Great blog posting by Roger Ebert

[lschuc]

In Thursday's (Dec. 18, '08) Chicago Sun-Times online blog, movie critic and Studebaker driver Roger Ebert posts a great journal of his Studebaker history:

I've got the sweetest set of wheels in town - Roger Ebert's Journal
Andy Granatelli designed the Avanti engine, and, Wikipedia says, he drove
it to establish or break broke 34 U.S. land speed records. So timeless was
this sports car, its manufacture was continued until four year ago, and
even now plans ...
Go to Roger Ebert's Journal: http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2008...set_of_wh.html



Lew Schucart
Editor, Avanti Magazine

[studeski]

Loved it.
Thanks

Claude Chmielewski
Studeski

http://www.studeski.com

Fillmore, Wisconsin
47 M-16 Truck
62 GT Hawk
63 Lark
64 Commander Wagonaire
50 Champion Regal (parts car)
63 GT Hawk R2
[img=left]http://www.studeski.com/62hawk/62hawka/dakota01_250.jpg[/img=left]

[Chris Pile]

Roger has a way with words, don't he?

Chris Pile
Midway Chapter SDC
The Studebaker Special

[JBOYLE]

The SDC should send him a small Christmas gift...a book, model or just a note of acknowledgement and an invitation to the new museum.

63 Avanti R1 2788
1914 Stutz Bearcat
(George Barris replica)

Washington State

[4961Studebaker]

Thanks for the link, oh how times are a changing.

Ebert mentioned Ride of LaPorte.....I never heard of it. Has anyone attended or have pictures? Or would anyone suggest that its worth attending? Thanks



ChopStu

[ddub]

Super article. Probably too long for a TW reprint but worth a try.

Don Wilson
53 Commander Hardtop
64 Champ 1/2 ton
Centralia, WA

[Bellingham Studenut]

Great exposure for Studebaker!
His influence can also help create more unique movies, using unique cars.

James

The Bell Collection
Bellingham, WA.

[herbpcpa]

Read Ebert's review of the movie "Streets of Fire" in one of his books. He liked the Studebakers in the movie a lot.

[stall]

What a great site this is. Every day I see and learn something.

Many thanks for this post

http://studebakerspeedster.blogspot.com/2008/12/studebakers-new-v-8.html

[BobPalma]

Did anyone take the time to watch the 10-minute Jamie Foxx video embedded therein? Wow! I haven't seen that much exposure of a 1957 Golden Hawk in years! Cool beans! BP

[Desert Explorer]

That was cool, thanks!

[Studebaker Wheel]

RainmanMischiefhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGbV_b3bMsc


Richard Quinn
editor: Antique Studebaker Review

[BobPalma]

As long as we are critiquing historical accuracy in the piece: I'm sure most have noted the Golden Hawk pictured is a 1958, not a 1957, as would be inferred by the writing. Dick Quinn has noted the often-incorrect statement that Lincoln's carraige was of Studebaker manufacture.

The reference to Hudson and NASCAR was off by several years and several makes. Hudson didn't really become a NASCAR threat until the new Hornet, with its excellent new 308 engine, was introduced mid-year 1951. The earlier Driving Miss Daisy varieties were competitors, but did not dominate as did the Hornet. He correctly identified the reason for the Hornet's success; not brute speed, but toughness, superior handling, and cornering ability.

Nor were "Fords and Chevys" the Hornet's primary competition. Virtually nobody ran 6-cylinder Chevys in early 50s NASCAR events, and few ran Fords. Hudson's primary NASCAR competitors were the new Olds 88s and the early Chrysler 331 CID "hemis." (Although the Olds 88 had a Rocket theme, the Rocket-style Hornet emblem on the deck lid of Hudson Hornets was the rocket emblem with which Oldsmobile 88 drivers were more familiar.)

(Speaking of Driving Miss Daisy, here's an interesting factoid: The script originally specified Packards as Miss Daisy's "first" motorcars to appear in the movie. The production company needed two virtually identical cars for shooting and could not locate two "similar enough" Packards. When two virtually identical Hudsons were located in close general proximity, the first-generation cars for Miss Daisy's ownership became luxurious Hudson Commodores! True.)

Anyway, Ebert's article is a good read and looks like it will be widely read within the hobby, and probably by much of the general public. We couldn't ask for a much more popular endorsement. Given the current state of affairs in the domestic automobile industry, we are certain to see more nostalgic writings of this nature. Sometimes people don't realize what they had until its gone. BP

[BobPalma]

Dick Quinn is right: Be sure to read the comments posted after Ebert's article.

One guy brings Ebert up to speed on Loewy's other design achievements, stating that Raymond Loewy designed the 1957 Chevrolet Bel-Air! [:0][}]

Now that's a hoot; Raymond Loewy would have never signed off on an automobile with so many useless design gee-gaws and trinkets. BP

[barnlark]

Bob and Dick, I'm surprised you didn't mention those darn SDC apostrophes, too. He's sharp enough to catch all of those things before it it went online, but a wonderful, positive blog entry nonetheless. I should have known he was a Studebaker guy, but sure didn't remember. I watched the video right away, too. Great thought to do that. Did Jamie Foxx call it a '57 in that, or was it just a '58 Hawk that matched the look for his story?