I was driving from Richmond VA back home to Denver years back, was on I-64 and thought, "since I'm in southern Indiana, South Bend should be near & I can see the Studebaker museum." Then I looked on the map, lol. Will be back some day!
In 1976, My girlfriend and I drove her 1930 Model A Ford from San Francisco to Williamsburg Virginia and back. At home, I had a 1938 Studebaker State Commander. So on the way back west, we stopped in South Bend to visit the Avanti plant, where they were making the cars one at a time. Newman and Altman were the largest Studebaker dealers in the US and they bought the rights to the Avanti. They also continued to supply parts for Studebakers in their old showroom. For me, it was like going to a department store exclusively for Studebaker parts - what a mecca. Sadly, my 1938 Studebaker went to a new home years later, but I still have many fond memories of those cars and trucks.
@@mafcawebmaster4237 I have been fortunate to beable to restore a 57 GoldenHawk a 48 M-5 half ton pick up a Gold Avanti and a 50 Bullet nose.I used to tell people I have Studebakeritas.Haha
Dad was a Studebaker nut! Our beloved 1933 President 8 faithfully sped us all around New Zealand for almost 50 years. Now another Family cherish it just as much! Avanti & Hawk V8's were great too, All our Stude's were a great pleasure to drive.
I found å familymember working at studebaker about 1917...later he started his own garage in Town. Ernest Melander garage....He was born herr in Sweden...Have a Photo of that garage sent to me...The garage is still exist..So interesting car. Studebaker.. digferent than oter american cars...You have so interesting motor and racing history in the USA....thank You.. Bo Karlsson. Sweden...
My brother had a '53 Commander Starliner (I think) and to me it is one of the most compelling designs I've ever seen. I liked the early Corvettes and T-birds but to my eye this reigns supreme. Just love the shape and proportions.
Born and raised 1 mile away from the Studebaker factory.. watched it transitioned into Avanti’s automotive.. I don’t live there anymore.. but I have some great memories..☘️
Wonderful film about great ingenuity and craftsmanship learned and implemented working together in the family sense toward the American dream and entrepreneurial spirit
Great actual footage of the history of the Studebaker the Studebakeris one of the classic cars of the past i liked the way they looked and now they became classic automobiles
My Dad drove a 1950 Studebaker when I was only 8 years old. He said that that car was way ahead of its time. It had more power than his old Chevy, and the wheels leaned into the corners when it turned a corner like no other car he ever owned. It looked like it was coming and going at the same time with its bullet nose and tail. He really loved that car.
1958, I was 7 yrs old. My mom , grandma and young uncle.early 20's. Drove in Studebaker from Phoenix to boston, no be an downs just a tire change. Mom had that Gray colored Studebaker few years after. Mind you it was used one in a dealer lot. Great memories. Miss those sweet days and family.
Dad loved Studebakers'. We had four during my teenage years. I learned to drive on a 53 Commander V8 stick shift. Never forgot that car. He even let me cool it up. 3" lowering blocks, spun aluminum Bonneville moon hubcaps, glasspac duel exhaust. I only had my learners permit at the time, but boy that was fun. Last one I remember was a 57 Golden Hawk with the Packard V/8 that he bought for 'Mom'. Just in time for me to be the head of the "crew." I still consider to be it the first muscle car. Aluminum engine turned dash with Stewart Warner gauges, Golden cream two-tone paint, it was one cool ride.👍
Growing up in South Bend I remember the day they shut down. It was horrible. My parents had friends that had worked there many years and they and many families were very scared. I don’t think South Bend ever totally recovered. If it wasn’t for Notre Dame it would be a forgotten city.
The Studebaker story is of a time when people were struggling to make a better product for the betterment of society. When great corporations started as a small shop in a little town with just a dream as fuel. The slogan of giving more than you promised is so sadly missing nowadays when corporations want maximum profit to pacify greedy investors. This film documents a bygone era that is unlikely to ever return.
While totally correct, removing Corporations dominance is merely returning to personal, family businesses. Support your local business whenever possible. A return to old values is simple as that.
Well maybe we can bring back work like we had a year ago I had the most enjoyable working time in the USA since I moved here in 1978 and my best years since 1978 .
I loved watching this 50s era marketing short movie, great stuff! Good historic perspective, too. Studebakers building great wagons, probably yes! Beating Henry Ford, surely not. Terrific history. A very noble effort.
My Father was a Pontiac man. But my Mothers favorite car was the Studebaker Lark. Over the years she drove three of them. Also, I recently saw a Studebaker pickup. Never knew they made them.
They made big trucks too! Well big for the time. 5 ton capacity, dual rear wheels. Competed against Ford and GMC, I think they may have gotten in on the early semi road tractors too but not 100% sure on that.
One of my earliest memories of a car dealership was Studebaker, IIRC it was in the far north end of what is now Shoreline, Washington. A friend of the family bought a 1966 Lark, license plate AYA 814. On another note, a number of years back a neighbor of mine needed the clutch adjusted in his 1961 Lark which I did for him; that vehicle was built SOLID.
