by Fred K. Fox
Studebaker & Automotive
Historian
About
us...
The
Studebaker Drivers Club
The final element in the Studebaker Story
is the Studebaker Drivers Club (SDC). Founded in 1962 by Harry Barnes,
SDC is an international non-profit organization dedicated to the
preservation
and use of Studebaker vehicles. With more than 12,500 members
worldwide,
it is one of the largest single-marque old car clubs in the world.
Members
of SDC restore their cars and trucks so they can be used as functioning
vehicles, not just show pieces. It is a DRIVERS club.
The annual SDC International Meets often attract a thousand or more members and almost as many Studebaker vehicles. Many members in Canada and the U.S. drive their Studebakers thousands of miles to attend these meets, held in a different location each summer. Smaller zone meets are also held each year in various parts of the U.S. and Canada. SDC members own everything from horse-drawn Studebaker wagons to late-model Avantis.
SDC has more than 100 chapters around the world with substantial memberships in Australia, New Zealand, Holland, Norwar, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Most of the chapters sponsor local meets, publish newsletters and provide assistance in obtaining parts, service and technical assistance in the local area.
In contrast with many old car associations, SDC has a Board of Directors that is elected directly by the membership. Each Board member represents a certain geographical area (zone) and serves a two-year term. Members also directly elect a number of other national SDC officers, called Zone Coordinators and Regional (i.e., state or province) Managers, who serve to facilitate communication between SDC and individual members. The National President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer serve one-year terms and are elected by the Board of Directors at a meeting that is held as a part of the annual International Meet.
Turning
Wheels, official
publication of SDC
SDC publishes Turning Wheels, an award-winning
monthly magazine that includes full-color covers and 68 pages of
photos,
feature articles, technical tips, meet reports, hundreds of classified
ads for Studebaker vehicles, parts and literature, and display ads by
Studebaker
vendors for parts and services.
Join
Us Now!
For more information or to join SDC, call toll free
(763-420-7829 or visit the
Studebaker
Drivers Club's web site at http://www.StudebakerDriversClubs.com
1736 - 1750
Members of the Studebaker family came to America
from Solingen, Germany, in 1736. For generations, Studebakers, or
Stutenbeckers
as they were called in Germany, had been involved in the blacksmithing
trade. Many were producers of fine cutlery. The members of the family
who
came to America brought with them their metal working craft. The
ability
to form metal was essential in the construction of early Conestoga
wagons.
One of the immigrants, Clement Studebaker, reportedly built his first
wagon
in America around 1750.
1852
In February 1852, two of Clement's great
grandchildren,
Henry and Clement, opened the H&C Studebaker blacksmith shop in
South
Bend, Indiana. During their first year of operation, they built two
horse-drawn
farm wagons.
1853
In 1853, with the help of younger brother John M.,
they constructed a sturdy wagon which John provided to a wagon train as
his payment for overland passage to the California gold fields.
1853 - 1858
From 1853 to 1858, John earned a small fortune in
"Hangtown" (Placerville) making wheelbarrows and other tools for the
gold
miners. In 1858 John returned to South Bend with his earnings and
invested
them in his brothers' business. The Studebaker brothers built hundreds
of wagons for the North during the Civil War and by the time the United
States was 100 years old, the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company
was the largest producer of horse-drawn vehicles in the world. By then,
brothers Peter and Jacob were also involved in the company.
1902 & 1904
Studebaker entered the automobile business in 1902,
when they introduced an electric car. Two years later, they brought out
their first gasoline automobile, a two-cylinder, 16-horsepower touring
car.
1911
In 1911, the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing
Company
combined with Everitt-Metzger-Flanders Company of Detroit to form the
Studebaker
Corporation. The Corporation marketed the EMF "30", the Flanders "20",
the Studebaker-Garford "40", and Studebaker Electrics.
1913
By 1913, all of the above models had been
discontinued,
being replaced by four and six cylinder automobiles, all of which bore
just the Studebaker name. During 1913, Studebaker became the third
largest
producer of automobiles in America, after Ford and Overland. At first,
all Studebaker Corporation automobile assembly was carried on in
Detroit,
but after the discontinuation of horse-drawn vehicle manufacturing in
1920,
automobile production was gradually shifted to South Bend.
The ’Teens through the ’20s
Studebakers marketed during the late 'teens and
early twenties used names like Big Six, Special Six, Light Six and
Standard
Six, but for the 1927 model year, these "generic" names were
discontinued
and the President, Commander and Dictator model names were introduced.
Also introduced in 1927 was a new quality small car called the Erskine.
In 1928 Studebaker purchased Pierce-Arrow, a Buffalo, New York company
that produced luxury automobiles.
