Allstate "The Clunker" advertisement from December 1971 National Geographic

[lexmale43]

Who remembers this ad? I must say I don't like it.

[barnlark]

That's been discussed here a couple times. Can't undo that one...

[BobPalma]

I remember it when it came out, of course, and the much-smaller SDC was up in arms....but what were they about to do?

My theory at the time was this: Since Studebaker was no longer building cars, and the surviving SASCO Division of Studebaker-Worthington as about to shut down, Allstate had little nothing to fear of a defamation or other lawsuit by using a Studebaker. 'Just a theory, though; never confirmed one way or another. BP

[Studedude1961]

If I remember correctly Allstate did correct their error after complaints and ran a similar ad with a generic-looking clunker in place of the Stude.

[hossfly]

I also remember the associated TV commercial, wish I could find that.

[Bob Andrews]

Didn't bother me one bit- it is a clunker.

'Clunker' is a state of deterioration, certainly not brand- or model-specific. Could have just as easily been any plain, beat-up basic car.

I'd bet Allstate just grabbed the first low-level model they came across and 'junked' it up. I doubt they set out to disrespect Studebakers. I can't see why anyone would get 'up in arms' over an ad

[Skip Lackie]

I remember the ad well, and agree with Bob Palma. Allstate clearly wasn't going to junk up a car made by a company that was still in business, and no one except a few SDC nuts were going to be offended if they used a Studebaker. A no-brainer for them.

[mbstude]

Come on guys... It's an old ad! Not like the car is an R2 SuperLark.

[studeclunker]

Very true, Matt. The point of fact is that I remember a lot of cars like that on the road in the sixties and early seventies. Some had no doors, or missing hood/trunk. A lot of vehicles were on the road that were downright dangerous. A lot of the safety inspection stuff is a royal pain, but provides a valuable service to us all.

As to this ad, I don't dislike it any more than the one where they dump a similar car off the roof of a ten-storey building.

[bezhawk]

I remember the TV ad.....It was a smoke belching.............AVANTI!!!!! a not too pretty one at that.

[maxpower1954]

I liked that ad so much I put it in a picture frame and hung it in my garage!

In 1991, I saw a green '63 Cruiser in San Francisco that could have doubled for the '62 in the Allstate ad. It actually had a coat-hangar wire antenna - classic! Russ Farris

[Dougie]

I think the ad is great. I'm going to print it and put a copy in the window of my 62 Lark at the next cruise night.

[JRoberts]

Come on guys... It's an old ad! Not like the car is an R2 SuperLark.

Matt, you've hit the nail right square on the head. What are we complaining about -- then or now? I'm like some of the others, this would make a great poster for the shop.

[8E45E]

I remember the ad well, and agree with Bob Palma. Allstate clearly wasn't going to junk up a car made by a company that was still in business, and no one except a few SDC nuts were going to be offended if they used a Studebaker. A no-brainer for them.

I do remember Edsels being used in TV commercials where something 'bad' was going to happen. One that I recall was a Workman's Compensation TV ad in the middle sixties showing someone working under it when it was being held up only by the bumper jack itself, with the narration explaining the dangers.

As for that Stude 'clunker' ad, there was lots of coverage in Fred K. Fox's column on it around 1981/82. It explained how some SDC members got after Allstate which resulted in the change to the one with the more generic-looking car.

Craig

[okc63avanti]

Matt, you've hit the nail right square on the head. What are we complaining about -- then or now? I'm like some of the others, this would make a great poster for the shop.

The car in the picture wasn't too far off from reality for me during college. In 1974 my grandmother gave me her 1961 Lark VI Regal sedan and although the body was in fair shape it was almost clunker status.

It did not have an optional oil filter and she had been using 50 wt recycled motor oil. The points were just about burnt off and several plugs had posts partially burnt. When adding motor oil with a funnel it would take 30 secs to drain a funnel full into the valve cover because there was so much sludge build up in the heads. I removed the side doors on block that cover lifters and had to dig sludge out with a pocket knife. The car would leave a cloud of smoke when taking off from a red light and once I even got a $17.50 ticket by the Houston PD for visible exhaust due to engine malfunction.

I replaced plugs, points, tuned up timing amd then ran kerosene in the crankcase for 5 mins drained the pan and repeated with kerosene a second time, dropped pan and cleaned out a pan full of gunk. I wasn't worried about additonal block wear on kerosene vs. oil as I figured rings were pretty worn and sufficient loose. Then after a valve job and replacing rings on the pistons this little car was the smoothest running six cylinder engine I believe I have ever driven to this day. Just one push on the accelator to set choke, turn the key and it was like turning on an electric motor, it would crank up and run quitely and vibration free. A mechanic told me it was as smooth as a sewing machine motor (not sure that was really a compliment or not).