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  • Last Studebaker Photograph

    I seem to recall a recent posting of a photograph of the last Studebaker on the Hamilton line but don't know which posting it was, can anyone help as I'd like to copy that photo to go with my "no more cars" telegram.



    John Clements
    Avantilover, your South Australian Studebaker lover!!!
    Lockleys South Australia

  • #2


    here ya go , if you wish any info regarding this pic just email me . I have most of the names of the people in it along with the photografer. Like I said earlier the color is off but I do think its probably from the factory lighting . that car is a turquoise color.

    HOME of THE FRIED GREEN TOMATO
    sigpic

    Home of the Fried Green Tomato

    "IF YOU WANT THE SMILES YOU NEED TO DO THE MILES "

    1960 Champ , 1966 Daytona , 1965 Daytona Wagonaire

    Comment


    • #3
      If you get a chance to talk with this friend again, I'd be interested to know what the mood was like that day. I look at that photo and it's as if the last Stude is sailing out of sight - taillights glowing until they finally, dimly flicker to nothing.

      I wonder who it was and what it was they installed that was the absolute act of auto assembly. Did some guy pop on the wheelcovers or a piece of trim or.......

      Did it take an inordinately long time for that last car to progress thru the line or was it business as usual with a few photo-ops along the way[?][V]

      I remember reading that Byers Burlingame had that car to use for some time after it was built. Wonder what sort of sentiment it evoked in ex-Stude workers that caught a glimpse of it.
      It just seems WEIRD that they'd shut down a viable, productive manufacturing operation (and it was even in the BLACK!) and not look back.

      Heh - I wonder if anyone ever THOUGHT of offering the whole operation to the Russkies at the time. With the reputation that Studebaker held over there, you'd think they'd have JUMPED on the chance to buy the tooling and all so they could produce a modern auto. I'm sure if it WAS considered, the raging "cold war" put the kybosh on the idea.

      Miscreant at large.

      1957 Transtar 1/2ton
      1960 Larkvertible V8
      1958 Provincial wagon
      1953 Commander coupe
      1957 President 2-dr
      1955 President State
      1951 Champion Biz cpe
      1963 Daytona project FS
      No deceptive flags to prove I'm patriotic - no biblical BS to impress - just ME and Studebakers - as it should be.

      Comment


      • #4
        It almost looks as if the fellow on the right is in some sort of prison garb... Come to think of it, he does resemble one of those Riddler/Joker characters on Batman.

        Guido Salvage - "Where rust is beautiful"

        1946 M-16 fire truck
        1948 M-16 grain truck
        1949 2R16A grain truck
        1949 2R17A fire truck
        1955 E-38 grain truck
        1957 3E-40 flatbed
        1961 6E-28 grain truck
        1962 7E-13D 4x4 rack truck
        1962 7E-7 Champ pickup
        1962 GT Hawk 4 speed
        1964 Avanti R2 4 speed
        1964 Cruiser
        And various other "treasures"
        Hiding and preserving Studebakers in Richmond & Louisa, Va.

        Comment


        • #5
          [quote]Originally posted by Mr.Biggs

          If you get a chance to talk with this friend again, I'd be interested to know what the mood was like that day. I look at that photo and it's as if the last Stude is sailing out of sight - taillights glowing until they finally, dimly flicker to nothing.

          I wonder who it was and what it was they installed that was the absolute act of auto assembly. Did some guy pop on the wheelcovers or a piece of trim or.......

          Did it take an inordinately long time for that last car to progress thru the line or was it business as usual with a few photo-ops along the way[?][V]

          I remember reading that Byers Burlingame had that car to use for some time after it was built. Wonder what sort of sentiment it evoked in ex-Stude workers that caught a glimpse of it.
          It just seems WEIRD that they'd shut down a viable, productive manufacturing operation (and it was even in the BLACK!) and not look back.

          Heh - I wonder if anyone ever THOUGHT of offering the whole operation to the Russkies at the time. With the reputation that Studebaker held over there, you'd think they'd have JUMPED on the chance to buy the tooling and all so they could produce a modern auto. I'm sure if it WAS considered, the raging "cold war" put the kybosh on the idea.

          Miscreant at large.


          StudeBob:

          Good musings, there.

          Having toured final assembly in South Bend several times, I believe you'd have to say the last act of "assembly" was installing the coolant and/or gasoline before the car was fired for the first time.

          Closing down a viable production facility even though it was running in the black? You're right, Bob, but let's face it: That not-too-far-off day was planned when production was shut down in South Bend. Some diabolical genius [}] just had to say "when" ...that is, "when" they figured enough strong dealers had bailed that the remaining weak ones wouldn't collectively sue the corporation for breach of contract [to supply cars]. 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.

          Comment


          • #6
            It would have been interesting to have seen how far Studebaker could have gone with this last bodystyle and a few small facelifts had they desired the automotive division to keep producing in Canada. It would have been interesting to have seen a 1969 Studebaker. Much past this point the cars would have been hopelessly dated and unable to pass emissions muster and other U.S. federal safety guidelines and probably would have had to have been discontinued anyway.

