North Alabama Chapter IDYSD 2015

[GWCagle]

This year we plan to meet at the Books-A-Million parking lot in Huntsville for a little tire kicking and picture taking, then caravan on a carefully selected route to the Veterans Museum on Airport Road. We plan to have a WWII military jeep with us on the drive. There are several Vets in our chapter and I am sure they will all enjoy seeing a bit of history at the museum that our favorite vehicle manufacturer played such a big role in.

After the museum we plan to stop for lunch at Jason's Deli and then split up for the drive home.

If anyone is interested in joining us contact me at 37Dictator@gmail.com

[j.byrd]

George, hope you all have a great time ! Tell Nell and Randy we said hello please if they are still in the group. Oh, Dave B. and Jamie too ! We were in the Huntsville group when Mr. Irby Ridgeway was still alive, Michael Elling was still there, and we really enjoyed the group ! We had a pretty nice blue and white Sky Hawk we drove everywhere, a non-running 57 Golden Hawk, and a non-running 53 coupe back then. Anyway, good Studebakering !!! John and Karen

[jclary]

George, hope you all have a great time ! Tell Nell and Randy we said hello please if they are still in the group. Oh, Dave B. and Jamie too ! We were in the Huntsville group when Mr. Irby Ridgeway was still alive, Michael Elling was still there, and we really enjoyed the group ! We had a pretty nice blue and white Sky Hawk we drove everywhere, a non-running 57 Golden Hawk, and a non-running 53 coupe back then. Anyway, good Studebakering !!! John and Karen

Wow!...What a blast from the past by mentioning that name! The year was 1978...I believe it was my very first "Zone" meet. It was held inside in a mall. I left home in upstate SC in the afternoon. No cell phones, no CB radio, (almost no money), no GPS, and only a complimentary "Gulf Gas" road-map. Construction zones everywhere. One of the most troublesome road signs an automotive enthusiast can see is "FRESH TAR AND LOOSE GRAVEL"...and there were miles of that from Rome Georgia to Huntsville.

Anyway...it was more of a trip than I realized for a flat six Studebaker truck with temperatures above ninety degrees. Over twelve hours later, I pulled into a parking lot full of Studebakers and napped 'till daylight. Tired, dirty, sweaty, and sleep deprived, Mr Ridgeway took me under his wing and couldn't have been more gracious. After setting my truck on display in the mall, I had no way of getting around. Ridgeway invited me to go to lunch with him, and accompany him on some other errands. If I recall correctly, he was driving a Studebaker Conestoga wagon. What an awful terrifying ride!!! This little old lovable guy...an absolute terror behind the wheel! Apparently, to him, a stop sign or red light meant...GET OUTTA MY WAY!!!! Of course, the good people of Huntsville must have become accustomed to his style, 'cause as I was sitting in the passenger seat, holding on, tense as an over-wound clock-spring... everyone managed to miss us.

Mr. Ridgeway (RIP)...a great example of a Studebaker Personality.

It was one of those experiences that has faded to fondness in my memory.

[j.byrd]

Huntsville Swap/ Show from 77

jclary, ha ! Yep, that was Mr. Ridgeway alright, such a sweet, funny little guy ! He really took a liking to us, especially Karen as she thought he was "just a doll" and visited our place in Scottsboro as well as had us down to his place across the river below Huntsville. He had an amazing array of cars and trucks ! The one I fell in love with was his COE, but it was not to be had, ha ! He bought a lot of parts from me, helped me with a few from his supply, etc... I looked through our pictures from that show, did not find one of your truck, but our Sky Hawk was inside too, and Karen stayed out with the swap meet space all day ! Good "car wives" are hard to find, ha ! After scanning these, I noticed ours had June of 77 on the back, and you said you were there in 78... probably why I didn't have a shot of your truck, huh ? Thanks for the response to my other post, good memories for us too, John

P.S. good memories except for those tar and gravel roads you mentioned...they even "paved" the 4 lanes that way. GREAT business for windshield replacement companies... No longer that way, but it was mighty bad for several years.

[jclary]

Hey j.byrd...It could've been 1977. Do you think they would have held that show inside the mall two years in a row? I'm still thinking it was '78, but not sure now.

[j.byrd]

Don't know about 78, we had escaped Alabama and moved to Tennessee in late 77, so I would have been with the mid-Tenn club as quick as I could. My bride is very good about dating all our pics, and that June 77 show was right after we had bought the remains of a dealer from Oak Ridge, Tn. and was our 1st show as vendors as well as after we finished the Hawk. Perhaps one of the N.Alabama members will remember if it was held there the next year too ! Did you attend the shows up in the Nashville areas ? I have pictures from every show we ever went to. My Hawk won 1st place in Nashville the 1st time I had it there, and I was so proud until I asked how many were in my class and they told me "just yours", ha ! Guess I got 2nd and 3rd too, huh ?

[roadster dave]

Hay,j.bird, David B. here. I remember the shows in the malls but can't remember if they were 2 in a row. Since then a lot of members have come and gone. Those who have crossed over the Jordan are Wally Youngblood, Col.Covert and his wife and of course Irby and recently his son Jay Ridgway. Jay was one top notch Studebaker mechanic. But get this, Wally's daughter and husband have attended a few of our meetings this past year.Ned Stephenson is still around and so is Mike Clarke. Of course none of looks any older or get around any slower. Talked to Jaimie the other day. Him and Joe Moore were going to look at another Stude. The more things change, the more they stay the same. See Ya and remember, never ever let your liver loaf.

[j.byrd]

Thanks so much for the reply David ! I sure didn't know Jay was gone too. Did the family keep his green Larkmino ? Forgot to say hi to Joe, sold him a PILE of stuff when we were getting ready to move. Thanks again, and by the way....what's the "roadster" part of your name about ? jb

[roadster dave]

j.byrd The roadster part is because I've got the 27 Commander roadster that Col. Covert had. Remember his 28 Pres.? Quite a story on how I got it, wasn't even looking for a Stude. as I had gotten out of all that for several years. Pictures in T.W. from idysd. Recently sprayed color on it over all the dents, split fenders etc. At least now my grand kids will sit in it. D.B.

[GWCagle]

Our drive to the Veterans Museum in Huntsville was a great success. We had 8 vehicles in our convoy (3 Studebaker cars, 3 Studebaker trucks, 1 M38 Jeep and one GMC truck) and 15 people participating. The Korean War era Jeep led the convoy and we all made it to the museum without a hitch. The museum staff loved our Studebakers and all came out and took pictures to post on their Facebook page. The Veterans Museum is FANTASTIC! I spent 30 years in the Army Reserve and have been to all major Army Post museums. This one in Huntsville is the best. I took a ton of pictures, way to many to post here. I will post a couple of one of their rarest displays. There was a whole row of early Jeeps including Bantam, Willys and Ford. At the end of the row was the first Ford Jeep ever made, serial number 1. Incredible!
After some time at the museum we motored to Jason's Deli and spend some quality time at the salad bar. A good time was had by all.