1955 Speedster (dogs) not such a “hot” seller (memos from Nance and Churchill)

[6hk71400]

This now makes sense to me. When I got my first Speedster, it was 1968 and I found the car in one of the free ad publication that sold things locally. It was a Shasta White/Pimlico Gray/Shasta White Vernon built car with Overdrive. However, this car had a 56 with a correct 56 hood hawk front clip, but still has the fog lights with the switch. It even was advertised as a 1955 Hawk. The car was priced at $160.00 and needed a battery. My dad, being the wheeler dealer got the guy to put in a battery and sell it for $150.

I wonder how many other dealers may have done that to move the remaining inventory of Speedsters? I still have the serial number. I guess I should get the production order and see where it was sold.

The car surfaced again in the Phoenix Metro area 42 years after I last saw it wearing the same single color paint job that was put on the car but fading through to the original colors, but that is another story.

Bob Miles
Tucson AZ

[SN-60]

Bob, please post that Speedsters serial#....Thanks!

[6hk71400]

Bob, please post that Speedsters serial#....Thanks!

Give me a day or so to dig through my files and I will post it. I don't know where the car is now but maybe you have it on the roster.

Bob Miles
Tucson AZ

[Jim Freed]

Back in 1956 our local dealer in Uniontown Pa.Berwyn S Detweiler had purchased two left over speedsters, one was driven by his son. At 18 years old I was able to trade my 1949 ford for the black and white dealer demo. Don't remember how much I financed but it was truly the best car I have ever owned. It was such a nice driver with all that power equipment and of course quite fast. Drove it hard till the 57 chevy's came out and I traded on a convertable. It was the worst driver I ever had,no power steering but my girlfriend and later my wife loved the convertable. Now at 78 I'm putting a speedster together,it was a parts car not complete and it's been tough finding all the missing parts just hope I'm around long enough to finish it. Jim Freed Palmetto Fl

[SN-60]

Back in 1956 our local dealer in Uniontown Pa.Berwyn S Detweiler had purchased two left over speedsters, one was driven by his son. At 18 years old I was able to trade my 1949 ford for the black and white dealer demo. Don't remember how much I financed but it was truly the best car I have ever owned. It was such a nice driver with all that power equipment and of course quite fast. Drove it hard till the 57 chevy's came out and I traded on a convertable. It was the worst driver I ever had,no power steering but my girlfriend and later my wife loved the convertable. Now at 78 I'm putting a speedster together,it was a parts car not complete and it's been tough finding all the missing parts just hope I'm around long enough to finish it. Jim Freed Palmetto Fl

Great story Jim! ....And please post the serial/body #'s of YOUR President Speedster on this forum too!....Thanks, Ed

[Hallabutt]

Another thing that I don't recall being mention was the short production year for the Speedster. I can't remember the date or dates that production really ramped up, but I believe that it was into 1955. I'm sure that someone watching this thread can fill in the blank. It didn't leave much time before the Hawks came out. The Speedsters were forced to compete with the Hawks for the same market, and the new offerings from the "Big Three." At a price of around $3000 for the 1956 Golden Hawk and around $2500 for the Sky Hawk it's no wonder that perspective buyers would shy away from having to take a fully loaded, last year's car, for more money then they would pay for a Hawk.

[SN-60]

Another thing that I don't recall being mention was the short production year for the Speedster. I can't remember the date or dates that production really ramped up, but I believe that it was into 1955. I'm sure that someone watching this thread can fill in the blank. It didn't leave much time before the Hawks came out. The Speedsters were forced to compete with the Hawks for the same market, and the new offerings from the "Big Three." At a price of around $3000 for the 1956 Golden Hawk and around $2500 for the Sky Hawk it's no wonder that perspective buyers would shy away from having to take a fully loaded, last year's car, for more money then they would pay for a Hawk.

Good point!

[Studebaker Wheel]

Another thing that I don't recall being mention was the short production year for the Speedster. I can't remember the date or dates that production really ramped up, but I believe that it was into 1955. I'm sure that someone watching this thread can fill in the blank. It didn't leave much time before the Hawks came out. The Speedsters were forced to compete with the Hawks for the same market, and the new offerings from the "Big Three." At a price of around $3000 for the 1956 Golden Hawk and around $2500 for the Sky Hawk it's no wonder that perspective buyers would shy away from having to take a fully loaded, last year's car, for more money then they would pay for a Hawk.

[Hallabutt]

Thanks Dick for the additional information. So it was basically December that Speedster production really started, seems like a late start to me. I guess that the question that comes to mind is what was the number of cars produced per month, and in which month were they produced? It does seem strange to me that Churchill was complaining about a "dog" that couldn't be sold in the March 14th letter, but Studebaker continued to produce them until Sept. 26,1955, "which is as long or longer than a normal production cycle." Common sense would seem to indicate that if you have a slow moving item, that you sell what you have before you build more, or am I missing something.

[8E45E]

Common sense would seem to indicate that if you have a slow moving item, that you sell what you have before you build more, or am I missing something.

No doubt there was excess inventory of Speedster interiors and exterior trim which had to be 'used up'. Of course, all that would have been ordered in advance of any cars being made.

Craig

[SN-60]

Once again, in my opinion they built too many of the Hialeah Green/Sun Valley Yellow models.....'turning off' at least some of the few potential buyers they had.

[studegary]

Thanks Dick for the additional information. So it was basically December that Speedster production really started, seems like a late start to me. I guess that the question that comes to mind is what was the number of cars produced per month, and in which month were they produced? It does seem strange to me that Churchill was complaining about a "dog" that couldn't be sold in the March 14th letter, but Studebaker continued to produce them until Sept. 26,1955, "which is as long or longer than a normal production cycle." Common sense would seem to indicate that if you have a slow moving item, that you sell what you have before you build more, or am I missing something.

YES, you are missing something! Those February and March letters are from 1956, not 1955.

[Hallabutt]

[Skip Lackie]

Thanks Gary when you get old like me 1955 and 1956 just run together, kind of a blur!

What is the normal year's production run? Is a ten month run abnormally long, and getting such a late start why did they continue to build 55's to compete with their new 56's? I understand there is the need to shut down to retool, but wouldn't that have been done before the end of September? Were they trying to use up 55 parts that wouldn't transition to the new models? Sorry I ask too many questions!

I have some Stude production records, and MOST of the time, model changeover shutdown was in August, and for 3-4 weeks. However, it varied a lot in both timing and duration.