Odd question about buying a Studebaker new

[JeffDeWitt]

I'm working on a story idea where one of the main characters buys a new Hawk. I'm wondering if it would have been possible for him to go to his local dealer, make all the arrangements, then pick it up in South Bend, either at the factory or a dealer up there.

Oh, and by odd coincidence the car he buys is exactly the same car I'd have bought, funny how that worked out.

[Studebaker Wheel]

I'm working on a story idea where one of the main characters buys a new Hawk. I'm wondering if it would have been possible for him to go to his local dealer, make all the arrangements, then pick it up in South Bend, either at the factory or a dealer up there.

Oh, and by odd coincidence the car he buys is exactly the same car I'd have bought, funny how that worked out.

Yes, it would. In fact I have well illustrated 4-5 page article from the 1954 Studebaker Spotlight (employees magazine) that follows a young couple that did just that.

[JDP]

Yes, it would. In fact I have well illustrated 4-5 page article from the 1954 Studebaker Spotlight (employees magazine) that follows a young couple that did just that.

It was easy for me, I picked up my new 63 GT in South Bend. The fact that I lived 20 minutes from Freeman Spicer in South Bend made it easy. BTW, one of the dumbest decisions I ever made. Not buying a Studebaker, just choosing a 3 speed overdrive new off the lot in Sept for $2800, when two of my friends bought demo's for less money a week or two later. One bought a red R2 GT 4 speed, and the other a base model R2 2 door sedan 4 speed. The bench seat, black, R2 Lark was the one I was most missed deals especially since it was under well under 3K out the door. Often wonder if that black beast survived.

[Bill Pressler]

My former '63 Daytona Skytop R1 was picked up at the plant by the original owners, Peter and Mary Duginski. They flew down from Moorhead, Minnesota to do so.

http://www.studebakerskytop.com/jtskyktopShipper63V5224.jpg

[stude dude]

Overseas customers often did this, even ordering cars RHC and using them on motoring holidays around North America before shipping them home.

Chris.

[8E45E]

Overseas customers often did this, even ordering cars RHC and using them on motoring holidays around North America before shipping them home.

Volkswagen lets the customer go one step further and HELP with the final assembly if you plan to be present to pick up the car at the factory!! http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...hlight=phaeton

Craig

[StudeNewby]

Jeff, is this story for your own pleasure, or will it be published? As a writing instructor, I'm curious!

[Dan White]

My Grandparents picked up their '52 Commander in SB. In fact I remember by Grandfather telling me that they had a recall or some sort of service bulletin in those days due to the fiber timing gear going bad and they drove to the plant and had the servicing done there. Not sure what customer service center they had back then, maybe someone else knows more about this?? They traded the '52 in on a '61 Olds Delta 88. Studebaker did not have any large cars any longer but my Grandfather still bought a '62 Champ.

[R3 challenger]

Gordon Williams and his wife picked up his ordered '63 R1 Standard 2-door sedan drag car at South Bend (along with a Cruiser for his wife, IIRC) back in 1963. They drove both cars back to California. BTW, I noticed that Gordon ordered the Standard with several items/combinations not normally available: Super Red (on a non-package car), 35 Amp alternator (Avanti engines in Lark-types came with a 40 Amp), and 5" Avanti wheels (at that point in production, even R1/R2 cars came with standard 4 1/2" wheels). All this required what was known as a "Deviation Permit".

George

[8E45E]

Yep, I like your's and BP's accounts of seeing the Williams car in the shipping lot: http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...-Lark-Drag-Car

Craig

[53k]

I'm working on a story idea where one of the main characters buys a new Hawk. I'm wondering if it would have been possible for him to go to his local dealer, make all the arrangements, then pick it up in South Bend, either at the factory or a dealer up there.

Oh, and by odd coincidence the car he buys is exactly the same car I'd have bought, funny how that worked out.

