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**TWChamp** · 06-03-2018, 06:41 AM

What years were these prices?

I only remember going to Newman Altman in the 70's and getting some real bargains, and wish I'd have bought much more.

**thunderations** · 06-03-2018, 07:09 AM

I bought rolls of vinyl material for almost nothing in the early 60's, about 63 to redo the interior of my 39 Plymouth. We called it Studebaker Salvage. There was a huge Packard straight 8 long block setting near the door and I think the price was less then $300.
Having been born and raised in that area, Studebaker was South Bend and South Bend was Studebaker. As things wound down in 63 and after "Black Friday", everything Studebaker was a bargain.
New Studebakers, including Avanti's were dirt cheap, even though as a high school student I couldn't afford one. I did buy an executive driven 62 Daytona 2 Dr Hardtop in 65 from Newman Altman for $700 and my 61 Corvair. Even though car/truck production was halted in South Bend, many of the operations continued to feed the Hamilton plant, so there was activity going on, just not cars coming off the lines.
Studebaker Salvage was still open and parts and products were almost given away. Gallons of paint were $2 or $3 dollars and Avanti items were very cheap. I remember the dress up kits were less then $10 dollars and my Dad wouldn't let me spend that much money for something that didn't make the car run better or fix a problem.

**raprice** · 06-03-2018, 07:20 AM

I remember when it was Newman & Altman. Back in '97, during the Nat'l Meet, my wife and I visited the place, and believe it or not, I actually was able to acquire some chrome belt molding for my Lark. Everything was very reasonable then.
One other thing. I saw a brand new Champion engine in a crate on the floor of the showroom. Someone got a brand new engine from them.
My major regret is that I should have bought a lot more at the time.
Rog

**PackardV8** · 06-03-2018, 07:34 AM

Yes, but Studebakers and parts have never really appreciated in value. if one had invested $1,000 in Walmart at the same time, the $10,000,000 it would be worth today would buy a lot of Studebaker parts.

jack vines

**53k** · 06-03-2018, 08:14 AM

Originally posted by nels View Post

I’m sure you guys remember Avanti short blocks at $140, 4spd transmissions $150 or the full set of internals for $99, R1 carbs at $25, a table full of Paxton superchargers at $99.00, 160 speedos at $8, R1 and R2 side fender emblems at $1.25, engine chrome dress up kits at $9.98, Lark front fenders at $15.00, Hawk left front at $19, rear leaf springs at $8 and on and on and on. Boy were those the days. The trouble was I was still working at Burger Chef make $1.25 an hour and still in school.
I’m sure some of you remember other good deals.

I bought quite a few things in the several times I was through South Bend, but I have trouble remembering what. I do remember buying a certified 160 speedometer- used that in my R-1 Powershift '64 Champ until a knee smashed it in a collision. I did buy a pair of long-bed side panels and a couple other bed pieces. I remember the crates of engines stacked up there, but I couldn't haul one on my Wagonaire and I didn't really need one either. I got a '53-'54 Commander dry air cleaner complete with the element for something like $4.98. I do remember buying several sets of '66 full wheel covers for $9.98 a set and probably a couple sets of '64-'65 full covers for the same price. I still have a late model four barrel air cleaner still in the box, but I don't remember the price. Denny kind of aggravated me one time when I asked him for a set of upholstery pieces for my Wagonaire and he told me he didn't have them even though I knew they were there.
Ah, for the good old days...

**swvalcon** · 06-03-2018, 08:20 AM

Like everything else. if you add what that same money would bring today even if invested in US bonds and take into account the cost to store everything parts would not have been a good investment.

**Gunslinger** · 06-03-2018, 08:22 AM

I remember buying original Turquoise vinyl for the '63 Avanti I owned for $10/yard.

**Stu Chapman** · 06-03-2018, 09:03 AM

So many memories, I don't know where to begin. My first trip there was in 1977.

Stu Chapman

**DEEPNHOCK** · 06-03-2018, 10:37 AM

I remember climbing through each floor and looking at soooooo much old stuff...

**GrumpyOne** · 06-03-2018, 11:16 AM

I was like a kid in a candy store without a whole lot of money but still, a hundred bux bought a set of new 259 pistons for a buck apiece, Avanti R-1 air cleaner was $5, new Avanti rear springs were cheap but I forget how much I paid etc. Add to this, a trip to SASCO was just a hop and a skip away for stuff that Studebaker was still supporting parts-wise.

The cherry on top of the sundae was Hurwich Iron where NOS 259/289 crankshafts were $10 each. All this was in September of 1971.

Wish that I had $10K and adequate storage to sell it off these days...

**Skip Lackie** · 06-03-2018, 12:15 PM

Originally posted by DEEPNHOCK View Post

I remember climbing through each floor and looking at soooooo much old stuff...

Like Jeff, some of my happiest memories are of exploring N&A. On a couple of occasions in the 1970s, Dennis allowed me access to the upper floors for a whole week. I wore a miner's lamp and would peer into each bin and bring what I wanted downstairs and put it in a pile. Would settle up at on Friday afternoon and celebrate with beer and pizza. Still have a few unopened boxes 40 years later.

**StudeRich** · 06-03-2018, 01:51 PM

I guess the only trip to South Bend that can top my several trips to the Old Newman & Altman Standard Surplus, and the Newer SASCO Moved to the Engineering Building, would be my 1966 Trip to the Studebaker Automotive Sales Corp. Plant EIGHT Warehouse.

While there, the Parts Counter man took my Cousin and I on a Tour of the HUGE World Wide Warehouse where we saw the Corp. Collection of Vehicles, the Brooks Stevens Prototypes, The Cab Forward Pickup Prototype and were offered a New R1 Avanti Engine complete Fan to Converter and Housing, Carb. Alternator, A/C Compressor, off of the Avanti Line for an unfinished Avanti for $500.00!

Could I afford to buy it and Haul it in my '57 Parkview Wagon to Los Angles at 23, and about to be married? NO WAY!

**studegary** · 06-03-2018, 04:22 PM

I visited there (SS) many times in the 1970s and only bought what I needed. One trip was in my 1963 Daytona Wagonaire (that came home with four fenders [not from SS] in the back, plus other things). The other trips were in my 1953 Commander Starliner (not much spare room to carry things). One trip it did haul back (in place of one rear seat cushion), not from SS, a solid steel 1953 Starliner stantion that held up my mail box for about 25 years. The restoration shop that I was working in did send out a truck and trailer once in the 1970s and came back loaded with parts for cars that we were working on. To me, the bigger buys were at Hurwich Iron and from the ex-employees that came around to the host hotels at around midnight with a lot of NOS (carb's., chrome trim, etc.) that they walked out of Studebaker with.