TOMMY K & The MULBERRY PRIDE STUDE FARM

[AKAchamptrucking]

Those of you who had a chance to walk the rows of Tom's Studebaker Stonehedge during the last meet in South Bend unknowingly attended the viewing before the funeral. Multiple people have said and confirmed that Tom sold 200 of his peacefully resting Studebaker to LKQ Auto Recyclers site in South Bend. LKQ is a chain of yards. They charge $2.00 per person to enter the yard and look for the part you need, even if you come up empty handed. They have a desire to stock pile some early iron to attract the old car crowd as well as the late model shopper. Some of the old cars are not leaving Tom's gracefully or in one piece,but going they are.
I have heard Tom wanted to downsize some and if the mentioned amount of $150 per car is correct then Tom is doing alright. I would have taken that deal too!

[Bob Andrews]

Sad to hear, but understandable. Tom's not getting any younger.

Hopefully the cars will at least continue to exist and provide parts.

[mbstude]

Scrap is scrap! And metal prices seem to be up right now.

[studeclunker]

Scrap is scrap! And metal prices seem to be up right now.

Up yes, Matt, but not so much as to get me to start running scrap again. So, hopefully it wonn't entice these people to crush rather than part out the cars at Tommy K's place.

[61Lark]

It sounds like Tom is just downsizing and not getting out of the business altogether, hopefully that is the case. He is a great guy to get parts from.

Nick

[sweetolbob]

Remember that LKQ is not so much a scrap yard business but specialize in reselling recycled automobile parts. They have contracts with several automobile companies to buy test and etc, type new vehicles and strip the parts for resale. Of course, they do scrap what in not usable.

I've had occasion to see the Belleville, Michigan site in operation and it is impressive.

If those vehicle had to be sold to a scrap/recycle corporation, LKQ would be at the top of my list.

It could be much worse.

JMHO

Bob

[Deaf Mute]

Tom will be at the Upper Mississippi Valley Zone Meet Aug. 6&7 selling out of the bus, come to Moline, Illinois and ask him in person.

[barnlark]

Good luck to Tommy. He deserves to finally weed out (literally) the fields of many of those Studebakers. Most of the really valuable parts have been saved by him, anyway. Time to go.

Strangely, so many parts that seem to be highly sought after on this Forum, he often laments as to them sitting there unsold in his inventory for years. If he advertised that inventory better, he'd probably unload a ton of it. But, that's Tom...he does it his way on the phone, or on the bus and doesn't apologize for it. It has worked just fine for him...and for many of us, thankfully.

I can't imagine as a future business plan for LKQ to draw folks in who are looking for used Studebaker parts near South Bend who had not already known about the availability of those 200+ cars right where they are now, but I guess they might draw a new crowd who wouldn't normally think about them. Many of those should be scrapped, though, so I'm glad he worked something out to get help out there. Too hot this summer to do it all himself. Smart move.

Huge changes in the South Bend Studebaker parts world this year, you know? Heavy sigh.

[pszikszai]

I hope he is keeping my old red 53 coupe that sits in front of his building.
Paul

[Stephen Davis]

Can anyone tell me how to get in touch with Tommy K ? I need some parts and he may be able to help me.

[gearhead49]

Can anyone tell me how to get in touch with Tommy K ? I need some parts and he may be able to help me.

Tom Karkiewicz
574-287-5834
Call him in the P.M.

[Stephen Davis]

Thanks gearhead49

[gearhead49]

Thanks gearhead49

Tom helped me out alot when I was restoring my Lark and also on some 62 Gt Hawk parts. He is one of the nicest people you could ever meet. He has some sweet Cushmans and a killer train set up. A trip to the farm was always interesting for me.

[Bordeaux Daytona]

Wow, Too bad I didn't get to go to the farm at the time of the spring swap but I did get to go last fall.
Some of those cars were impossible to get to, being overgrown with pricker bushes or trees. So maybe this will be better.
But I'd have to agree with Champtrucking that some of them won't make it out in one piece. I'm afraid they will just crush some of them. I think there's some 55-56 Packards way back there.
I think a few years back he had some cars crushed on site. He has some roofs that he saved, one was a 64 Daytona hardtop. Wish I would have seen that one before it was cut up.
I don't know how many cars he will have left after 200 are gone, can't be that many.
Yeah, Tom's a good guy. I wish him the best. Hope everything works out ok.

some pictures of Tom K's place from 11-07-09 here...

http://s288.photobucket.com/albums/ll176/64daytona/South%20Bend%2011-07-09/?start=all

John V.

[Tom Bredehoft]

I spoke with Tom about his house cleaning at South Bend last May, he was in good spirits, felt that the Studebaker brotherhood would benefit from the relocation of his stash.