A Good Read: Stu Chapman's My Father the Car

[plwindish]

A coil spring rear end would have certainly modernized the Stude line and made them contemporaries with the big dogs.

[Stu Chapman]

Thanks Guys, am looking at it now (Book not car alas). Appears to be a computer processed image. Stu standing by it in the museum with a background of Hamilton factory (Vale). Then again it may just be the young Stu at Hamilton in 1966. A good way to go out, lovely vehicle.

Gee John, you are very observant. Let me fill you in on the details of this picture. It is definitely not computer processed except for fading the background which was done by the art director at the publisher. The picture was taken with the actual car and me at the plant entrance many years after Studebaker closed. The last car was actually driven about 18,000 miles before it was given to the City of South Bend by Studebaker in 1969. It then sat in the basement of Gates Chevrolet there for many years until the late Phil Brown and I resurrected it and arranged for a cosmetic cleanup done with many SDC member donations. When finished, it was brought to Hamilton by Phil for a homecoming, at which point this photograph was taken. It was then returned to the Museum for posterity. It did come back to to Canada one more time for the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto.
Stu Chapman

[BobPalma]

Gee John, you are very observant. Stu Chapman

You can't get much past these guys, Stu. BP

[avantilover]

I wondered about that - "looks like it's outside the Hamilton Plant. No, couldn't be it's in the museum." Glad some enjoyment was gained by driving the car until it was placed in the museum, lucky really as it could have been totalled in a crash and we wouldn't have it.

Have you ever had a chance to see whether you have duplicate ads of the last few years? I have some but more were produced than are offered by eBay and the like.

[Stu Chapman]

I wondered about that - "looks like it's outside the Hamilton Plant. No, couldn't be it's in the museum." Glad some enjoyment was gained by driving the car until it was placed in the museum, lucky really as it could have been totalled in a crash and we wouldn't have it.

Have you ever had a chance to see whether you have duplicate ads of the last few years? I have some but more were produced than are offered by eBay and the like.

I have only a few ads in my archives John, unfortunately they are all 'one only' copies. Have you checked with Dick Quinn? He has a pretty extensive collection of all sorts of print memorabilia.
Stu Chapman

[avantilover]

I did once Stu - he said he had to sort things out, so maybe by the time Studebaker open their new factory I may hear from him (LOL). I got the 1965 one with the pram at the bottom recently and marvelled at the change in the world since then "this will make a lot of sense to your husband when you ask him to get you one" now she'd just buy it and surprise him.

[RadioRoy]

I'm happy for the link to buy the book. Amazon has one for $225! Yikes!

[Stu Chapman]

I'm happy for the link to buy the book. Amazon has one for $225! Yikes!

Yikes is right! That's how much Studebaker paid me for a week's work in 1966.
Stu Chapman

[avantilover]

Who is the owner of the vehicle? The City of South Bend or the Museum?

[Stu Chapman]

Who is the owner of the vehicle? The City of South Bend or the Museum?

The Studebaker Historical Collection was turned over to the Studebaker National Museum, now the owner of the vehicle. The Museum receives financial support from the City of South Bend.
Stu Chapman