Postwar Studebakers

uplanderguy · November 2018

Here are some close-up, higher-resolution photos of the Studebakers at the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals in Chicago last weekend. The dark blue '64 two-door sedan is the only R3 factory installation in a Lark-type built, sold new in Albany, NY and that engine and package was a $1,031 option!!

The dark brown two-door sedan, Lark Challenger, is still owned by its original owner, a retired college professor. In 1965 he bought an R3 engine from Studebaker and replaced the 289 that was in it. The Pure Stock Muscle Car Drags allows him to race there since it is a factory option and he has often spanked Big Three stuff with a hundred more cubes with it.

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/showthread.php?108405-Great-Stude-exposure-2018-MCACN!/page2

berri · November 2018

I bet that car was a sleeper. Enjoyed the pictures.

fintail · November 2018

Something not so Studey at Stude:

thebean · November 2018

That's kinda odd. Wonder why it's in there? Groundbreaking for it's time, but not related to Stude's. Maybe uplanderguy will chime in.

fintail · November 2018

There was an exhibit of the "top 10 most important cars" or something along those lines. This was on loan from FCA, IIRC, perfectly preserved first year car.

uplanderguy · November 2018

Couple smallish interesting things in the mail. My dealer friend's son said he found five of these parts order sheets at his Dad's place and sent them to me. I love stuff like this, no matter how small. I'm surprised these made the move from PA to four hours away when they moved in the late '70's. Also, got the club magazine where the back cover photo is a pic from the museum's new 2019 calendar. It is the same car I "adopted" at the museum in my friend's memory. Photo was taken at the Proving Ground clubhouse.

fintail · November 2018

Do they loan the cars out for proms/weddings or something?

uplanderguy · November 2018

No, but these photos were all 'set up'. There are a few in front of the clubhouse, which is cool as a fair amount of brochure photos were taken there

The Proving Ground (now owned by Navistar) is 15 miles west of South Bend on Route 2, so they apparently trailered the cars there.

uplanderguy · November 2018

Nice calendar cover photo here:

https://www.studebakermuseum.org/store/2019-MUSEUM-CALENDAR

That building was built in the thirties, but Egbert moved his family here from 1961 to the end of 1963.

Navistar keeps the place floodlit so you see it when you drive past at night.

fintail · November 2018

Apparently Studebaker was thinking of marketing cars to aliens:

uplanderguy · November 2018

The "Astral". Predated "The Jetsons" by several years, LOL. I have a friend who's 79 and as a young guy he worked for a Studebaker dealer in Akron, OH. He has a pic of that thing on display there. Apparently it was at one of the car shows, and then the zone offices would loan it on display to dealers.

It was on loan to the Peterson Museum some years back.

Looking at the calendar pic again, I was reminded that there was Studebaker manufacturing in South Bend for 111 years (112 if you count engines, which were built there after assembly was centralized in Hamilton, ON), and administration was there 120 years. Pretty remarkable.

uplanderguy · November 2018

This would require a major restoration of course, but I think this would be a nice car when done and was probably a nice car when new, with it being a Daytona and having a roof rack. Original front fenders with the LARK lettering, which makes me believe the mileage claim. Still has the separate wraparound front bumper extensions, which often get discarded over the years....all '63 Daytonas came with them.

Not for the weak of heart, obviously.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1963-Studebaker-Lark-Daytona/202508726550?hash=item2f2675f116:g:tw0AAOSw86Nb87cR:rk:7:pf:0&vxp=mtr

fintail · November 2018

What would production numbers be for one optioned like that?

Labor of love, but worth saving.

uplanderguy · November 2018

I looked in the Feb. '86 club "Turning Wheels" magazine, which is about '63 Larks, and it says 11,915 station wagons were built for the '63 model year, including sliders and fixed-roof wagons (which are almost indistinguishable on walking around the car). Production by series didn't exist, at least as of that time, but I do know the '63, first-year Wagonaire, was the highest-production year. The fixed-roof models, at $100 less, didn't come out until mid-year. I'd say there are far-more sliders than fixed-roof models. They both came in Standard, Regal, and Daytona models in '63. I am confident that the Regal was by-far the best-selling '63 Lark, in general.

I'd be curious to see the build sheet to see what other options it was built with.

fintail · November 2018

More stacked Studes, cheapskate edition at top right:

ab348 · November 2018

What's that streamlined job at lower left?

fintail · November 2018

Bendix SWC, an interesting concept

uplanderguy · November 2018

That Scotsman is actually in really good shape; I'm surprised someone bothered! I've seen it when it was displayed upstairs.

In my opinion, that model kept the company alive until the Lark came out.

uplanderguy · November 2018

That green '40 President is delicious in person, and as I've said, I'm not a prewar guy.

uplanderguy · November 2018

That Wagonaire sold for $1,293. I hope someone handy gets on it and it just isn't left to further deteriorate.

fintail · November 2018

IIRC the Scotsman was restored by a couple of high school kids from a "Studebaker family" 40 years ago. Not sure if I had ever seen one in person.

