The Studebaker

 

 

 

For those of us who can remember it, can we ever forget it


 

 
A number of years ago I saw a one page calendar that showed all the Ford 
pickup trucks from the first one to the present day. I thought , what a nice idea.
I thought that I might try something similar with some of the car pictures I have collected.
I have been collecting pictures of Studebakers, Packards Nash, Hudson
and Jeeps for some time now and I first wrote a web page on this page on the Studebaker.
Then one on Jeeps  and Packard followed.
Then came one Nash and Hudson. I have since added a page on old Pickup Trucks , Hudson. Essex and Terrplanes of Australia , Volkswagen  Kaiser and Henry J and now I with the help of one of my visitors have written on on the Crosley.

My experience with Studebakers is limited but it is memorable.
Many many years ago my older brother had a 1950 Starlight Coupe.
Keeping in mind that the roads were not that good back then we managed
to average a mile a minute on a particular road. It was a ride to remember
as was the car, Who could forget that beautiful bullet nose,

These pictures came for a number of sources including 
web pages of the manufacture, news groups and my own.
Since most of these pictures came from news groups there may 
be a chance that your car is shown here.

I would like to invite any one that has a favorite Studebaker picture or a Web Page
that they would like added to this page to E mail me a copy.

John MacDonald 


 
 
A brief History of the Studebaker

The 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 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.
 

Before you begin I want to mention that I have been told that some
of the pictures on my pages aren't loading properly.
If this should happen to you just right click on the area where
the picture is supposed to be and select "Show Picture".

I have been told by the support team of my hosting service that this problem
is a fault of MSIE and that we will have to live with it.

Also note that some of the pictures are set up with larger images available.
In this case click on the image for the larger view.

This page was last updated on March 27 2007

This Studebaker page is now in four sections
This page is the second in the series.

From 1940 to 1949

The following links will take you to remainder


From the beginning to 1939
From 1950 to the End
You just have to love those
Hawks and Avanti's
1940 Studebaker Champion Utility Coupe
1940 Studebaker Champion Utility Coupe
   
1940 Studebaker President
1940 Studebaker President Deluxe Tone Club Sedan
   
1940 Studebaker President Sedan
1940 Studebaker Champion Sedan Indy Pacer
   
1940 Studebaker Champion 4 Door Sedan
1940 Studebaker Champion ( Indy Pacing the field)
   
1940 Studebaker Champion 4 Door Sedan
1940 Studebaker Champion 2 Door Sedan
   
Click on this image for a larger view in a new window
Click on this image for a larger view in a new window
Click on this image for a larger view in a new window
Click on this image for a larger view in a new window
1940 Commander 2 Door Sedan Model 10
1940 Commander 2 Door Sedan Model 10
This car is owned by Aris Villavicencio from Oxnard, Calif 
Click on this image for a larger view in a new window
Click on this image for a larger view in a new window
 1940 Commander 2 Door Sedan Model 10
 1940 Studebaker Champion 4 Door Sedan
 
 
 
1941 Studebaker Champion
 
This car is owned by Rodney & Joanne Bullock of
Oxon Hill, Maryland .
Rodney has the following to say about the car.
" I have driven and enjoyed restoring my 1941 Studebaker 
Champion 4dr now for the past 5 years. I got my car from 
a tow truck driver that aquired it from an estate sale.
The car is vey interesting and has a personality of it's own, 
while I drive a couple of prewar cars the Studebaker 
continues to be my favorite. I am enclosing a pic for you 
as I have not seen many in the area that I live"
1941 Studebaker Commander
1941 Studebaker Commander Land Cruiser
   
1941 Studebaker President
1941 Studebaker President Coupe
   
1941 Studebaker President Sedan
 1941 Studebaker President Land Cruiser Sedan
 
 
1941 Studebaker Champion Deluxe Two Tone Cruising Sedan
1941 Studebaker 4 Door Sedan
Click on this image for a larger view in a new window
Click on this image for a larger view in a new window
1941 Studebaker Commader 4 Door Sedan
This car is owned by Paul Wilson, Brentford, West London, UK
He had the following to say about this car.
"I have had the car for about 5 years, and whilst she looks very shiny, thanks to the gallon of polish, like all old cars she game with problems. Her previous owner had bare metalled the body, but only on the outside, and certainly not underneath. To add insult her interior, looked good but hiding under that nylon and vinyl car cover kit lurked an interior not touched since 1953, or at least the newspaper we found in the front seat along with a long  mouse nest was dated 1953. So presently she is off the road having a new broadcloth interior with original badges and handles collected from e bay over the last 5 years."
1942 Studebaker Commander Skyway
1942 Studebaker Commander Skyway
 
 
1942 Studebaker President Skyway Land Cruiser
1942 Studebaker Champion Custom Club Coupe
   
1942 Studebaker Commander Custom Cruising Sedan
1942 Studebaker President Deluxe Land Cruiser Sedan
 
1942 Commander Skyway
 
This car is owned by
Bobby Turner of Blue Ridge, Georgia USA
1946 Studebaker Skyway Champion 2 Door Sedan
1946 Skyway Champion Coupe
   
