My family had one when I was a little kid early 70's. The sliding roof was cool! I remember lots of rust in the wheel well's being New England. There was also a red Avanti of the same vintage!
And don't forget the optional "super" package which included, in addition to the disc brakes, any of the Avanti-spec engines and transmissions, and full carpet bucket-and-console premium interior trim, special suspension parts, and special exterior badging.
@@RideswithChuck Lol that doesn't surprise me. Aftermarket sunroofs and T tops are notorious for leaking too. I've had 2 Z 28s with t tops and when it rained I'd get in and sit in a puddle of water 😠
Looks like a fun and historic ride. Cool 😎 Station wagons are called station wagons because these cars would go to a train station to pick up people and bring them and there luggage to a hotel. 'Station Wagon' • Cheers from The Detroit & Mackinac Railway 🚂
I don't think I ever saw one of these wagons either, though I worked on plenty of these sorts of vehicles back in the 70s-80s. Thanks for the interview, Chuck.
A friend had a '60 Studebaker about 40-odd years ago. I hired him to work for me at the Radio Shack store I managed then. Had a girl working for me. After he left, and before his first shift, she asked me "You are hiring the guy with the Mercedes?" I mentioned this to him, and he said "If she thinks it's a Mercedes, please don't tell her otherwise! She's cute!"
@@RideswithChuck Two neighborhoods from mine [ St.Louis], there was a brand new Studebaker in the driveway every year - including the’66 . Some years later [ I was still a kid], someone tried to tell me that’64 was their last year [ and pointed to a photo of a 64]. I tried to argue, because I had seen one with a different grill. I drew a picture. He said it was a ‘65 Rambler. I didn’t argue any more, but I knew in my mind, it WAS a Studebaker ❗️ 😁
Had a 63 wagonaire back in about 88-90 era. Forced to sell due to Dr bills for wife and daughters treatments. (Sold to a friend) Couldn't get it back. Sad time
Studebaker's connection to Mercedes-Benz was deeper than just as a Subsidiary distributor to North America. The two makes also shared showrooms. Nearly all of Studebaker-Packard's nearly 2000 deakerships also sold Mercedes from 1957 to 1965. Even today, if a M-B dealer is old enough, it's roots go back to SPC. Before SPC took on M-B in 1957, they sold few cars in the states. SPC helped make M-B what it is today, as well as Audi, part of Auto-Union, also on SPC showroom floors, and DKW.
Hello: I went to town last evening, as I was walking to the door of Food Lion a 1969 to 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu Station Wagon passed in front of me. It looked showroom condution. The color was sky blue, maybe darker than the comment box I am ready to hit. A friend told me there were more 1960's cars in Garages in our little town of 12,000 than any other town around for the size. I went down a country street last month and looked to a open garage door where a man just got out a lawn mower and there set a Yellow 69 Mustang. I thought of my friend. Have a good one.
The sliding roof, the most significant design of a wagon in the 20th Century, outside an all metal wagon, was improved after introduction. GM tried to make quite a controversy that their Envoy didn't leak, tho their design came 30 years later. Besides, don't drive in the rain! With a sunroof like that, why would you? I've never understood why anyone in those days ordered radio delete. Like going on vacation, and ordering TV delete today. I mean, geez it's not like you have to even turn it on!
This is the first I've heard of that heating problem. Yes, there can be a problem like, that, but it's not due to casting sand left in the engine, it's from rust and other deposits building up in the cooling jackets. The solution is to pull the freeze plugs and thoroughly clean out the cooling jackets with a high pressure nozzle on a water hose and some coat hanger wire. There is NO need to rebuild the engine to fix that, nor are Studebaker engines especially expensive to rebuild.
Totally agree. Not sure what this guy is talking about. When I pulled my Charger out of storage, I replaced the water pump and housing, the pump was missing blades! I put a high pressure water source into one side of the pump/block holes, and flushed. It took over 45 minutes for the water to flush out clean on the other side, and then I did a back flush and it took another 15 to clean that out. Many people have no idea what can be in those jackets. A hot dip in a tank will not eliminate it!
@@ToyKingWonder Back in the 30's mechanics would run lye water thru the jackets and flush after a few hundred miles with clear water. Soft plugs would rust and sometimes be a problem, but were relatively easy fixes.
Studebaker advertised that engine as 259 cubic inches, and the 3 9/16 bore and 3 1/4 stroke work out to almost exactly 259. Divide by 61 to convert to liters, it's 4.246 liters.
