160 speedometer... in 1938!

[mbstude]

I'm vacationing in Tallahassee, FL this week with "Studebaker George".

I talked him into getting his '38 Commander out of the garage. He said that all of the interior is original, and all of the paint, except for the fenders. Maybe later this week we can blow the dust off and put a few miles on it. [8D]

I noticed it has a 160 speedometer. Did Studebaker put these in their cars in 1938? And it doesn't seem likely with this car, but would it be metric? George doesn't think it's metric. But the 160 part has us confused. (He'd never noticed it before).

I know that R2 Avanti's came with a 160 speedo. But I guess Studebaker was ahead of itself back in '38.



Matthew Burnette
Hazlehurst, GA

[41 Frank]

Should be easy enough to tell if it is metric just by driving it. At 40mph it would read about 64. My guess is that it is metric, no other reason for it to read 160.

[Roscomacaw]

Part# 193524 Speedometer (head) Metric

1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1963 Cruiser
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President two door

[BobGlasscock]

Well, since Studebakers can go downhill, I don't see why it couldn't be mph......

'50 Champion, 1 family owner

[r1lark]

quote:Originally posted by BobGlasscock

Well, since Studebakers can go downhill, I don't see why it couldn't be mph......

'50 Champion, 1 family owner

Hmmm, downhill........or dropped from a plane![}]

Paul
Winston-Salem, NC
Visit The NEW Studebaker Skytop Registry website at: www.studebakerskytop.com

[mbstude]

So a 1938 Stude didn't come with a 160 mile per hour speedometer?

What a let down. [)]

[Roscomacaw]

You know......... with those streamlined headlite pods - and those rear vent windows to relive the pressure build-up in the rear cabin, it may well BE MPH![:0]

1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1963 Cruiser
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President two door

[buddymander]

Yes, I do believe that the 160 MPH speedometer was designed by the father of the guy who came up with the second gear start transmission...twenty years later...

[mbstude]

OK guys...

So the car has a metric speedo. George said that the car came out of upstate New York. So there is a chance that the car was originally built for the Canadian market.

Is there anything else that we could check for to confirm that?

The serial tag has "South Bend" on it. Did Canadian built cars have South Bend on the serial tag?

Thanks in advance.

[dong]

Canada is on the metric system now, but is fairly recent (late 70's maybe). In 1938 it was not. If that is a metric speedo, it must have been meant for a European market.

Don

[8E45E]

quote:[i]
So the car has a metric speedo.

Matt:

Can you confirm the odometer also registers in kilometers as opposed to miles? The reason I ask is the clear plastic appears to be separate from the speedometer and is one piece that includes the other gauges as well, and that part only may have been replaced at one time. As Don correctly stated, Canadian market cars didn't get metric speedometers intalled in them until the late seventies. If it actually was a non-North American market car, it may also have the word 'EXPORT' molded into the glass headlight lenses as well.

Craig

[53k]

A few years ago I had a metric speedometer for '47 to '49 Commanders. I was going to put it in my '47 five-passenger, but sold the car. I later put the speedometer on eBay.
I once had a '92 Chrysler New Yorker with a digital dash. You could switch all readings from US to metric by pushing a button. I used to switch the speedometer to metric when I was crusing at 70 - 75 mph and then wait for my passengers' reaction (Holy xxxx, you're going 115???)



Paul Johnson, Wild and Wonderful West Virginia. '64 Daytona Wagonaire, '64 Daytona convertible, '53 Commander Starliner, Museum R-4 engine, '62 Gravely Model L, '72 Gravely Model 430

[Studebaker Wheel]

This shows that you guys know so little about pre WWII Studebakers. Here is a photo of the speedometer in my '38 Coupe Express. It is the performance model with the high compression head, special carb jetting, the hot cam and high speed rear end. Of course this model had to have a 200 mph speedometer!

Richard Quinn
editor: Antique Studebaker Review

[8E45E]

quote:Originally posted by Studebaker Wheel
It is the performance model with the high compression head, special carb jetting, the hot cam and high speed rear end. Of course this model had to have a 200 mph speedometer!

Funny how it goes in 20 mph increments until you hit 140 mph, then it jumps an astounding 60 mph!! VERY clever![]

Craig

[62champ]

quote:Originally posted by 8E45E

quote:Originally posted by Studebaker Wheel
It is the performance model with the high compression head, special carb jetting, the hot cam and high speed rear end. Of course this model had to have a 200 mph speedometer!

Funny how it goes in 20 mph increments until you hit 140 mph, then it jumps an astounding 60 mph!! VERY clever![]

Craig

I think somewhere over 140 is when the factory installed NOS system kicks in pushing up to that 200 mark...

I wonder if the temp gauge was in C or F?

<div align="left">1960 Lark VI</div id="left"> <div align="right">1962 7E7-122</div id="right">
[img=left]http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l163/62champ/car/8b0ac4c6.jpg[/img=left]
[img=right]http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l163/62champ/car/DSC02237.jpg[/img=right]