Collectible Automobile Feedback: Thanks to All

[BobPalma]

The June 2009 Collectible Automobile arrived with this morning's mail. The first five "Letters to the Editor" in Collectible Comments, almost the entire Page 4(!), are feedback regarding my article High Performance Studebakers of the 50s and 60s, published in the February 2009 issue, with which most of you are familiar.

Letters from George Krem, Dave Arnold, Al Basile, Steve Dolzall, and Bill Glass were published. All were positive, for which I offer sincere thanks and appreciation. Dave Arnold's letter was especially enjoyable; thanks, Dave!

Accompanying Dave's letter was one of his nice pictures of Bill Pressler's 1963 R1 Daytona Skytop, and it's about time! I had campaigned Collectible Automobile extensively to get Bill's Lark (and Jeff Bradel's black, late 1963 R2 Super Lark convertible) in the original article, to no avail. So, better late than never, Bill; at least for your Lark.

George, Dave, and Al all corrected Collectible Automobile's erroneous captions, confirming that the Halibrand wheels on Nelson Bove's 1963 R2 Super Hawk and 1964 R3 Super Commander were indeed Studebaker dealer options, a fact that escaped the original caption-writers...and one I would have corrected had I been permitted to see the captions before publication. (Of course, Dick Quinn warned that I would hold no sway over what photographs or captions would be in the article, and he was correct.)

Bill Glass (bondobilly here) took umbrage with the person who wrote the pricing report at the end of the February issue, wherein they made the oft-repeated remark about 1956 Golden Hawks being "nose-heavy." (I had nothing to do with that part of the February issue.) Collectible Automobile's editors, to their credit, printed an immediate response following Bill's letter, "sort of" agreeing with him.

Again, all; thanks for taking the time to generate nice feedback, and congratulations on "our" getting it printed. ('Good to see Bill Pressler's Skytop in the magazine at speed in color, too, even if it's a smaller photo...us guys with the initials BP have to stick together![8D].) BP

[Scott]

Good job, Bob.

While we're on the topic I wanted to ask you about two pictures that showed Studebakers racing - or getting ready to. In both cases the front tires are narrow whitewalls and the rears are wide whitewalls. Was this the norm or was it some kind of weird joke? I thought it was strange in one picture, but then the other picture showed a similar setup and I was dumbfounded. It makes as much sense to me as wearing two different colored socks.

[BobPalma]

quote:Originally posted by Scott

Good job, Bob.

While we're on the topic I wanted to ask you about two pictures that showed Studebakers racing - or getting ready to. In both cases the front tires are narrow whitewalls and the rears are wide whitewalls. Was this the norm or was it some kind of weird joke? I thought it was strange in one picture, but then the other picture showed a similar setup and I was dumbfounded. It makes as much sense to me as wearing two different colored socks.

Common at the time, Scott; very common. The rears might be M&H Racemasters, although Ted Harbit might [legitimately] correct me. It was no joke; that's just the way racers did it back then.

Chances are pretty good the front tires on both those cars are factory-issue tires and wheels, whereas the rear wheels are wider, Ford-based wheels with wide slicks that needed a wider wheel than even the 5" Avanti wheels would have provided. BP

[showbizkid]

That was a great article, Bob, in a very nice issue overall. The cover puzzled me a bit - I'd have thought with the Avanti on the cover, the banner headline might be about Studes rather than Fairlanes, but... who can fathom the editorial mind!

Anyway, thanks again for advancing the visibility of the marque.


[img=left]http://members.cox.net/clarknovak/lark.gif[/img=left]

Clark in San Diego
'63 F2/Lark Standard

http://studeblogger.blogspot.com

https://www.studebakersandiego.com

Edited due to reversed memory disease!

[Bill Pressler]

Bob, your article was excellent and the issue is a keeper! I liked the photo cover of the Avanti too...a becoming angle of the car I think.

Wow, I'm excited about the 'in motion' picture of my '63 Daytona (also included on this website under the photos section) making the magazine.

Dave A.('barnlark'), are you listening?!! (He's the excellent photographer of my '63.)

