he Studebaker Brothers started building automobiles in 1902. Their first automobiles
were electric, although they quickly moved into gasoline powered vehicles. 
Production increased during 1913, and by 1915 there were more than 45,000 cars sold annually. 
The type and numbers of cars increased through the years, and in 1928, Studebaker acquired Pierce-Arrow. 
By 1933, Studebaker had gone into temporary receivership, and bounced back in 1934.
In 1939, they produced a new car that was a true economy model - the Champion.
During the war, Studebaker produced trucks and radial engines for aircraft. After the war, they rushed back into automobile production, with Raymond Loewy's famous styling.
The most famous Loewy 1953 coupes and hardtops were totally unique to the american scene. 
These cars were designed by Robert Bourke while he was working at the Loewy Studios.
The year of 1954 Packard bought Studebaker.
The Lark was introduced in 1959 and provided a compact car that was also roomy.
That last blast from Studebaker was the Avanti that was introduced in 1963.
In 1964, Studebaker production moved to Canada. The last year that Studebaker was produced was 1966, although the Avanti continued to be built by an independent in South Bend, Indiana.

An interesting footnote sent to me by Robert Dowling ,one of my visitors.
Packard bought the ailing Studebaker Corp. The Packard stock holders got the short end of the deal. 
Upper management thought they could ride on the (former) prestige of Packard and have Studebaker compete with Chevrolet. It didn't work and in two years the Studebaker-Packard Corp. was facing insolvency. 
Creditors demanded they get rid of one of the two manufacturing plants.
Unfortunately they chose to keep the Studebaker plant in South Bend Ind. and dump the Packard plant in
Detroit. Management soon realized their plan was failing, but it was to late. The South Bend plant was not designed to handle cars as wide as the old Packards as was the old Detroit plant, so they couldn't go back and start production of big wide cars again. I've seen design plans for the "new Packards". If you've seen a late 50's early 60's Lincoln Continental (the one with the slanted head lights) or the infamous Edsel that was what they
looked like. When I first saw them I thought it they were for Ford products.
Think about it! If you take the front of an Edsel an replace the "Horse collar" with a little grill shaped like a Clipper grill, you've got the Idea! I can't remember if Ford bought the plans or the design team went over
to Ford after Packard folded. After the dismal sales of "Packardbakers" (Those Studebakers with the funny looking add-ons) they dropped the Packard name.
In 64 they dropped the name completely and moved production to Canada.
They still make trucks for the Canadian military..
 

Thanks for allowing us all to view your web site.
 I was once the proud owner of 5,  1938 Studebakers.(1 I restored). .
A little story about the 38 convertible.
A little while after I had restored my car I read an article in an Australian magazine ,"Restored Cars".
It told of a 1938 Studebaker convertible found in the Australian outback and  dumped after having been used for spotlighting by kangaroo shooters.
I read all I could on these cars and found that only 50 were originally produced. 2 apparently came to Australia as American Embassy cars (presumably the roo shooters car was 1 of these.) I wrote to the writer of the article, and several months later recieved a reply asking me if I would like to buy the car for $500.00
If I live to be a hundred I will forever regret not taking him up on his offer (I declined due to shipping costs!).
I recently learned that there was a 1938 Studebaker convertible in NZ (possibly one of the 2 imported into Australia?). This car was sold for an  enormous amount back to the States a few years ago and is perhaps counted in 1 of the 5 remaining?
I note that 2 of the photo's of 1938 cars are New Zealand cars. I at first thought the Commander was one of my old cars but the number plates do not match although the colour certainly does!
38's seemed to be rarer in NZ that many other models. There were quite a large number of 37's in existance at the time I owned my cars,(I once visited  a warehouse full of about 50 or more of them that had been destroyed by fire in Henderson, Auckland) but very few 38's in comparison,and I often wondered if production was lesser for that year.
I would love to get in contact with any New Zealand owners of 38 Studies if perhaps you might like to publish this letter on your page.
J.Tyler
go-joe@xtra.co.nz

Don't forget to click on the picture for a larger veiw of his car in a new window.