Although this happened over 20 years ago it still upsets me everytime I think about it.
About 1970 I started using a wonderful oversize 4 car garage on some property my in-laws owned out in the country. I had bought out 2 small Studebaker dealerships and accumalated many NOS parts over the years and had almost everytihng in this garage. In 1988 I decided to sell all of the lark parts and just keep the Hawk and Avanti parts. 2 SDC members (1 of them was a very good friend) came to look at the parts and did buy most of the sheet metal. The one guy was really interested in the hawk and avanti parts but I wouldn't sell any. A couple of months later I went out to check on things and I was completely wiped out. Here is a list of things that were taken.
NOS Paxton Supercharger I bought this new from Paxton Products in 1968. It was complete with all brackets, pulleys and hoses still in the wood shipping crate'
R-1 engine w/4 speed 11,000 actual miles
Rebuild 289 w/4/speed
Box of about 20 Tachometers, several sending units over half NOS
Box of Speedometers several 140 & 160MPH many Nos
NOS Hawk front fenders (1 pair)
2 NOS Avanti dash pads
1 Nos Avanti steering wheel
Complete set of NOS Turquoise Avanti upholstry
Box of Hawk guages and clocks
2 NOS hawk bumpers
2 Nos Avanti bumpers
They even jacked up my 1963 GT and took the tires, wheels and hubcaps
There were other things that I can't think of now. I believe I know who took these things but could never prove it. It definitely had to be an SDC member or somebody that really knew Studebakers as they only took Hawk and Avanti parts and they had to really pick thru some boxes. The sheriff was called but they really were no help. They kind of had the idea that it was nothing but Studebaker parts and who would want them.
One of the guys that originally came up had had a nice 60's Dodge pickup with dual wheels and a swing-out winch mounted on the back.
About 1970 I started using a wonderful oversize 4 car garage on some property my in-laws owned out in the country. I had bought out 2 small Studebaker dealerships and accumalated many NOS parts over the years and had almost everytihng in this garage. In 1988 I decided to sell all of the lark parts and just keep the Hawk and Avanti parts. 2 SDC members (1 of them was a very good friend) came to look at the parts and did buy most of the sheet metal. The one guy was really interested in the hawk and avanti parts but I wouldn't sell any. A couple of months later I went out to check on things and I was completely wiped out. Here is a list of things that were taken.
NOS Paxton Supercharger I bought this new from Paxton Products in 1968. It was complete with all brackets, pulleys and hoses still in the wood shipping crate'
R-1 engine w/4 speed 11,000 actual miles
Rebuild 289 w/4/speed
Box of about 20 Tachometers, several sending units over half NOS
Box of Speedometers several 140 & 160MPH many Nos
NOS Hawk front fenders (1 pair)
2 NOS Avanti dash pads
1 Nos Avanti steering wheel
Complete set of NOS Turquoise Avanti upholstry
Box of Hawk guages and clocks
2 NOS hawk bumpers
2 Nos Avanti bumpers
They even jacked up my 1963 GT and took the tires, wheels and hubcaps
There were other things that I can't think of now. I believe I know who took these things but could never prove it. It definitely had to be an SDC member or somebody that really knew Studebakers as they only took Hawk and Avanti parts and they had to really pick thru some boxes. The sheriff was called but they really were no help. They kind of had the idea that it was nothing but Studebaker parts and who would want them.
One of the guys that originally came up had had a nice 60's Dodge pickup with dual wheels and a swing-out winch mounted on the back.
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