Real first-hand experience. I ordered my '64 Daytona Wagonaire from my local dealer, Joe Egle Motor Imports, Olathe, Kansas, for my personal factory pickup. The dealer purchase order stated that it was for customer pick up at the factory. Armed with a letter of introduction from the dealer I took two trains, a bus and walked the last few blocks to the Hamilton plant. Since they were expecting me I was welcomed, given a factory tour then I saw and accepted my car. It was prepared for driveaway just the same as it would have been for a customer delivery at a dealer.
One kind gent led me through Hamilton and got me on an expressway toward Windsor. I had to spend the night at Windsor because customs wasn't open. They were pretty leisurely coming in the next morning too, but signed me in to the US with no problem. Going through Detroit a lowboy truck carrying a dirty crawler tractor managed to throw a big chuck of dirt right in to my windshield- first chip in less than a day of ownership. That chip is still in the windshield. And, the factory service omitted one item- oil in the overdrive. It exploded on me a week later taking out the tranny too.
Just to reinforce the factory pickup angle, an old dealer that I had dealt with commonly sold cars for factory delivery. They also used to often take several people and drive a number of cars back to the dealership for inventory.

[JeffDeWitt]

Thanks everyone, this is some great information.

One more question, if my guy went into the dealership in say early or mid October of 63 and ordered his new Hawk how long would it have taken until it was ready? Is a month reasonable?

This is going to be a novel set in late 1963. The character is going to travel from Raleigh to New York by train, then fly from New York (Idlewild) to Midway in Chicago and take the South Shore line to South Bend. He will pick up his new car and drive back to Raleigh.

I'm going to make this as historically accurate as possible, the train he takes (on the Seaboard Airline Railroad), the play he sees in New York, traveling to South Bend and then the roads home will be just what he would have taken if this was a true story. As a part of it he's going to be on the road on Friday, November 22 when Kennedy is assassinated.

He's also going to meet a nice young lady on his trip.

I've no illusions about this being a big deal, but once it's finished I'll put it up on Amazon. Mostly it's giving me a chance to do some very different writing and to learn a lot about that period of history.

Thanks again for the great information!

[r1lark]

Jeff, sounds like an interesting book, let us know when it's available to purchase.

Hope you are doing well, it's been a number of years since we have seen each other. I've actually been to three (!) NCSDC meets this year - more than I've been to in about the last 10 years combined.

Hope to see you soon and get caught up.

[Skip Lackie]

Thanks everyone, this is some great information.

One more question, if my guy went into the dealership in say early or mid October of 63 and ordered his new Hawk how long would it have taken until it was ready? Is a month reasonable?

This is going to be a novel set in late 1963. The character is going to travel from Raleigh to New York by train, then fly from New York (Idlewild) to Midway in Chicago and take the South Shore line to South Bend. He will pick up his new car and drive back to Raleigh.

I'm going to make this as historically accurate as possible, the train he takes (on the Seaboard Airline Railroad), the play he sees in New York, traveling to South Bend and then the roads home will be just what he would have taken if this was a true story. As a part of it he's going to be on the road on Friday, November 22 when Kennedy is assassinated.

He's also going to meet a nice young lady on his trip.

I've no illusions about this being a big deal, but once it's finished I'll put it up on Amazon. Mostly it's giving me a chance to do some very different writing and to learn a lot about that period of history.

Thanks again for the great information!

Nitpick (although I suspect you got it right in the book): It's the South Shore (Chicago, South Shore and South Bend) RR that runs from Chicago to South Bend. The North Shore was an interurban that ran between Chicago and Milwaukee. It actually was abandoned in 1963.

And I have a data point IRT your first question. I own a 64 Daytona that was ordered in early October 1963, and it took a bit more than three weeks to get built. Studebaker was only running one shift a day in fall 1963, so a one-month turnaround would be a reasonable period in your book.

[JRoberts]

Jeff as a retired North Carolina history teacher, I really am interesting in reading your book. I can tell already that you are doing your homework (research). I thought the Seaboard Airline Railroad ceased to exist by 1963, but when I looked it up its name did not change until 1967. Good work.

Like Paul it has been a long time since I seen you. Wish you luck with this new project.