Studebaker's Multiple Suppliers

[StudeRich]

As I posted in a related String this is interesting stuff.

Only the "Bean Counters" and Buyers would know for sure, (why there were Hurd and Yale Door Locks) but there could have been many reasons.
One is to keep them both busy and available in case there were issues with one, like a Strike or delivery issues.
Maybe Cost was involved somehow.

They kept it Very simple though; Six Cylinder Cars got Yale Locks and Eight Cylinder Cars (and Commander/L.C. Big Sixes) got Hurd, Locks up to 1959, then Yale took over, a very simple concept.

They did this with many suppliers, Ross/Saginaw, Autolite/Delco, Wheels; Budd and Kelsey Hayes, Carter/Stromberg, the two Headlight Assembly Mfg's. Hobbs & XXX, Glass: PPG & Libby Owens Ford, Chrome, Paint Mfg.'s, Stainless Trim and Lens Mfg.'s, etc, etc.

When it came to Transmission and Differential Mfg's. there was NO competition, they bought the Best and nothing came close to Borg Warner, Detroit Gear and Dana Spicer.

Once burned, always prepared !
In those days a smaller volume Producer just could not afford to have product shortages, delays etc. which is why they overpaid the employees and did everything possible to avoid Strikes.

The one major one they could Not avoid was the 1954/'55 US Steel Strike, there would be no backup for that.
That one really hurt what could have been a way better year for Sales.

Does anyone have More Multiple Supplier Co. Names I have forgotten ?

[Buzzard]

Rich,
You are spot on as it is good business to not put all your eggs in one basket. Just like never let one customer prevail and become your sole lifeblood. Stuff can happen out of your control and then you are hooped.
Bill

[PackardV8]

The '55-'56 Packard junior cars got Carter carbs, Autolite starter, generator and distributor, while seniors got Rochester carbs, Delco starter, generator and distributor.

Big trucks could be ordered equipped with a Detroit Diesel engine and a New Process 5-speed transmission.

McCulloch and later Paxton superchargers.

Bendix brakes

Stewart-Warner gauges

Timken bearings

jack vines

[StudeRich]

True suppliers Jack but most, (the last 4) are single source type, sometimes based on When like Paxton..
Some Bearings were Bower, but not the same bearings as Timken, probably Dana's choice.

Brake Parts (Drum Units) were Wagner Lockheed, later Wagner, but Bendix did do Discs, Master Cyl.'s. and Power Units.

[6hk71400]

Rich,
You are spot on as it is good business to not put all your eggs in one basket. Just like never let one customer prevail and become your sole lifeblood. Stuff can happen out of your control and then you are hooped.
Bill

In 1940, Packard gave all their body business to Briggs. There were a few exceptions but the bulk of the cars came with a Briggs body. In 1954 Briggs sold out the Chrysler and Packard had to scramble to make bodies in the cramped Conner plant. Packard could have sold many more of the facelifted 55 cars, but in the cramped Conner plant, quality control suffered so much that 1956 sales fell 67 percent. As Bill said, you are hooped

[bensherb]

So what would explain why my '62 GT has a Yale lock for the left door but a Hurd lock for the right door? Both locks look the same, but they use different makers keys.

[StudeRich]

These would be the last use of the "swinging doors" keyhole covers Yale locks, Hurd locks were no longer in use and not stocked on the line by '62 so a Dealer or owner did that.

[bensherb]

So you're saying that both Yale and Hurd used the "swinging door" style lock that look exactly the same, and at some point someone changed the right side lock with an earlier one? Do they interchange that easily?

[8E45E]

And 99% of those OEM vendors are still in business producing the same line of components for current auto and truck manufacturers in 2025.

Craig

[8E45E]

Does anyone have More Multiple Supplier Co. Names I have forgotten ?

There was also 3M, Eaton (which now owns Yale and a lot of those companies mentioned above and Fuller, which now owns Clark transmission).


Craig

[56sghor]

Windshield wiper motors, at least in 1956, were supplied by Autolite and American Bosch.

[StudeRich]

That's a good one I forgot, thanks. At some time in '62 or by '63 Model year and beyond, they were getting the Autolites branded as Prestolite.

[Hawkeye]

Propeller shafts and Universal joints varied between Spicer and Mechanics as suppliers, sometimes varying between either on 1964 models, 6 & V8 for example according to parts book.
Nameplates usually Roth as far as I know.
Many die cast taillight assembles were Autolite in the early '50's, Packard used them too as did Chrysler. I think Autolite may have done some other large diecast pieces.
Budd many body stampings.

[enjenjo]

Ternstedt also made parts for both Packard and Studebaker while it was a division of GM.

[56sghor]

I believe Radiators were supplied by Modine and McCord.

[556063]

My Dad worked for at least a couple of them. Indiana Metal in Rochester, IN supplied millions of screws and bolts. If you remove a hex head screw that has an "M" with an "I" through the middle, it's one of theirs for sure.

Roth Plating in South Bend chrome plated anything and everything for Studebaker.

Dad had many stories from both suppliers. Here are the best two: Dad was shipping foreman for IM, and told the story of the order for 1 million self tapping screws when the Lark was hot. Front office called Studebaker to verify and got their butts chewed for questioning the order. How dare they? It turned out to be a typo. Should have been 100,000. Dad took me into the plant to show me two rows of 55 gallon drums full of 900,000 screws Studebaker sent back because they claimed IM screwed up the order.

At Roth, Dad polished the hood scoops before plating for the 60-61 Hawk. He took a forklift and loaded a truck destined for the Plant with his finished product. He had some extra time, so he loaded another truck that had just dropped off raw castings with more finished product. Roth was not UAW. The driver chewed out my Dad, and told him "I only deliver, I do not pick up. If you want a pick up, call the plant" Efficiency was of no concern.

[556063]

I believe Radiators were supplied by Modine and McCord.

The old McCord plant in Plymouth, IN, 20 miles South of South Bend, later known as Indiana Heat Transfer, is being razed as we speak.

[PackardV8]

At Roth, Dad polished the hood scoops before plating for the 60-61 Hawk. He took a forklift and loaded a truck destined for the Plant with his finished product. He had some extra time, so he loaded another truck that had just dropped off raw castings with more finished product. Roth was not UAW. The driver chewed out my Dad, and told him "I only deliver, I do not pick up. If you want a pick up, call the plant" Efficiency was of no concern.

For true. One had to be there in the '50s an '60s to appreciate just how bad it had gotten. In the years following WWII, the US had been able to sell everything it could make at whatever price it wanted to charge. Being so profitable, both management and unions had gotten fat, lazy and into unsustainable bad habits. But there for thirty years,
"We had the world by the ass on a downhill drag" and life seemed very good.

jack vines