Number one is that is a 259.cubic inch. Two they never had them issues with sand still in block. That was due to no one ever changed the anti freeze. And three is there not that expensive to rebuild. My dad worked for Studebaker and drove Studebakers for a long time. I have been around them all my life.
Studebaker must have thought after 1962 about the competition the Buick Special was bringing on; I refer to the factory clogged radiator, which Buick Special ALSO suffered from!
Kudos to the owner for staying with the original engine. If I was going to end up changing to a modern trans I prob would went for full gm drivetrain with a SBC or LS and appropriate transmission.
As did most all of the early version sun roofs. I worked for GM in the mid 60's and drips & leaks were alway a problem and especially if the owners ran them thru the Robo Washes.
But he didn’t show you the slide out vanity in the glove box! Studebaker touted that and their flat floors (no step down). Didn’t want the ladies to break a high heel getting in or out. 🧐
CHUCK... Speaking of Willys there is a fantastic long read article in the latest Old Cars Weekly edition. It details from the beginning to the end of Willys. Check it out.
Love those ol' Studies...
My family had one when I was a little kid early 70's. The sliding roof was cool! I remember lots of rust in the wheel well's being New England. There was also a red Avanti of the same vintage!
Sad that such an industry has ended ,,, distinctive, beautiful and practical design !!
I love those old Studebakers.
The '63 Wagonaire also offered revolutionary safety options. Disc brakes was a top option.
And don't forget the optional "super" package which included, in addition to the disc brakes, any of the Avanti-spec engines and transmissions, and full carpet bucket-and-console premium interior trim, special suspension parts, and special exterior badging.
Love that Studebaker Wagonaire we took one to Texas on Vacation watch out for sunburn we sold Studebaker for many years in Buffalo NY 👍
Very cool Station Wagon. Never knew about the sliding roof. Great feature.
I understand that the roof did a bit of leaking.
@@RideswithChuck Lol that doesn't surprise me. Aftermarket sunroofs and T tops are notorious for leaking too. I've had 2 Z 28s with t tops and when it rained I'd get in and sit in a puddle of water 😠
Cool car, looks and sounds great. I owned a toy Wagonaire (from Whizzwheels) when I was a kid.
Love where they put the tail lights.
Those sharp corners in the back of the roof rails look DANGEROUS.
Looks like a fun and historic ride. Cool 😎 Station wagons are called station wagons because these cars would go to a train station to pick up people and bring them and there luggage to a hotel. 'Station Wagon'
• Cheers from The Detroit & Mackinac Railway 🚂
I don't think I ever saw one of these wagons either, though I worked on plenty of these sorts of vehicles back in the 70s-80s. Thanks for the interview, Chuck.
Can the 60s be coming back? I hope not..
A friend had a '60 Studebaker about 40-odd years ago. I hired him to work for me at the Radio Shack store I managed then. Had a girl working for me. After he left, and before his first shift, she asked me "You are hiring the guy with the Mercedes?"
I mentioned this to him, and he said "If she thinks it's a Mercedes, please don't tell her otherwise! She's cute!"
I remember when these came out in '63 and always thought they were cool!!
What a classy car
There were a couple Studebakers in my neighborhood, growing up. I’ve always liked them.
📻🙂
They did make many interesting vehicles.
@@RideswithChuck
Two neighborhoods from mine [ St.Louis], there was a brand new Studebaker in the driveway every year - including the’66 .
Some years later [ I was still a kid], someone tried to tell me that’64 was their last year [ and pointed to a photo of a 64]. I tried to argue, because I had seen one with a different grill.
I drew a picture. He said it was a ‘65 Rambler.
I didn’t argue any more, but I knew in my mind, it WAS a Studebaker ❗️
😁
Had a 63 wagonaire back in about 88-90 era. Forced to sell due to Dr bills for wife and daughters treatments. (Sold to a friend)
Couldn't get it back.
Sad time
Studebaker's connection to Mercedes-Benz was deeper than just as a Subsidiary distributor to North America. The two makes also shared showrooms. Nearly all of Studebaker-Packard's nearly 2000 deakerships also sold Mercedes from 1957 to 1965. Even today, if a M-B dealer is old enough, it's roots go back to SPC. Before SPC took on M-B in 1957, they sold few cars in the states. SPC helped make M-B what it is today, as well as Audi, part of Auto-Union, also on SPC showroom floors, and DKW.