1946 Studebaker Skyway 2 Door
1946 Studebaker Commander
Prototype Indy Official Car
1946 Studebaker Skyway Champion
4 Door Cruising Sedan
 1946 Studebaker Champion Coupe
   
1946 Studebaker Half Ton Tilt Bed
This picture was posted on alt.binaries.picures.vehicles
by Doby
1947 Studebaker Staright Coupe
This car was found in Urugua by Juan Carlos Tuzzolino
1947 Studebaker Champion Regal Deluxe
1947 Studebaker Commander Land Cruiser
1947 Studebaker Champion Regal Deluxe
1947 Studebaker Commander Regal Deluxe
   
1947 Studebaker Champion Starlight Coupe
1947 Studebaker Champion Starlight Coupe
   
1947 Studebaker Convertible
1947 Studebaker Champion Deluxe Coupe
 
 
1947 Studebaker Champion Deluxe 
Raymond Loewy Prototype Station Wagon
1947 Studebaker Champion Regal
Deluxe Starlight Coupe
Click on the image for a larger view in a new window
1947 Studebaker Commander Regal Deluxe 
Land Cruiser Sedan
1947 Studebaker Design Studio with 
Virgil Exner and Raymond Loewy
   

Click on the image for a larger view
Click on the image for a larger view in a new window
Click on the image for a larger view
1947 Studebaker Commander Regal Deluxe
3 Passenger Business Coupe
1947 Studebaker Commander Regal Deluxe Starlight Ad

Click on the image for a larger view

Click on the image for a larger view
1947 Studebaker Commander Regal Deluxe
3 Passenger Business Coupe
1947 Studebaker Commander Regal Deluxe
3 Passenger Business Coupe
This 3 Passanger Coupe is owned by Peter Crisitello, Rahway, NJ
Peter had the following to say about this car.
"This is a 14A-Q2 referred to as a Regal Deluxe model. 
I am the second owner and have had this vehicle in my possession 
since 1979.  As far as I can tell, this is the only Post War Q body 
Commander currently on the road.  There is a 1951 Q body out there
(see picture #3 attached) but it is a Champion trimmed out to
look like the only V8 Q body Studebaker ever produced. 
My check of the South Bend records showed that Studebaker 
produced 1,072 Q body Commanders in 1947; one in 1948 
and the only V8 one in 1952.  During this same five year period
they did produce many more Champion Q Body vehicles but
only the 1,074 Commanders." 
1948 Studebaker Champion Regal Deluxe
 1948 Studebaker Convertible
 
 
 1948 Studebaker Commander Convertible
 1948 Studebaker Commander Land Cruiser Sedan
1948 Studebaker M 5 Woody Stationwagon
1948 Studebaker M 5 Half Ton
   This truck os owned by Gary Ash from  Dartmouth, MA
 
1948 Studebaker M5 Woody Stationwagon
1948 Studebaker Chamnpion Regal Deluxe Convertible
   
1948 Studebaker Commander Starlight Coupe
1948 Studebaker Commander Starlight Coupe
   
Click on this image for a larger view
1948 Studebaker Coupe
1948 Studebaker Ad
Click on this image for a larger view
This picture was posted on alt.binaries.pictures.autos
by Jeff G
 
 
Click on this image for a larger view
Click on this image for a larger view
1948 Studebaker Ad
Click on this image for a larger view
This picture was posted on alt.binaries.pictures.autos
by Jeff G
1948 Studebaker Ad
Click on this image for a larger view
This picture was posted on alt.binaries.pictures.autos
by Jeff G
 
1949 Studebaker Champion Convertible
 
1949 Studebaker Champion Deluxe Sedan
1949 Studebaker Champion DeLuxe Statlite Coupe
1949 Studebaker 2R5 Pickup
1949 Studebaker 2R5 Pickup
   
Click on this image for a larger view in a new window
These pictures were submitted by 
Harvey Cox from Calgary, Alberta, Canada

This truck has been recently restored.

1949 Studebaker 2R5 Pickup Engine
Click on this image for a larger view in a new window
 
   
1949 Studebaker Champion
1949 Studebaker Pickup

Studebaker in Canada
The following pictures show the Studebaker Plant the operated in
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada from 1948 to 1966
Click on any of these images for a larger view in a new window.
To read the complete story of this Studebaker plant Click Here

These pictures were supplied by Winston White from Burlington Ontario Canada
and are of the plant in 2004


Click on this image for a larger view in a new window.
Click on this image for a larger view in a new window.
The Front Door
The North side of the plant
   
Click on this image for a larger view in a new window.
Click on this image for a larger view in a new window.
The West side
The North side of the plant
 
 
Click on this image for a larger view in a new window.
 