The Great Depression
Underestimating the impact of the Great Depression,
Studebaker's president, Albert Erskine, inadvertently led the
corporation
into receivership in 1933. Paul Hoffman and Harold Vance saved the
company,
but much of Studebaker's momentum had been lost. Studebaker would never
completely regain the solid footing it had in 1929. Because of the
Depression,
Studebaker had to sell Pierce-Arrow in 1933. In the same year, they
dropped
the Rockne, another small car venture that Studebaker had launched the
previous year. The Rockne was named in honor of the famous Notre Dame
football
coach, Knute Rockne. The Rockne was, in many ways, a better car than
the
original Erskine, which had been discontinued in 1930.
For the 1934 model year, Studebaker introduced several advanced body designs, including the streamlined Land Cruiser, a car that was styled after the famous Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow show cars. The Land Cruiser and Cruiser names were used off and on by Studebaker from 1934 to 1966.
Commercial Trucks
During the thirties, Studebaker made a concerted
effort to gain a foothold in the commercial truck field. In 1936 they
introduced
a line of cabover-engine trucks, and in 1937 the smoothly contoured
Coupe-Express
pickup premiered. Studebaker built quality trucks continously from 1929
to December 1963. The Champ pickup, Transtar gas jobs, medium-duty
Diesels
and Postal Zip-Vans were their last commercial products. Studebaker
also
built bus and fire engine chassis. Studebaker, off and on, assembled
postwar
military trucks until March 1964.
1939 . . . The Champion is
Introduced
The Champion, a very advanced small car, was
introduced
by Studebaker in 1939. The six-cylinder Champion proved to be an
instant
success. It was sold along with the larger eight-cylinder President and
six-cylinder Commander. The Dictator name, for obvious reasons, was
dropped
at the end of the 1937 model year. Popular Studebaker options during
this
period were overdrive and the Hill Holder.
Studebaker & The War Effort
During World War II, Studebaker produced military
trucks, aircraft engines and the Weasel, a tracked personnel and cargo
carrier that was designed by Studebaker engineers. One version of the
Weasel
was amphibious.
Peace & a Postwar Economy
After the war, Studebaker was the first established
automobile company to come out with an all new styling. The new 1947
Studebakers
were nicknamed the "Which-Way-Are-They-Going" cars, since they had
similar
front and rear stylings.
Convertibles were again available in 1947. Studebaker had last marketed a convertible in 1939. Postwar convertibles were sold from 1947 to 1952 and from 1960 to 1964. The postwar design was revamped in 1950 with the addition of a bullet-nosed front end. This styling was continued through 1951. Studebaker's Automatic Drive was brought out in mid-1950, and a new modern overhead valve V8 engine was introduced in 1951 for the Commander models.
1952 - 100 Years of Studebaker
The Studebaker company celebrated its 100th anniversary as a
producer of road vehicles in 1952. Oldsmobile, currently America's
oldest
automobile make, did not reach its 100th birthday until 1997.
The "Loewy Coupes" are
Introduced
In 1953 Studebaker brought out the beautiful
low-slung
"Loewy Coupes." They were produced in Starliner hardtop and Starlight
pillared
coupe form, and have many times been listed among the most beautiful
cars
in the world. Raymond Loewy, who had directed Studebaker styling since
the 1938 models, oversaw the development of the Starliner/Starlight
design,
although the actual styling was created by Robert Bourke.
In 1955 a sporty version of the "Loewy Coupe," called the Speedster, was produced. The Speedster concept was continued in 1956 with the introduction of the Hawk line of "family sports cars." During 1956-58, the top line Hawk was called the Golden Hawk.
Studebaker-Packard Corporation
Packard, a highly respected automobile company
that produced its first car in 1899, joined forces with Studebaker. The
resulting Studebaker-Packard Corporation had a hard time competing with
the Big Three (General Motors, Ford Motor Company and the Chrysler
Corporation).
From 1954 to 1958, the Studebaker-Packard Corporation never had a
profitable
year. Because of this, the Packard line was discontinued in 1958. The
1957
and 1958 Packards were actually Studebakers with special interiors and
Packard trim.
Although Studebaker's sales position took a nose dive after 1950, Studebaker maintained a strong gas economy image throughout the 1950's. Studebaker was a constant standout in the Mobilgas Economy Runs.
New Models Introduced
In addition to the Hawks, Studebaker introduced several
new models during the 1950s. In 1954 the Conestoga station wagon
premiered.
In 1955 the President line returned, having been marketed last in 1942.
In 1957 a new economy series called the Scotsman was unveiled, and was
fairly successful in 1957 and 1958.
1959 - Lark, an All New
Compact
Line
Because of the Scotsman's success and the growing
demand for practical transportation, in late 1958, Studebaker dropped
all
its existing automobile models except the Silver Hawk and introduced an
all-new compact line called the Lark. The Lark project was directed by
Studebaker's president, Harold Churchill. During 1959, the Lark was
extremely
successful. It produced the highest one-year profit Studebaker had ever
had up to that time.
