Why was Studebaker called, "Independent"?

[DilloCrafter]

As I understand it, Studebaker was a publicly held corporation, with shares of stock. So, just why were they referred to as "one of the independent" auto makers? It seems like every American car manufacturer other than the Big 3 (Ford, GM, Chrysler) was considered "Independent". So, can someone enlighten me about that?

[img=left]http://simps.us/studebaker/misc/images/Avacar-hcsdc.gif[/img=left]
Paul Simpson
"DilloCrafter"

1955 1/2 Ton Pickup
The Red-Headed Amazon
Deep in the heart of Texas

[Roscomacaw]

Almost ALL auto companies started out as independents. But one merged with another or a group of other, they're no longer independents. Theoretically, the Stude-Packard would have qualified them out of the "independent" moniker, but it failed so quick that it was soon back to just being Studebaker.


Miscreant adrift in
the BerStuda Triangle


1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe

[Roscomacaw]

Almost ALL auto companies started out as independents. But one merged with another or a group of other, they're no longer independents. Theoretically, the Stude-Packard would have qualified them out of the "independent" moniker, but it failed so quick that it was soon back to just being Studebaker.


Miscreant adrift in
the BerStuda Triangle


1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe

[studelark]

[quote]Originally posted by DilloCrafter

As I understand it, Studebaker was a publicly held corporation, with shares of stock. So, just why were they referred to as "one of the independent" auto makers? It seems like every American car manufacturer other than the Big 3 (Ford, GM, Chrysler) was considered "Independent". So, can someone enlighten me about that?

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Paul; Historically, (before WWII) GM, Ford and Chrysler had muliple car 'brands', ie. GM- Cadillac, Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and Chevrolet- each having dealships standing on their own. Yes, as time progressed, some brands were combined by some dealers, especially Chrysler Corp. The 'other' brands, ie. Nash, Studebaker, Packard, etc. were 'independent' as they were one brand manufacturers. A Studebaker dealer was a Studebaker dealer. A Cadillac dealer could also be an Oldsmobile dealer. That is a simplistic answer, but in the early days, one brand factories were known as independents as opposed to multiple brand factories.

Love those independents!!!!!

Frank Drumheller
Louisa, VA
'60 Lark Regal VI 4 door sedan
'48 M16-52 Studebaker/Boyer fire truck

[studelark]

[quote]Originally posted by DilloCrafter

As I understand it, Studebaker was a publicly held corporation, with shares of stock. So, just why were they referred to as "one of the independent" auto makers? It seems like every American car manufacturer other than the Big 3 (Ford, GM, Chrysler) was considered "Independent". So, can someone enlighten me about that?

#####################################################################
Paul; Historically, (before WWII) GM, Ford and Chrysler had muliple car 'brands', ie. GM- Cadillac, Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and Chevrolet- each having dealships standing on their own. Yes, as time progressed, some brands were combined by some dealers, especially Chrysler Corp. The 'other' brands, ie. Nash, Studebaker, Packard, etc. were 'independent' as they were one brand manufacturers. A Studebaker dealer was a Studebaker dealer. A Cadillac dealer could also be an Oldsmobile dealer. That is a simplistic answer, but in the early days, one brand factories were known as independents as opposed to multiple brand factories.

Love those independents!!!!!

Frank Drumheller
Louisa, VA
'60 Lark Regal VI 4 door sedan
'48 M16-52 Studebaker/Boyer fire truck

[DilloCrafter]

Thanks, Bob! I never thought of that. Only thing, I wish this Internet thing wasn't so slow. It took almost ten minutes for me to get your answer!

And thank you, too, Frank. I guess this Internet is too fast after all. I had typed my reply to Bob before I saw yours!

[img=left]http://simps.us/studebaker/misc/images/Avacar-hcsdc.gif[/img=left]
Paul Simpson
"DilloCrafter"

1955 1/2 Ton Pickup
The Red-Headed Amazon
Deep in the heart of Texas

[DilloCrafter]

Thanks, Bob! I never thought of that. Only thing, I wish this Internet thing wasn't so slow. It took almost ten minutes for me to get your answer!

And thank you, too, Frank. I guess this Internet is too fast after all. I had typed my reply to Bob before I saw yours!

[img=left]http://simps.us/studebaker/misc/images/Avacar-hcsdc.gif[/img=left]
Paul Simpson
"DilloCrafter"

1955 1/2 Ton Pickup
The Red-Headed Amazon
Deep in the heart of Texas

[rockne10]

Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, etc. were owned by Ford.
Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth, DeSoto, Imperial, etc were owned by Chrysler.
Chevy, Buick, Olds, Pontiac, etc were owned by GM.
Studebaker was owned by Studebaker.
It could be stated, Rockne and Erskine were not independents.
Hudson was independent, until it became part of American Motors but, Rambler is considered an independent.

I guess the qualification is: WAS NOT PART OF GM, FORD OR CHRYSLER.

Brad Johnson
Pine Grove Mills, Pa.
'33 Rockne 10, '51 Commander Starlight, '53 Commander Starlight

[rockne10]

Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, etc. were owned by Ford.
Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth, DeSoto, Imperial, etc were owned by Chrysler.
Chevy, Buick, Olds, Pontiac, etc were owned by GM.
Studebaker was owned by Studebaker.
It could be stated, Rockne and Erskine were not independents.
Hudson was independent, until it became part of American Motors but, Rambler is considered an independent.

