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

[Bud]

studegary, I remember paying dues to what was known as Studebaker Owners Club of America back in the 60's and I also remember when the name changed from SOCA to SDC. Bud

[Blue 15G]

I joined SDC in the summer of 1974 and I still get excited when the latest edition of Turning Wheels arrives in the mailbox.

[studegary]

studegary, I remember paying dues to what was known as Studebaker Owners Club of America back in the 60's and I also remember when the name changed from SOCA to SDC. Bud

Yes, as I said, SOCA was a separate club that later merged into the existing SDC. It was merged into SDC, not a name change. For example, in the late 1960s, I belonged to both SDC and SAS, until SAS was merged with SDC.

[ddub]

I joined very early, had a letter in the second news letter. I no longer have it but I think that was the fall of 1962. Full disclosure, there have been some interruptions in my membership. I once had a phone call from Harry Barnes to see if I was the Don Wilson who had been an "early responder". Also have a huge accumulation of TW that I keep thinking should be passed on to someone. Can't imagine just send to recycling.

[55s]

My dad started the Ontario Chapter in 1973 and I have been a member since then. My dad started buying and driving Studebakers in the early 1950s and I have many fond memories, including camping in Studebakers, many Studebaker and other events, and great friendships. I am very grateful as well.

Many people deserve credit for creating the environment for a club that has lasted for so long - the National Executive, TW editors, parts vendors, club executives over the years, and all of the enthusiastic and diverse members for showing up, volunteering, and providing practical advice.

My only regret is that I didn't spring for the $100 lifetime membership many years ago.

[BobPalma]

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

Thank you for the compliments directed to us on the Editorial Staff, Jack.

I note your mentioning "some gaps." If the person to whom you sold them wants to fill the gaps, I have an extra of just about every issue of Turning Wheels, including the earliest ones. I won't give them away but will price them quite reasonably in bulk if your customer wants to contact me as to what is needed. (Incidentally, the postage to mail the most recent batch I sent was more than half of what I received for their "postpaid" sale, so this is hardly a lucrative business...) BP

[Daan]

I need to do something with my TW’s. I’ve only been a member since the 90’s, but inherited a whole bunch of random issues back to the 70’s. They’re in about seven boxes that my wife keeps threatening to put in our fire pit...
TW’s are kind of like National Geographic magazines. Super high quality, much too good to just get recycled like “People” or whatever... but everyone who gets them feels the same and has kept all theirs. So nobody actually wants the giant pile of back issues when it’s time to clean house...
There’s an old abandoned farm house a couple miles from me. I was poking around it (with permission of the land owner!) and no lie, an entire room was filled top to bottom with Nat Geo magazines... I don’t want my TW’s to end up sitting out in the weather, not doing anybody any good...

[Mark57]

Jack - Congrats on your 50th anniversary!

[tomlewis]

Hi Jack. You said you were in a boondocks hootch near the DMZ in ‘70

Me too

I was in D Co, 1/11 Infantry, part of the 5th Infantry Division. The Company was headquartered at Quang Tri and I actually had a bunk in a hootch there, but seldom got to use it. Spent time at Alpha 2 and Charlie 4 right on the DMZ and spent most of my time patrolling out of a fire base called Mai Loc. Went out to Khe Sahn in early ‘71.

Did we cross paths 50 years ago?

I sold my first Studebaker at Fort Polk in 1970 when I got my orders to Vietnam. Didn’t join the club until 1977 when I bought my 2nd Studebaker (‘51 bulletnose 2dr sedan)

Tom Lewis

[PackardV8]

Hi Jack. You said you were in a boondocks hootch near the DMZ in ‘70

Me too

I was in D Co, 1/11 Infantry, part of the 5th Infantry Division. The Company was headquartered at Quang Tri and I actually had a bunk in a hootch there, but seldom got to use it. Spent time at Alpha 2 and Charlie 4 right on the DMZ and spent most of my time patrolling out of a fire base called Mai Loc. Went out to Khe Sahn in early ‘71. Did we cross paths 50 years ago? Tom Lewis

Yes, No, Maybe. I was all over 1 Corp, mid-'70 to mid-'71, leading a Mobile Advisory Team attached to the RVN.

As you know, the main job we had was making sure the RVN and US forces didn't accidentally shoot each other when on joint or independent operations. Most of our work was coordinating with the 101st out of Camp Eagle and Phu Bai. You may remember the big RVN operation into the A Shau Valley and on into Laos? Largest helicopter assault ever. All it proved was 600 helicopters were no match for 60,000 NVA who had been told by their commanding general, "You will be here until this is over; dead or alive, your choice."

jack vines

[Guido]

In addition to boxes of Turning Wheels dating back to 1974, I also have about 50 years worth of Antique Automobile magazines. I find that both fit nicely in copy paper boxes.

[Guest]

As many of us can remember life before the internet, any car hobby required contacts and/or reading car magazines to find who had parts for your car. I had an old Buick before my first Stude and remember what a hassle it was finding NOS front end parts. With Turning Wheels, really you don't even need the web to find parts but having all the resources at hand makes the hobby (or lifestyle, if you prefer) a lot more rewarding. We are blessed to have great people contribute monthly and on this forum, too! You guys have helped me in countless fixes and I'm proud to drive my Studes anytime, anywhere.

[Kurt]

Jack, good story, and thanks for your service to our country. I was 4 years old in 1970.
I joined SDC in 1992 after going to an international meet in Springfield Missouri in 1991. Still have a belt buckle that the meet chairman Cliff Taylor gave me. My Grandfather was a Studebaker man and he was a member of SDC. It was Turning wheels that got me hooked. Before that I wasn’t interested in Studebaker.