Went to visit an old friend a week ago to inquire about a Studebaker truck I knew he had stored in his barn. I had asked him about it a couple of years ago, and at that time he wasn't interested in selling it. So we were having a nice visit and I decided to take another run at it. This time he was willing to sell, although he had a hard time deciding on a price. Now his barn is full of cars, most of them Studebakers, so I began looking at the others as well, just for fun. Turns out he was thinking it was time to move most of them out-- they had been there for many, many years and I think he realized he was never going to do anything with most of them. Parked next to the '57 Transtar was a '63 Daytona Convertible, and next to that, a '52 Champion 2 door Sedan. Now I had no intention of buying 3 cars, but a package deal was agreed upon (including, by the way, a '63 Cruiser parts-car!). So when I came home that night, my Wife sees me and says "OK, so what did you buy?" and I said-- "Well... Sweetie... umm... I bought some Studes..." "SOME?" she says?
So anyway, she's an awesome wife, and a few days later, she and I, my son, and my neighbor and his daughter were on our way to get them. It's a good thing they all came, because some cars were in the way that were STUCK in the ground, and one had all 4 wheels locked up. Pulling with 2 trucks, we got the offending behemoth Checkers moved out of the way, took the walls off of the barn, and pulled out the first two treasures...
This '52 was parked in the barn in 1976 and was running and driving fine at that time. It has 76,000 actual miles. Yes, ACTUAL miles. Supporting documentation came along with it. Next was this '57 Transtar that has 39,000 ACTUAL miles, same deal. running and driving when parked in 1984. Also has supporting paperwork. These two are rock solid, no rust, never wrecked, and I have since gotten both of them running and driving again. I'm replacing everything rubber in them: brake hoses and cylinders, radiator and heater hoses, etc but I'm thinking we may just enjoy them as-is for now. They both have some very cool "patina".
We haven't yet brought home the Daytona Convertible, and I only have this one picture of it, but it's a solid low-miler as well, also parked in 1976. I'll report more on it when I get it home in a month or so. I have to build some more storage space first! Ooops! Correction-- I can't fit any more pictures on this post.
So anyway, she's an awesome wife, and a few days later, she and I, my son, and my neighbor and his daughter were on our way to get them. It's a good thing they all came, because some cars were in the way that were STUCK in the ground, and one had all 4 wheels locked up. Pulling with 2 trucks, we got the offending behemoth Checkers moved out of the way, took the walls off of the barn, and pulled out the first two treasures...
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