Postwar Studebakers

uplanderguy

On a President, it would've been a transplant. The only '58 S-P products built with a supercharger were the Packard Hawk and Studebaker Golden Hawk.

uplanderguy

In that pic of the gold Lark Daytona convertible, where the railroad overpass in the pic is, just beyond it and on the right is the old Studebaker Corporate Administration Building. I had posted a pic back in May, of it here with an old M-B sedan that was sitting across the street from it; ironic I thought.

uplanderguy

'66 Chicago Auto Show--last appearance of Studebaker there:

berri

I saw the picture before the text above it and right away thought it looked like the old "fireproof" McCormick Place that burned down in 1967 The doors and windows in the background opened up to an outside deck over looking Lake Michigan and the old Meigs Field small plane airport. Some years later, a United flight crew actually landed an early B727-100 jet there for transport down the lake on a barge to the Museum of Science and Industry. Impressive flight skills on an impressive handling plane.

uplanderguy

Smallest Stude dealer? Makes my hometown dealer look cavernous in comparison! Two fintails but no '64 Studebaker in sight. I seem to remember seeing this photo before and seeing it was in Ann Arbor, MI; big university town.

uplanderguy

It does look like there's a Stude behind the fintail in the showroom, now that I look closer.

I think this pic indicates what I'd always thought--that dealers didn't get the M-B franchise based on size, image, etc., but whether they were willing to buy tools and signage.

fintail

Very cool pic, I like the tires on the car at left, just like mine. I bet those cars were destined for professor types - actually, I can see Studes appealing to the same mindset, as a unique/independent and not gigantic car.

Fintail at left is a W111 (6 cylinder) car, the one in the showroom is a W110 (4 cylinder gas or diesel). I like the little MB sign in the window at left, Galaxie looks nice, too. I believe there's a Stude in the background in the showroom, detail doesn't look like a MB. Reflection of a Metropolitan in the window is fun, too.

berri

IIRC the 63 Galaxie fastback coupe came out as a 63.5 along with the XL model.

uplanderguy

That's right about the Galaxie fastback. A nicely-styled car. The '64 was a modest facelift, but I always liked the '63 better. I can remember sitting in the car with my Dad outside the A&P, waiting for my Mom, and we were parked behind a '63 Ford. My Dad said, "That's the way taillights should be--nice and big like that".

Assuming that the '63 1/2 in the pic was a trade-in, someone sure didn't keep it long.

fintail

I wonder if that Galaxie, with no engine badge, blackwalls, and not an XL, is a small engine (6 cylinder) model.

uplanderguy

I think the 289 didn't warrant a badge, but I'm not certain.

fintail

I looked it up, you're right, no engine size emblems for 289.

berri

I also seem to recall that one of the driver's behind that new, sloping 63.5 big Ford fastback was qualifying it for NASCAR races (had to sell the body style in a certain quantity to race it back then).

bhill2

fintail said:

I looked it up, you're right, no engine size emblems for 289.

FWIW, it could also have been a 260. In '63 they used them in the Galaxie as well as the Fairline and, later in the year, the Falcon.

fintail

Yep, I remember the 63 Sprint I drooled over in my town when I was a teen was a 260, can't recall if it was badged or not. Come to think of it, I think I have seen a 66 with a 289 and no badges. My dad's 68 Fairlane was a late run 289, no badges.

bhill2 said:

FWIW, it could also have been a 260. In '63 they used them in the Galaxie as well as the Fairline and, later in the year, the Falcon.

bhill2

fintail said:

Yep, I remember the 63 Sprint I drooled over in my town when I was a teen was a 260, can't recall if it was badged or not. Come to think of it, I think I have seen a 66 with a 289 and no badges. My dad's 68 Fairlane was a late run 289, no badges.

bhill2 said:

FWIW, it could also have been a 260. In '63 they used them in the Galaxie as well as the Fairline and, later in the year, the Falcon.