The Office, South side
 
After World War II ended, there was great  need for automobiles in Canada. 
Studebaker Canada required larger and more modern facilities.
An old anti-aircraft gun plant on the property of Otis-Fensom Elevator was acquired from the
government in 1946, and on August 18, 1948, the first Studebaker built in Hamilton rolled off the line.
The Hamilton plant  had 320,000 square feet of space. 
By 1949 the plant produced about 70 cars per day, five days a week.
In 1954, the parent company, Studebaker of U.S.A. merged with the Packard Motor Car Company.
The amalgamation included Studebaker Canada (now Studebaker-Packard of Canada Limited).
Again Hamilton was again selected as the headquarters of the new Canadian organization. 
This plant was a great success and produced many models including the Scotsman and Lark.
Unfortunately, Studebaker of USA did not share the Canadian company's profitability.
Studebaker of U.S.A. ceased car production in December of 1963.
In March 4, 1966 it was announced that the Hamilton plant was closing
(having produced 179,325 cars and trucks in its 18 year history.

To continue your tour of the Studebakers use the links below


From the beginning to 1939
From 1950 to the End
And I saved the best
for the last.
You just have to love those
Hawks and Avanti's
Click on the image to view a series of pictures of the Rebuild of this car
Be sure to check out Buddy Romines 1954 Studebaker Rebuild

 
Links
John's Old Car and Truck Pictures
Visit our Home in Summerville Nova Scotia. This house was built in 1873.
Where we live and what we do
t"
Tour the 64 remaining Covered Bridges 
 of New Brunswick
The Covered Bridges that once
dotted Nova Scotia.
Historic Aircraft Pictures
The 1952 cars of The World
The Netherlands and most of Europe has a large following of North American Cars
The Old Cars of the Netherlands
The Early Harley-Davidson Motorcycles
The Model T Ford
The Model A Ford
1956 Studebaker Golden Hawk Owners Register 
The Studebaker Drivers Club
of Atlantic Canada
A very interesting Studebaker page at the Smithsonian Institution
The Chevrolet Corvette From 1963 to 1970
Don Pate's 1947 Chevy Aero Sedan 
View the rebuilding of this car from the bullet holes to the trophy winning
The Early American Sporty Cars
A picture review of the Jeep
The Jeep from 1940 to the present
The Oshkosh The Truck that all other only dream of becoming
The Oshkosh 
The Truck of Trucks
The Divco Truck
America's Milk Truck
Click here to View the Famous Chevy Tri-Five 55, 56 and 57 Chevrolets
The Chevy Tri-Five 
55, 56 and 57 Chevrolets
The Ford Mustang

The Cars Dreams are made of
Those Old Classic Convertibles
Cadillac, Duesenberg, Cords and many more
The Cars of the Chrysler Corporation
The Nash, Hudson and American Motors Cars
The Hudson, Essex, and Terraplanes
that were found in Australia
A Picture review of the Packard
The Pickup Truck
The Volkswagen form 1932 to the end of the Beetle
The Kaiser and the  Frazer
Eric Gordon's Kaiser Rebuild
There are many pictures showing the details of this rebuild
All you Kaiser lovers would like to have one of these. Watch it being made.
Eric Gordon's 1954 Kaiser
Convertible Convertion
"Coming Home"
The story of Eric Gordon finding and bringing his Kaiser Convertible Home after searching for it for 20 years
Eric Gordon's First Kaiser
A 1951 Deluxe which comes 
to a startling end
The Henry J
The Stanley Steamer
The cars of IKA Argentina
Kaiser's Jeeps and American Motors that were built in
Argentina in the 1950's and 60's and 70's
That Cute Litle Crosley
The Chevrolet from 1916 to 1970
The Corvair 1960 to 1969
The cars of the Ford Motor Company from 1908 to 1969
The Pontiac
The Oldsmobile
The Cadillac
Wouldn't you rather have a Buick
Wouldn't you Really Rather have a Buick
The Chrysler Airflow
The Tucker '48'
The Amphicar
View some of John Evan's  Artwork
View some of John' Evan's 
Auto Artwork 
Click here to View the Jeeps of World War II
WW II Jeeps
For those who would like to look at cars that are a little more modern, try 
Donnie Jones' Classy Cars
Studebaker Drivers Club Ontario Chapter 
The Studerbaker National Museum
The Studebaker-Packard Club  Nederland

A special thanks to 
The Studebaker-Packard Club Nederland
and Henry van Asten webmaster of the SPCN for
the use of many of their pictures on this page

The Studebaker Drivers Club
Another interesting site for the Studebaker enthusiast
A tribute to the Steam locomotives of the CNR
View the steam locomotives of the CNR
A website featuring many articles on many different cars
If you can't find it anywhere else, try here
Visit Lonnie Hedgepeth's 
of Rocky Mount, North Carolina site.
He has used the plans provided on my web page 
and is building a Covered Bridge for his Live Steam train.
If any one is interested in Microsoft's Flight Simulator I have written some scenery files for Summerville. Maitland, Windsor and Hantsport.
Summerville now has an Airport
Poetry and Tunes by Donald Jones
A very well written and interesting page on Canadian heroes
Donald Jones' page on Canadian Heros
E Mail 

 
 
 
 


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