Charlie Stuart Studebaker story

[j.byrd]

Folks, this "The Old Motor" story today should interest some of you ! Bob P. and Ted H., you listening ?

http://theoldmotor.com/?p=138554

[Commander Eddie]

I'll check with my dad, but I believe that is the dealership he bought his Studebakers from before he left Indianapolis for California in 1952.

[ivorydan]

The local Indianapolis dealer who took over from Stuart is Ray Skillman. He and his family still own several auto dealerships around central Indiana.
Dan

[52 Ragtop]

Chuck Stuart actually bought out Ray Skilman at the Olds dealer on the south side. I "believe" that Chuck is Charlie Stuarts son. Chuck built and ran Masters Collision center in Greenwood. He owned it for many years, finally sold out to Hubler Collision, who 2 years ago sold out to Abra Autobody & Glass.
One of the dealerships was 932 N.Meridian St. and up until a few years ago was Finishmaster Paint Supply. They have now vacated that building for a larger facility near Keystone Ave. & I-70.
I'm not sure if Chuck is still alive or not, he was "old" 15 years ago! <G>

Jim

[candbstudebakers]

The 2nd picture looks to have a Hudson in the window but looks more like a 47 model but how can that be with a 54 Studebaker outside ?

[STEWDI]

The third pic of the 100th Anniversary showroom display is wonderful and worth reproducing! I'd buy a poster-size copy and so would may SDC'rs and ASC'rs.

Any body want to take that on?

[BobPalma]

The 2nd picture looks to have a Hudson in the window but looks more like a 47 model but how can that be with a 54 Studebaker outside ?

Alternate BP: That middle (center) picture is a real fooler. Take a close look at it.

The car in the showroom nearest the camera is actually a 1955 Studebaker. What fools you is the fact that there is a woman sitting in a chair inside the showroom, with her back to us, between the '55 Studebaker and the camera. The rungs in the chair's back look like grill pieces and her right shoulder does look like the elevated center nose of the hood on a 1946-1947 Hudson!

Look carefully below her left armpit, between her body and the desk on which her left arm is leaning, and you'll see the right side of the 1955 Studebaker's grill.

That's an interesting photo because you have to study it carefully to see what I've described above, but it's there. BP

[kurtruk]

Interesting shoe choice for a man in 1955, Bob. I described the turned subject as a woman in my earlier post on that site.

[BobPalma]

Interesting shoe choice for a man in 1955, Bob. I described the turned subject as a woman in my earlier post on that site.

OOPS; you're right, Kurt! I just changed my post! BP

[candbstudebakers]

BP your right it is the body of a person making the shape to look like the Hudson.....BP

[57pack]

Love the night time photo, would like that neon Studebaker sign.

[Studebaker Wheel]

This photo was likely taken in the late Fall of 1961. It shows a 1962 Daytona convertible a slightly modified version of which would pace the 1962 Indy 500. The three men are left to right Charlie Stuart, Indianapolis Studebaker dealer, Tony Hulman, President of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Sherwood Egbert Studebaker's President.

[BobPalma]

I'll beg to differ on the suggestion of late 1961, Dick. I'm betting it was Spring 1962. That grass looks awfully good and the trees have too many leaves for late fall. Further, the gentlemen look comfortable in their attire and "late fall" in Indianapolis is a whole lot chillier than that!

But the biggest clue is the exterior rear-view mirror. Isn't that an AC3310 exterior mirror, developed for the Avanti and subsequently offered on Larks? I can't imagine them having one of those mirrors available to be so casually installed on a prototype 1962 Daytona convertible "Pace Car" in late 1961.

Finally, I've seen a ton of those photos here, in and around the Indianapolis area, in the last 52 years and have no reason to believe any of them were taken before, say, March 1962. Agreed on the gentlemen as identified. BP

[Studebaker Wheel]

I'll beg to differ on the suggestion of late 1961, Dick. I'm betting it was Spring 1962. That grass looks awfully good and the trees have too many leaves for late fall. Further, the gentlemen look comfortable in their attire and "late fall" in Indianapolis is a whole lot chillier than that!

But the biggest clue is the exterior rear-view mirror. Isn't that an AC3310 exterior mirror, developed for the Avanti and subsequently offered on Larks? I can't imagine them having one of those mirrors available to be so casually installed on a prototype 1962 Daytona convertible "Pace Car" in late 1961.

Finally, I've seen a ton of those photos here, in and around the Indianapolis area, in the last 52 years and have no reason to believe any of them were taken before, say, March 1962. Agreed on the gentlemen as identified. BP

Beg all you want Mr. know-it-all but the photo appeared in the December 1961 issue of The Studebaker News. Splain that!

By the way all of the 38 1962 Daytona convertible "festival cars" went through Charlie Stuart's dealerships.

[BobPalma]

That is an unusual font and pagination for The Studebaker News, Dick. Granted, I have only one copy of a 1961 Studebaker News; September. But that heading and type styles and such don't look like anything I've ever seen.

As good as you are with editorial tools such as Photoshop, I'd sure want to examine the subject document above the headline. <GGG>

BTW, I'm pretty sure Charlie Stuart had consolidated at least his Studebaker dealerships to the one location, 923 N. Meridian St., by 1962. BP