The Sprint came from the factory badged. Ford badged all of the V-8s in their less-than-full-size lines (Falcon, Fairlane, and Mustang). I also thought the Sprint looked pretty fine. I actually preferred it to the Mustang (there had to be one of us).

ab348

Hey, @uplanderguy , here's one for you today!

http://theoldmotor.com/?p=171030

fintail

Cool link. I wonder if any of these ever changed hands through Stude dealers:



Great pic. I see what appears to be a 4 cyl Ponton in the background, too.

re: engine badges - that makes sense, a V8 is something to brag about in a small car vs a large car. I am certain the 68 Fairlane didn't have an engine badge, but maybe that was being phased out by then.

uplanderguy

Yep, they must've copied from somewhere else I posted it. Thanks for posting it here!

That very serial no. car survives in the Netherlands now I think it is. It is 18 from the last Packard convertible built. I saw it in Kernersville, NC in 1997 or 98. It was sold new to Dr. A.L. Bailey in Greenville. He had transmission troubles with it while in Cleveland--couldn't back out of a parking space. My dealer friend and his service manager went over the two hours or so with a tow truck and brought it home.

Isn't that the greatest picture though?

My friend, probably twenty years ago, called me and said, "I found some old slides of the garage. We're showing them tomorrow. They're not that great, but if you want to come down, do so". I went and am glad I did. He let me copy a bunch of them for pics. This is one of the best ones IMHO.

This Caribbean was sitting in factory inventory in Detroit. It was put on a barge and shipped to Cleveland, where my dealer friend and his service manager went to pick it up. The service manager still says that trip was the first he'd ever eaten frog legs.

Only 276 '56 Caribbean convertibles built.

That's my friend's Dad, Carl E. Filer Sr., who was born in 1895 and passed in 1963.

uplanderguy

My friend said he drove a gullwing at a dealer showing/meeting at Seven Springs, PA, but I know he never sold one. I could see one being moved at a larger Stude dealer. Or maybe not.

uplanderguy

I forwarded the link to my friend's son...Carl E. Filer III. Thanks!

berri

I always liked the looks of those 55/56 Packard Caribbean's. But what a neat surprise to see all those other pictures!

ab348

A very-low-miles (and rather plain-jane) 1963 Wagonaire in Florida on BaT!

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1963-studebaker-wagonaire/

uplanderguy

There was even one trim level below this one, which was called "Regal"! The lower one was called "Standard", and the top trim was "Daytona".

Probably my favorite '63 color, "Blue Mist".

This car was owned by Gatorade inventor Dr. Robert Cade, who had a large array of Studebakers when he passed several years ago.

Too bad there's a crease in the driver's door. Still, pretty close to a NOS Studebaker.

An uncracked '63 padded instrument panel (one-year only design) is a minor miracle.

ab348

uplanderguy said:

This car was owned by Gatorade inventor Dr. Robert Cade, who had a large array of Studebakers when he passed several years ago.

If you watch the video in the listing you can see some of the other Studes in his garage.

uplanderguy

I always liked how on '63 and later Lark-types, the lack of a radio was well-disguised; i.e., you don't see a filler block stuck in the hole.

uplanderguy

I see that Wagonaire has Twin Traction, unusual on an otherwise strippo car.

uplanderguy

The Wagonaire sold for $15,765.

Here's a pic an acquaintance from South Bend posted earlier today. He found this box in the old Chippewa Avenue plant in South Bend. The font used on the sticker began with the '63 model year. I always thought that font seems modern for the early sixties.

fintail

I think that font would still look current in the 70s. Those modern styles that seem to be Helvetica-based really age well - design was thriving then in so many arenas.

fintail

One of the guys on "American Pickers" bought a 63 Avanti, blue with blue and white interior, 4-speed. Looked like a pretty car on the show (not sure what might have been incorrect about it), paid 20K for it I think. The same party also had 60-61 Hawks for sale, and in a prior episode they bought a customized 50s pickup.

