"Let Fly" to Hot Rod; Jim Pepper in Post #62

[cruiser]

To ----- BP and Gary L .

Yes , the sales figures that I have quoted are Calender Year . They are actually
the number of new Studebaker Cars Registered in Australia for each Year .
Please note that these numbers do not include Trucks . Australia was not a big
market for Studebaker Trucks so the numbers would have been rather small .

CRUISER --------------------------- ( Bruce ) .

[BobPalma]

Our Co-Operator High-Performance Advisor Jim Pepper also replied to Hot Rod, and forwarded a copy of his letter.

He granted permission to add it to this topic:


Dear David Freiburger,

I agree with the sentiments of Bob Palma in his recent letter on the merits and significance of the Studebaker V8.

You published photos of my 1963 Studebaker R2 Super Lark in the September 1983 coverage of the 1983 Street Machine Nationals. There were much nicer cars around me but my car always drew a crowd.

Fast forward to late 1993 or early 1994. You published a photo of the 1963 Avanti owned by Ron Hall that was the first Studebaker-powered car to go 200 MPH at the September World of Speed meet at Bonneville. This was done with a 304.5 CI Studebaker R3 V8 engine with a Paxton supercharger that was making about 630 HP with 6 pounds boost. The salt was wet and mushy in 1993 so we kept boost to a minimum in order to maintain vehicle control. I built a portion of this car. The car now resides in the Studebaker National Museum.

The point is that a Studebaker V8 might not have been the largest or built by the millions, but it certainly was as unique as a Buick nailhead. It offered features not found in the big three engines and not found in many performance engines. What other cars had a supercharger? The Studebaker V8 engine sure deserves an honorable mention.

Back in the late 1960s when I was in high school, my 1963 Super Lark ran mid- to high-13s on street tires through mufflers at Great Lakes Dragway in Union Grove, WI. It embarrassed many muscle cars on the track and the street that had at least 100 CI on me. Restoration of my Lark will start when the snow melts in Wisconsin this spring.

I still like the magazine. Keep up the good work.

Studebakerly
Jim Pepper

Thanks, Jim: Well done and well documented.

(FWIW: Surprisingly, I have not received any response from Hot Rod.) BP

[Roscomacaw]

I've only kinda-sorta followed this thread, but insomnia has me skimming this morning. I like how BP and others have risen to the defense of my favorite V8. Ted may recall an ode to such that I wrote some time ago. It was partly a response to the "I'm gonna upgrade to an SBC" argument that still simmers - quitely of late, even tho embracers of such still keep the vigilance to slap down any idiot that would challenge it. I don't say much about it anymore, but I will say what I'm about to, since I think it IS relevant to HR's poll....

I RARELY do car shows. But when I do, it's even more of a rarity when someone looks under the hood of a Stude and KNOWS what they're looking at. MOSTLY (if it's a Stude V8) they're stymied as to just what sort of engine you've chosen to put your Studey back on the road. First - they're gonna be doubtful you know what the hell you're talking about. Everyone KNOWS Stude only ever had pathetic flathead sixes for motors.
Second - if they DID make a bad-ass V8 - how the heck could you be foolish enough to drive one around??? What if a spark plug wire failed? Where would you find a replacement? What if a piston came thru the side of it (fail-prone piece of junk that it is - hey, GM's still in business and Studebaker ain't) - and you were touring in the outback of Montana? Hoooooooooo baby!

Besides that.... your Stude CAN'T be cusstomized until it's got an SBC - like 80% of the rest of the "cusstoms" on display. The last car show I went to locally - there were TWO Studes in it. Both with SBCs for power. And this ISN'T a local phenomenon. So - just what conclusions are the average tire-kickers to come to - regarding the worth of the South Bend V8 - or even that one ever existed?

Go ahead. Pile on. I fully expect it. Besides, it's just my OPINION - not DICTATE.

[BobPalma]

No piling on here, Bob, of course:

Just an enormous THUMBS-UP for your well-crafted observations.

(Sorry I don't have any cute icons, just COOL BEANS!)

Thanks so much....but, admittedly, I'm now mortified by your spark-plug wire scenario...hadn't even thought of that. 'May have to reconsider my position! <GGG> BP

[warrlaw1]

My dad let me start our 6 cyl '57 hawk when church let out. I smucked the rear bumper of the car ahead of me. I was 10. I could have had a V8!

[am not r2]

Yes I saw it and guessed who besides me said oh crap that was a mistake. go tell them Bob. R

[sbca96]

(FWIW: NOT Surprisingly, I have not received any response from Hot Rod.) BP

Fixed it for you.

Tom

[Andy R.]

*slow clap*

It reminds me of a quote from Carl Thoms published in last month's Wheelbarrow Johnny (Sequoia Chapter Newsletter):
"Studebaker was building 100,000-mile cars when everyone else was building 50,000-mile cars."

IIRC, the statement was in response to someone under the assumption that Studebaker went out of business because they were unreliable or poor quality.

[Son O Lark]

Hi Bob, have you received a response from Hot Rod yet?

[BobPalma]

Hi Bob, have you received a response from Hot Rod yet?

Nope: NADA, none, zilch. (Words added to meet minimum "post-all" requirements! <GGG>) BP

[Cultural_infidel]

Well Bob, almost a month has passed... anything yet? BTW, kudos for you on the letter. Well said.

[BobPalma]

Well Bob, almost a month has passed... anything yet? BTW, kudos for you on the letter. Well said.

Nope, Sean; see Post #70. Thanks anyway! BP