Tubac, Arizona open car show.....with Studebaker content

[glen]

This past weekend, my family and I spent time with the Santa Cruz Valley Car Nuts car club as they put on their 18th annual open car show. The club is officially located in the community of Green Valley, Arizona, but every year they put on a huge car show, which draws cars and clubs from southern Arizona, northern Mexico, southern California and Nevada. They have a dinner and charity auction, to support the nearby high school, with scholarships, on Friday night, with the big event on the last Saturday of January. With perfect mid 70's sunny weather, this year they had over 500+ cars entered into the show and with just an early guess-ti-mate of over 3000 visitors to the show. There is official judging as well as people choice awards. In the show this year, were the normal assortment of custom and modified cars plus Chevy's, Ford's, MoPars (including a very nicely restored 1949 De Soto convertible), GMC's, a 1951 Packard, English, Deutsch, Swedish, Italiano cars, an assortment of 1920's and 1930's vehicles, Metropolitan's, an Alvis, some homemade's, and even a representative from Mexico, which was produced in 1908.

Now for the Studebaker content: I, in my Studebaker Forum T shirt walked all the rows of car and much to my dismay, there were just 2 lonely Studebaker's. A 1938 highly modified and customized coupe....which I missed, the 1st time through, didn't recognized what it really was. The other was titled as a 1947 Champion, but sported a 1950/51 front end. I was thinking, as in past years, where is the representation from the Southern Arizona SDC located in Tucson, just 30 minutes away or the Grand Canyon Chapter, just 2.5 hours away? I guess they have their reasons for not wanting a chance to "show the flag!" More missed opportunities, to educate the visitors on our favorite brand!

I have attached just a couple of pictures, taken prior to the gates really opening, neither of the Studebaker's, if that is what they were....but our cousins 1964 1/2 Candy Red Mustang convertible and a 1955 Chevy Bel Air, which my wife fell in love with....both were taken, prior to the gates really opened at 10am

[parts2]

When I remembered it was too late to enter. The last time there I had to park a long ways away and take a shuttle bus..
The '47 was it a purple and chopped ? I have seen that around.
I spent Saturday in my favorite place..in the garage with the cars and bikes. But I did get the Stude out Sunday for a couple hindred miles thru southern AZ wine country..and took 100 pictures..
All day..I get jumped at every stop..had to show and tell all about Studebaker..

Maybe next year I will actually enter Tubac ..If I don't forget..and I can pry myself away form the bikes and cars in my shop..

Maybe..LOL

[glen]

Same set up with the shuttle this year, but better organized.....the '47 was all black and local to Green Valley. But the 1938 coupe was "Purple" and chopped. It was headed up Tucson way, after the show was over.

[41 Frank]

The problem with going to Green Valley for their car show for us in the Phoenix area is that you would have to get up at 4 or 5 in the morning and get home long after dinner time as it would be a 6 hour round trip from the west valley. Some of us do show our Studebakers to the public sometimes several times a week in this area, so they get plenty of exposure to large crowds. In addition to the Green Valley travel time factor it is the cost of fuel, entry fees, eats and motel if desired. Before you know it you have spent way over $100.00. I have attended the Tuscon Chapter March Madness show in the past so am not against travel. We are entered in two shows just this week, did two last week and will travel to Yuma in March to participate on Saturday and Sunday in their 1000 car show. I am disappointed that the Tuscon Chapter had no entries apparently. Just my 2 cents.

[glen]

I Guess it is just a matter of perspective.....when all is said and done! Maybe next year, but then the last 4 years, there has only been 1 or 2 Studebaker's at the Tubac show! So much for the "showing the flag" concept....we snooze....we lose!

[Green 53]

As Frank stated we attended two shows and a cruise night this past Saturday. We are doing day long shows Wednesday & Saturday of this week. MIdnight At The Oasis in Yuma and Goodguys in Scottsdale are coming up. We are doing our part to keep Studebakers in the spotlight. I wish the Tucson folks would have been at Tubac but I'm sure they have their priorities.

Denny L
64 Avanti
53 Champion Starliner modified
40 President Club Sedan streetrod

[parts2]

I am bringing the my coupe to Goodguy's in March...
Can't miss it..

It's green..

