Stude sales problems in '63...

[556063]

You can add lots of things. Like having to spread national advertising costs across much much fewer cars than the competition, resulting in a much higher cost per car, the push in the years immediately after the Lark to sign anyone up as a dealer, which watered down the quality of the dealer network, etc. etc.

Once the company officially decided it no longer wanted to be in the car business, the die was cast. Exactly when that decision was first made is hard to pinpoint, but it most certainly came to be officially true in '63. The banks and the public smelled it on them. The company had lost it's will to continue or try to adapt in the business. That is what really killed it. The same thing could have easily happened to Ford, GM, or Chrysler in recent years. The difference is, Ford, GM and Chrysler are choosing to fight it out.

I knew a man who ran a successful used car business for many years in a nearby small town. When I showed him one of my my Studebakers one day, he told me about the Studebaker Zone Sales Rep that kept bugging him to become a Studebaker dealer in the early 60's. He told me that to get the Zone Rep to quit bothering him, he told the Zone Rep that he didn't want to ruin his business by taking on Studebaker. He ran the business selling only used cars until he died. That story kind of tells it all.

Kevin Wolford
Plymouth, IN

55 Champion
60 Lark VI Conv.
63 Avanti R1

[Studedude1961]

Like any business there is a definite "pecking order" and one would imagine that by 1963 Studebaker dealers were way down on the list, and probably had been since the early to mid 1950s. In 1963 people were as aware and concerned with Studebaker as folks were about AMC in the late 1980s...definite also-rans and has-beens. That sounds harsh but if you question non-Studebaker car guys of a certain age, they'll tell you the same thing. Studebaker's last fling with anything approaching popularity were the 1959-1960 Larks. Look at the various dealership buildings we've had pictured on this forum through the years. Stude dealers were old brick and mortar buildings while GM, Ford and Chrysler were out in the suburbs with steel and glass sparkling modern dealerships, with lots of display areas for ample inventory. Most Stude dealer photos we see might have had a couple of cars on the showroom and a few out front. Breaks one's heart to say such things about the car we love; sounds like I am trashing Studebaker but I'm not. To Studebaker's credit, we now have one of the largest and certainly most loyal single marque club going, and that's the lasting legacy.

Studedude1961
--1963 Cruiser

[Studedude1961]

Like any business there is a definite "pecking order" and one would imagine that by 1963 Studebaker dealers were way down on the list, and probably had been since the early to mid 1950s. In 1963 people were as aware and concerned with Studebaker as folks were about AMC in the late 1980s...definite also-rans and has-beens. That sounds harsh but if you question non-Studebaker car guys of a certain age, they'll tell you the same thing. Studebaker's last fling with anything approaching popularity were the 1959-1960 Larks. Look at the various dealership buildings we've had pictured on this forum through the years. Stude dealers were old brick and mortar buildings while GM, Ford and Chrysler were out in the suburbs with steel and glass sparkling modern dealerships, with lots of display areas for ample inventory. Most Stude dealer photos we see might have had a couple of cars on the showroom and a few out front. Breaks one's heart to say such things about the car we love; sounds like I am trashing Studebaker but I'm not. To Studebaker's credit, we now have one of the largest and certainly most loyal single marque club going, and that's the lasting legacy.

Studedude1961
--1963 Cruiser

[bams50]

quote:Originally posted by Studedude1961

Most Stude dealer photos we see might have had a couple of cars on the showroom and a few out front.

I believe the record for the longest thread on this forum is the one collecting the dealership info. Observing that, I came to think that there were MANY more Stude dealers than probably any other make. Dick Steinkamp sent me a 61 brochure that was rubber-stamped with a dealer's name and address in Syracuse, my hometown. Intrigued, I went looking for the address. I found the building, which is now an Ace Hardware. It was really tiny, with almost NO room to park any cars- let alone properly display them.

I came away with the impression that the requirements to become a dealer must not have been very stringent...

That could very well have been another nail in Studebaker's coffin; today Ford is pulling a bunch of it's franchises and taking corporate control of others for that very reason- it is felt that too many dealerships is hurting the company's image.

Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

[bams50]

quote:Originally posted by Studedude1961

Most Stude dealer photos we see might have had a couple of cars on the showroom and a few out front.

I believe the record for the longest thread on this forum is the one collecting the dealership info. Observing that, I came to think that there were MANY more Stude dealers than probably any other make. Dick Steinkamp sent me a 61 brochure that was rubber-stamped with a dealer's name and address in Syracuse, my hometown. Intrigued, I went looking for the address. I found the building, which is now an Ace Hardware. It was really tiny, with almost NO room to park any cars- let alone properly display them.

I came away with the impression that the requirements to become a dealer must not have been very stringent...

That could very well have been another nail in Studebaker's coffin; today Ford is pulling a bunch of it's franchises and taking corporate control of others for that very reason- it is felt that too many dealerships is hurting the company's image.

Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

[JDP]

I've seen of letters from the factory begging a small dealer to order something other then base model four doors and pickups trucks. Most of the small dealers would never dream of stocking a fancy Studebaker that the factory could make a decent profit on.

JDP/Maryland
63 R2 SuperHawk (Caesar)
spent to date $54664,75
64 R2 GT (Sid)
spent to date $62,439.30
63 Lark 2 door
51 Commander
39 Coupe express
39 Coupe express (rod)

[JDP]

I've seen of letters from the factory begging a small dealer to order something other then base model four doors and pickups trucks. Most of the small dealers would never dream of stocking a fancy Studebaker that the factory could make a decent profit on.

JDP/Maryland
63 R2 SuperHawk (Caesar)
spent to date $54664,75
64 R2 GT (Sid)
spent to date $62,439.30
63 Lark 2 door
51 Commander
39 Coupe express
39 Coupe express (rod)