New Newbie

[Stude4me]

Hello!
I have been in the SDC for a year now, and just joined the SDC Forum about three minutes ago. My name is Rodney DeGroff, and I am from Wisconsin. What got me started in Studies was finding a '66 Cruiser a little over a year ago. It was definitely a "project car". This past summer, after I had been in the SDC for about 6 months or so, I replied to an ad in Turning Wheels, and took delivery of a 63 Daytona Wagonaire from its previous owner, SDC member John Dwyer. He is very much a gentleman, and gave my niece and I the "nickel tour" of his shop before I bought the car. I have since sold the '66 so I can concentrate on the Wagonaire. I am very interested in information, parts sources, and anything to do with the Wagonaire. I also have some "also-rans" (Chrysler, Ford, Mercury, etc...) that I would like to sell or trade, with the intention of getting another Studebaker (currently looking at a '60 Lark, powered by a '57 Chevy 283)... Thank you for a great club, looking forward to more activity in the future.

stude4me

[JBOYLE]

Welcome!

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

Washington State

[silverhawk]

Welcome to the forum! The '63 wagonaires are cool cars, good luck with it.[8D]

Dylan
'61 lark deluxe 4dr wagon

[Avantidon]

New members are always welcome and like the reat, I'm sure you will learn alot and find many to lean on when help is needed. Thanks for becoming a member of our growing family of Forum Members.

[bams50]

Let me add my welcome as well! I'm a big Lark fanatic, especially wagons- got any pictures of yours??

Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

"Some people live for the rules, I live for exceptions"- 311

"Do they all not, by mere virtue of having survived as relics of a bygone era, amass a level of respect perhaps not accorded to them when they were new?"

[HookedonStudies]

Let me join in with the rest of the "Old Newbies" and offer a big welcome to the "New Newbie"!

BTW I bought gas in Baraboo last week on my way home from Chicago

55 Commander
58 Transtar
62 GT Hawk
66 Cruiser

[Desert Explorer]

Hi Stude4Me, and a BIG WELCOME, from another recent newbie to the forum (but longtime Stude fanatic).
This is the best possible place you could have come for information and like minded Stude folks! Cant wait to see the progress on your Wagon!

[tutone63]

I like nickel tours...

WELCOME!


1963 Lark Custom, 259 V8, TT, 4 doors, 2 tone paint, and garaged for the winter...I can't wait til spring!!

[jclary]

[Mark57]

Welcome to the Forum Rodney!

<h5>Mark
'57 Transtar Deluxe
Vancouver Island

Are you planning to attend the NW Overdrive Tour in Parksville, BC
May 23 & 24, 2009?</h5>

[Stude4me]

Pix will be forthcoming. I dont own one o' these newfangled Komputenmaschines, so there may be a "time warp" between my postings. The Wagonaire is a 289 car (not sure if it still has the 289 or not, since the engine is a "service engine" with no numbers stamped on the pad in the front. The previous owner, John Dwyer, had gotten the build sheet from Newman & Altman when he had the car, and it was well optioned when new (unfortunately, the car was plundered at some point in its life by "parts pirates", and is missing a few items, such as the four barrel manifold and carb, radio, and a few other things that I dont recall right now), but it does run and drive. I dont have a heated shop to work on it in, but I did build a lean-to big enough to fit the car just before the snow fell this past year. The lean-to will become a small "garage" when spring comes. I really hope to be able to go to the SDC meet this coming summer, as Iowa is just too close to not go. I am a low-budget hobbyist, so I pick up parts when time and money are accessible. The car came with nothing but about 2/3 of a Y-pipe, so the first thing I bought was a full stainless dual exhaust from Silvertone Exhaust in Canada. Excellent people to work with! Still recovering from the cost, but once the job is done, its DONE! I am going for dependability and longevity with this project. Out of curiosity, would anyone have any info, advertising items, etc. from a Don Schmidt Motors in Wichita, Kansas? That is where the car was sold new, according to the dealer emblem on the tailgate. I am also looking for back issues of Turning Wheels, especially those pertaining to Wagonaires. I understand that the February 1986 issue would be one of them, also perhaps the Feb. 1982 and the Dec. 1990 issues also. There may very well be others also.
A slight bit of personal "himstory": I was pretty much born a car nut, not sure why because my dad had no interest in working on cars. But there I was, a kid who was crazy about old cars, especially the 60s "compacts". I can remember putting up ads in the stores that had places to do so from the time I was about twelve or so, looking for a "60s compact" car. I've owned many Ford Falcons, but never restored any. Somehow, though, I had a soft spot for Studebakers, really not knowing where it came from. My dad always would tell me, "You don't want no Studebaker" when I would bring it up. Many, many vehicles later, here I am. "Loewy coupes" are exceptionally cool, as are the Hawks and Avantis, but personally, I "LOVE THAT LARK!"

stude4me

[raprice]

Welcome to the asylum, er, forum. You're going to love it.
Studebaker people are special.
Rog

'59 Lark VI Regal Hardtop
Smithtown,NY

[bams50]

quote:Originally posted by Stude4me

Somehow, though, I had a soft spot for Studebakers, really not knowing where it came from. My dad always would tell me, "You don't want no Studebaker" when I would bring it up. Many, many vehicles later, here I am. "Loewy coupes" are exceptionally cool, as are the Hawks and Avantis, but personally, I "LOVE THAT LARK!"

WHAT A LAUGH!! You just described me to a "T"[:0] My father was a car dealer, and he wouldn't touch a Studebaker even for free- since he couldn't give them away[xx(] If he was alive today he'd get a laugh out of his kid[)]

Look for a copy of the Feb. 06 Collectible Automobile magazine; also Jan. 63 Motor Trend. The former has a great piece on Wagonaires, the latter is R&T's road test of the "all new Wagonaire". Both great pieces. I got mine where I get most of this stuff- on eBay[^]

Waiting anxiously for those pictures

Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

"Some people live for the rules, I live for exceptions"- 311

"Do they all not, by mere virtue of having survived as relics of a bygone era, amass a level of respect perhaps not accorded to them when they were new?"

[JJB]

Welcome to the world of Studebakers Rodeny. You will learn to lean on the folks of this form, they have helped me many times while I am fixing up my Hawk.

[GTtim]

Welcome Rodney! It's nice to know there is another afflicted person in the neighborhood. According to your forum info I actually live just about 30 miles south of you. Give me a call sometime if you've got a question, I'll try to help you find an answer. I'll be looking for you at the next get together of the Wisconsin Region Studebaker Drivers Club (WRSDC).

Tim K.
'64 R2 GT Hawk