questions about factories and production

[Bredehoft]

Ok, another new-guy set of questions....

I know that there were Production plants in California and Hamilton, ON. Here are my questions:

1. When did the California plant start and end production?

2. When did the Hamilton plant start production?

3. Were there other North American production plants, apart from South Bend, California and Hamilton?

4. Is there an identifier on the cowl tag or serial number that identifies the plants?

4a. How did the cowl tags or serial numbers avoid overlap or duplication (the plants must have been assigned a series of numbers, right?)

thanks,

--george

1963 Lark Daytona HT - 63V J8 175
53-54 C/Ks, 55 Speedsters, 63 Daytonas, Wagonaires Registries

[Warren Webb]

Hamilton started in 1948-1966
Los Angeles (Vernon) ended in 1956
New Brunswick, N.J. never built any cars as intended, only jet engines for the Korean War.

thats all I can remember for now.

60 Lark convertible
61 Champ
62 Daytona convertible
63 G.T. R-2,4 speed
63 Avanti (2)
66 Daytona Sport Sedan

[Dick Steinkamp]

quote:Originally posted by ClaymoreWW


3. Were there other North American production plants, apart from South Bend, California and Hamilton?

There was an assembly plant in Mexico City similar to the California one. I don't know the years, but it was in operation AT LEAST in 1953

Dick Steinkamp
Bellingham, WA

[IMG][/IMG]

[StudeRich]

quote:Originally posted by ClaymoreWW

Ok, another new-guy set of questions....
I know that there were Production plants in California and Hamilton, ON. Here are my questions:
4. Is there an identifier on the cowl tag or serial number that identifies the plants?
4a. How did the cowl tags or serial numbers avoid overlap or duplication (the plants must have been assigned a series of numbers, right?)

If you check in the front of either a Studebaker Chassis Parts Catalog or a Body Parts Catalog, you will see what we have been hammering on here for years in many, many posts especially the ones about the "R" Series Super Hawks & Larks about how the cowl Tags and Serial Numbering worked, maybe we did not zero-in enough on the Plant situation. Without reference material, it may be hard to understand, or explain but it is a simple system really.

Canadian Cowl Tags were never as sophisticated as SB, they used a tag for body Type that included a "C" ie: 63SC-Y4 and a "streamer" for body number. This eliminates any multiple Plant duplication.

Serial Numbers had a "C" after the year and Eng. code: 63VC or a 6 Cyl. = 63SC. Also Canadian Serial Number plates are completely different saying: "Studebaker of Canada Limited".

Before 1959 the Serial Numbers used specific NUMBER RANGES for each Plant.

Los Angeles (Vernon) Plant Engine Numbers had a "L" after the cubic inch indicator "V" or "P" ie: VL = Los Angeles 259.

Canadian (Hamilton) Plant assembled Engines had a second alpha "C" added ie: VC or PC
IN SB, the second alpha was also used for Supercharged Engines that had PS for Golden Hawks or LS for '57 Packards or '58 Packard Hawks, they used a higher starting number than '57's.

Totally confused now George? Really, just suffice it to say that the numbers were coded usually with an alpha letter or number RANGES to eliminate any multiple Plant duplication. [:0]

Get those Parts Catalog Books or CD's !!


StudeRich at Studebakers Northwest -Ferndale,WA

[Bredehoft]

Thank you, Rich. That DOES clear things up. I do have the Chassis, Body and Shop Manual for 59-64; I just have not read what you indicated (nor known that the information was there for me to read). I do see it now.

So, for the Larks (like I have), the Canadian ones will have a different tag structure and a C in the tag. And for the C/Ks (like my dad has), the serial number range will provide the clue (I don't have the 53 series of books - but he does).

I appreciate the time you all take reiterating the details time after time.

Thanks again!

--george

1963 Lark Daytona HT - 63V J8 175
53-54 C/Ks, 55 Speedsters, 63 Daytonas, Wagonaires Registries