Posts from ‘Studebaker’
What if America’s independent automakers would have offered true station wagons in the early 1950s?
By Frank Peiler
At the dawn of the 1950s, the American new-car market was running strong. The pent-up consumer demand caused by the World War II production hiatus had not yet been sated, and sales were booming for Detroit’s “Big Three” and numerous independent American automakers. And, as Americans moved to the suburbs in greater numbers, “family hauler” station wagons were becoming more popular at Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors. Ford was particularly successful—its expanded roster of all-new-for-1952 wagons would go on to be the number-one-selling wagon line for many years.
Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast
Whether you drive a car, need a car, or just occasionally bum a ride with friends, you’ve come to the right place. Join the editors of Consumer Guide Automotive as they break down everything that’s going on in the auto world. New-car reviews, shopping tips, driving green, electric cars, classic cars, and plenty of great guests. This is the Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast.
1934 Studebaker Commander Four-Door Sedan
Note: The following story was excerpted from the August 2017 issue of Collectible Automobile magazine
From the Speedway Comes Their Stamina, From the Skyway Comes Their Style” was the tagline for Studebaker advertising in 1934. The skyway reference was an attempt to tie Studebaker’s streamlined styling to aviation. The speedway reference was more grounded in fact.
1955 Studebaker E7
Note: The following story was excerpted from the December 2018 issue of Collectible Automobile magazine
Studebaker got off to a good start in the postwar truck market with the 1949 R-series trucks that had fresh styling by Robert E. Bourke. While running boards were still prominently displayed on the competing new designs from the Big Three brands, Bourke’s truck cab looked more modern with the running boards concealed under the doors.
1986 Chevrolet Corvette
In terms of general statistical sexiness, brake performance has long taken a backseat to acceleration. Horsepower numbers are fun, 0-60-mph and quarter-mile times are fun. But braking? Most car guys know that reaching 60 mph from a stop in less than 6 seconds is an impressive feat. How many folks, I wonder, know what a decent time would be for coming to a complete stop from 60 mph?
1988 Volvo 780 Bertone
Let’s get one thing straight right away: The Chevrolet Monte Carlo WAS a personal-luxury car. I have received at least a dozen emails and instant messages on this issue, mostly from car guys who insist that a personal-luxury car must come from a luxury brand. Not the case. For anyone who would like to spend time learning about the origins of the term, Wikipedia has a nice entry on the topic.
1957 Ford Ranchero and some of Collectible Automobile Publisher Frank Peiler’s “what-if” designs.
By Frank Peiler
Back in 1956, Ford was preparing for the introduction of their all-new 1957 models, and what an introduction it would be! Not just one line of cars, but two. The large cars were the Fairlane and Fairlane 500, which were built on a 118-inch wheelbase They were available as four-door hardtops and sedans, two-door hardtops and sedans, and a 500 two-door convertible. Later in the model year came the Skyliner retractable-hardtop convertible.
An account of Studebakers in competition at the Indianapolis 500 earned a Collectible Automobile® magazine author a gold medal and co-“Best-in-Category” honors from the third-annual Automotive Heritage Awards (AHA).
1985 Dodge 600 ES
The bad news is that fewer than one of every hundred cars sold in the United States is a convertible. (I will spare you the fractional math required to pass along the number of manual-transmission-equipped convertibles sold on our shores last year, but it’s fewer still.)
1956 Studebaker
We have shared classic wagon advertisements before, but the bounty of great ads out there has compelled us to revisit the subject.