Mr_Shiftright

I'd love to hot rod that old musty 1960 Champ pickup I found in that warehouse. I wonder what I could stuff under the hood? I'd want to do something different,

ab348

This '62 pickup on BT is a bit of a Frankenstein but nicely done if you don't mind a stake body out back.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1962-studebaker-champ-truck/

Mr_Shiftright

The problem with this type of truck is----what do you do with it? Kinda big for the garage, too nice to haul gravel, etc. It would be nice for town parades though, or charity events. Maybe a business could use it?

Did anyone see the mention of the restored Ford TT postal truck in Classic Cars----how many hours in restoration, do you ask? Wait for it------5,000 man hours.

Some people are just crazy.

uplanderguy

That Champ resided in the old Studebaker National Museum building (closed 2004). I remember seeing it as far back as the late '80's there. It had been donated, and the museum subsequently sold it as they had a better example, probably in the '90's.

UPDATE: Just actually opened the link to BaT and see I largely remembered that truck accurately!

uplanderguy

For $30,250, I'd like bumpers on mine. This is my favorite '62 color; excellent/authentic interior seat trim too.

https://www.mecum.com/lots/CA0818-359865/1962-studebaker-lark-daytona-convertible/

uplanderguy

Our local Stude club had our annual Stude-Packard-Independents meet at nearby Summit Racing's retail store yesterday. About 100 cars in total, of which about 3/4 were Studebakers. Nice turnout of King Midgets too. My car here is sandwiched between a '64 Avanti and a '63 Lark Regal Wagonaire, both owned by friends I don't see often. The Avanti is from about an hour away from me and the Wagonaire is from WV.

uplanderguy

This six-cylinder '63 Lark Regal four-door sedan is advertised by a dealer in Eureka, IL as having 9,800 miles. On first look, I believe it. That style and width of whitewall (going right up to the wheel) was a '63 Studebaker-only style I believe and I never saw them reproduced (and I looked when I owned my '63). Just the way the car sits; "LARK" letters still there on front fenders; way the door glass frames look--I tend to believe it. Of course the naysayers are out saying "Has to be 109,800 miles". Yeah, with original tires. I could tell in less than five minutes in person if for real. Again, I believe it, and it sort-of substantiates my memory of older folks buying later Studebakers new. Asking $10,500, which is optimistic IMHO. Still, as I've noted before, a '63 is my favorite four-door Studebaker. I just like the cut of the rear door.

ab348

Judging from the cracks in the sidewall of the front tire I would say they are indeed original. Would not want to do anything other than roll it onto a trailer with them, which would make judging how well the car drives impossible.

uplanderguy

Right. I like how those tires look, and again, I am confident that style has not been reproduced. But I wouldn't drive a mile on them.

uplanderguy

Other than the car for sale has no bumper guards, it looks amazingly like the same color '63 Lark Regal sedan in the brochure:

http://www.tocmp.com/brochures/Studebaker/1963/images/1963studepage14_jpg.jpg

uplanderguy

That red '80's Avanti convertible in the Summit Racing pic above--barely visible--was bought new by Michael Landon. The current owner is the fellow who owned my former white '63 Lark Daytona Skytop, two owners before me. This fellow bought Studebakers new.

ab348

My buddy who sold his lovely house in the city to move to the boonies about 100 miles from here and spent much of the proceeds on building a large shop/garage structure there to support his old car habit visited yesterday and told me about an interesting introduction that was made to him up there recently. It was the son or grandson of a longtime car dealer in the nearby little town, once Studebaker, then GM for a few decades, and now acting as an annex of sorts to a Ford dealer about 90 minutes away - they do not have any new inventory on-site but can sell and deliver new Fords to people in the area along with performing service. Not quite sure how that works. The former GM dealership building is now used as the guy's hobby space and is filled with restored old gas pumps, signs, memorabilia, old parts stock, and the like. My friend is excited because he owns 3 1971 Oldsmobiles and the guy pointed out a NOS front bumper that was sitting there which he said he could have. In addition the fellow told him to come back and he could poke around the old parts stock to see if there is anything he wants.

