SOUTH BEND INDIANA STUDEBAKER MUSEUM

[moneshmahtani]

been trying out my 63 Truck it works and I love it!

[moneshmahtani]

I have one of these well actualy my grandparents gave it to me a 63 studebaker

[nicenonya3]

too bad the filming was washed out,too much light?

[sukrod]

Sorry Kenny...I am an artist and I concentrate on the chrome and smaller details on cars...that being said, I would like to go back to South Bend and redo the video...it is such an interesting place with an incredible history to it...I recommend anybody who is in the Indiana or Michigan area go there, and also to Auburn, Indiana to the Duesbenberg/Auburn/Cord Museum there...both fascinating places.

[kennyt1230]

Would have been nice to see the entire car instead of just the nose on some of them.

[briquetaverne]

If the 1950 champion bullet nose hard top or convertible were repro'd, they'd still sell!

[granskare]

that purple fella is cool !

[gwkchevy]

My dad own a 36 studebaker dictator with a fat man frame, air ride, zz502 ram jet fuel injected, air conditioned and its a beautiful car. I have the original engine, tranny still.

[spyker2011]

Such a shame that lots of the US brands don't exist anymore

[graidstin]

Wow what a great collection. Also at 2:22 what is the car in the background looks in the style of the 300SL

[TomLibby100]

The video mentions that the styling of the '47s was pretty much like the Plymouths and Dodges of the period. If fact, it was far far better, sleek and probably the best in the entire field during those years.

[BetoG34]

im helping a guy rebuild a 1947 Studebaker. its a huge truck.

[vividwatch47]

Of course, after Studebaker closed their South Bend plant, it was acquired by Nate Altman and his brother, who used it to produce the Avanti II.

[truejava1]

My salesman dad drove a 1964 "company car" Studebaker when I was very young, had to give it up when his boss bought a newer auto... I cried as we drove away from the Studebaker and can clearly remember looking back at it!

[ARade]

I drove the past four days mi "new" 1941 Champion here in Chile, Studebakers are a magic and wonderful thing...

[HUGEBRANE]

After turning 16 and receiving my driver's license, I bought a '47 Champion Business Coupe for $130--that's $1,060 today.

The Studie burned oil (blue smoke followed me), the clutch chattered, and it leaned on one side because leaves in the buggy-spring front suspension were shot.

The fenders were rusting from salted streets in Cleveland, and one of the vent doors in a fender fell out. I plastered it over with tape and body putty.

The car ran and I loved it because it was my first car.

[ediehd]

We're driving our '60 Lark Wagon from Costa Rica to the US this summer. We are landing in San Diego and then driving across the country to the east coast. We WILL be making a pilgramage stop at this museum now! Whoo-ee!

[davidlee110]

i see all of them in the school felltrip i think about 2003 or 2004

next time i taking a camara and i going to take pcrictes of them and put all in in 1 video with music.

Idk when i do it

[lenyo123]

Nothing wrong with the styling of any Hawk of the 60's,..but that isn't why they tanked.

[aaliyahluverz90]

haha indiana is better

[puppyindallas]

Too bad that after about 1960, the styling went downhill except for the Avanti, I'd love to own any of the wraparound

rear window models of the early 50's

[Studeman51]

The "wraparound" back glass you're referring to is called the "starlight coupe" and was built between model years 47-52. The 50-51's were the only 2 years they used the 'bullet-nose' front-end.

I agree with the comment above their styling had nothing to do with their demise, which was caused by horrendously bad mismanagement. Books have been written about it.

[winston5610]

The mismanagement dated back decades paying dividends out of cash reserves, etc, but the final death-spiral probably dates to the premature introduction of all-new (first by far with a post-war car) designs in early 1946 when they would have had no trouble selling carry-over models through 1949, saving retooling costs. Then there was the post-war economy: yes, the UAW went on strike, but they had sacrificed so much to keep defense production on track. They sure made good-looking coupes, though!

[Studeman51]

You're exactly right Winston; few people know about Erskine's paying dividends out of cash reserves. His other colossal mistakes were his purchase of Pierce-Arrow in 1928 and launching of a couple of looser models; the "Erskine" and the "Rockne". As you probably know, these mistakes resulted in his resignation and suicide.