What the 67 Studebaker may have looked like

[jgrohs]

Bob Marcks was a speaker at the '06 AOAI meet in Palm Springs. Both he and his presentation were fascinating!

Jeff

[quote]Originally posted by lstude

I just received my copy of Collectible Automobile (Feb. 2008). There is a great interview with a designer by the name of Bob Marcks. He started out at Ford but then left and went with Loewy and worked with Bob Bourke on the 53 Studebaker. He went back to Ford but then left again and started his own design firm. He was hired by Studebaker do the 66 model.

He did several designs for future Studebakers, including raising the rear bumper on the 66. He proposed a design with a front end similar to the 53 and one with a similar rear window like the 47-53 Starlight coupes, but, as we all know, there would be no more Studebakers.

He later joined Chrysler in 1973 and worked on the Cordoba and Dodge Magnum and other Chrysler products.

[studegary]

quote:Originally posted by lstude

quote:Last I knew the drawings in Collectable Automobile are owned by a GM Dealer in NC. I think he owns a Chevy Dealership in Raligh or some where close to that.

Would that be Bob Yale, Jr.? His dad, Bob Yale, Sr. was a Chevy dealer in NC and had a wonderful collection of Studebakers. He was killed an an auto crash, I think.

Leonard Shepherd

http://leonardshepherd.com/

I remember Bob Yale as owning jewelry stores. I didn't know that he owned a car dealership.
I believe that he died, much later, as the result of an accident in one of his modified Studebakers (thrown through the sun roof).
I don't find Bob Marcks' name in a listing of Bourke's Studebaker Styling Group 1951-1952.

Gary L.
Wappinger, NY

SDC member since 1968
Studebaker enthusiast much longer

[studegary]

quote:Originally posted by lstude

quote:Last I knew the drawings in Collectable Automobile are owned by a GM Dealer in NC. I think he owns a Chevy Dealership in Raligh or some where close to that.

Would that be Bob Yale, Jr.? His dad, Bob Yale, Sr. was a Chevy dealer in NC and had a wonderful collection of Studebakers. He was killed an an auto crash, I think.

Leonard Shepherd

http://leonardshepherd.com/

I remember Bob Yale as owning jewelry stores. I didn't know that he owned a car dealership.
I believe that he died, much later, as the result of an accident in one of his modified Studebakers (thrown through the sun roof).
I don't find Bob Marcks' name in a listing of Bourke's Studebaker Styling Group 1951-1952.

Gary L.
Wappinger, NY

SDC member since 1968
Studebaker enthusiast much longer

[stude freak]

Great Bob congrats on 8000 posts .Just send us all the coins you got clinking around.Or stude parts.

David Baggett '53 coupe

[stude freak]

Great Bob congrats on 8000 posts .Just send us all the coins you got clinking around.Or stude parts.

David Baggett '53 coupe

[lstude]

If you look closely at the gold car that looks very GMish, it looks like it has 53 tail lights and rear bumper.

Leonard Shepherd

http://leonardshepherd.com/

[lstude]

If you look closely at the gold car that looks very GMish, it looks like it has 53 tail lights and rear bumper.

Leonard Shepherd

http://leonardshepherd.com/

[Guido]

quote:Originally posted by lstude
Would that be Bob Yale, Jr.? His dad, Bob Yale, Sr. was a Chevy dealer in NC and had a wonderful collection of Studebakers. He was killed an an auto crash, I think.

Any relation to Paul Yale in NC? That is who my yellow buggy came from.

[Guido]

quote:Originally posted by lstude
Would that be Bob Yale, Jr.? His dad, Bob Yale, Sr. was a Chevy dealer in NC and had a wonderful collection of Studebakers. He was killed an an auto crash, I think.

Any relation to Paul Yale in NC? That is who my yellow buggy came from.

[Studedude1961]

The gold car looks kind of like a 1978 Oldsmobile 88 4-door, particularly in the greenhouse area. Front looks like a 1977-1980 full-size Buick. It would also be interesting to see photos of how (or if) the designers contemplated any interior changes for 1967. With what they probably had to work with moneywise the changes contemplated on the top car illustrated, including the raised bumper, would have been very attractive. A flip-down bumper would have been a real joy at the gas station on a frozen slushy morning!

