Studebaker family. I sent her info about a web site that is all about Studebaker family http://www.studebakerfamily.org/
I like the look of this dealership a lot, I could see my fintail there:
And speaking of assembly line pics, I like this one - somehow makes me think of the opening sequence in "Christine":
Fin, you have a truly twisted sense of humor. I respect you for that.
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])
I will never look under the front of a car with its hood up, and brace my hand on the overlap area where the hood closes :shades:
Probably because so much of today's rock is either discordant rap or depressing new wave sorrow. Current rock 'n roll gave away the dominant market share to Nashville and Austin because of that.
In the modern car I will listen to music up into the 90s, but I am already an old fuddy duddy, and not much newer popular music gets me going. I do listen to some modern electronic music. Old car doesn't usually get out of the 70s, and works best with 60s of course - music from 1960-66 or works well in my car.
I will never forget seeing the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show in February 1964. I was in sixth grade thinking about holding a girl's hand and they were singing about it. WOW, the look, the hair, the suits, the sound and the great music all in one package. It was not just one guy singing a song somebody else wrote supported by a back-up band. There were so many things to see when they performed. My sister switched the choice of her favorite Beatle on a regular basis and had a great collection of Beatle cards that were sold like baseball cards.
Because we have so many TV and radio stations today, we will probably not have a nation-wide shared experience like that again for any one musical group or person. They broke up during my final year of high school, so they were my sound track for my teen age years.
Returning to cars, the radio in my Studebaker Commander still works and it has never been repaired . . .or if it was repaired, that happened before 1979 when I got it. I also have an old refrigerator that was made during the Beatles era. I only keep it as a back-up to see how long it lasts and because it keeps ice cream at exactly the right temperature. Not too hard, not too soft. The old ones are so much more durable than the new ones.
My family had a natural gas powered refrigerator that we got from my grandmother and it was still working when we got rid of it about 15 years later. We never had to worry about the electric power going out with that baby!
My first car, a 66 Galaxie, went well with Motown. The fintail works with stuff up until the early British Invasion, IMO.
My fintail has a Becker Europa made in 1964 (at the time, MBs didn't have factory installed radios, they were usually a dealer installed option), I had it refurbished a few years ago, it works fantastic.
For a MB, a W111 fintail sedan or coupe is slathered with chrome. The most flamboyant postwar design the company has had. The coupe is a 1961 car and sedans were new in 59, so they are of the period.
I like the song "Telstar" to go with the fintail, a very modern and high tech piece, just like the fintail was.
For the Chevy Impala think of, She's Real Fine My 409.
When Paul McCartney released Helen Wheels around 1973, I thought he was singing, "Yellow Wheels" which I associated with my yellow 1960 Lark which in turn led to me painting the 1955 Messerschmitt yellow when I was in the Army in Germany.
I had a portable 8 track player in the Messerschmitt and used to play that song loud and often during trips. As good traveling songs, I also liked Born to Be Wild, Baby Driver and, (after a few beers), that Creedence Clearwater Revival song that goes, “There’s the Bathroom on the Right.”
Most 1960-early 70s popular music is good for driving in a vintage car. Although I imagine the fintail's original owner listening to Perry Como or similar.
Telstar is a neat instrumental from that time era - maybe 1962 (although I believe the band was actually UK).
The 409 song a drag racing song from Little Deuce Coupe, one of the great car albums of all time Listen here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI_w0XPPBRw
Telstar was maybe the first successful electronic/synthesized piece, ahead of its time.
Well, the Beatles performed in Germany quite a bit during their early years. Some of the performances were in German. That might work. Probably depends on the age of the Messerschmitt.
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])
If an American car had that title, it should be the 1955 or 56 Ford Crown Victoria, but only half the roof was a bubble, not the whole thing.
The Fords are "glasstops", IIRC.
In the the defense of the Beatles, some German songs were even worse. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ich_suche_Dich. No way I did I drive around around paying that one when I was in Germany. :lemon:
Oh year, I remember now.
Speaking of Christine from earlier, it's on TV here now.
In the winter of 1963-64 President Kennedy was killed, then Studebaker quit auto production in South Bend, so the when the Beatles arrived in February they were some welcome relief from a pretty depressing winter.
That PBS show you mentioned is Studebaker Less Than They Promised. I have it on bootleg VCR, but I have not seen it on DVD. Here is the book that went with the movie.
http://www.amazon.com/Studebaker-Less-Than-They-Promised/dp/0897081293\
Speaking of Studebaker music, once when I was going through an old abandoned Studebaker dealership I found a record with the label Record for Studebaker Dealers laying in a pile of wet junk. It had Mr. Ed singing his TV show theme song (he was a horse, of course) and one called The Pretty Little Filly With the Pony Tail on the B-side. It also had two Studebaker advertising songs including the one below.
I know most old timers at this site may have already seen and heard this, but there are always new members who may have missed it. http://s1095.photobucket.com/user/JLJac1/media/11LarkShowKathyKylie-1.mp4.html
Hard to imagine that the kids of today will not remember what a flashy, nice car the Plymouth was.
Yes, that's it, a takeoff on their old slogan "Always Give More Than You Promise".
Pretty amazing that twenty years later, talk of the shutdown could still bring tears to the eyes of former employees.
Here is the amazing story of Studebaker employee named Frank Kwilinski who received a 60 year service pin for working at Studebaker and is featured here http://thestudebakerwheel.com/employee_pins/employee_pins.htm . Part of the article says this:
You see Mr. Kwilinski was the individual who had completed the longest continuous tenure of any employee in the auto industry. He had started at Studebaker on May 4,1886 in the paint department of the carriage works and by the time of the banquet he had been on the job for 60 years. When he later retired on October 31, 1950 his remarkable record stood at 64 years, 5 months and 27 days. It is likely a feat that has not been approached in the industry.
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Studebaker gave its employees service pins every five years of service. I am proud to have all 8 of my grandfather’s pins for 40 years of service. I will be getting my 45 year Studebaker Driver’s Club pin this year. (I joined in 1968 when I was 15 years old before I had a driver’s license.) A photo of those pins is at the beginning of this site at Message No. 10. I plan to beat Frank’s record by getting a 65 year pin. Roll Studebaker. . . . . .Roll!!!!