[41 Frank]

We will look for you. I will have my white over blue 52 Commander hardtop.

I am bringing the my coupe to Goodguy's in March...
Can't miss it..

It's green..

[parts2]

Last November the black 53 Chiapa coupe was there and several other Studes.. I have pictures of a few of them.

I'll try to be way in the back by the trees and the hill. Shade and nice seating..

We will look for you too..

[glen]

Those priorities will get you every time.....Only thing I could see posted, for the Tucson Chapter, was the Southern Arizona SDC Annual Banquet, of which they were "hosts", and was also on the Grand Canyon SDC (Phoenix) event calendar, out at the Tanque Verde Guest Ranch (in Tucson) on the previous weekend, January 22. Oh well.....it's a shame, with a show this large and in your own back yard

Denny and Frank, I'm guessing, though maybe wrong, that many of the activities you are doing are.....may be "extra curriculum", as they don't appear on the "official" Grand Canyon SDC event calendar, either at TW's or on your newsletter. Absolutely nothing wrong with that and are to be commended for it.....what I'm trying to get at is why no official chapter involvement, with this show, since it is right in the "proverbial" back yard to both Tucson (more so) and Phoenix....no worst than driving to Yuma, other than the type of show it is or maybe the name: "Midnight at the Oasis" (does have a "catchy" ring to it)?????

[41 Frank]

You are right Glen, Chapter stuff is just a small part of our "activities." These shows are mostly "extra" except the Chapter car show we did on the 21st of January at the Mel Martin auto museum here in Phoenix. Some of the other shows are sponsored by other clubs we belong to. Also there are something like 60+ cruise nights listed for the greater valley area and about that many upcoming shows listed, plenty to do up here. My observation in regards to Chapters not having much in the way of open car show participation on their agenda is that a large percentage of the membership would not participate in an all day judged car show as a Chapter activity. It is a lot of work to concourse a vehicle for a judged show and since our membership is aging many don't want to deal with that and mainly want to drive their Studebakers.

Those priorities will get you every time.....Only thing I could see posted, for the Tucson Chapter, was the Southern Arizona SDC Annual Banquet, of which they were "hosts", and was also on the Grand Canyon SDC (Phoenix) event calendar, out at the Tanque Verde Guest Ranch (in Tucson) on the previous weekend, January 22. Oh well.....it's a shame, with a show this large and in your own back yard

Denny and Frank, I'm guessing, though maybe wrong, that many of the activities you are doing are.....may be "extra curriculum", as they don't appear on the "official" Grand Canyon SDC event calendar, either at TW's or on your newsletter. Absolutely nothing wrong with that and are to be commended for it.....what I'm trying to get at is why no official chapter involvement, with this show, since it is right in the "proverbial" back yard to both Tucson (more so) and Phoenix....no worst than driving to Yuma, other than the type of show it is or maybe the name: "Midnight at the Oasis" (does have a "catchy" ring to it)?????

[Green 53]

Glen. I think it is time you get a Studebaker of your own and attend some of these shows such as Tubac. Lead the charge and maybe other chapter members will follow.

Denny L

[glen]

Denny,

I have thought about getting another Studebaker, however after the last one, who I affectionately called "Sue Ellen", for many reasons.....I became "gun shy" in the art of buying another Studebaker. I have, many times, been at the fork of the road, in which I keep remembering an "ancient sage's" advice: "what is the purpose of belonging to a car club, when you don't have a car?" I find myself keeping on the Studebaker path...being an educator and historian, to those who are not in the know, since that is what my training in life has taught me to do! Since, I'm chapter-less, due to logistics and other reasons (similar to a family in Queen Creek), I doubt, that if I led the charge, there would be any followers behind me, because of not wanting to venture outside of their comfort zones.....but I would still be there, while educating, representing, and waving the flag! So I will continue to muddle along and do what I do best!

With that said, have a good time at the "camel races," in March, while in Yuma

[paintim613]

1-2 shows each month here in Yuma during the winter. We have joined a small (about 30 cars) club to keep in the loop for the shows. Nice surprise to find out that we were the third Stude in this club. The aforementioned Midnight at the Oasis show March 2-4 features 1000 cars and last year one of the 12 awards went to a '53 custom (not ours).