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  • Studebaker Corp. and old restorations

    I'm wondering if anyone has stories from the past, when Studebaker was still in business, about individuals restoring older Studebakers (like from the teens through the thirties or so. It would be interesting to hear what, if anything, Studebaker did to encourage those restorations and if they offered old NOS parts or assistance to the restorers. I remember seeing a photo somewhere of a late 1920s car that was restored in the 1950s or early 60s that was brought to the factory. I seem to remember a couple of Studebaker big-wigs were in the picture, too.
    "Madness...is the exception in individuals, but the rule in groups" - Nietzsche.

  • #2
    I've wondered about how long Studebaker kept replacement parts in inventory.

    Miscreant adrift in
    the BerStuda Triangle

    1957 Transtar 1/2ton
    1960 Larkvertible V8
    1958 Provincial wagon
    1953 Commander coupe

    No deceptive flags to prove I'm patriotic - no biblical BS to impress - just ME and Studebakers - as it should be.

    Comment


    • #3
      I've wondered about how long Studebaker kept replacement parts in inventory.

      Miscreant adrift in
      the BerStuda Triangle

      1957 Transtar 1/2ton
      1960 Larkvertible V8
      1958 Provincial wagon
      1953 Commander coupe

      No deceptive flags to prove I'm patriotic - no biblical BS to impress - just ME and Studebakers - as it should be.

      Comment


      • #4
        quote:Originally posted by Scott

        I'm wondering if anyone has stories from the past, when Studebaker was still in business, about individuals restoring older Studebakers (like from the teens through the thirties or so. It would be interesting to hear what, if anything, Studebaker did to encourage those restorations and if they offered old NOS parts or assistance to the restorers. I remember seeing a photo somewhere of a late 1920s car that was restored in the 1950s or early 60s that was brought to the factory. I seem to remember a couple of Studebaker big-wigs were in the picture, too.
        Interesting point! I would suspect Studebaker would have been like most of the other automakers (except Mercedes Benz), and was only interested in selling new product when your old one was no longer roadworthy. Remember, it was only until the last 15 years or so that GM, Ford and Chrysler started to get interested in assisting hobbiests with their restorations, and then it was over copyright infringements!![B)] After a few raids at Hershey, etc., they saw the money-making opportunity in the old-car segment, and finally agreed to licence enterprising individuals to reproduce parts for them.

        Craig

        Comment


        • #5
          quote:Originally posted by Scott

          I'm wondering if anyone has stories from the past, when Studebaker was still in business, about individuals restoring older Studebakers (like from the teens through the thirties or so. It would be interesting to hear what, if anything, Studebaker did to encourage those restorations and if they offered old NOS parts or assistance to the restorers. I remember seeing a photo somewhere of a late 1920s car that was restored in the 1950s or early 60s that was brought to the factory. I seem to remember a couple of Studebaker big-wigs were in the picture, too.
          Interesting point! I would suspect Studebaker would have been like most of the other automakers (except Mercedes Benz), and was only interested in selling new product when your old one was no longer roadworthy. Remember, it was only until the last 15 years or so that GM, Ford and Chrysler started to get interested in assisting hobbiests with their restorations, and then it was over copyright infringements!![B)] After a few raids at Hershey, etc., they saw the money-making opportunity in the old-car segment, and finally agreed to licence enterprising individuals to reproduce parts for them.

          Craig

          Comment


          • #6
            Studebaker, at least at one time, was interested in keeping their older vehicles on the road. There was an account in Turning Wheels of a farmer contacting them well after automobile production had begun about getting a new hub for his Studebaker wagon. Someone from the plant dug out the old drawings and they found an old time employee that knew how to make the part and had him build one. They then sent it to the man free of charge! Management then decided to keep all of the old records they had considered discarding. That is why many of them still exist.

            1952 Champion Starlight, 1962 Daytona, 1947 M5. Searcy,Arkansas
            "In the heart of Arkansas."
            Searcy, Arkansas
            1952 Commander 2 door. Really fine 259.
            1952 2R pickup

            Comment


            • #7
              Studebaker, at least at one time, was interested in keeping their older vehicles on the road. There was an account in Turning Wheels of a farmer contacting them well after automobile production had begun about getting a new hub for his Studebaker wagon. Someone from the plant dug out the old drawings and they found an old time employee that knew how to make the part and had him build one. They then sent it to the man free of charge! Management then decided to keep all of the old records they had considered discarding. That is why many of them still exist.

              1952 Champion Starlight, 1962 Daytona, 1947 M5. Searcy,Arkansas
              "In the heart of Arkansas."
              Searcy, Arkansas
              1952 Commander 2 door. Really fine 259.
              1952 2R pickup

              Comment


              • #8
                I recall my first visit to the Newman Altman building (the old harness factory) and spending a long time looking over the huge collection of pictures of restored Studebaker's that were on display.
                My take on it, from everything that I have seen over the years, is that The Studebaker Corporation was very proud of their history, and of their past products, and pleasing their customers, as is also indicated by their maintaining their own large Company carriage/automobile collection.
                And it appears that the Parts Department remained willing, and quite proud of being to be able to help out old time Studebaker restorers by making available any rare and long out of date parts that they still had in inventory. I doubt that during the operating years, that much inventory was ever disposed of by scrappage. (with exception of those "patriotic sacrifices" for the "scrap metal drives" that had to be made during the War years)

                Comment


                • #9
                  I recall my first visit to the Newman Altman building (the old harness factory) and spending a long time looking over the huge collection of pictures of restored Studebaker's that were on display.
                  My take on it, from everything that I have seen over the years, is that The Studebaker Corporation was very proud of their history, and of their past products, and pleasing their customers, as is also indicated by their maintaining their own large Company carriage/automobile collection.
                  And it appears that the Parts Department remained willing, and quite proud of being to be able to help out old time Studebaker restorers by making available any rare and long out of date parts that they still had in inventory. I doubt that during the operating years, that much inventory was ever disposed of by scrappage. (with exception of those "patriotic sacrifices" for the "scrap metal drives" that had to be made during the War years)

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I think Studebaker was very responsive to anyone with questions about past or then current products of the company. The examples of personal correspondence between the company and it's customers that I've seen indicate anyone with a question would have received personal attention to a level uncommon today.

                    Back in the days you could have contacted Studebaker, it was unusual for an average person to have interest in restoring an old car. I've often talked about how my Depression era raised mother never quite understood how I planned to keep my cars through my entire life and career building process. When I entered the workforce just out of college, many of my co workers would say when they found out I had my old cars, "When you get married and have kids, you'll have to sell them." Disposable incomes back then were not what they are today. People in general were more frugal, and collecting cars was looked at as a rich man's extravagance.

                    I was close to a couple of now deceased Studebaker Employees who told stories of parts disposals that occured from time to time before 1963. One told me a story about a open top truck being pulled up under one of the Newman & Altman (#53 & #58) building's windows during the early 1950's, and pre-war fenders being tossed out of the window into the back of the truck for disposal. Studebaker kept stuff quite a while, but not forever, he would say. I'm sure the company would have been more helpful to a restorer than any of it's competition back in the day.



                    Kevin Wolford
                    Plymouth, IN

                    55 Champion
                    60 Lark VI Conv.
                    63 Avanti R1

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I think Studebaker was very responsive to anyone with questions about past or then current products of the company. The examples of personal correspondence between the company and it's customers that I've seen indicate anyone with a question would have received personal attention to a level uncommon today.

                      Back in the days you could have contacted Studebaker, it was unusual for an average person to have interest in restoring an old car. I've often talked about how my Depression era raised mother never quite understood how I planned to keep my cars through my entire life and career building process. When I entered the workforce just out of college, many of my co workers would say when they found out I had my old cars, "When you get married and have kids, you'll have to sell them." Disposable incomes back then were not what they are today. People in general were more frugal, and collecting cars was looked at as a rich man's extravagance.

                      I was close to a couple of now deceased Studebaker Employees who told stories of parts disposals that occured from time to time before 1963. One told me a story about a open top truck being pulled up under one of the Newman & Altman (#53 & #58) building's windows during the early 1950's, and pre-war fenders being tossed out of the window into the back of the truck for disposal. Studebaker kept stuff quite a while, but not forever, he would say. I'm sure the company would have been more helpful to a restorer than any of it's competition back in the day.



                      Kevin Wolford
                      Plymouth, IN

                      55 Champion
                      60 Lark VI Conv.
                      63 Avanti R1

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        This is a interesting topic for sure.

                        Kevin brings up a good point about earlier generations not understanding restoring a car. When did restorations of cars become a hobby not exclusive to perhaps museums, etc?

                        The first time I ever went to car shows was in the mid 80s. You'd see 15 yr old or older cars there (try finding anything that "new" at a car show these days! a whole 'nother topic). So, enthusists were preserving and restoring fairly new vehicles. I am too young to know about car shows and restoring prior to then, but I read about car shows as far back as the mid 60s at least. When did this all start? I don't imagine in say 1930 that there'd be a car show with restored 1910 cars ?? My Dad, who was born in '33, does not really "get" the restoration thing, although he likes looking at "vintage" vehicles.



                        Jeff in ND

                        '53 Champion Hardtop

                        Jeff in ND

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          This is a interesting topic for sure.

                          Kevin brings up a good point about earlier generations not understanding restoring a car. When did restorations of cars become a hobby not exclusive to perhaps museums, etc?

                          The first time I ever went to car shows was in the mid 80s. You'd see 15 yr old or older cars there (try finding anything that "new" at a car show these days! a whole 'nother topic). So, enthusists were preserving and restoring fairly new vehicles. I am too young to know about car shows and restoring prior to then, but I read about car shows as far back as the mid 60s at least. When did this all start? I don't imagine in say 1930 that there'd be a car show with restored 1910 cars ?? My Dad, who was born in '33, does not really "get" the restoration thing, although he likes looking at "vintage" vehicles.



                          Jeff in ND

                          '53 Champion Hardtop

                          Jeff in ND

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Case in point: In *1947, at the age of 17, I purchased a used 1942 Skyway Commander from the local dealer. Many of the various accessories/trim I wanted to add or update were ordered through the parts department.(* Keep in mind that in 1946 and 1947 New '42'were still available, but that's another story, maybe some day I will publish the serial numbers I extracted from the archives on such sales.)

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Case in point: In *1947, at the age of 17, I purchased a used 1942 Skyway Commander from the local dealer. Many of the various accessories/trim I wanted to add or update were ordered through the parts department.(* Keep in mind that in 1946 and 1947 New '42'were still available, but that's another story, maybe some day I will publish the serial numbers I extracted from the archives on such sales.)

                              Comment

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