Something for Studebaker fans.
So, what's special about Studebakers? I'd heard about them but had never been this close to one before and after admiring its distinctive shape, (and condition) at a car show in Coolagatta, Australia, my curiosity was piqued.
Interestingly, Studebaker today is much more respected than it was in its last year of production, 1966. Like many long-lived carmakers, Studebaker had suffered through some trying times, including receivership in 1933, a near meltdown in 1958 and the final plant closing in 1966. It was easy for journalists, in hindsight, to blame management’s “wrong decisions” for the failure of the company’s automotive division. In truth, Studebaker had had to make many correct decisions in order to survive for 114 years.
The original hometown of Studebaker was South Bend, Indiana but the Assembly lines closed down in December 1963 and were moved to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada when production recommenced.
Hawk, Avanti and truck lines were no longer produced and only “Lark” models were built in Canada. Three years later in March 1966, the Hamilton plant also closed down and the prices of Studebakers were drastically affected.
But this situation worked in the favour of devoted owners as they capitalized on the low prices and as a consequence, thousands of Studebakers were bought; many of them being in prime condition. Three Studebaker-related organizations joined forces and they were the Studebaker Drivers Club, the Antique Studebaker Club and the Avanti Owners Association.
There are now more than 15,000 fans who belong to Studebaker clubs, which makes them one of the largest single-marque hobby groups in the world. Their publications, shows, and tours have had a lot to do with keeping the interest in Studebaker's alive and well.
Some of the factors which make Studebaker’s popular, are their styling features, their engineering, endurance, and economy status and their speed records. And then you have the epic history of a group of industrious people from South Bend who were instrumental in creating the interesting, Studebaker adventure, which spanned a period of 114 years.
As to actual Studebaker family members, historians are fortunate to have access to the extensive genealogical research completed by the Studebaker Family National Association (“SFNA”), a dedicated group of Studebaker “cousins.” Founded in 1964, SFNA has printed three volumes with 2,544 pages of genealogical information, including data on over 250,000 American Studebaker descendants!
The SFNA has a specific starting point for its American Studebaker history. In 1736, a small family group with the surname Stutenbecker left Solingen, Germany, and sailed from Rotterdam, Holland, to Philadelphia on the ship Harle. The English-speaking agent who filled out their papers Anglicized their surname to Studebaker. All the Studebaker cousins that the SFNA has traced are descendants of that original group.
For generations, Stutenbeckers in the Solingen area had been involved with blacksmithing, many as producers of fine cutlery. Those who came to America in 1736 brought with them their metalworking skills. The ability to form metal was essential to the construction of early Conestoga wagons. One of the immigrants, Clement Studebaker, reportedly built his first wagon in America around 1750.
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. In 1853, with the help of younger brother John M., they constructed a sturdy wagon that John provided to a wagon train as payment for his overland passage to California’s gold fields.
The Studebaker Brothers built hundreds of wagons for the North during the Civil War and when the United States was 100 years old, this company was the largest producer of horse-drawn vehicles in the world. Henry, Clement and John invited their other two brothers Peter and Jacob, to join the company.
In 1902 Studebaker entered the car business by building an electric and then it brought out its first gasoline automobile two years later. It was a two-cylinder, 16 horsepower, touring car.
In 1911, The company purchased the Everitt-Metzger-Flanders Co. of Detroit and formed the Studebaker Corp and by 1913, previous models were replaced by four- and six-cylinder automobiles, all bearing the name Studebaker.
During 1913, Studebaker became the third largest producer of automobiles in America, following Ford and Overland. At that stage, all Studebaker automobiles were produced in Detroit. When Studebaker ceased making horse-drawn vehicles in 1920, car production shifted to South Bend.
The impact of the Great Depression was sorely underestimated and corporation went into receivership in 1933. Although Paul Hoffman and Harold Vance rescued the company, much of Studebaker’s momentum had been lost. In 1934, Studebaker introduced a few advanced body designs which included the fastback Land Cruiser. This car was styled after the famous Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow showcars.
In 1939, Studebaker introduced the low-priced, six-cylinder Champion which was an instant success and other popular Studebaker options during this period were Overdrive and the Hill Holder.
Studebaker produced military trucks during WW11, as well as aircraft engines and the Weasel. One version of this tracked personnel and cargo carrier was amphibious. They continued to assemble military trucks on demand after World War II.
In 1952 the Studebaker Corporation celebrated its 100th anniversary as a producer of motorized vehicles. In 1953, Studebaker introduced the low-slung Loewy coupes and these cars are frequently listed among the world’s most beautiful designs. In 1954 the Packard Motor Car Company bought Studebaker Corporation. And the Studebaker-Packard Corporation was created. This company unfortunately experienced difficulties competing with General Motors, Ford and Chrysler, during the 1954 - 1958, and Studebaker-Packard did not make any profits. Packards were discontinued in 1958.
A sportier image was introduced when Studebaker brought out the Gran Turismo Hawk in 1962. The dynamic Avanti followed and then the fiberglass-bodied Avanti was fitted with an optional supercharged R3 engine This car was capable of doing 170 MPH which made it the fastest production car ever offered in America at that time.
Larks received a flashier image with the production of the Cruiser in 1961, the Daytona in 1962 and then the Wagonaire station wagon in 1963, which featured a unique sliding roof. The Lark Commander and Challenger were introduced as the 1964 model. The 1962-’64 Lark and the GT Hawk versions were styled by Brooks Stevens. He owned an Excalibur phaeton which was based on Studebaker components.
This statement written by authur, Fred K. Knox sums up his article well. He writes:
As with all automobile companies, the story of Studebaker is about much more than just vehicles. It’s about the founders, engineers, designers, factory employees, dealership owners and the people who purchased the vehicles. Those Studebaker buyers, past and present, are the ones who’ve kept the flame alive. Studebaker enthusiasts feel strongly that the vehicles they honor, and the company’s long history, are unsurpassed in the saga of wheeled transportation. –Fred K. Fox
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