1962 & 1963 - Speed &
Sport
In 1960 the Big Three countered with their own
compacts
and Studebaker again found itself struggling for survival. In an
attempt
to create a sportier image, Studebaker brought out the Gran Turismo
Hawk
in 1962 and introduced the dynamic Avanti for the 1963 model year. The
fiberglass-bodied Avanti, when fitted with an optional supercharged R3
engine, was capable of a true 170 miles per hour. (In 1993, Ron Hall
drove
a Studebaker powered 1963 Avanti 200 mph.) It was the fastest
production
car that had ever been built in America. The Avanti also sported a
wind-cheating
aerodynamic design, a built-in roll bar and caliper disc brakes, the
first
brakes of this type used on a full-sized American production car. The
Avanti
project was instigated by Studebaker's new president, Sherwood Egbert,
and was styled by a team under the direction of Raymond Loewy.
New Lark Models
The Lark line was given a flashier image with
the introduction of the Cruiser in 1961, the Daytona in 1962 and the
unique
sliding-roof Wagonaire station wagon in 1963. A Lark Commander and
Challenger
were introduced for the 1964 model year. The 1962-64 Lark stylings and
the GT Hawk were designed by industrial designer Brooks Stevens, the
creator
of the Excalibur motor car. Early Excaliburs used Studebaker frames and
suspension. The original prototype was fitted with an Avanti engine.
Production in South Bend
Discontinued
Unfortunately, the GT Hawk, the Avanti and
the new Lark models did not improve Studebaker's economic position.
Because
of this, the board of directors voted to close down most of the South
Bend
plant in December 1963, and concentrate production in their small
assembly
plant in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (Studebakers had also been assembled
in other plants outside North America, and were built in Los Angeles
from
1936 to 1956).
Production Continued in Canada
Only Lark-type vehicles were assembled in the
Canadian
plant, which meant the discontinuance of Avanti, Hawk and truck
production
after December 1963. Engines for 1964 Canadian Studebakers were built
in
South Bend, but beginning with the 1965 model year, General Motors
engines,
which were assembled in the McKinnon engine plant in St. Catharines,
Ontario,
were used by Studebaker. Profits from the Hamilton plant were minimal,
so it was decided to close it down in March 1966. The last Studebaker
was
produced on March 17, 1966.
Studebaker Subsidiaries
The production of the last Studebaker did not mark a
definite
end of the company or its products. The Studebaker Corporation (the
Packard
name was officially dropped from the corporate title in 1962) had
acquired
numerous subsidiaries, such as STP, Gravely, Clarke and Onan, so
although
it did not build cars after March 1966, the company carried on. In
mid-1967
Studebaker purchased the Wagner Electric Corporation and in November
1967
it combined with the Worthington Corporation to form the
Studebaker-Worthington
Corporation. In the fall 1979, the Studebaker-Worthington Corporation
was
absorbed by the McGraw-Edison Company. In April 1985, the McGraw-Edison
Company was acquired by Cooper Industries of Houston, Texas..
The Avanti Continues . . .
Studebaker's fabulous Avanti, which was so advanced
when introduced in April 1962, was produced by non-Studebaker
companies
until 1991. In 1965 the Avanti Motor Corporation started producing the
Avanti II in South Bend, Indiana, Studebaker's old home town. The
Avanti
II was not a replica, but was actually a continuation of the original
Studebaker
model. Nathan Altman and Leo Newman, the gentlemen who formed the
Avanti
Motor Corporation, purchased from Studebaker buildings and all the
fixtures
needed to produce the Avanti. Since Studebaker had stopped building
engines,
the Avanti Motor Corporation decided to use Corvette engines, but the
frame,
suspension and fiberglass body panels were essentially the same as used
on Studebaker's Avanti.
The Avanti Motor Corporation was sold to Stephen Blake in October 1982. Mr. Blake made a few engineering and styling changes. In 1983 he dropped the "II" from the car's name, and in 1985 introduced an Avanti convertible.
In April 1986, the Avanti Motor Corporation was sold to Mike Kelly. Kelly renamed the company The New Avanti Motor Corporation. For the 1987 model year, Kelly introduced a long wheelbase coupe and started using GM chassis. In September 1987, he moved production to Youngstown, Ohio.
In September 1988, Kelly sold his remaining interest in the company to John J. Cafaro. Cafaro renamed the company again, calling it the Avanti Automotive Corporation. The long wheelbase coupe was discountinued, but before ending production in 1991, Cafaro built coupe, convertible and four-door Touring Sedan models.
In 1997, Jim Bunting of Millersville, Pennsylvania, introduced the AVX, an Avanti inspired sports model that utilized existing Pontiac Firebird models. In 1999, Bunting introduced a convertible version of the AVX. The AVX styling was directed by Tom Kellogg, one of the original Studebaker Avanti designers.
In late 1999, the interest of Jim Bunting and
John
Cafaro
were obtained by John Seaton, John Hull, and Michael Kelly, and a new
Avanti
Motor Corporation was established in Villa Rica, Georgia. In late 2000,
the company launched the production of a new 2001 "Avanti" based on the
Bunting/Kellogg design. In November 2001, Michael Kelly obtained 100%
ownership of the Avanti Motor Corporation. Currently the new
company is producing Avanti coupe and convertible models.