I might have another pic of the President, must be a rare car with sidemounts.

uplanderguy · November 2018

I believe that car is owned by a longtime SDC magazine contributor, a retired school teacher who bought Studebakers while you still could. He said he had a dealer listing as of the time production stopped and would drive to towns all over, find the dealerships, ask to buy parts inventory (or at least, certain items), put as much as he could in his Pontiac Grand Prix and ship the rest home. At the time (late sixties) a lot of dealers would take $50 or $100 for whatever they had left. Some were still mad.

fintail · November 2018

Here's that 40 along with some others:

uplanderguy · November 2018

Several of those are usually upstairs. Apparently they had to move them to make space for the cars in their temporary display. I know they have to do stuff like that to keep locals coming in, but I'd much-rather see those Studes than the other, more-generic stuff.

That '56 President was painted (from new) a color that was usually a Hawk-only color. The white R1 Police Marshal is usually upstairs too. Neat bench seat with bucket back-bolstering for the driver, among other unique police features.

Other than whitewalls a bit too wide, I like the '63 convertible. It's gold with red interior. I've seen other '63 Larks in that combo and I used to think it clashed. I've grown to really like it.

fintail · November 2018

It is a crowded facility, indeed - which I guess is a good thing in that it has a lot of people working to keep it going. Was the police car a special build for a local department, or did they sell many like that?

uplanderguy · November 2018

RE.: Police car--they had a package called the "Police Marshal", and that car was one. I'm fuzzy on this, but I'm actually thinking that particular car was sold in the Pacific NW where you live, but I can't swear to it.

In a perfect world, I wish the Studebaker National Museum had one more floor. But we were lucky to get it built at all, really, when you think about it. The old museum (opened 1983) was in an old Studebaker/M-B, and later Chrysler-Plymouth, dealer building next to the Administration Building and had its charms, but was one floor of course. The building, subsequently, was falling down though.

berri · November 2018

You have to have diehard Studebaker fans when you think about it. There is no national GM museum open to the public. The Chrysler one didn't last too long. The Ford museum is really more about America than Ford in particular. I don't think there is even an American Motors one in Kenosha

uplanderguy · November 2018

We are a diehard bunch.

At the International Meet in South Bend in 2012, I was admiring a low-mileage, black '64 Daytona Hardtop with a bowling shirt hanging in the quarter window with a Stude dealer's name on it. Got talking to the owner and he had been a dealer in small-town western Michigan somewhere. Like WWII vets, we're losing those guys daily. I could've listened to him the whole afternoon.

Maybe this is just my perspective, but in those later years especially, I think of Studebaker as a small-town or rural car and truck. I also remember a good number of older folks buying those last few model years. I understand they did pretty well in states like Iowa and Nebraska, even with trucks, those last few years.

In the last 25 or 30 years, when I would go to South Bend and stay off the Toll Road, I'd see Studebakers, often trucks, just sitting out in the yard or fields. People tended to buy more locally then I think. I can remember seeing a '59 or '60 Lark parked at the toll booth between OH and IN; apparently an employee's car. This is probably in the '90's.

I have a friend who has been a Stude guy his entire 79 years. He would buy parts at "Plant 8" as it was called, in South Bend, through 1972--Studebaker sold parts through that year. He remembered a farmer coming in in overalls to order a truck part or two. My friend said he remembered the farmer telling the counter guy, "If this doesn't fix it, I'm gonna just park it out in the field", LOL.

fintail · November 2018

That does say a lot about the fanbase. There are no factory sanctioned domestic marque specific museums in the US, as far as I know. As was mentioned, GM is not public, Chrysler closed, Ford is a cultural museum with a car section. I think Toyota and Honda have small museums in California. MB and BMW have small displays at their US plants.

Interestingly, in Germany, BMW has a virtual theme park with a museum attached, MB museum is like a brand mecca, VW has another theme park, Audi has a solid non-overwhelming offering.

uplanderguy · November 2018

Back to the Scotsman for a minute--amazingly, to me, Eleanor Roosevelt had one.

lemko1968 · November 2018

1957 Studebaker President at Hershey this past October.

omarman · November 2018

Hi lemko. The signage indicates 1958 - 1959 production vehicles. And the quad headlights look like '58. Something strange about the way the fenders bulge to accommodate the headlights. And the side trim makes it more noticeable.

Still a really nice car quirks and all. Wonder why Studebaker switched to quad headlights for 1958?

sda · November 2018

The 57 front end could be mistaken for a Chrysler model, at least at casual glance.

fintail · November 2018

I see Chrysler in it too, not a bad thing.

berri · December 2018

That vintage Studebaker just seemed cobbled together to me. Not a lot of coherency in its design. But it is unusual to see one and thanks for posting it lemko.

uplanderguy · December 2018

I saw that '58 at Hershey. Those are Golden Hawk wheelcovers. They may have been available on 'regular' Studebakers, but I hadn't seen one with them before this particular one.

