1952 Studebaker-Siata

[comatus]

You won't believe it:

http://tinyurl.com/ydnh5l3

In Turning Wheels, I'd expect the current owner to write in the next month, with a nice story about sailing to Murmansk with the original owner, and an old note from Bob Bourke.

I can't imagine this little baby would have had to pull over to let anybody past in 1952, and that would include Neubauer and Enzo's boys.

[Andy R.]

Very cool. [8D]

Andy
62 GT

[StudeRich]

A Siata-Daina? Is that some kind of Alfa Romeo?

StudeRich

[comatus]

No, it was "one of those sports cars." They were a Fiat tuner (like Lotus was an Austin tuner), but built their own cars all through the fifties. Very, very pretty cars. Of course, Alfa [and Ferrari] are part of Fiat now, so it all comes home to roost. Dodge, Jeep, Alfa -- funny shape for a pentastar.

You want some good fun, look up "Wacky" Arnolt's Arnolt-Bristol. It's the other plastic car from South Bend. And, 1962 or thereabouts, was kinda-sorta state of the art for sports-racers.

[comatus]

Lots more Siatas here: http://tinyurl.com/ygazw8u
from the same race-car "dealership." A little research reveals that the engine-transplanter was a pretty-well-thought of body man, hot rodder, roadster builder, who made the custom mags regularly. Someone is going to find this car! Now, that happy owner looks to be about 33, in 1953? By golly, he may still be with us too.

[JRoberts]

This is indeed interesting. A few years ago I read an article in a magazine ( I cannot for the life of me remember which one) about the Siata. Towards the end of the article was the comment that it was indeed hard to find original Siatas because so many had been modified with Ford flat heads and Studebaker V-8's. Matthew are you ready for this? The person building many of these modified Siatas was none other than Bill Frick! I always figured this is what he did with the left over Studebaker engines he removed to build his more famous Studillacs.

Joe Roberts
'61 R1 Champ
'65 Cruiser
Editor of "The Down Easterner"
Eastern North Carolina Chapter