Horse Drawn Studebaker Wagon on San Antonio TX CL

[ndynis]

I know nothing about this but thought someone might have an interest since I seldom see one advertised

http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/atq/5516363697.html

[Studedude]

Here's another:

http://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/grd/5492869437.html

[s2d63lark]

Here's another:
http://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/grd/5492869437.html

Would that be entered under the custom/modified division for judging?

Doug

[Lothar]

They're the only Studebakers that never leak oil!

[jclary]

They're the only Studebakers that never leak oil!

Well...this is only "partially true." (Pointing this out, is a good example of how our Studebaker personalities lead us to trip over a grain of sand and claim it was a boulder)

Back in the day, some of these wagons were used in Cotton Gins. As the cottonseed was separated from the cotton fiber, it was dumped into wagons and hauled to additional cottonseed rendering operations where the seed was processed for cottonseed oil. It was a messy, oily, process that left the wagons dripping with cottonseed oil. I have seen a few of these heavily stained wagons. I believe it is that very oil that preserved the wagons. Just like our more modern Studebaker vehicles, often, the best preserved parts of the undercarriage...is the oiliest.

[Lothar]

[QUOTE=jclary;982235]Well...this is only "partially true." (Pointing this out, is a good example of how our Studebaker personalities lead us to trip over a grain of sand and claim it was a boulder)

Well, you got me there, John. They don't grow much cotton here in Nebraska, so I was unfamiliar with the cotton ginning process. I guess the lesson here is that any Studebaker will leak oil under the right conditions.

[nebraska stude]

One thing that sets Studebaker wagons apart is a reinforced cast Skein. Instead of a short iron axle spindle, attached to the wooden axle, Studebaker had a patented skein, that extended to near the middle of each axle. This reinforcement is usually visible in photos of wagons, and not often do I see a (Studebaker) wagon that has them. Not sure how far this goes back, but have the remains of a wagon from the 1880s that has them. My wagon chassis, has been in the family for awhile. Cousins left Wisconsin some time in the 1880s, moving west, arriving in Colorado in 1904. The last of the family often mentioned this was the wagon they came west in, he lived until the 1960s. This wagon is on the heavy duty side of things, as the hubs are one and a half times the size of most wagon wheels. Also the iron tires are over four inches wide, which helped tremendously in the sandy soil out west.

[studeclunker]

?The broad tyre on the wagon wheels was not for sand but weight distribution. Think Semi-truck. They were the equivalent of it back in the day.
Actually, the Studebaker Carriages had the best reputation for NO leakage of oil in the business. I'm talking Carriage here, not Wagon, as the Carriages had oil in their hubs, where the wagons (and buggies too) had grease. This had to do with the improved Collings (sp) axle of the 1870s. Studebaker was particularly adept in casting and machining the axle spindles to such an excellent finish that they didn't leak a drop. As long as the leather washers were replaced regularly, they were excellent (even then the only issue was weeping around the edges, no drips). Also, there was a fine-thread grease-cap on the hub that did a great job keeping the oil where it belonged. Nope, the leaks started with the petroleum hungry auto-mobiles.
Sadly, the very few Studebakers left (of the horse-drawn variety) and the very high quality of them, make the prices a bit out of my reach. Someday I hope to have an actual Studebaker to drive with my horse. For now I'll have to be satisfied with my McLaughlin (later Chevrolet) and the modern stuff.

[s2d63lark]

For now I'll have to be satisfied with my McLaughlin (later Chevrolet) and the modern stuff.

Interesting, Ron, that a CANADIAN carriage has made it all the way to California from its birthplace in Oshawa, Ontario. One minor correction however, McLaughlin (pronounced Ma-klok-lin) became a Buick builder after carriages but the plants did built Chev products eventually.

Doug