Yesterday was the annual AACA Apple Blossom car show in Winchester, VA. At least five Studebakers were in attendance, but the show stopper (IMHO) was Max Mosse's recently restored full package '64 Daytona hardtop.
The car is interesting in a number of respects, one being that it was sold new by Porterfield Studebaker in Martinsburg, WV and it has spent its entire life in the Martinsburg vicinity. Another aspect is the unusual combination of color and equipment (see thumbnails below).
When the new car arrived at Porterfield's, the dealer's son, Jimmy Porterfield, wanted the car in the worst way, but his dad thought it was too hot for a teenage driver and wouldn't let him have it. It was sold locally. A few years later it came up for sale needing some work (blown head gasket and such). Torrey Kirby bought it and (fortunately) put it in his garage rather than on the field with the 100 or so other cars slowly sinking in to the mud (long story). A number of people had tried to buy the car from Torrey, but first reply was "I'm going to restore it". Later when he decided he couldn't restore it he decided he would only sell it to someone who would keep it in Martinsburg. So, more than ten years ago Forum member Ron Butts persuaded Torrey to give him first refusal if he ever wanted to sell the car. As fate would have it, Ron had just started the build on his fantastic 59 Lark when Torrey called me and told him it was for sale. No way at that point could he buy it. Ron told Torrey to give me a couple of days and I would get back to him. That's when Ron called Jimmy and told him it was for sale. Needless to say, Jimmy bought it. Jimmy owns and runs a large body shop and has been in to custom Chevrolets for a while. He decided he didn't want to bother with the restoration after all and he sold the car to his long time friend, retired Martinsburg policeman Max Mosse. Even though he hadn't bought the car, Ron, also a long-time friend of both Jimmy and Max, wound up doing about 99% of all the mechanical work to include engine, trans, rear end and suspension.
Max has done the car right- better than new, but not over restored. He told me yesterday that he knows it will go 100 mph because when he was merging on to I-81 to head to Winchester he goosed it to merge (long merge lane). He wondered why everyone was going so slow then he looked down at the speedometer- 100 mph. He also said he can also see the gas gage needle moving down at the same time.
Missing horn button- interesting story. The original had an interesting personalized engraving that Max wanted to keep with the car... but he can't find it now, but is still looking.
Enjoy.
The car is interesting in a number of respects, one being that it was sold new by Porterfield Studebaker in Martinsburg, WV and it has spent its entire life in the Martinsburg vicinity. Another aspect is the unusual combination of color and equipment (see thumbnails below).
When the new car arrived at Porterfield's, the dealer's son, Jimmy Porterfield, wanted the car in the worst way, but his dad thought it was too hot for a teenage driver and wouldn't let him have it. It was sold locally. A few years later it came up for sale needing some work (blown head gasket and such). Torrey Kirby bought it and (fortunately) put it in his garage rather than on the field with the 100 or so other cars slowly sinking in to the mud (long story). A number of people had tried to buy the car from Torrey, but first reply was "I'm going to restore it". Later when he decided he couldn't restore it he decided he would only sell it to someone who would keep it in Martinsburg. So, more than ten years ago Forum member Ron Butts persuaded Torrey to give him first refusal if he ever wanted to sell the car. As fate would have it, Ron had just started the build on his fantastic 59 Lark when Torrey called me and told him it was for sale. No way at that point could he buy it. Ron told Torrey to give me a couple of days and I would get back to him. That's when Ron called Jimmy and told him it was for sale. Needless to say, Jimmy bought it. Jimmy owns and runs a large body shop and has been in to custom Chevrolets for a while. He decided he didn't want to bother with the restoration after all and he sold the car to his long time friend, retired Martinsburg policeman Max Mosse. Even though he hadn't bought the car, Ron, also a long-time friend of both Jimmy and Max, wound up doing about 99% of all the mechanical work to include engine, trans, rear end and suspension.
Max has done the car right- better than new, but not over restored. He told me yesterday that he knows it will go 100 mph because when he was merging on to I-81 to head to Winchester he goosed it to merge (long merge lane). He wondered why everyone was going so slow then he looked down at the speedometer- 100 mph. He also said he can also see the gas gage needle moving down at the same time.
Missing horn button- interesting story. The original had an interesting personalized engraving that Max wanted to keep with the car... but he can't find it now, but is still looking.
Enjoy.
Attached Files
. i'm starting to take a real liking to the "2-eyed" larks.
'63 Avanti R-1384. sold 12/10.
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