Studedude1961
--1963 Cruiser

[Studedude1961]

The gold car looks kind of like a 1978 Oldsmobile 88 4-door, particularly in the greenhouse area. Front looks like a 1977-1980 full-size Buick. It would also be interesting to see photos of how (or if) the designers contemplated any interior changes for 1967. With what they probably had to work with moneywise the changes contemplated on the top car illustrated, including the raised bumper, would have been very attractive. A flip-down bumper would have been a real joy at the gas station on a frozen slushy morning!

Studedude1961
--1963 Cruiser

[8E45E]

quote:Originally posted by Scott

I actually meant the prototype and the convertible. I can see why they might have put it in the trunk for the prototype. I don't think if they had left it that way for production it would have helped sales. Volkswagens had the filler tube in the trunk until the late sixties or early seventies when they added a door on the outside. They wouldn't have done that if marketing didn't show it to be a sales advantage.

A swing down or up bumper sounds pretty weird. I wonder how it could have been accomplished without the bumper hitting something.[?]

The top 2/3's of the bumper on the convertible was cut in a 'U' shape behind the licence plate with a narrow piece of steel flatbar welded to the backside of the lower third of the bumper for strength. The licence plate is then attached to a standard GM style swing type spring loaded bracket which is hinged to the exposed lower third of the bumper. The small chrome 'U' shaped piece from top of the bumper is attached to the backside of the swing-away bracket that neatly covers the gas filler when closed. All in all, a very neat job.

I have seen one Studebaker prototype where the gas filler is 'well hidden'...



Craig

[8E45E]

quote:Originally posted by Scott

I actually meant the prototype and the convertible. I can see why they might have put it in the trunk for the prototype. I don't think if they had left it that way for production it would have helped sales. Volkswagens had the filler tube in the trunk until the late sixties or early seventies when they added a door on the outside. They wouldn't have done that if marketing didn't show it to be a sales advantage.

A swing down or up bumper sounds pretty weird. I wonder how it could have been accomplished without the bumper hitting something.[?]

The top 2/3's of the bumper on the convertible was cut in a 'U' shape behind the licence plate with a narrow piece of steel flatbar welded to the backside of the lower third of the bumper for strength. The licence plate is then attached to a standard GM style swing type spring loaded bracket which is hinged to the exposed lower third of the bumper. The small chrome 'U' shaped piece from top of the bumper is attached to the backside of the swing-away bracket that neatly covers the gas filler when closed. All in all, a very neat job.

I have seen one Studebaker prototype where the gas filler is 'well hidden'...



Craig

[jnewkirk77]

Craig, I'd never noticed that about the Skyview! Makes you wonder how THAT would've been received by owners and service station attendants (I always hated the term "pump jockeys") had Studebaker been able to build 'em.

I'll have to pick up the new CA for sure. That prototype '67 looks sweet, and I really think it would've gone over pretty well. I'm less convinced about the #2 and #3 sketches. I like the sedan sketches, though. They look nice, and would've been very easy on the eyes. But I tend to agree with Jeff Godshall's assessment of the '67 redo as "a fine size and shape to meet the demands of the 1970s."

Jacob Newkirk - Owensboro, KY

Currently driving an '87 Ford F-150, but I dream of having a Hawk one day. Don't we all?

[jnewkirk77]

Craig, I'd never noticed that about the Skyview! Makes you wonder how THAT would've been received by owners and service station attendants (I always hated the term "pump jockeys") had Studebaker been able to build 'em.

I'll have to pick up the new CA for sure. That prototype '67 looks sweet, and I really think it would've gone over pretty well. I'm less convinced about the #2 and #3 sketches. I like the sedan sketches, though. They look nice, and would've been very easy on the eyes. But I tend to agree with Jeff Godshall's assessment of the '67 redo as "a fine size and shape to meet the demands of the 1970s."

Jacob Newkirk - Owensboro, KY

Currently driving an '87 Ford F-150, but I dream of having a Hawk one day. Don't we all?