I guess the qualification is: WAS NOT PART OF GM, FORD OR CHRYSLER.

Brad Johnson
Pine Grove Mills, Pa.
'33 Rockne 10, '51 Commander Starlight, '53 Commander Starlight

[556063]

GM had Buick, Oldsmobile, Chevrolet, Cadillac and Pontiac. Ford had Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury (And Edsel for a while). Chrysler had Chrysler, Plymouth, Dodge, DeSoto and Imperial. The "Big Three" had a brand for many different price points. They also had command and control of the market as a group. Thus the saying back in the day, "As GM goes, so goes the economy." They were the giants of their industry. Plymouth could not do anything Chrysler did not want it to do. Chevrolet couldn't trump GM Corporate. The brands and brand identities were products and property of the giant corporations that owned them.

Packard was an independent that competed only at the highest price points. Studebaker and AMC (Nash, Hudson & finally Rambler) were independent companies that competed at the lower to middle end of the price scale. They were not large enough to cover the entire market, and their market share probably wasn't even on the radar screen of the Big Three most of the time (except when Rambler and Lark spiked in the late 50's). They could do what they wanted without running through a large, cumbersome corporate structure that the Big Three brands had to contend with. Thus the term "Independent".

Kevin Wolford
Plymouth, IN

55 Champion
60 Lark VI Conv.
63 Avanti R1

[556063]

GM had Buick, Oldsmobile, Chevrolet, Cadillac and Pontiac. Ford had Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury (And Edsel for a while). Chrysler had Chrysler, Plymouth, Dodge, DeSoto and Imperial. The "Big Three" had a brand for many different price points. They also had command and control of the market as a group. Thus the saying back in the day, "As GM goes, so goes the economy." They were the giants of their industry. Plymouth could not do anything Chrysler did not want it to do. Chevrolet couldn't trump GM Corporate. The brands and brand identities were products and property of the giant corporations that owned them.

Packard was an independent that competed only at the highest price points. Studebaker and AMC (Nash, Hudson & finally Rambler) were independent companies that competed at the lower to middle end of the price scale. They were not large enough to cover the entire market, and their market share probably wasn't even on the radar screen of the Big Three most of the time (except when Rambler and Lark spiked in the late 50's). They could do what they wanted without running through a large, cumbersome corporate structure that the Big Three brands had to contend with. Thus the term "Independent".

Kevin Wolford
Plymouth, IN

55 Champion
60 Lark VI Conv.
63 Avanti R1

[Guido]

quote:Originally posted by 556063
Thus the saying back in the day, "As GM goes, so goes the economy."

Actually, I think the saying was "As GM goes, so goes the country."


http://community.webshots.com/user/GuidoSalvage

Hiding and preserving Studebakers in Richmond, Goochland & Louisa, Va.

[Guido]

quote:Originally posted by 556063
Thus the saying back in the day, "As GM goes, so goes the economy."

Actually, I think the saying was "As GM goes, so goes the country."


http://community.webshots.com/user/GuidoSalvage

Hiding and preserving Studebakers in Richmond, Goochland & Louisa, Va.

[556063]

It would be hard for someone born today to relate to just how big and influential GM, Ford and Chrysler were in the 50's and 60's. GM at that time was the largest corporation of any kind on the face of the earth. GM owned many interests, from Terex Construction Equipment to Frigidaire home appliances. Ford had a corporate policy of focusing only on the auto industry and related businesses, but was second in size only to GM. Chrysler had a Marine Division, Airtemp (air conditioning) Division, and Aerospace and Defense divisions.

Chrysler was the smallest, but in 1968 was the tenth largest company in the Fortune 500. Chrysler's engineering culture was arguably the BEST in the world in those days, and can boast non-automotive accomplishments such as developing and manufacturing the hardware to enrich uranium to enable the manufacture of atomic weapons, involvement in the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space programs (primary contractor on the first stage of the Saturn V rocket), and development and manufacture of the M1 Tank. Chrysler sold it's aerospace and defense business to General Dynamics in the late 1970's.

This may give better reference to the fight Studebaker had to stay in the car business. Think about a smaller computer company trying to compete with Microsoft during the last 20 years.

Kevin Wolford
Plymouth, IN

55 Champion
60 Lark VI Conv.
63 Avanti R1

[556063]

It would be hard for someone born today to relate to just how big and influential GM, Ford and Chrysler were in the 50's and 60's. GM at that time was the largest corporation of any kind on the face of the earth. GM owned many interests, from Terex Construction Equipment to Frigidaire home appliances. Ford had a corporate policy of focusing only on the auto industry and related businesses, but was second in size only to GM. Chrysler had a Marine Division, Airtemp (air conditioning) Division, and Aerospace and Defense divisions.

Chrysler was the smallest, but in 1968 was the tenth largest company in the Fortune 500. Chrysler's engineering culture was arguably the BEST in the world in those days, and can boast non-automotive accomplishments such as developing and manufacturing the hardware to enrich uranium to enable the manufacture of atomic weapons, involvement in the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space programs (primary contractor on the first stage of the Saturn V rocket), and development and manufacture of the M1 Tank. Chrysler sold it's aerospace and defense business to General Dynamics in the late 1970's.

This may give better reference to the fight Studebaker had to stay in the car business. Think about a smaller computer company trying to compete with Microsoft during the last 20 years.

Kevin Wolford
Plymouth, IN

55 Champion
60 Lark VI Conv.
63 Avanti R1