The point of posting this here is to show a couple of pics he snapped of a couple of neat Studebaker items inside the building:

uplanderguy

Very neat, thanks for posting.

Seems like fintail has been absent of late. He had mentioned earlier maybe finding time to swing by the Studebaker Drivers' Club meet in Tacoma this week. Wonder if he did. I've seen some pics. I'm curious about attendance, that far from the middle of the rest of the country!

Oh...Jimmy Carter was in South Bend yesterday and the Studebaker National Museum had a photo on their page of a '48 Commander they borrowed from a local guy, outside the hotel and Jimmy was admiring it. He and Rosalynn bought a new '48 Commander. I don't know for sure if he visited the museum but he did eat dinner at nearby Tippecanoe Place, which was the Clement Studebaker mansion as they had pictures on their site.

fintail

Ah crap it slipped my mind, I've been busy for a couple days, and was away. I'd probably rather have seen the meeting in Tacoma rather than driving my car on gravel roads, ugh. On the plus side, I saw a slightly hot rodded Lark on the road today, hours from Tacoma, so likely not part of the show.

thebean

Over the past two months, I have read all 140 pages of this board, and have enjoyed it immensely. My connections with Studebaker are a bit light. My father bought a 1959 or '60 Lark in 1960. I was only 6, so I don't remember much. It was a black on black 2 door, with of course vinyl upholstery and no AC (in Texas no less). I remember us going from Texas to Colorado, with us 3 kids crammed in he back seat with a bunch of clothes. He only had it a few years before trading it in on a Chevy pickup.

The lady who stayed with me when I was young had what I now know to be a '57 President 4 door in a two-tone dark rustish color and white. It had very few miles on it (her late husband bought it new) and she drove it until she quit driving in the late 1970's. I wonder what happened to it, as it was in great shape the last time I saw it in probably 1976. I bet it had less than 40K miles on it then.

The knowledge here on this board is very impressive. Thanks guys for posting.

ab348

This just popped up on BaT, listed by my favorite seller on there, Denworks out of Oregon. One of his trademarks is a detailed video for each vehicle he sells and this one has a 30-minute version showing this truck. I expect it to bring big money. Pretty color.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1962-studebaker-champ/

imidazol97

Is that a factory color on the 62 truck?

@uplanderguy
Wouldn't that 63 Lark look good in your garage? It's a beautiful car.

uplanderguy

That color looks to me to be Blue Mist, a '63 color. I can't remember a light metallic blue in '62. Still, I like the color. I also like whitewalls on Champs for some reason.

In a short bed, like this vehicle, I prefer the old-style Studebaker bed with fenders on the outside. With the wide bed like this truck has, I much-prefer the long bed.

Even though they had the carrying capacity of any other full-size truck, there was a mid-size truck vibe going on, styling-wise I think. I know people who can't stand the wider bed, and I understand that. It's more-balanced looking on the long bed I think. The styling-feature lines match the cab pretty well I always thought though.

I could very much enjoy a Champ. I grew up Chevy but I never thought the '60-66 Chevy pickups were anything to look at, with their thumb-sized taillights and especially those lumps on the top of the hood of the '60-61 models.

Champs were America's lowest-priced pickup.

And imidazol, I do find that '63 Lark with 9,800 miles intriguing.

uplanderguy

thebean, thanks for your comments. There have been many good, thought-provoking back-and-forth comments on this page since it started.

uplanderguy

Today is "International Drive Your Studebaker Day". Rainy here and a possibility of five inches of rain (!) here this weekend. I don't think I'll have mine out!

Got sad news this week. My friend Ed Filer, who with his parents operated the Studebaker dealer in my hometown for 42 years, passed at age 89. He lived in central Ohio but they are having a memorial service near our hometown in a couple weeks. He was a wonderful guy and friend.