New Gone Autos podcast featuring Richard Quinn

[Gone Autos]

Hi, Studebaker fans.

If Richard Quinn hasn't already told you, there's a new podcast featuring a certain Studebaker historian over at the Gone Autos web site.

I asked Richard for an interview, because I have a metal-acetate recording of Marketing Vice-President Lew Minkel talking to Los Angeles-area Studebaker dealers about the 1962 model year. I always wanted to learn more about this time in Studebaker's history, so I asked Richard to give me some context and background. He was great, and...well, listen for yourself: GA-007: Lew Minkel + Richard Quinn

If you have an iPod, you can download the podcast through the Gone Autos iTunes Channel. It's available right now.

There's something in this podcast for everyone. For diehards, you get to hear the rich mellifluous tones of Richard Quinn calmly explaining what Studebaker was up to in '62.

For new fans, this podcast is a great way to get a snapshot of Studebaker at one particular point in its history. Richard knows the whole story, and he doesn't disappoint.

For everyone else, I spent a crazy amount of hours digitally restoring two 1962 Studebaker radio commercials. You'd have to be a total Luddite not to check out this podcast.

Enjoy it, Studey fans! And then tell me what you think! I'm ALWAYS interested in your feedback!!

----Todd Ruel
Top Wrench, Gone Autos: Tools for Living the Orphan Car Life

https://www.goneautos.com

P.S. Do you have a salty, delicious, completely ridiculous Studebacon t-shirt yet?

[Studebaker Wheel]

Good job on the editing Todd, you made me sound almost "semi knowledgeable" on the topic. Actually my primary area of expertise is in the pre WWII era but I did my level best to bluff my way through. Guess we will have to let the listeners decide how successful I was?!

[bob40]

We luddites without ipods will soldier on regardless.
Kudos to you both for the work.

[Gone Autos]

Are you kidding?? You did a GREAT job!

What do you think, Studey fans? Wanna hear more from Richard?

---Todd Ruel

[Gone Autos]

Stay tuned, Bob.

A transcript is forthcoming.

---Todd Ruel

[aarrggh]

whats an ipod .

[Lark Parker]

Great job Mr Quinn!

On a separate note (pun) that is the first time I can recall hearing an instrumental break in the middle of a commercial jingle. I liked it.

[rockne10]

You'll know one when it opens on ya!

[sweetolbob]

Good job on the editing Todd, you made me sound almost "semi knowledgeable" on the topic. Actually my primary area of expertise is in the pre WWII era but I did my level best to bluff my way through. Guess we will have to let the listeners decide how successful I was?!

I didn't hear any bluffing in the interview. Just a nice summary of the state and lineup of the total corporation at that point in time. Anyone that has gone through the entire board minutes of the period is, in my mind, an expert. Well done Richard!!! I enjoyed the entire interview and learned something too.

As an aside for you Luddites, you can download itunes on your computer and listen to all of the podcasts directly. No need for any type of external device.

Bob

[Gone Autos]

Great job Mr Quinn!

On a separate note (pun) that is the first time I can recall hearing an instrumental break in the middle of a commercial jingle. I liked it.

Lark,

I'm not a Studebaker expert, but i AM an expert on how radio commercials work. That instrumental break is there for a purpose.

When these radio commercials were shipped to dealers, they included a script that a local announcer (or the dealer himself) could read and insert into that instrumental break. That way, the dealer could customize the commercial for his own dealership.

I have the commercial records, but I don't have the paper scripts for those commercials. (Those would be very rare.)

I always thought it would be cool to offer to customize the commercials for any fan of a particular car. That way, they could play their own customized vintage radio commercials through their radio at the next Studebaker meet.

Glad you enjoyed the '62 spots in the podcast! ----Todd Ruel

[Studedude1961]

At the beginning of Mr. Minkel's talk I think he used some verbage I've heard before...spoken also by Mr. Egbert when he introduced the film "Studebaker Today." Both were likely speaking from a corporate script. I never cease to be amazed at what we continue to unearth about the Studebaker Corporation. In 1962 they really were trying extra hard for yet another comeback.