            Thanks for sharing this very interesting photo. I had never seen it.

            Studedude1961
            --1963 Cruiser

            Comment


            • #7
              [quote]Originally posted by Studedude1961

              It would have been interesting to have seen how far Studebaker could have gone with this last bodystyle and a few small facelifts had they desired the automotive division to keep producing in Canada. It would have been interesting to have seen a 1969 Studebaker. Thanks for sharing this very interesting photo. I had never seen it.

              Check out your June, 1990 TW. There were some interesting design concepts based on that final body style.

              Craig

              Comment


              • #8
                quote:Originally posted by Mr.Biggs



                I wonder who it was and what it was they installed that was the absolute act of auto assembly. Did some guy pop on the wheelcovers or a piece of trim or.......

                Did it take an inordinately long time for that last car to progress thru the line or was it business as usual with a few photo-ops along the way[?][V]

                I remember reading that Byers Burlingame had that car to use for some time after it was built. Wonder what sort of sentiment it evoked in ex-Stude workers that caught a glimpse of it.
                I do not believe that anyone at the factory assembly line would have put on the wheelcovers. I remember them as always being a dealer installed item.

                The last 1966 was destined for the Studebaker collection in South Bend from the beginning, but it was not shipped to South Bend for months. I do not believe that Byers Burlingame had any contact/driving of this last car. Gordon Grundy may have driven it on occasion. The corporate Controller, Ed Dunbar, decided to use it as his company car. He put snow tires on it and drove it 18K miles. Then it was shipped to South Bend and stored. Canadians got this final car back into the nice shape that it is in now in the SNM.

                Gary L.
                Wappinger, NY
                1954 Commander Starliner (restomod)
                1959 DeLuxe pickup (restomod)
                Gary L.
                Wappinger, NY

                SDC member since 1968
                Studebaker enthusiast much longer

                Comment


                • #9
                  Stu Chapman has a letter on page 5 of the August TW confirming what Studegary stated. Stu was there for this event.
                  Denny L

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I have a pic of this car out on the street , taken for a joy ride by a manager and it has hubcaps on it. This was before shipping out.

                    HOME of THE FRIED GREEN TOMATO
                    sigpic

                    Home of the Fried Green Tomato

                    "IF YOU WANT THE SMILES YOU NEED TO DO THE MILES "

                    1960 Champ , 1966 Daytona , 1965 Daytona Wagonaire

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      quote:Originally posted by 2R5

                      I have a pic of this car out on the street , taken for a joy ride by a manager and it has hubcaps on it. This was before shipping out.

                      HOME of THE FRIED GREEN TOMATO
                      I would love that photo for my site if you dont mind sharing.

                      Randy_G

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        quote:Originally posted by 2R5

                        I have a pic of this car out on the street , taken for a joy ride by a manager and it has hubcaps on it. This was before shipping out.

                        My point was that the assembly line workers do not normally install wheelcovers. Of course, before Grundy or Dunbar used the car, they would have had it preped, like any new car delivery, including installing the wheelcovers.

                        Gary L.
                        Wappinger, NY
                        1954 Commander Starliner (restomod)
                        1959 DeLuxe pickup (restomod)
                        Gary L.
                        Wappinger, NY

                        SDC member since 1968
                        Studebaker enthusiast much longer

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I knew that Gary. It wasn't so much a point of fact thing as a poetic point. Not knowing what THE LAST part that would have been installed at the end of the production line, I used the wheelcover scenario. Somehow, I knew I was setting myself up to be corrected.[8]

                          Miscreant at large.

                          1957 Transtar 1/2ton
                          1960 Larkvertible V8
                          1958 Provincial wagon
                          1953 Commander coupe
                          1957 President 2-dr
                          1955 President State
                          1951 Champion Biz cpe
                          1963 Daytona project FS
                          No deceptive flags to prove I'm patriotic - no biblical BS to impress - just ME and Studebakers - as it should be.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Here's another one for you guys. I understand that the manager , Ed Harse smuggled the car out of the plant on a midnight shift and took it for a trip around Hamilton , had this photo taken to document it then put the car back inside before anyone found out that didn't need to know !


                            HOME of THE FRIED GREEN TOMATO
                            sigpic

                            Home of the Fried Green Tomato

                            "IF YOU WANT THE SMILES YOU NEED TO DO THE MILES "

                            1960 Champ , 1966 Daytona , 1965 Daytona Wagonaire

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I wonder what the plates shown on the car really belong to. Perhaps the plate is a manufacturer's plate (like a dealer's plate that can be put on any car that they own).

                              Gary L.
                              Wappinger, NY
                              1954 Commander Starliner (restomod)
                              1959 DeLuxe pickup (restomod)
                              Gary L.
                              Wappinger, NY

                              SDC member since 1968
                              Studebaker enthusiast much longer

                              Comment

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