Karel Staple Chapter Meet-Up - Harry's Hof Brau

There were some new (to me), great cars at the Karel Staple Chapter of the SDC meet-up today. Here are pics of:

- 1951 Studebaker Commander
- 1963 Studebaker Avanti
- 1964 Studebaker Cruiser
- and a great Studebaker Power Hawk

The Quest to Keep Studebaker Alive in Payson, Arizona

Such a cool article. I'm headed out to buy the hard copy version!

"I have a phrase, ‘You can drive a Studebaker forever.’ My lifelong ambition is proving that’s true."

"During his 31-year career as a jet- and industrial-turbine repairman, Ken Michael started collecting, driving, and restoring Studebakers as a hobby.

Michael fell hard for the styling of the Raymond Loewy–designed Studebaker Starlight coupe he bought in 1959, as well as the six other Studebakers in his collection. After retiring in 2002, he expected to split his time between fishing and restoring his cars. But people with Studebakers started calling him to fix their cars. The Studebaker needy kept piling up; last summer, Michael hired two technicians to help him with the seven customer cars he’s restoring. For each job he takes, he has to turn down two. We visited his shop in Payson, Arizona, to find the secret of his prosperity."

Click here to read the full article and to see the photos on Car and Driver's website.

Pink Bullet-Nose Studebaker Champion Golf Cart

Below are a couple of fun photographs that came to me via the SDC Karel Staple Chapter email list. The workmanship on the cart is very nice. Would it rate a "4" or "5" at judging? It certainly would qualify as a modified Studebaker.

M2 Machines - Studebaker - Photos

M2 Machines is sponsoring a photography contest on Facebook. Among the entries are a few very cool photos of the new Studebaker truck line. For those that are not familiar with M2, they make Matchbox-style toy cars.

The link and a few photos are below.

See details about the M2 photo contest here.

Studebaker Still Driving Interest

"Larry Good now owns seven Studebakers. And like his grandfather, Good is passing his fondness for the car company onto his family. Every time he attends a car show or a Studebaker gathering, he brings one of his grandchildren with him. He said it's good for them to get to know cars from the past. It teaches them history."

View this story on TBO.com.

1951 Studebaker Commander Advertisement - Sacramento

"Come In and See this Eight." Here's another amazing Studebaker ad from our friends at Eichlerific.

Entry Level Collectibles - Studebaker Lark

An interesting article about the automobile collectors market. Great to see the Studebaker Lark noted among the group of desired vehicles.

"What of the Pabst Blue Ribbon end of the market, the domain of younger and less liquid collectors? The auctions taking place this week in the Phoenix area may provide clues to the health of this vital part of the vintage-car hobby.

Of the major auction houses holding sales, Silver Auctions of Spokane, Wash., is the most firmly identified with the entry-level market. Held in Fort McDowell, about a half hour northeast of Phoenix, it’s the North African souk of auctions, where one can find cars like a clean Corvair or an obscure British roadster like a Jensen-Healey.

“At the height of the market, the entry point for a car you’d be proud to take to a local show was about $15,000,” said Mitch Silver, the founder of Silver Auctions. “Now, you can find quality cars in the $7,000 to $8,000 range. Prices haven’t been much lower in the last 10 years.”

Smithsonian Exhibit - Studebaker

"The Smithsonian Museum of of American History's exhibit of "America on the Move" features methods of transportation in America through the years. A 1942 Harley-Davidson motorcycle, a 1939 Ford street roadster, followed by a 1941 Indian motorscyle and a 1950 Studebaker Champion Starlight Coupe are featured."

Read the full article and see pics at the Salisbury Post website.

Photo by Wayne Hinshaw, for the Salisbury Post

1950 Studebaker Champion at the California Automobile Museum

Our club (by membership), the Karel Staple Chapter of the Studebaker Drivers Club, asked us to exhibit our 1950 Studebaker Champion at the California Automobile Museum through February 3rd. What an honor!

Here's a link to our car on the SDC Forum.

Learn more about the California Automobile Museum.

Photo by Jon Stalnaker.