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A renewed appreciation for fifty years of SDC membership and for Turning Wheels

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  • A renewed appreciation for fifty years of SDC membership and for Turning Wheels

    My family has owned Studebakers for four generations and not surprisingly, I learned to drive in a C-cab pickup. I joined SDC in 1970 and received my first "Bulletin" while living in a boondock hooch up near the DMZ in Vietnam. Amazingly, I still have several of the small format publications which found me in RVN and came back to the US with me. During the transition out of the Army, into marriage and the attendant change of addresses, a few early 1970s Turning Wheels didn't find/follow me, so there are slight gaps, but I managed to save most of them to date and the stack has gotten quite large.

    Recently, I offered this collection to anyone here for the cost of packing and shipping. A member immediately accepted the offer, so last evening I pulled them off the shelf and sorted them by year.

    If the task was to be accomplished in one go, it was impossible to re-read many of those I remembered, but just looking at the beautiful covers given us over fifty years was a real treat in itself. The SDC and Turning Wheels have always been recognized as the largest, best and most supported auto enthusiast entity in the hobby. Perusing that many years in sequence reinforced what we've always known; what a great group and what a great magazine.

    Thanks to all of my fellow members for the information and support of all things Studebaker and especially to those who've given us such a great monthly magazine. May we all have many more of the same.

    jack vines
    PackardV8

  • #2
    I feel the same way Jack, we were members the 1st time in 72 or 73 I believe, let it slip for a while during big life changes, but caught up on all the issues thanks to a non-Studebaker friend who got a full set in an estate sale. When we got to move over here, another friend inherited them all from me, but let me clip just a few of the covers. Love "our" magazine and so appreciate the folks that get it out each month. For some strange reason, I saved the 2 or 3 years worth of "Duo Cento" flyers I gotfrom Mr. Datsun and got them out to look through a night or two ago..... WAY different, ha !

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    • #3
      I'm only in to it 44 years, Jack.
      But, much like you, each time I sort volumes from the past year or two, with the intention of keeping them filed in proper order, I find myself spending the better part of a day simply reviewing them.
      As well, if I look back to find a Fred Fox article on a specific model, I wind up re-reading the whole issue; and perhaps others in that volume.
      I wonder what I could have accomplished, had I not been so distracted.

      Besides the joy of driving these icons, the two things I revere most from my membership are the friendships and memories of involvement in my local SDC chapter, and the legacy of what's been offered through Turning Wheels; as well as The Antique Studebaker Review.
      Brad Johnson,
      SDC since 1975, ASC since 1990
      Pine Grove Mills, Pa.
      '33 Rockne 10, '51 Commander Starlight. '53 Commander Starlight
      '56 Sky Hawk in process

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      • #4
        Thanks, Jack. Agree with all of the above. While the road has been a bit bumpy from time to time, the overall experience has been overwhelmingly positive. I recently had the occasion to go back to a couple of TW issues from 1994 and was again impressed with how much free information was provided by club members. And except for the lack of color, the magazine was pretty damn good, too.
        Skip Lackie

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        • #5
          Next year will be my 50th. I could not have imagined being in the club for so long when I answered Michael Elling's ad in Rod&Custom magazine in 1971. I came for the cars and stayed for the people.
          "In the heart of Arkansas."
          Searcy, Arkansas
          1952 Commander 2 door. Really fine 259.
          1952 2R pickup

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          • #6
            Your post is timely; my wife and I are house clearing (dang this pandemic) and I found boxes of Turning Wheels going back to the 1970's. The "chief" says they have to go and before I cart them off to the recycling center does anyone want them? The only condition is you must take them all, I'm not going to search for a particular edition, and pay the shipping cost or pick them up here.