Bill Pressler
Kent, OH
'63 Lark Daytona Skytop R1
'64 Daytona Hardtop

[55s]

Bob:

I also want to thank you for writing such an excellent article, and sending me an advance copy through your generous SDC website offer.

Thank you for taking the time and trouble to make sure that many of us received copies.

Paul

[bams50]

Haven't received the new CA yet, but looking forward to reading the letters from our gang[^] Must be mine didn't make the cut, but that just means there were probably too many letters on the subject![8D]

Again, great job, Bob, and thanks... and maybe the slew of letters will catch their attention and you'll get the call for more Stude articles!!

Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

"Some people live for the rules, I live for exceptions"- 311

"Do they all not, by mere virtue of having survived as relics of a bygone era, amass a level of respect perhaps not accorded to them when they were new?"

[BobPalma]

Thanks, everyone; much appreciated. It was a fun project.

Bob Andrews: You may have a point about the number of letters received. I haven't followed it closely, but I don't remember their ever having published five follow-up letters to one article...and these pro-Studebaker letters were the lead-off topic in the "Letters-to-the-Editor" Department this time.

As I said, almost an entire page, including the small additional photo of Bill Pressler's R1 Lark Skytop.[^] BP

[barnlark]

Great you got some more print, BP, and the caption corrections noted. Maybe they will now consider asking their competent writers if their editor's photo descriptions are accurate. I hope we didn't tick them off for any of your future work and did more harm than good. [B)]
That was a great article in the February issue and I'm still using it as reference when trying to do High Performance homework. [^]
I've never written to a magazine other than TW and can't wait to see Bill's car. That picture couldn't have happened without Bill's trust and my practice-driving daughter at the wheel. [:0] I still wish I had more time that morning to get better images. I needed my D1X and only had the F4 with the too warm Fuji film that day. Congrats to Bill Pressler, though, he should have been in the article in February. He's gone from not having one single photo on the forum, to a couple small TW and CA photos printed in one year!...and then he goes and buys a Greenville sold '64 over the winter. [^]

[barnlark]

Here's that shot for newer viewers:

[img][/img]

Cool car, Bill. [8D]

[barnlark]

Here's that shot for newer viewers:

[img][/img]

Cool car, Bill. [8D]

[STEWDI]

Great Stude press!!

It never ceases to peeve me when there is no mention of Studebaker in "authoritative" muscle car books - even when they have an "early" section!

And thanks for earlier passing on the cool stat, Bob, of Studebaker having the fastest time of any '64 car at the PSMCD. I've passed that one on several times already. My son and I attended the '98 event in which the Plain Brown Wrapper first ran at Mid-Michigan, and we'll never forget it - including the incredulous reaction in the stands!!

Roger "153624" Hill

55 Champion
47 M-5
Izzer Buggy
Junior Wagon

[bams50]

Stop repeating that picture of Bill's Skytop!! You might force me into trying to fanagle that thing away from him[:X][]

Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

"Some people live for the rules, I live for exceptions"- 311

"Do they all not, by mere virtue of having survived as relics of a bygone era, amass a level of respect perhaps not accorded to them when they were new?"

[BobPalma]

'Glad you were there that first year, Roger. You're right; the reaction in the stands every time The Plain Brown Wrapper ran was incredulous, wasn't it?

In fact, Muscle Car Review Editor/Writer Tom Shaw had a few comments about that first [1998] appearance at The Pure Stock Drags. Writing ten years ago in the May 1999 Muscle Car Review, he said,

"Driving the Challenger was Ted Harbit of Summitville Indiana, the country's foremost Studebaker Drag Racer. The crowd roared when the car made a pass. Perhaps the hundred or so Studebaker Club members who came to support their favorite car had something to do with that."

BTW, if anyone missed out getting a copy of the February 2009 Collectible Automobile, with the High Performance Studebakers article discussed in this thread, back issues may be obtained for $8.95 plus $3.00 postage; total: $11.95.

Send payment with your name and address to the following. Tell them you want the February 2009 issue: #149; Volume 25, Number 5.

Collectible Automobile
Back Issues Department
1430 2nd Street North
Wisconsin Rapids WI 54494

BP