Hello: I went to town last evening, as I was walking to the door of Food Lion a 1969 to 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu Station Wagon passed in front of me. It looked showroom condution. The color was sky blue, maybe darker than the comment box I am ready to hit. A friend told me there were more 1960's cars in Garages in our little town of 12,000 than any other town around for the size. I went down a country street last month and looked to a open garage door where a man just got out a lawn mower and there set a Yellow 69 Mustang. I thought of my friend. Have a good one.
There are many magic garages out there.
The sliding roof, the most significant design of a wagon in the 20th Century, outside an all metal wagon, was improved after introduction. GM tried to make quite a controversy that their Envoy didn't leak, tho their design came 30 years later. Besides, don't drive in the rain! With a sunroof like that, why would you? I've never understood why anyone in those days ordered radio delete. Like going on vacation, and ordering TV delete today. I mean, geez it's not like you have to even turn it on!
Never seen one..Pretty cool.
This is the first I've heard of that heating problem. Yes, there can be a problem like, that, but it's not due to casting sand left in the engine, it's from rust and other deposits building up in the cooling jackets. The solution is to pull the freeze plugs and thoroughly clean out the cooling jackets with a high pressure nozzle on a water hose and some coat hanger wire. There is NO need to rebuild the engine to fix that, nor are Studebaker engines especially expensive to rebuild.
Totally agree. Not sure what this guy is talking about. When I pulled my Charger out of storage, I replaced the water pump and housing, the pump was missing blades! I put a high pressure water source into one side of the pump/block holes, and flushed. It took over 45 minutes for the water to flush out clean on the other side, and then I did a back flush and it took another 15 to clean that out. Many people have no idea what can be in those jackets. A hot dip in a tank will not eliminate it!
@@ToyKingWonder Back in the 30's mechanics would run lye water thru the jackets and flush after a few hundred miles with clear water. Soft plugs would rust and sometimes be a problem, but were relatively easy fixes.
Studebaker advertised that engine as 259 cubic inches, and the 3 9/16 bore and 3 1/4 stroke work out to almost exactly 259. Divide by 61 to convert to liters, it's 4.246 liters.
The power pack 259 delivered a robust 220 horsepower.
Number one is that is a 259.cubic inch. Two they never had them issues with sand still in block. That was due to no one ever changed the anti freeze. And three is there not that expensive to rebuild. My dad worked for Studebaker and drove Studebakers for a long time. I have been around them all my life.
Dad had a light blue wagon and he used it at one time to haul a refrigerator which you were not recommended to lay flat.
It's the right wagon for hauling a refrigerator, for sure.
Studebaker must have thought after 1962 about the competition the Buick Special was bringing on; I refer to the factory clogged radiator, which Buick Special ALSO suffered from!
Kudos to the owner for staying with the original engine. If I was going to end up changing to a modern trans I prob would went for full gm drivetrain with a SBC or LS and appropriate transmission.
Keeping it original makes it a bit of a challenge.
At the time it was built it was Studebaker's last full year at South Bend.
It is an interesting station wagon.
It fascinates me that people collect cars in spite of chronic overheating, leaks and a poor transmission.
All of those issues were corrected. Beard can do it. He's a mechanic. The human species is nuts though. Ask me about my 1991 Allante...
@@RideswithChuck British sports cars are my passion and we all know how they run...
My Tr4a ran pretty well. My Spitfire 1500 not so well..
Then you just don’t get it! Enjoy your new Honda and have a nice day!
Sounds like it could be someone's wife.
Was this also called a Lark or is that a different vehicle?
Gene Beard is “The Man!”
A friend of mine in high school had a '64 or '65 Wagonaire. And yeah, if it rained, it got wet inside.
As did most all of the early version sun roofs. I worked for GM in the mid 60's and drips & leaks were alway a problem and especially if the owners ran them thru the Robo Washes.
But he didn’t show you the slide out vanity in the glove box! Studebaker touted that and their flat floors (no step down). Didn’t want the ladies to break a high heel getting in or out. 🧐
The ladies always valued the vanity mirrors with side lighting.
CHUCK... Speaking of Willys there is a fantastic long read article in the latest Old Cars Weekly edition. It details from the beginning to the end of Willys. Check it out.
I will try to check it out Sir.
I have never had any overheating issues in any of mine
259 cubes and 4.25 liters.
It’s a 259
Anything done correctly can be expensive! What's the point,if it's worth it do it , if not walk away . Geez.