People are funny

[Mike Van Veghten]

Last weekend, while walking out of the local eatery, I see a 30something taking pictures of my grey primer, rusty, missing headlight rings, 54 4dr. sedan..!? Not sure why, but fine, take all you want.

Then last night, as I'm headed to the grocery store, a guy sees me coming down the parking lot drive, and yells out, "cool car" with his thumb in the air... This is the same rusty, grey primer, missing head light rings 54 4dr.

A while back a guy at a stop light ask me if it (same grey primered 4dr. as above) was for sale, I said no, he seemed to get pissed (the look on his face), asked me if I was sure...I said there's no "for sale" sign on it, he rolled up his window and stared straight ahead.

Sure...it's a little different...but...
Interesting anyway.

Mike

[Commander Eddie]

Mike,
I know what you mean. I cannot go anywhere in either my '61 Champ truck or '55 President Sedan without being accosted by someone wanting to talk about them. I don't mind though. I meet some really nice people.

[JRoberts]

I had a fellow stop me outside of a nearby building supply store asking about my '65 Cruiser. He asked if I would sell it. I said no and explained that it my uncle purchased it new and this there is a sentimental attachment to the car. He kept pushing the issue until I finally said that I had a '61 Pickup that I would consider selling if he was really interested in a Studebaker. I gave him an outlandish price along with my cell number. He was aghast at the price and I guess he was no longer interested.

[61LaRk4dr]

I don't want to be critical, but I am going to be critical. This is EXACTLY why some people don't bother with the hobby. We have all been there in the thralls of excitement seeing a "Different by Design" car on the road. And I am sure even some of us in the excitement have approached the lucky person asking "how much" or throwing out the thumbs up. I recall there was a post some time back asking what is to become of our beloved Studebaker's after the majority of us have left this earth. I recall some comments pointed to the lack of interest from the younger groups. Instead of finding people as being funny, how about inviting them to checkout the forum, or suggesting that there is a publication that has vehicles on sale regularly. We can't honestly expect people to take interest when we don't reach out in the first place. I will get out of my soap box. I am sure some will take it as it is and others will take it beyond what it was intended. Let it be known up front that I did not write this to offend anyone.

[LovelandJoe]

Well said Brian

[57pack]

I've had folks say "Studebaker, what's that?" And, "is that made in Germany?"

[TWChamp]

Well said Brian

I agree. I bought my first Studebaker and almost every car I own by just asking if they would care to sell the car. The guy that wanted to buy the 54 Sedan should have been told there's a beautiful Champion 4 door sedan on ebay for a very low price. In fact that's why I posted about it a few days ago. I still say Studebakers are under appreciated and under valued, and the best bargain for getting into the old car hobby.

[Dick LeRoux]

I've had my share of thumbs up, and slack-jawed expressions as I've driven through neighborhoods. The one that really surprised me was a car of 4 elderly ladies, where I'd put the youngest in her late 70's and older ones into their 90's, but they dead stopped while turning through an intersection to look at my '63 R2 Avanti. However, the other night while entering the freeway, a guy rolls up in a new Lexus, rolls down his window and starts clapping. Applause, that's a new one for me.

[Tom Bredehoft]

An Old Fellow (like me) stopped me in the super market parking lot (as I was parking my '55 Land Cruiser (I Know.)) Wondered how much I wanted for it. I gave him a price about twice what I've seen better ones sell for, he said "It ought to be more, but it's beyond me." He was glad to see it, and I was glad he asked and didn't want it. I dont' want to sell it.

[DEEPNHOCK]

A while back I was in the Wal-Mart (or was it Home Depot) with the Yellow POS ('37 CE) ...with the wife...
Getting ready to back out and a woman sticks her head in the window and starts gushing about this or that.
I made nice small talk and answered her questions, and then started to back up.
Another lady walks up and starts up another conversation....
After we were done chatting, and actually backed up and left, the wife looks over at me and asks me if that happened a lot..
"All the time dear....All the time"...
T'was a quiet ride back to the ranch

[Dick LeRoux]

Waiting in about a hours worth to cross the border back to the U.S. from Vancouver, I popped the hood so as to not over-heat and shut things down as often as I could. Finally we creep up to the the border booth & the border patrol agent (kid), he looked to be about 20 years old, checks our documents, asks how the car show went, & then I told him I needed to get out to secure the hood & I didn't want any surprises. He said, "Go for it & can I take a look?" Right there at the border crossing at Blaine, the border patrol now are looking at the 289 humming along as I raise the hood. Explaining the super charger, the 1,552 number of R2's produced between '63 - '64, the Granetelli connection, and then I hear uh, "Dick, we still have to get home tonight." The Mrs. shut that down & off we went. Not only thumbs up from them but the same from the final agent who oversees everything from his vantage point behind the barricade.

[StudeNewby]

Not a Studebaker, but...my wife and I were reading these stories and she tells me about an encounter she had recently. She was gassing up her Audi TT convertible, which if you're not familiar with them is a small, very round and curvy roadster, when a little old man walked up. He told her had worked on cars his whole life but didn't know that Audi even made something like that. April told him how well it handled and he said, "It's that wide track on such a small car." He walked all around to the rear end and held his hands out to demonstrate. April said to him, "Yeah, she's built like her mama." She got in and drove off, his mouth still hanging open.
That's my girl!

[Xcalibur]

Welcome to the era of the "rat rod."

[GrumpyOne]

Not a Studebaker, but...my wife and I were reading these stories and she tells me about an encounter she had recently. She was gassing up her Audi TT convertible, which if you're not familiar with them is a small, very round and curvy roadster, when a little old man walked up. He told her had worked on cars his whole life but didn't know that Audi even made something like that. April told him how well it handled and he said, "It's that wide track on such a small car." He walked all around to the rear end and held his hands out to demonstrate. April said to him, "Yeah, she's built like her mama." She got in and drove off, his mouth still hanging open.
That's my girl!

Well, since we got off topic... I drive daily an ancient '82 Honda Civic 1500 automatic and even though I use it as a "truck," nary a week goes by without someone asking or offering to buy it. I love the little bugger especially when it comes to gassing it up. Meanwhile, (Studebaker content), the Power awaits final detailing and the '55 Prez state sedan is next in line.

I'm one of those people who believe that computers should reside on a desktop or on your lap, not in a freakin' car!

[voxnut]

It's funny, when I'm out driving the Lark Wagon, hardly anyone reacts positively or negatively - it's like it is invisible. I'm a little surprised, just because I'm one who tends to complement folks on their cool cars with either a "hey, nice car!" or a thumbs up.