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Why Studebaker people are the greatest

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  • Why Studebaker people are the greatest

    (Note: names have been omitted to protect the privacy of others)

    I brag on Studebakers and the the Studebaker community a lot. Probably too much. But it's hard to keep your trap shut when you've found the coolest cars and greatest car people around. Since I re-joined the SDC a few years ago (and the local chapter just about a year ago), I've experienced more support and open-armed friendship than I have with any other group I've ever belonged to. The guys in the local chapter have not merely allowed me into the club, but warmly welcomed me to become part of it. They've been enthusiastic about my offerings to help out (such as with the chapter website), and even though I'm sure some of the questions I ask may qualify as dumb, they've never made me feel like the new kid with his first car, even though in comparison that's about where I am. Even my little three year old son has a place in the club, drawing the winning ticket for our monthly prize drawing. In this short of a time, I feel like the local chapter isn't their chapter that I get to participate with, but it's our chapter. That's cool, and it just doesn't happen in any club out there.

    I wrote here on the forums a while back about the break in at my garage. Thieves stole just about every tool I had to my name. They left me with an assortment of about a dozen hand tools, my big rolling tool cabinet, and not a thing more. The loss was devastating to me. As a result I found myself selling off the two 1960 Larks I had been trying to restore, as there's no use trying to restore a car when you can't even maintain the running one you've got. I never asked for the folks in the chapter to help, and I didn't expect anyone to. It's not their problem, after all.

    Even so, the Studebaker community stepped up to the plate. one friend in the club let me come up to his place a few weeks back, to use his tools and shop to do some maintenance on the '63. At the end of that long day of work, he gave me a very nice ratchet set, one I've put to work more than once since. But today was the biggest surprise. Another guy in the club called me about noon, and asked if I'd take a ride up to yet another chapter member's home, where they are gearing up for an auction. The story I was given was that he was taking me there to see what was going to be available. So I got there, and found a tool cabinet full of tools that I could certainly put to use. I also found a jack, which I was in need of as mine was swiped along with everything else.

    As I'm looking at the tools, I realized that pretty much everyone who had been in the garage had vanished. I decided to see where everyone went, and I headed toward the house. When I found them, they were working out a deal. I won't go into all the details, but the outcome was that I was given this very nice set of hand tools along with the jack. I didn't know what to say. Even now, 12 hours later, I'm very seriously still beside myself over the generosity I received today. Besides being totally unexpected, this is such a lifesaver. I can actually maintain my car again, and with the exception of the power and air tools I believe this replaced everything that was stolen (and then some!).

    The phrase "Studebakers are great. Studebaker people are the greatest!" has floated around on this forum for some time, but I thought I'd come on here tonight to share a real life proof of that. My hope is that someday I can pay this forward. And to those folks out there who know who they are, thanks so much. This is one of the coolest experiences I've ever had. It brought a lot of joy to a part of me that's been missing that for the last couple months.

    And that's all I have to say about that
    '63 Lark Custom, 259 v8, auto, child seat

    "Your friendly neighborhood Studebaker evangelist"

  • #2
    I've stayed loyal to Studebaker for decades because of the people and not the cars. You are a fortunate fellow indeed.

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    • #3
      I too have met some really nice people. Studebaker people are the greatest! Great story
      1962 Champ

      51 Commander 4 door

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      • #4
        Well done to your chapter buddies for helping out. Next thing is to secure your garage lest the scumbags return and swipe these too.
        John Clements
        Christchurch, New Zealand

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        • #5
          "Paying it forward" is a long-standing truism of the worldwide Studebaker community (aka StudebakerNation).

          sigpic
          Bob Shaw
          Rush City, Minnesota
          1960 Hawk - www.northstarstudebakers.com
          "The farther I go, the behinder I get."

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          • #6
            What a breath of fresh air to read this. It just shows what kind of people we have in our club. We are more like a family than a club.
            Jamie McLeod
            Hope Mills, NC

            1963 Lark "Ugly Betty"
            1958 Commander "Christine"
            1964 Wagonaire "Louise"
            1955 Commander Sedan
            1964 Champ
            1960 Lark

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            • #7
              Wow! That story speaks volumes about Stude people, and your circle of Stude friends. It also speaks volumes about SDC as a club, especially your local chapter.

              I started driving Studes before even thinking about other Stude drivers. Though in the late 1960s when I had a 56J, an elderly (to me, then), black couple with a tangerine & white Power Hawk came to visit a couple of times in their car. Though they mostly socialized with my parents, it definitely was the Studes that brought us together, since I never woulda met them if I had not seen their Stude sitting in their driveway and introduced myself.

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              • #8
                Great story Jim. Kinda brought a tear to my eye. Just goes to show what kind of folks we hang out with. It also says a great deal about you. You are obviously the kind of person that good people don't mind lending a hand to.
                Neil Thornton

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                • #9
                  Not SO amazing (I've been involved with Stude folks for 40 years now.), but truly inspiring.
                  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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                  • #10
                    Man as someone just entering the realm of studeom, this settles it I have to own a stude and I have to stay a part of this club. Wow. After everything these guys have seen you go through. These are the kind of people that make sure that good deeds do come back to you.This should end up in TW just to show everyone that stude folks really are the nicest people around. You know if I tried to buy a different classic car, and I needed a hand I wouldn't be able to call up another car club member and have a friend ready to help, in the SDC I will be able too, but then again the SDC isn't just a car club it's a brotherhood.

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                    • #11
                      "BROTHERHOOD!" I like that term.
                      Neil Thornton

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