Where Did All The Jacks Go?

[thunderations]

I have owned and restored many 1955-57 Ford Thunderbirds and they have a jacking plate that bolts between the bumper and the bumper brackets, so that the jack hook puts pressure on the plate instead of the bumper. The only place the hook hits the bumper is on the face of the bumper. Of course some people have insisted on jacking on the bumpers where there is no support and messed everything up, twisting bumpers and bending the bottoms. The plates make sense, but then again, do you really want to jack up the bumper?

The rear bumper on my 64 Daytona has dents at the bottom which I assume was from using the factory jack. It was missing the jack when I got it. It had a large scissor jack instead. I did get a correct one but it's broken. We had a couple of 70 oldsmobiles that had bent bumpers too. Most likely from the jack.
We get in a few used cars where I work that are missing the jacks. I've often thought that people must accidentally leave them behind when they are changing flats.

[JBOYLE]

For some reason original Avanti jacks are hard to come by.

Adding to the confusion, Nostalgia sells NOS Avanti jacks...but they're correct for "II"s...not Studebakers.

[Bordeaux Daytona]

The rear bumper on my 64 Daytona has dents at the bottom which I assume was from using the factory jack. It was missing the jack when I got it. It had a large scissor jack instead. I did get a correct one but it's broken. We had a couple of 70 oldsmobiles that had bent bumpers too. Most likely from the jack.
We get in a few used cars where I work that are missing the jacks. I've often thought that people must accidentally leave them behind when they are changing flats.

[thunderations]

This is an unrestored jack that came in my 1950 Regal Deluxe Starlight Coupe. The bar is 31 inches long and the hook fits the bumper nicely. It even works, but I'm still not going to trust it. As far as I know, it is correct.

Thunderations
I would gladly take you up on your offer to post pix of your 1950 jack. My car is pretty original, but it didn't have a jack, so I'm not even sure what I should be looking for. Thanks in advance!

[t walgamuth]

I was going to say they are all gone because their main useful purpose was self defense!

I remember one day my dad and I were using one and he had the car up about halfway or all the way and he did something and the car came down all the way at once. Yipes!

I have never used one since if any other alternative existed!

[njonkman]

I am still looking for a proper jack for my 56 Champion. Don't intend to use it but would like one for in the trunk. A picture of what it looks like would be appreciated.
Nick

[Lothar]

Thunderations
I would gladly take you up on your offer to post pix of your 1950 jack. My car is pretty original, but it didn't have a jack, so I'm not even sure what I should be looking for. Thanks in advance!

[crusinsusin]

It would be a great benefit to the club if someone would create a reference page of photos or illustrations of correct factory jacks for different models and years.

Excellent idea. My '64 came with the jack, the stand, and the bumper cradle, but no handle/lug wrench. When I took it out to inspect the trunk, a couple screws and washers fell out from somewhere. Ah well...

[StudeRich]

I have seen then in my cars and parts piles in "T" shaped post and base, "Y" shape, "A" shape and square shaped, they used many designs and Suppliers often in the same year.

[candbstudebakers]

At one time I had so many different Studebaker jacks and offered here to the forum members and only had a few people came forward so all were sent to Australia.

[Warren Webb]

A reference article would be good for us that dont know Jack. Out of all my Studes I think 2 came with jacks. Neither of my Champs have one & only one Avanti has one.

[JoeHall]

Studebaker bumper jacks are only good for being "correct" in the trunk, damaging bumpers, and dangerously attempting to raise the car off the ground. I still have a scar on my left knee from where a bumper jack "got me" when I was 16 years old and it slipped out from under a 56J bumper. I only use bottle jacks or scissor jacks, but also understand being "correct" is important to some folks; I just hope nobody actually tries to use them.

[Chris_Dresbach]

Studebaker offered all kinds of different variations of jacks, more specifically, jack bases. I remember that day at work... Many of the jack bases have only minor differences between them. At SASCO many of them somehow got mixed and unidentified. One fine day George and I went through them, I identified them, and put 'em away. So if anybody needs a jack base, SI now has several different kinds available that I'm pretty sure were lost at SASCO.

[thunderations]

The jacks were probably vendor items and may have changed during production runs. I have a correct 1 or 2 for my 1950 Champions and a correct one for my 1966 Daytona if anyone needs pictures.

[Lothar]

It would be a great benefit to the club if someone would create a reference page of photos or illustrations of correct factory jacks for different models and years.