Proving Ground boneyard on Youtube

[mbstude]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3HcDKNLpF4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfXdjUUfTXY

Truly amazing... [:0]

Matthew Burnette
Hazlehurst, GA

[41 Frank]

Very interesting Matt, thanks for sharing.

[Roscomacaw]

Ghostly remains of what might have been.[|)]

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

[george o]

really cool videos. did anyone notice the fellow with the polariod camera. i did not know they still made that film that shoots out pictures!

take care

george o

[StudeRich]

Really awesome Matt, was that you narrating? When was this?
Who was "Mike" and the experienced proving grounds visitor with all the info? I am sorry for my non-knowledge, I know he's famous in SDC land like the Browns, but as you know I am not a Eastern U.S. guy so I don't recognize him!

You really have to wonder what those cars have been through and what they have "seen"! Especially the non-prototypes, they definitely are there for a reason, and many possibilities exist.

Some could be the first of a kind, test vehicles, tortured and tested on the famous Studebaker Proving Grounds! [:0]

Some could even be lemons, bought back for testing and destruction?

StudeRich -Studebakers Northwest Ferndale, WA

[65cruiser]

I noticed the Polariod camera also. That made me wonder how old this video is. There's no mention of date. I could have been made in the early 80s.

quote:Originally posted by george o

really cool videos. did anyone notice the fellow with the polariod camera. i did not know they still made that film that shoots out pictures!

take care

george o

Mark Anderson
Member SDC and FMCA
Keeper of the Studebaker Cruiser Registry

https://www.65cruiser.com

[4961Studebaker]

Well the original plan was to produce the instant film till the end of 2008 which is upon us, and close the two plants in Norwood and Waltham Mass. As to a likely sucessor or producer Fiji, maybe but the digital age has taken hold. Research shows the plant in Mexico and the Netherlands will be closed also.

So while its entirely possible the boneyard film is recent its also possible it was taken more in the mid to late eightys, when the camcorder was more affordable. So I don't have a great guess as to time frame, but would start there.

Better yet does anyone recognize the man in the film or can they leave a comment over at youtube and ask????

ChopStu

[54-61-62]

Too bad I'm on dial up internet today. Oh well. I did get at least a few minutes of it to load.

I suspect this is a ditigal-ized video of the unofficial trip into the graveyard in the early (?) 90's. I have heard about such a video existing floating around between Michiana SDC chapter members in NW Indiana. I think I know who is one of the guys is in the video, but since officially this trip into the graveyard never happened I'll keep it to myself.

[mbstude]

I think Kent hit the nail on the head..

I contacted the poster of the video. He lives somewhere overseas and stated he purchased the video from someone in the US, as he collects old videos. If you look, he has 988 videos on youtube!

'Mike' is Mike Lenyo. Apparently he's a South Bend native. Lots more info and clues to the puzzle on Mike's old website...

http://www.geocities.com/mikesavanti2/Woody2.html

Matthew Burnette
Hazlehurst, GA

[8E45E]

quote:Originally posted by mbstude

'Mike' is Mike Lenyo. Apparently he's a South Bend native. Lots more info and clues to the puzzle on Mike's old website...

Mike Lenyo was our unofficial tour guide in 2002 when several of us crawled through a hole in the chain-link fence surrounding the old assembly buildings in South Bend. He had a wealth of knowledge about those old buildings.

Craig

[54-61-62]

I did some checking and I have it on good authority that this video was made in 1992.

Wonder if the Sand Car would still be worth hauling out?

[65cruiser]

Whatever became of the Woody? I never heard that it was completed.

Mark Anderson
Member SDC and FMCA
Keeper of the Studebaker Cruiser Registry

https://www.65cruiser.com

[lstude]

Thanks Matthew.

Special Interest Auto magazine did a story with pictures of the Studebaker grave yard, but I can't find my copy.

Leonard Shepherd

http://leonardshepherd.com/

[mbstude]

quote:Originally posted by 65cruiser

Whatever became of the Woody? I never heard that it was completed.

I've been wondering the same thing for a while now.

Matthew Burnette
Hazlehurst, GA

[65cruiser]

quote:[i]
I've been wondering the same thing for a while now.

[b]Matthew Burnette

I seem to remember a Turning Wheels from a few years back that showed some pictures of it under restoration. I seem to remember it had the new front end, frame, etc, but the wagon part was still in primer. That's the last I've seen of it.

Mark Anderson
Member SDC and FMCA
Keeper of the Studebaker Cruiser Registry

https://www.65cruiser.com