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December 9, 1963

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  • December 9, 1963

    I'm surprised nobody has mentioned this yet. On this day in 1963 it was announced that the South Bend plant would be closing.......Black Monday.


  • #2
    Believe "December 9, 1963" was hashed over pretty well on a different thread not many days ago.

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    • #3
      Sad Day indeed.
      1960 Lark VIII Regal Wagon

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      • #4
        Originally posted by cultural infidel View Post
        Sad Day indeed.
        Indeed. And JFK assassinated only 17 days before...note the flag at half-mast.

        I've often thought, outside of an SDC meet today, where would one ever see so many Studebakers in such a small area as in this pic? Having owned a '63 Daytona Hardtop, I always zero right in on the one in the photo too.
        Bill Pressler
        Kent, OH
        (formerly Greenville, PA)
        Currently owned: 1966 Cruiser, Timberline Turquoise, 26K miles
        Formerly owned: 1963 Lark Daytona Skytop R1, Ermine White
        1964 Daytona Hardtop, Strato Blue
        1966 Daytona Sports Sedan, Niagara Blue Mist
        All are in Australia now

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        • #5
          Originally posted by cultural infidel View Post
          Sad Day indeed.
          How well I remember it. My first thought in Hamilton was why this had to be done just before Christmas.
          Stu Chapman

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Bill Pressler View Post
            Indeed. And JFK assassinated only 17 days before...note the flag at half-mast.

            I've often thought, outside of an SDC meet today, where would one ever see so many Studebakers in such a small area as in this pic? Having owned a '63 Daytona Hardtop, I always zero right in on the one in the photo too.
            On that day, November 22nd 1963, my associate, Lillian Morris, and I learned about Kennedy on our way into Toronto to conduct the press introduction for the Mercedes Grand 600 Pullman. Needless to say, hardly anyone showed up! Memories.......
            Stu Chapman

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            • #7
              And yet WE sit at our keyboards - still writing the next chapter. How many years until a driveable Stude in action is a big deal?
              No deceptive flags to prove I'm patriotic - no biblical BS to impress - just ME and Studebakers - as it should be.

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              • #8
                Stu, I had occassion to drive one of those extensively in the late 70s. Man, THAT was some machine!
                No deceptive flags to prove I'm patriotic - no biblical BS to impress - just ME and Studebakers - as it should be.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by StudHawk60 View Post
                  I'm surprised nobody has mentioned this yet. On this day in 1963 it was announced that the South Bend plant would be closing.......Black Monday.
                  was going to mention it this morning, but figured i'd missed a post... so, a little bump up to the top.
                  Kerry. SDC Member #A012596W. ENCSDC member.

                  '51 Champion Business Coupe - (Tom's Car). Purchased 11/2012.

                  '40 Champion. sold 10/11. '63 Avanti R-1384. sold 12/10.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Stu Chapman View Post
                    On that day, November 22nd 1963, my associate, Lillian Morris, and I learned about Kennedy on our way into Toronto to conduct the press introduction for the Mercedes Grand 600 Pullman. Needless to say, hardly anyone showed up! Memories.......
                    Stu Chapman
                    Was it actually the Pullman with the middle section between the front and rear doors? I've seen a handfull of the 'regular' 600 sedans around, but not any of the Pullmans.

                    Craig

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                    • #11
                      I remember that day very well. I was a 17 year old High School student driving a 61 Lark and working at the family owned Baskin-Robbins in South Phoenix. I had just arrived at work when I heard the announcement on the Lark's radio. I had kept a model Avanti on my dash board. I was so depressed that I place that model Avanti on the payment in front of the front tire and drove over it, smashing it to bits. It was then that I switched my loyalties to American Motors and began driving AMC products. First a '63 Rambler Classic, then a '67 Rebel SST and finally a '69 AMX...which traded for my first Avanti, a '63....and have had at least one Studebaker ever since. Someday, I plan on being hauled to the crematorium in the back of my Champ pickup. (That way I won't have to pay for the rental of a hearse...CASO to the end!)...and proud of it.
                      Lou Van Anne
                      62 Champ
                      64 R2 GT Hawk
                      79 Avanti II

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                      • #12
                        What's on the grill of that '59/60 Lark driving out?
                        Is that the optional grill lite/dodad that was discussed just a while ago?

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by skyway View Post
                          What's on the grill of that '59/60 Lark driving out?
                          Is that the optional grill lite/dodad that was discussed just a while ago?
                          Yep. That's a daytime running light. 'Twas a popular aftermarket accessory that was all the rage in Indiana at the time (and maybe elsewhere; at age 17, my world was pretty much Indiana).

                          Mom told me about the closing announcement when I got home from high school that day. She then placed me on a 24-hour watch, as I remember; 'finally gave up on that a couple years ago when she turned 90! I guess she figured if I hadn't hurt myself by now, I'd do OK without Studebakers in production in South Bend. <GGG> 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.

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                          • #14
                            I still have my copy cablegram given to me as a Studebaker employee here in Melbourne on the 10 Dec i963 addressed to our Managing Director Alex Chapman " Chapman. Official press account of pm Dec 9th and Dec 10th will make clear unequivocal statement Studebaker staying in automobile business with manufacturing being moved at later date to Canadian Plants in Hamilton Ontario. Fullest details being airmailed to you. I feel srongly this move places us on sound basis to build for future.

                            Byers Burlingame President and Chief Executive Officer.

                            We went on assembling Studebakers here in Melbourne till mid 1966 from CKD kits supplied via Hamilton.

                            \"QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER\"
                            MELBOURNE.

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                            • #15
                              Yup, this is one dark day in South Bend's history. I thought the plant seemed offley quiet today...
                              Chris Dresbach

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