Studedude1961
Omaha, NE

[Gone Autos]

More stuff to talk to Richard about

I emailed Richard today and floated the idea of talking about the extremely rare Electra records that Studebaker issued from about 1928-1931. The Electra label was kind of a vanity label that anyone with the cash could use to create their own records.

Studebaker released a variety of titles on this label. One of them is called "Make May the Champion of All Months" and features a motivational talk by Paul Hoffman. Another is called "Greatest Record in History of Transportation." Supposedly, it's a broadcast featuring announcer Quin A. Ryan of WGN. I'm sure there are other titles. Richard has a few. The Museum has a few. I have the ones mentioned above.

Since this era is right up Richard's alley, I think this would make a great podcast. What do you think? Good idea?

---Todd Ruel

[HAWK64]

Thanks for posting the interview of Dick Quinn re his thoughts on the 1962 Lew Minkel Dealer talk on the west coast. It was good to hear Dick's comments of Studebaker's 1962 year. At that time we only assembled the 4 door sedan plus the Station Wagon here in Melbourne but I do recall we shipped in to Melbourne a new RHC metallic brown 2 door Daytona direct from South Bend. I had the enviable job of being driven to Port Melbourne to drive the new arrival back to the city. Whilst the car was gorgeous in every way it had vibrations whilst driving. Back in our Service Department I found both rear axles were bent when the dockhands had dropped the car too hard on the wharf. We replaced the axles before point of delivery. That Daytona remains an active vehicle in our Club after all these years.

[Corvanti]

I emailed Richard today and floated the idea of talking about the extremely rare Electra records that Studebaker issued from about 1928-1931. The Electra label was kind of a vanity label that anyone with the cash could use to create their own records.

Studebaker released a variety of titles on this label. One of them is called "Make May the Champion of All Months" and features a motivational talk by Paul Hoffman. Another is called "Greatest Record in History of Transportation." Supposedly, it's a broadcast featuring announcer Quin A. Ryan of WGN. I'm sure there are other titles. Richard has a few. The Museum has a few. I have the ones mentioned above.

Since this era is right up Richard's alley, I think this would make a great podcast. What do you think? Good idea?

---Todd Ruel

YES!!! very much so...

[cruiser]

Concerning whether the 1962 Year was a success for Studebaker or not ,
I think that the best that can be said is that during 1962 , the Corporation itself
made a $2.5 Million Profit , and that Sherwood Egbert had predicted sales of over
90,000 vehicles for the line which actually achieved 86,794 units , 10% more than
for 1961 . Even truck production increased by 10% as well to 8,742 units . Apart
from the 'Lark' restyle which was a big departure from the 1959/61 "compact" ,
there was the successful relaunch of the 'Hawk' line where the '62 Gran Turismo
out sold the '61 by 3 to 1 reaching 9,335 units . The BIG thing was your basic four
door sedan production , the 'bread and butter' of most auto companies where
units produced were up nearly 15,000 units over 1961 and only 5,000 units short
of the 'salad' days of 1959/60 . Brooks Stevens was the designer responsible .
The in-house design team led by Randy Faurot had their designs consigned to
the waste paper bin as Sherwood Egbert wanted a 'bigger' Lark , not smaller .

What did not go at all well during the 1962 Model Year was the walk out by the
Union on 01/01/62 which led to a six week strike . In the first quarter of the new
year , Studebaker's share of the domestic market dropped from 1.5% to about
1.0% and a loss of $2.2 million . The strike happened at a time which was to be
critical to the chances of profitability . The union issues were shift allowance
premiums , rotation bonuses , vacation pay and a reduction in clean up time
allowances to bring South Bend into alignment with the Big Three in Detroit .

Interestingly , even at this early time in his career , Sherwood Egbert had
increased Studebaker's cash balance from around $20 Million to $50 million
and by the end of 1962 , net worth of the Corporation had increased by
$15 Million to over $117 Million . So he must have been doing the right thing.
Sales of the Corporation reached one million dollars a day in 1962 as against
$800,000 a day in 1961 .

So a lot of the groundwork was done to bring about increases in profitability.
Everything would be on the line for the 1963 model year but that is another
story !

CRUISER