Studebaker Birthday

I'm rocking my 36th birthday with this Studebaker Red Ball sweatshirt. It may be freezing and raining outside, but I'm all set with this reminder of the Champion in the garage... ready for a ride when the weather settles down.

See this sweatshirt at the Studebaker Museum shop.

1949 Studebaker Champion - Nugget Market Shopping Bag

A 1949 Studebaker Champion makes unexpected cameo on the Nugget Market's reusable shopping bag. Pretty cool image from yesteryear. A scan of the Tyvek-type bag is below.

Studebaker for the Postwar Generation

"Auto design in the immediate postwar era was strongly influenced by the streamlined shapes of fighter planes and bombers. Studebaker pointed the way with design cues like bullet-nose front ends (a shape meant to suggest aircraft engine housings), gun-sight hood ornaments and the wraparound rear windows of the 1947-52 Starlight coupe. The windows, along with other details, make the car’s front and rear ends look so similar that it was often called the “coming or going Studebaker.”

See the full article on the NY Times website.

Studebaker Champion Regal DeLuxe for Sale

This seems like an unbelievable deal...

"Studebaker Champion Regal Deluxe.

4 Door sedan. 6 Cylinder flathead 3-speed stick. Acquired this car in 1997 as an on frame restoration - not professionally restored. When purchased it had new main and rod bearings, crankshaft, ignition, exhaust, tires, complete interior, clutch disk and others items along with rebuilt starter, generator, radiator, gas tank, brake system along with some motor work and exterior paint job. No chrome work done.

I had the frame strengthened, installed new springs, electrical work, etc. A complete inspection and some recommendations for work were made by a retired Studebaker dealer in the area still active with old cars. He went over the car in detail and provided me with a list of things that ideally could/should be done.

This car has served me well for years but it's seldom used now. Stored in garage. Would be a great project car with high end potential or a great driver with minimal work. Additional pictures and information available. I'm located 30 minutes from Iola, Wisconsin.

Price - $ 5,450"

A link to this car is here. A picture is below.

Automotive History - Studebaker

Automotive History Online provides an overview of the Studebaker Corporation's history and includes photographs of many Studebaker cars post-1957.

Studebaker on Automotive History online.

Studebaker - Time Magazine Covers

Time Magazine sells reproduction covers from yesteryear. Here are two covers featuring Studebaker icons, Raymond Loewy and Harold Vance.

See the covers here:

Link: Harold Vance cover
Link: Raymond Loewy cover

Studebaker - Auctions - For Sale

Let it be known that a Studebaker remains an excellent investment. RM Auctions sold a 1929 Studebaker Commander Dual Cowl Phaeton for $93,500. Not bad for a Studebaker.

See a list of collectible Studebaker automobiles at RM Auctions.

Pictured: 1929 Studebaker Commander Seven-Passenger Touring and a 1951 Studebaker Land Cruiser Sedan

Now There Are Four - Time Magazine - Studebaker

An interesting article about the demise of US Studebaker manufacturing from 1963.

"Studebaker Corp. announced that it was dropping auto production in the U.S.—111 years after its founding as a carriage maker and 61 since it turned out its first auto."

"What happened to Studebaker? South Bend was too remote from Detroit to enable the company to move quickly with all the industry's new trends, and Studebaker's ancient plant there was hopelessly inefficient. The company's dealer organization was too small, haphazard and ineffectual. Efforts to revitalize the company were snarled by lack of cash and a series of incredible production snafus."

"Studebaker may be largely out of autos, but it is by no means out of business. Under Egbert's direction, Studebaker picked up so many new companies (appliances, chemicals, superchargers) that half of its $400 million sales this year came from nonautomotive divisions. These divisions earned $12 million—though the company will end the year heavily in the red because of auto losses and the cost of closing the South Bend plant. Freed from its auto losses and armed with a healthy tax write-off, Studebaker says that it expects to make an overall profit next year."

Read the complete Time Magazine article from 1963 here.

Official Petition - Studebaker - Pixar's "Cars 2" Movie - Update

Updated 11/24/08 - We now have more than 150 signees on the petition!

Sign the Official Petition to lobby for a Studebaker in Pixar's "Cars 2" Movie.

A sequel was announced for a Summer 2011 release of Pixar's "Cars 2." Pixar's John Lasseter commented "the Cars are going international" in the sequel, but there's no reason that a Studebaker - an American icon and one of the first electric cars (1902) - shouldn't be included in the new film.

Sign the petition.

Read the forum thread on the SDC website.