I do like the glassy roofline and big back window, low beltline, and lack of 'fatness', but that wasn't a selling point in '58.

Mercury did headlight 'pods' too IIRC, but theirs were chrome.

I showed pics here a month or two ago, but the Stude that wowed me at Hershey was the '64 two-door hardtop with blower and Halibrand wheels, which were available through the Stude dealer parts department. Largely a function of my age though.

ab348 · December 2018

This '55 Conestoga on BaT is a resto-mod and I'm not all that crazy about it to be truthful. I wonder how it drives.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1955-studebaker-conestoga-wagon/

uplanderguy · December 2018

I like the two-door wagons of '54-56, but being a purist I'd rather it wasn't a 350. That said, not being the slightest hint of a mechanic, I'm sure it's easier to get it worked on someplace. That was one reason I went with a '66 this time, although the factory decided to do it so that makes it OK to me.

I think the foglights are heavy-handed-looking on these cars.

There was another '55 wagon this color for sale not long ago, but it definitely wasn't this same car.

uplanderguy · December 2018

Just saw this; apparently a very-recent video. John Begian, owner, was president of the Studebaker Drivers' Club in the '90's. He's a Chrysler engineer. I haven't seen this car in person in probably almost twenty years.

His car is a late '63 Super Hawk R2; the "Super" package had heavy-duty suspension pieces and some trim that you didn't get when you just ordered the R2 engine. The color on his is Super Red, which was only available on cars equipped with the complete 'Super' package. The color was not available on '64 cars.

Generally, I like the '64 Hawk better, with its denuded decklid and different wheelcovers; but this car is pretty unique. In '63, white inserts on all-vinyl Hawk, Lark Daytona, and Cruiser interiors were standard, and matching inserts were a no-cost option. I like the white inserts on this car. Notice the optional headrest on only the right side. I always wished my '63 Daytona had white inserts but the production order did indicate red vinyl with matching inserts.

This video is long but the car can be enjoyed early-on in the video and of course by moving it right along.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2CUyiVy_mU&fbclid=IwAR1PmMkifMXXCX3l2DNL48_FEltIQlQWb1qLHHI-6y4jJOwXf56T66vW3JU

berri · December 2018

Studebaker two sided winner. Like the Hawk and the Conestoga. Might choose different colors, but I'd actually be hard pressed deciding which one.

uplanderguy · December 2018

My old white Lark Daytona Skytop had a similar exhaust sound to it, although it was an R1, not a supercharged R2.

ab348 · December 2018

That Hawk is lovely, the interior in particular.

uplanderguy · December 2018

The Gran Turismo Hawks are really my favorite Studebakers. I like the Continental-style sides outlined in chrome but plain down the sides; no fake scoops or anything like that.

Different for sure.

bhill2 · December 2018

uplanderguy said:
The Gran Turismo Hawks are really my favorite Studebakers. I like the Continental-style sides outlined in chrome but plain down the sides; no fake scoops or anything like that.

Different for sure.

In the Hemmings Motor News Daily newsletter, there is an ad for a GTH. It's factory-original beige. Someone needs to be punished.

ab348 · December 2018

Neat pic from the Studebaker Museum folks on Twitter of a '54 wagon exiting the paint drying ovens at the Chippewa Ave. assembly plant.

berri · December 2018

It's factory-original beige. Someone needs to be punished.

Call it gold. It will make you feel better

bhill2 · December 2018

berri said:
It's factory-original beige. Someone needs to be punished.

Call it gold. It will make you feel better

Gave it a try. Didn't work. It's still a terrible color on a beautiful car. Thanks for the suggestion, though.

uplanderguy · December 2018

Great pic from the museum. Chippewa Avenue plant building is still there. It's several blocks south of the rest of Studebaker's complex at the time. Mostly built trucks and military vehicles there but also built the first postwar station wagons there (as in pic). That was Studebaker International's enormous parts warehouse until just recently too. The parts are being moved to a location near Indianapolis. It's sad to me that for the first time ever, there won't be a huge parts presence in South Bend. Thanks for posting.

uplanderguy · December 2018

On the afternoon of Dec. 9, 1963, 55 years ago tomorrow, Studebaker announced that it was ceasing U.S. assembly of cars and trucks. Engine production would remain there through June 1964 for Canadian-built cars, and assembly of postal Zip Vans and military trucks would continue in South Bend to completion of contracts (Kaiser ended up taking over the Studebaker military truck contract).

http://www.studebaker-info.org/Newsp/newsp1/STUDSBT9.JPG

uplanderguy · December 2018

Hawks, trucks, Avantis, and Avanti engines in other Stude models were discontinued at the time. Of course, two Studebaker dealers in South Bend bought the rights to the Avanti and trucks and reintroduced the Avanti II with Chevy power in 1965. Amazing to me that Studebaker was still in the car business and allowed a small private firm to continue building one of their models.

Postwar Studebakers

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles