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Take Time to Read April 2008 Almanac

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  • Take Time to Read April 2008 Almanac

    Take the time to read the interesting tome that constitutes the April 2008 Turning Wheels Almanac.

    You can see for yourself what it's all about, but I'll say it's one of the most interesting insights into Studebaker's last months as an automobile producer to be published in many years. 'Never before published in Turning Wheels, either! Really a treat for those immersed in the company's history.

    Then, it would seem like this Forum would be an appropriate place to answer Dick Quinn's concluding solicitation for comments about the article. I'm going to read it again and collect a few thoughts before posting a reaction.

    Whatever you do, don't try to skim it or read it too quickly. It requires your full attention for at least a half-hour. (Well, OK; I'll speak for myself: Perhaps we have some Evelyn Woods Reading Dynamics speed-reading graduates on the Forum who can digest the whole thing in five minutes![:0]) BP
    We've got to quit saying, "How stupid can you be?" Too many people are taking it as a challenge.

    G. K. Chesterton: This triangle of truisms, of father, mother, and child, cannot be destroyed; it can only destroy those civilizations which disregard it.

  • #2
    Bob, Just when you think you can't read something new, he digs out another rare item of seriously amazing Studebaker history. I read that article first, before any other Monday by accident, but was engrossed quickly. Amazing document. How does he do it? Thanks for sharing, RQ..

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    • #3
      img]http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii272/64HAWK/GetAttachment1-2.jpg[/img]
      Bob,
      Here I am down in Australia waiting another 7 or 8 days for my April Turning Wheels & you wet my appetite with your positive comments on the Almanac article. The Almanac is always my first port of call because I just love that column but dont tell Dick. Seriously, he is to be commended for the research he puts into his TWs column & I've enjoyed the subjects over many years.

      "QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER"
      MELBOURNE.

      \"QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER\"
      MELBOURNE.

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      • #4
        Hi Bob

        The second I saw that article, I started to read it. It is the most significant item I've seen regarding the last months of Studebaker production. You are correct to recommend careful reading.

        I will add some comments and conclusions as well once I've read it again, let the points sink in.

        Thanks to Richard Quinn for making that important communication between principals available for all of us.

        Steve

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        • #5
          Just another reason to have Turning Wheels delivered to your mailbox.

          Seriously speaking, Richard Quinn is my hero.

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          • #6
            Would love to read it, but apparently my copy of TW eloped with the mail order prescription that was mailed on March 19. [xx(]


            http://community.webshots.com/user/GuidoSalvage

            Hiding and preserving Studebakers in Richmond, Goochland & Louisa, Va.

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            • #7
              Just got my April TW yesterday, so last night I read the article and did find it very interesting. The point I found most interesting was Burlingame saying that if all the dealers would just sell a small additional number of cars per month (sorry, don't have the article here in front of me to quote actual numbers), then profitability would be easier to reach.

              When I interviewed former Studebaker dealer Dave Meachum in 2004 for my TW article, he stated that Studebaker had many weak dealerships that hardly stocked any inventory. I've seen it written elsewhere through the years that just a few more cars per month per dealer would have made a big difference in the bottom line. Don't you think this should have been a reachable goal? But....maybe it wasn't that simple to do! Back in the 50s, it probably could have been done. By late 1965 though, most people had already written off Studebaker as finished.

              Dave Bonn
              Valencia, PA
              '54 Champion Starliner

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              • #8
                Dave, there's a lot that can be said here on this subject. Studebaker's dealer network was extremely large in the mid 50's with over 3300 dealers. This was a selling point in the mercedes deal but many of these dealers were indeed weak. Many had no on-hand inventory and only one or two show rooom cars. If you wanted a Studebaker it was ordered and then the dealer had the option of going to SB and picking it up or having it delivered. As the big three got going in the late 50's they began to set dealer quotas and just deliver cars to them and then it was the dealers problem as to what to do with them. Studebaker never changed it's business model and set dealer quotas. This was the begining of the end for the company. At the same time, add to this some model miscalculations and lack of capital investment in plant and facilities and the rest is history. Once the SB plant was shut down it was over no matter what else would have happened. There's more to this story but no room here to tell it now. As a maater of record I know the former owner of the Bango, PA Studebaker Dealership mentioned in Mr. Quinn's article. Mr. Dietrich bought it in 1943 and was there until the bitter end when he became a Chrysler Dealer until about 2 years ago when he sold to his friend Bob Dotta the local Dodge Dealer. He is a great man to talk to about his Studebaker years.

                See you in the future as I write about our past
                sigpicSee you in the future as I write about our past

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                • #9
                  As a point of reference, my TW arrived on 04/01/08. There is no doubt that we need to say a very big THANK YOU to none other than Mr. Rochard Quinn for as Art said he is one of my heros.
                  sigpicSee you in the future as I write about our past

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