Why the 1957 and 1958 Wagons look like they do.
A comment from the Post Titled: 1957 Broadmoor
Originally Posted by deco_droid 
Don't care for the stock wheels, but that wagon is nice looking. I didn't realize the fins came out that far past the rear hatch. Pretty cool...
Since we have Three of these '57 Wagons in our Family, one of which since 1964, I have been asked numerous times if it had a Continental Kit on it once or what.
A little Studebaker History.
Being a smaller Independent Co. there certainly was not Millions of Dollars laying around for re-Engineering, Re-Designing, remaking Wooden Bucks, Tooling, making and stocking new parts etc., etc. every YEAR or two like the Big Three did.
So since the Wagon Body was just created in '53 for the '54 Model Year run Conestoga's and a lot of money spent, there had to be a way to stay competitive, and they were watching very carefully what the Big 3 were doing and going to do.
So it would not be much of a stretch to say that to keep up with the newest, longest, lowest looking Cars; the Plymouth, and the rest of the Chrysler Corp. lineup, something had to be done about the stubby looking '56 design.
It was relatively easy and not too expensive to create new longer rear fenders for the Sedan and leave the Body basically alone. But in the Wagon's case, it needed to match the new longer, lower look '57 Sedans.
To do that, they simply did the same thing which left a nice little fireman's riding position shelf or a grocery getter's package tray to set stuff on while opening the Tailgate!
Of course for reasons already mentioned, there was NO WAY to explain to the Board of Directors how a limited market body type would need a completely NEW Body after only THREE years, especially not in 1956 or 1957.
The other issue is, they were buying a Brand New modified 2 Door Wagon, 4 Door Wagon Body that year as well!
Studebaker was able to make good use of that design with minor mods up to 1959, and with more major ones to 1961 for the 2 Door we are talking about.
StudeDave57 picking Cherries in Ferndale, WA.
Originally Posted by deco_droid Don't care for the stock wheels, but that wagon is nice looking. I didn't realize the fins came out that far past the rear hatch. Pretty cool...
Since we have Three of these '57 Wagons in our Family, one of which since 1964, I have been asked numerous times if it had a Continental Kit on it once or what.
A little Studebaker History.
Being a smaller Independent Co. there certainly was not Millions of Dollars laying around for re-Engineering, Re-Designing, remaking Wooden Bucks, Tooling, making and stocking new parts etc., etc. every YEAR or two like the Big Three did.
So since the Wagon Body was just created in '53 for the '54 Model Year run Conestoga's and a lot of money spent, there had to be a way to stay competitive, and they were watching very carefully what the Big 3 were doing and going to do.
So it would not be much of a stretch to say that to keep up with the newest, longest, lowest looking Cars; the Plymouth, and the rest of the Chrysler Corp. lineup, something had to be done about the stubby looking '56 design.
It was relatively easy and not too expensive to create new longer rear fenders for the Sedan and leave the Body basically alone. But in the Wagon's case, it needed to match the new longer, lower look '57 Sedans.
To do that, they simply did the same thing which left a nice little fireman's riding position shelf or a grocery getter's package tray to set stuff on while opening the Tailgate!
Of course for reasons already mentioned, there was NO WAY to explain to the Board of Directors how a limited market body type would need a completely NEW Body after only THREE years, especially not in 1956 or 1957.
The other issue is, they were buying a Brand New modified 2 Door Wagon, 4 Door Wagon Body that year as well!
Studebaker was able to make good use of that design with minor mods up to 1959, and with more major ones to 1961 for the 2 Door we are talking about.
Comment