Counting '55 President Speedsters

[SN-60]

To: MChance,-- Thanks for sending the info. Wow, three President Speedsters scrapped out of what looks like the same yard. I was thinking that would never happen today, but after reading Bob Palma's post...who knows?
I'll enter this as three Speedsters scrapped in or near Tukwila, Washington in '70's. (and one in Monroe Co., Indiana...'12...Boo-hoo-hoo...RIP)

[KJongenburger]

Joop Stolze of Stolze Classic Cars in the Netherlands (http://www.stolzeclassiccars.nl/) has one for Sale. I do not know the numbers.

[SN-60]

To: Kjongenburger,----Thanks for sending Me this info. Looks to be a really nice car! In Bob Johannessen's 1993 Roster, There's a President Speedster listed owned by a person who lived in Nieuwendij, Netherlands. (#7808250).
I wondered if this might be the same vehicle? Is there any chance You could find out the serial/body numbers?, and anything else special about this Speedster? Thanks again very much!

[KJongenburger]

SN-60,

I'd love to buy it and then give you all the numbers and the whole history. Unfortunately I spend my pocket money for the month already.

you might send Joop a mail. His E-mail is on his website: info@stolzeclassiccars.nl

PS. check out a movie about his collection on YouTube It's in Dutch but the pics speak thousands of words if you like old cars.

[SN-60]

To: 55's,-------- Please check Your pm's......Thanks

[BobPalma]

Ed (SN-60): I'm sorry, but I cannot find the numbers off that overdrive Speedster. My e-mail files only go back to 1/1/2008, after I had corresponded with Andy about the car. Obviously, I recorded the numbers somewhere, but have not seen them for years and do not claim to be anything but marginally organized.

I'll be more than happy to post them if and when I run across them.

The Speedster had been repainted at least twice, and there was evidence of rear panel replacement with used parts...I think one rear fender had been all red at one time, undoubtedly off another car. While it was black/white/black when the 2007 photo was taken, I believe it started out including some elements of Pimlico Gray, rather than black. For sure, it was never lemon/lime. It was a rough car, but the tags could have been used to build a documented overdrive Speedster, of course.

Incidentally, there were two 1956 Golden Hawks in that "collection." 'Sorry to say, they were also likely baled. I recorded the numbers on them at the time and forwarded that information to 56J Roster-Keeper Frank Ambrogio. However, I did not know who was keeping a Speedster Roster back then, so did not send that overdrive car's numbers anywhere. They'll turn up and I'll post them. (The Golden Hawks were rough, modestly-equipped Ultramatic Drive cars; nothing extraordinary.)

The condition of the site leads me to conclude that the cars were baled. Virtually every scrap of metal has been removed, but all that trash and rubber and plastic remains. There were many tires with wheels in them five years ago...but now, pretty much maybe 100 tires without wheels remain, so someone plucked the "wheeled" tires for the metal within them. If you scoured the site today looking for metal, you could probably put all your findings in one bushel basket.

Here's a couple more interesting photos.

I remember this sign being displayed at the old gent's used-car dealership, which was perhaps two miles south of this junk site, both properties being on the east side of old Indiana State Road 37 north of Bloomington IN:



Remains of what I believe to be a 1963-1967 Corvette RF fender...fiberglass, of course, so of no value to the scrappers:



Think of the happy days someone had snapping this convertible top boot on what was probably an early Mustang convertible, as there had been the carcasses of several in the yard:



I knew of the old gent and had spoken with him in person several times through the years. Given the obvious environmental liability of that site, I'd understandably better not post his name, even if he is deceased...and I think he is.

Let's say you were looking at the Speedster when it was on pavement on the back of his lot, tires aired up and needing only an hour or so to make it run, after which it still wouldn't be driveable, though, because the brake pedal would still be on the floor. That was the condition in which I had seen the car when it was at his lot. At the time, let's say it was worth $5,000 on the then-current market....which, in my educated opinion, I believe it was.

However, a conversation with him "back in the day" might have gone like this:

Customer: "How much for the 1955 Studebaker?"

Dealer: "$15,000, not a dime less."

(At this point, he would be teasing you, flattered that you showed interest and hoping you might be stupid enough to pay him three times the market for it.)

Conversation continues.

Dealer, ultimately: "Well, I might take $12,000."

(Now, at this point, he was hoping you'd offer him $10,000. If you did offer him $10,000, however, he would have huffed in your face and turned around and walked off, feining indignancy that you had so insulted him.)

And that's the way it was. BTDT maybe 25 years ago.

I can tell you that his parents named him Richard (true). I guess they must have known how fitting would be his nickname, for it certainly was. <GGG> BP

[SN-60]

To: Bob Palma,---- Thanks for this write up Bob. And I got a big kick out of Your 'Richard's nickname' comment!! Wow,...two '56 Golden Hawks scrapped also?...I think My headaches's coming back! Seriously, We can't save

them all, but many rare vehicles HAVE been pulled back 'from the brink' over the years. We're all happy about that fact. It surprises Me how many 'barn finds' are still turning up these days. You may

agree that at this point in time, few Studebakers (and other collector vehicles) are scrapped without an evaluation. Most folks that own, but could care less, about these vehicles seem to realize there's value in

these irreplaceable artifacts well beyond their scrap price. Take care

[SN-60]

To: 55's,-- Please check Your pm's once again. Thanks!

[BobPalma]

Thanks, Ed. I forgot to answer part of your original question.

IIRC, the subject Speedster had both power steering and power brakes. BP

[BobPalma]

'Just ran across a pile of pictures I took at that Bloomington IN site in 2007 in my pre-digital days. Here's a few. (Get a box of Kleenex, 'cause they've all likely been crushed):

Here are the two 1956 Golden Hawks. Note the sign in the foreground; the same sign that was subsequently busted up and appears in Post #37, above:



Here's the 1958 Chrysler 300D:



A nice old '69 Chevy pickup. (Quick; how do you know it's not a '67?):



And a little Triumph for the sports car crowd (what exactly is this, Craig?):

[8E45E]

A nice old '68 Chevy pickup. (Quick; how do you know it's not a '67?):

And a little Triumph for the sports car crowd (what exactly is this, Craig?)

The Fedrally mandated side marker lights

'67 Triumph TR-4A

Craig

[BobPalma]

The Fedrally mandated side marker lights

'67 Triumph TR-4A

Craig

Yep on Item #1 and Thanks on Item #2, Craig. BP

[Skinnys Garage]

A nice old '68 Chevy pickup. (Quick; how do you know it's not a '67?):

That's a trick question Bob, it's neither! Actually a '69.....

[BobPalma]

That's a trick question Bob, it's neither! Actually a '69.....

Oops, right-O, Skinny. (Duly noted; 'spending too much time on the side marker light distinction!) BP

[Welcome]

Is this one accounted for???


This afternoon I happened to notice this one still sitting around South Bend waiting for someone to claim her. Apparently no one wanted an all Green Speedster, so here she sits