Capetown, So. Africa?

[fpd]

There I was, just ready to leave an appointment, when I hear this faint voice "Pardon me, but I took pictures of your car - I hope you don't mind?" Sitting in my daily driver '66 Cruiser, I looked over to see a lovely lady with exceptional manners. As soon as I recognized the question and let her know that it was fine, be my guest!, she came near and began speaking in a very cultured accent about her Father's Studebaker Daytonas, in Capetown, South Africa! Apparently, she learned to drive in a 3 on the tree Daytona, with good memories of it. Her Father and Brother restored 2 Daytonas to showroom condition. "They are rather rare there" I wonder if anyone here in Studebakerland is aware of the Daytonas from South Africa? That would be a neat end to this tale. I also ought to have let her know that Daytonas are rather rare here in Sonoma county, but I am just not that fast on my feet!. This is just one reason I love to drive my Studebaker as often as I can - personal connections with strangers. Had a dear Couple visit last night, and Steve asks, 'where's the Studebaker?' and my wife says - 'He's driving it - it isn't a museum piece we dust off now and then!' Cheers to all attending the International meet. And yes, I will be driving this Saturday!

[Noxnabaker]

We have a man in the club here in Sweden who has a Hawk from South Africa, I think he bought it while working there. (& about driving Studebakers: that's what they were built for! Sadly not many seems to think so anymore...)

[DEEPNHOCK]

Lots of Stude's in South Africa. Most of them RHD.
Nimesh "Nash" (and Deepesh) Solanki's family are from that area..

[StudeRich]

There were Missionary's from various Christian Denominations from the U.S. over there, and some Not from here that ordered New Stude's to be delivered there.

I remember that Dad sold (2) 1955 Champion Conestoga Wagons with RHD that 2 Missionaries ordered in Calif. to be built and sent to South Africa.

They were always ordered with H.D. components like Frames, Radiator, Springs, Low Comp. Heads etc.

[8E45E]

I posted a photo of a '58 Provincial that was sold new in South Africa here--------> https://forum.studebakerdriversclub....udebaker-Wagon

And I believe Studebaker had an assembly plant in South Africa at one point.

Craig

[wittsend]

I wonder if the Studebaker's in South Africa were knock down kits??? In my Sunbeam Tiger world there was within the USA no knowledge of early Tigers that started with a B948XXXX serial number many years ago (B947XXX was the designation). When a man named Norm Miller was researching the difinitive book on Tigers these cars became known. Apparently 79 Tigers (about 1%) were sent to South Africa in kits. It was because these Tigers were assembled in South Africa that they averted certain import duties.

So, I'd be curious if Studebakers arrived in South Africa as knock dfown kits also?

[8E45E]

So, I'd be curious if Studebakers arrived in South Africa as knock dfown kits also?

According to Stu Chapman, some were: http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...ntario-factory

Unfortunately, Pffftu-ee-bucket screwed up the photos of the Assembly Plant in Post 8 here: https://forum.studebakerdriversclub....lant-post-card

Craig

[53k]

The 2018 Membership Roster lists 29 South Africans members. I tried to contact one in Durban and missed him, but he sent me an apologizing email saying that he hadn't looked at his emails soon enough. There were also some South African movies that included Studebakers (just can't remember their names).

[Commander Eddie]

The 2018 Membership Roster lists 29 South Africans members. I tried to contact one in Durban and missed him, but he sent me an apologizing email saying that he hadn't looked at his emails soon enough. There were also some South African movies that included Studebakers (just can't remember their names).

Mandela comes to mind.

[Bob Andrews]

Not Studebaker content, but quite a coincidence. Just today I learned about the DeSoto Rebel from the early 60s, which was from everything I could tell a 1962 Plymouth valiant with DeSoto badges. I had never heard of one. It turns out they were only built in South Africa.

[t walgamuth]

They used to build Dodge darts in Spain.....had a Spanish name...cabajello? They were offered with a little diesel too. They were up market compared to here with leather seats etc.

[Noxnabaker]

The DeSoto Rebel was Dodge Lancer, not Valiant or Plymouth.

They also called the -62 Dodge DeSoto.

[crow]

Sorry 53k, I believe that was me that you missed near Durban. I have a 65 Daytona and a 60 Hawk. S.A. had one model in 64 & 65 marketed here as the Daytona. I believe these were sent CKD to S.A.Motor Assemblies from Canada to Uitenhague outside Port Elizabeth for assembly. Whether they were the same specs as you got in the States,I am not sure.
I think the 57 Hawks were imported directly from the States and thereafter CKD and right hand drive. We got a number of 62 G.T's but I have never seen a 63 or 64 here. I also only know of three Avantis in S.A.
I have always wondered how many right hand drive Hawks are around.

I have seen a number of Tigers here - all right hand drive.

[S2Deluxe]

I remember a fellow, who used to frequently post here, that was from South Africa. But lived, somewhere in Illinois, I think? We shared first names, but I can't recall his last? He had 3 beautiful Studes, but I don't think any were right hand drive? One was a, Red or Orange, modified '54 Commander Starlight. Another was a, two tone Blue, '56 Station wagon, and the last one was, maybe, a '64 - '66 Daytona? Who else remembers, any of this? Why doesn't he post here anymore, I hope it wasn't anything too tearable? What happened, did he go back to South Africa, or what?

Mark

[STEWDI]

One more wonderful Studebaker coincidence: Our family had a recreational property on Lake Huron (Grand Bend Ontario - same town as the George/Mitt Romney's vacation area) in a park with 140 sites. An older gentleman came around to see if we wanted to buy 50/50 tickets in support of our park. That weekend l had brought my newly-delivered Turning Wheels with me and there was an article about a South African Studebaker/old auto gathering. His accent was hard to place, so l asked - and you guessed it -it was South African. l could not resist showing him the TW article. He countered with the amazing confession that when he was 16, he crewed on a sailing boat owned by the man that owned the Port Elizabeth facility that assembled Studebakers (and VW's, l believe)! What an amazing "small world" we live in!