Studebaker quality compared to other brands

[studeclunker]

I love Hudsons! Even more now that I know they built such beautiful trucks!

[bensherb]

Right. I shoulda said that Nash and Hudson did not build trucks (though they did build a handful of wreckers for dealers). Willys/Kaiser-Jeep did arguably did build both cars and trucks, but they were an even smaller producer than S-P.

Hudson made pickup trucks, really cool looking ones. Here's a '46, '39, '37, and '35


So did Nash.

[56H-Y6]

Hi

As company finances become distressed, cost-cutting through material and labor reduction is one of the quickest ways to lower unit production costs. This was reflected increasingly in the mid-later 1950's production. In addition to leaving the fender rust issues unaddressed and technological updates deferred, simple things such as few paint applications, lower durability upholstery materials, less assembly time allowed for each operation occurred in an effort to produce cars of acceptable initial quality but whose impression on the public longer-term will be one of comparatively lower quality.

I discovered one such example which wasn't readily obvious to new buyers: looking up under the dash in the 1957 President Classic I had, the underside of the upper cowl areas were surface-rusted bare metal, no trace of even primer paint. This explained why I was finding cars with rust holes in the upper cowl, something rarely seen on other makes.


Steve

[Skip Lackie]

AMC wasn't even formed until 1954. By 1957 the auto makers it was formed on Nash and Hudson were defunked, but their Rambler brand was gaining acceptance. by 1960 Rambler was #3, it eventually "morphed" into AMC which went under in 1988. A mere 24 years after inception.

Right. I shoulda said that Nash and Hudson did not build trucks (though they did build a handful of wreckers for dealers). Willys/Kaiser-Jeep did arguably did build both cars and trucks, but they were an even smaller producer than S-P.

[Hallabutt]

I have always believed that it's near impossible to characterize the quality of sixty five years of Studebaker automobile production, as though it never changed. I've always thought that the quality of pre-war Studebakers to be among the best in the industry. Although some of the engineering might have seem a little strange or even quirky, quality seemed pretty consistent. I think that from top management who were really trying to produce a good product, to the workers who seemed to take pride in their work, the cars that they produced were really pretty good.

I've always found post-war quality spotty at best. With the exception of the 1953, I've always been reasonably pleased by the early post war cars 1946-55. After 1955 there was a general drop off in quality and uniformity. It could vary from day to day, week to week, year to year, and even model to model. The sixties could be especially lousy as far as paint quality and fit and finish. One consistent I have observed is that the uniformity in quality of the Vernon plant was always demonstrably better then that of South Bend.

[Noxnabaker]

In Sweden Studebakers was considered winner cars, especially if you were a rocker & the reason why they ended up on the scrapyards was because of very rough use.
When I read about old US cars in US in the 50-70's I realize they must have been poorer put together than the Europe ones, especialy the Scandinavian ones.

As for the other brands compacts, I've had early Nova's (good cars!), early Falcon's (horrible roadholding!) & early Valiants (easily the best in every way!) & I think exept for the Falcon they're just as good.

& about pedals & such, it's alsmost a fashion thing just as the Volvo Amazon that had a long (nicer calm feeling) gear stick untill the end 1970 while other makes had short sticks, but you still see Amazon's on the roads while Opel & Taunus are long gone...

[bensherb]

Agree. However, in 1955-56, S-P used to advertise that they were the fourth biggest American manufacturer of cars and trucks. At the time, AMC did not build trucks. A fine distinction.

AMC wasn't even formed until 1954. By 1957 the auto makers it was formed on Nash and Hudson were defunked, but their Rambler brand was gaining acceptance. by 1960 Rambler was #3, it eventually "morphed" into AMC which went under in 1988. A mere 24 years after inception.

By the way, VW used king pins until 2004, and many other makers still do, especially on trucks.

[Kurt]

I would bet a higher percentage of Larks survived than other early 60's compacts. When as the last time you saw a 1960 falcon? They built way more of those than Larks.

i don't think they were any better or any worse than their competitors. Studes were dated by the 1960's and many models from 56 to the end were face lifted on the cheap and it showed......

still love them though

[BRUCESTUDE]

Quality control back in the '50s and '60s was inconsistent on all makes of cars, owing to typical mass production methods and human behavior on the line. Studebakers were increasingly perceived as future orphans thus resale values plummeted; so Studes were often driven into the ground especially the cheaper models. Actually many makes of used cars became clunkers as they were available for little money and why spend money on oil changes when the car cost $50?

[lumpy]

Sometimes i like to compare cars to the bikes we rode as kids... I would not call studebaker a schwinn , but i certainly would not call it a Huffy.

[dpson]

My dad always believed Studebaker's were poorly made cars because the front fenders would rust out (along the rear seam) in about two years (his words) up here in salt country.

When I showed him my newly purchased 1951 Commander his first comment was, "I don't know what you bought one of those for", implying they weren't very good cars. However after taking a few trips in the 51 he finally said to me "you know these are pretty good cars".

There's a well known quote from an airline executive (Tom Peters "In Search of Excellence") that "Coffee stains on the flip-down trays mean that we do our engine maintenance wrong". Likewise rusty fenders implied poorly built cars. Sadly Studebaker didn't take action to fix the problem and the damage was done.

[Swifster]

How ca you tell if a Studebaker has been restored? It has good panel gaps...

[Corvanti]

fuses? my newer vehicles have fuses.

and didn't Studebaker "borrow" the Mercedes-Benz superior door latch design for Avantis?

[bezhawk]

It was not the lack of quality, but the lack to progress in quality. If its not broke, don't fix it attitude.

A car company that had brake and clutch pedals going through the floor in 63, and the gas pedal still through the floor until they closed, when every other did away with that in 56!

A horrible door latch system with four catch points opposed to others 8 catches, and that door strike that last about two years.

Fuses? What are those?

And lastly, king pins.

But I still enjoy them. The idea you take parts from a 55's Studebaker and put them on your 64 is quite a bragging right ( I guess..)

Stude actually went to a suspended gas pedal mid 65. Avantis have fuses. Corvette still used king pins until after the 62 model. I agree, that the door latch probably did them in!

[Commander Eddie]

In the 60's I spent over a year parking cars in Hollywood at fancy restaurants that had valet parking. I had an opportunity to drive thousands of cars, albeit short drives. I drove Studebakers and Packards in those days. I was often appalled at the poor quality of other makes compared to what I drove. Headlight switches that came off in my hand on Lincolns, poor fit and finish on Cadillacs, Fords that would pop out of park and roll away, GM cars that rattled, etc. It always felt good to go home at the end of the day in my Studebaker. Just my experience.