Spanish on door pillar plate...why?

[junior]

Thought I would start a new thread on this topic to get some more exposure and a definitive answer to this question. The plate mounted on the door pillar underneath the serial number plate on my car (54 Champion coupe) is mostly written in Spanish. The car was built is Hamilton, as has spent it's whole life in Canada. There has been discussion on this thread last week http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...on-Coronach-SK Can anyone provide more information? Does anyone know what this plate is called? What is an accurate English translation of the Spanish? Thanks, Junior

[bezhawk]

?Que? No comprende.

Maybe exports were mostly handled by the Canadian plant?

[rockne10]

I believe this was well addressed here just five or six years ago!
I can't recall any of the explanation.

[warrlaw1]

Industrial Trade Mark Registered #### Trade Mark registered in United States. Looks like maybe a knockdown car assembled in a Spanish speaking country. Neat!

[rkapteyn]

How do you know that is is Spanish

[dictator27]

How do you know that is is Spanish

Definitely not French, Robert.

Terry

[warrlaw1]

Jeez, Robert, "Marca? "Heche? Spend some time outside your comfort zone and enjoy some t'killya.

[showbizkid]

Yeah, it definitely looks as if intended for the Latin American (Spanish-speaking) export market.

Interestingly, "Marca Registrada" was used in U.S. trademark law for many years - it appears on every RCA Victor record jacket from 1950 to the 1970s. That's just one example. But the rest of it, especially identifying the USA as "E.U. de A." is a strictly south-of-the-border language requirement.

[Lou Van Anne]

Didn't Studebaker have an assembly plant in Mexico in the mid-fifties? I think it was in the state of Puebla later taken over by VW? In the late 80s and 90s I traveled in Mexico many times and saw several Studebakers. I have an ad featuring a 52 convertible all in Spanish.

[junior]

I believe this was well addressed here just five or six years ago!
I can't recall any of the explanation.

well actually no I didn't do a search...guess I figured if Stu Chapman was stumped about plates on Hamilton assembled cars then the answer really wasn't all that common. just finished doing a search and the DEFINITIVE answer is not there. If you can provide a link to the explanation of why these plates are on Canadian cars that would be great. Thanks in advance for your assistance....junior

[warrlaw1]

Check out the link Craig provided on the French Studebaker Meet under the Speedster Exports thread. There are French plates there on the door jam (probably in addition to the factory plate on the door pillar). Knock down kits prepared for export markets could easily have the additional plate, even if they were never eventually shipped. Back then California had not yet made it difficult to build the same car for different markets. One car fits all as long as the info was understandable in different languages.

[Stu Chapman]

well actually no I didn't do a search...guess I figured if Stu Chapman was stumped about plates on Hamilton assembled cars then the answer really wasn't all that common. just finished doing a search and the DEFINITIVE answer is not there. If you can provide a link to the explanation of why these plates are on Canadian cars that would be great. Thanks in advance for your assistance....junior

As Greg has indicated, I'm stumped. I have one of these plates. This all started last week when a Hamilton-built car is being sold out west and has one of these plates. When I acquired my plate a few years ago I asked Richard Quinn for information but he was not able to provide same. It would be great to know why this plate is on certain cars built in Hamilton.

Stu Chapman

[Stu Chapman]

Check out the link Craig provided on the French Studebaker Meet under the Speedster Exports thread. There are French plates there on the door jam (probably in addition to the factory plate on the door pillar). Knock down kits prepared for export markets could easily have the additional plate, even if they were never eventually shipped. Back then California had not yet made it difficult to build the same car for different markets. One car fits all as long as the info was understandable in different languages.

Interesting thought Dave, but somewhere out there someone has the correct answer.

Stu Chapman

[Corvanti]

Yeah, it definitely looks as if intended for the Latin American (Spanish-speaking) export market. Interestingly, "Marca Registrada" was used in U.S. trademark law for many years - it appears on every RCA Victor record jacket from 1950 to the 1970s. That's just one example. But the rest of it, especially identifying the USA as "E.U. de A." is a strictly south-of-the-border language requirement.

another weird thing is the Spanish for "Made in the United States of America", when she was built in Hamilton. maybe since the corporate headquarters was in South Bend??? or the "trademark" was from the USA?

perhaps someone in Canada placed a order for the exact optioned car that was already built - previously destined for Latin America?

idk...

[Dwain G.]

If you look at any 1950 or '51 Studebaker car or truck serial number plate, they all have that espanol. These were the long plates that had room for the extra wording. I don't know what initiated the addition of that wording, or why it was mostly discontinued after 1951. Probably due to some new import-export legislation by one of the countries involved. A lawyer specializing in international business/corporate law with an eye for history may be able find out more.