            P.S. I've been a member since 1974.
            Dan Peterson
            Montpelier, VT
            1960 Lark V-8 Convertible
            1960 Lark V-8 Convertible (parts car)

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            • #7
              Great thoughts! I too joined for the cars and stayed for the friendships. As for all the Turning Wheels my wife said I could store them but get rid of the cars! They take up less space. Maybe I can hide my Stude Matchbox collection somewhere! Been a member since around '76 when I was approached by Gene Rose in York,PA and he wondered why I was driving my '64 conv. as an every day car. I told him it was a fun car. Gene was a big help in the day as were many Keystone members ,some no longer with us. Being Mothers' Day -no more Stude stuff today but a BIG HUG and KISS to my wife Bonny who I thank for tolerating my Studebaker habit.
              Rob in PA.

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              • #8
                I joined SDC in 1968 in response to an item in Motor Trend magazine. I have all of the publications around here (somewhere). I purchased my 1958 Packard Hardtop from an ad in Motor Trend, times have changed.
                Gary L.
                Wappinger, NY

                SDC member since 1968
                Studebaker enthusiast much longer

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                • #9
                  I joined in 1971. I happened to meet the late Don Curtis at a drive in late 1970 that led to a friendship and a love of Studebaker’s. I had at the time a $200 61 Hawk 4 speed. I bought my first Avanti in 1972 and joined AOAI that same year

                  Denny L

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                  • #10
                    I joined the SDC in 1968 when the club was known as the Studebaker Owners Club. I remember I joined when I bought a 1956 Power Hawk for 250 bucks. In 2020, the same Hawk in the condition that mine was in when I bought it would be at least $10,000. Bud

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                    • #11
                      Just donated 45 years of Turning Wheels to a couple of Assisted Living-Nursing Homes. I figured they would get a kick out of reading about the Studes. At least they would remember them! (Hopefully)

                      Jim
                      "We can't all be Heroes, Some us just need to stand on the curb and clap as they go by" Will Rogers

                      We will provide the curb for you to stand on and clap!


                      Indy Honor Flight www.IndyHonorFlight.org

                      As of Veterans Day 2017, IHF has flown 2,450 WWII, Korean, and Vietnam Veterans to Washington DC at NO charge! to see
                      their Memorials!

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Bud View Post
                        I joined the SDC in 1968 when the club was known as the Studebaker Owners Club. I remember I joined when I bought a 1956 Power Hawk for 250 bucks. In 2020, the same Hawk in the condition that mine was in when I bought it would be at least $10,000. Bud
                        The Studebaker Owners Club is not what SDC "was known as". SDC was SDC since 1962. The Studebaker Owners Club and SAS were separate clubs that merged with the existing SDC.
                        Gary L.
                        Wappinger, NY

                        SDC member since 1968
                        Studebaker enthusiast much longer

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by 52 Ragtop View Post
                          Just donated 45 years of Turning Wheels to a couple of Assisted Living-Nursing Homes. I figured they would get a kick out of reading about the Studes. At least they would remember them! (Hopefully)

                          Jim
                          Good idea, Jim.
                          I hope they enjoy them.
                          Brad Johnson,
                          SDC since 1975, ASC since 1990
                          Pine Grove Mills, Pa.
                          '33 Rockne 10, '51 Commander Starlight. '53 Commander Starlight
                          '56 Sky Hawk in process

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                          • #14
                            Click image for larger version

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ID:	1834919 My 'heiress' will offer up my T/W when I start asking 'What are these, where'd they come from?' My are right behind me and serve as part of my technical library. And before anyone comments on 'neatness', just know this pic is heavily cropped!

                            The pic below is more of my Studebaker specific tech library

                            Click image for larger version

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                            Attached Files
                            Restorations by Skip Towne

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                            • #15
                              I joined SDC in the late 1960s. Harry Barnes would write things like: "Are you coming to the meet this Saturday?" in red ball-point pen in the Presidential Newsletter (I believe it was called). In one he wrote: "SDC has reached 150 members." I still have some of those newsletters. I dropped out of SDC in 1970 due to financial reasons when I entered college, but rejoined in 1990. SDC has come a long way, but we have also lost a lot of good people over those years.
                              -Dwight

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