My Grandfather had a Studebaker Lark during the 1960's in Emerald Green I believe was the color. I was always proud of his choices. He had a 1956 Packard Clipper prior to his Studebaker Lark. My father also has a 1956 Packard Clipper-those were fantastic automobiles too! Our neighbor had a Red Studebaker too! - Peter age 71
@@heaven-is-real I lived in South Bend in the 50's. The South Shore came right into town along residential streets. I took it into Chicago a number of times. It was fun!
The only American car I've consistently wished I had an opportunity to own. From their fleet leaders of the '30s to the Avanti, with special mention of the '57 supercharged 4 speed Golden Hawk!
I loved to just go out and sit in my '57 Golden Hawk The only changes I made to it were: I put two of the back seat bottoms in the front with a custom console between them. Then I replaced the vacuum gauge with a direct reading pressure gauge so I could monitor Blower pressure.
My Uncle had a Studebaker pickup when I was a little kid. Everyone loved it. I remember it had a big hole in the passenger floor and I was excited because I could see the road go by! I think it was a 1954.
I think the favorite car brand of my grandparents on my father side was Studebaker. They had several of them, going back to when my dad was a kid. Two of them were given to my parents shortly after they got married. My parents got rid of the last one in 1967. I really enjoyed this movie.
Growing up, my Dad was the owner of a car auction. Between the age of 14 and 18 I had owned 54 different cars. The one that always eluded me though was the 53 Champion. I still love that car. I was really sad when Studebaker folded.
I remember seeing this movie in the auditorium of out grade school. It was presented by our local Studebaker dealer, who later became a personal friend, Bob McLanahan.
Thanks for your memory, Chuck. As I watched this I became interested in how they would distribute this film. Being so commercial, it is not a theatrical film, and it is way before even VHS or the internet. So it had to be distributed for live watching my a sizable number of people. Based on today's standards, I'm not so sure a corporate marketing film could be shown in a public school unless it had significant science information.
I do not remember seeing this film while in grade school. But I do remember seeing one about a turtle who sees a bright flash and does the "Duck and Cover." After my sister and I watched the film, I did a very naughty thing. Late one night, I took a flashlight to her bedroom and shined it on her eyes, and yelled, "Duck and Cover."
It was true what they said about Studebakers, that you'd see them on the road years after everything else their age was in the boneyard. They were the Toyotas of their day. It's a company that should have never gone out of business.
I have grown up always hearing stories about my Dad's first car, the Lark. I wish I could afford to buy him one and put a bow on and leave it in my parents driveway. They would cry I'm sure as it is the car they went on their first date in and they are now married 54 years. It is awesome how our first cool cars hold such fond memories. Enjoy that 61!
Ironic and sad that a year after this film they were in dire financial trouble, merged with Pakard a year later and within 10 years of this film Studebaker closed it's plant in South Bend, and by 1967 was finished as an automobile maker.
After the merger with Packard, Studebaker's books were audited and it was learned that in order to just break even Studebaker would have needed to sell over 225,000 units (which they were never close to doing). Packard had shackled themselves to a walking corpse and that, along with their own poor financial position doomed both businesses.
Childhood memory - returning from motor racing at Warwick Farm (NSW Australia) My mother was driving our Standard 10 Passed by Grand Turismo, towing an Avanti race car..
Care to bet that within a month, someone accuses you of racism for that “Eurocentric” comment? So yes, I concur. Those were better times. Even for those who gripe they weren’t.
Kool video I'm a car nut/mechanic and the older the better I would not buy a new car or anyting newer than 1980 if my life depended on it they are nothing but junk. You take half of the money you would spend on a new car and get an older one and spend the money on that refurbishing it you have a hundred times better of a car. I learned something today with his video that I never knew about Studebaker thank you for that. Cheers
When I was growing up in the 50's and 60's, my Dad always bought Studebakers. He was a master mechanic and raced cars. He raced a '59 Lark, but didn't tell anyone he was also putting nitro in the gas to make it go all that much faster. That's, no doubt, why he won a lot of races in those days. My Mom insisted on having a new Studebaker every year. My wedding announcement was pictured with a white, Studebaker Lark with a sign on the back 'Just Married' in honor of my Dad. I sure miss him. Thank you!! This was a very interesting video and has increased my knowledge of the name Studebaker.
My grandfather was the head welder at studebaker for 48 years. Hi picture was on the cover of life magazine along with his son, my uncle gene. My whole family owned studebakers until they went out of business and moved to canada.
Yes, but not too much. That'll give rise to the disgusting brand of corporatism the late 19th century was infamous for. It's not called "The Gilded Age" for no reason.
My dad bought a 62 lark and it was great! Years later I got my hands on a61 Hawk.Sorry to say that I don’t have it any more. They were ahead of there time
Good to see. I love it when Periscope digs out an old chestnut and posts it. And Perry White as the Patriarch of the family? Priceless. When I saw John Hamilton in the cast list I knew I HAD to watch. Sad that in 10 more, very short, years after this was made Studebaker would be out of options and close the doors. A puff piece, a valentine to one's self as it were, but professionally done and an absolute hoot.
Work took me to South Bend one winter many years ago. I mainly remember how every person from infant to elderly talked ND Football every chance they got. Several of us went to TipaCanoe. It was my understanding if I remember right that this was Studebaker's original home. It was converted to a posh restaurant at the time. I had a very nice Prime Rib and put everyone's tab on my company card. Seems 6 of us ate and drank for a little under a thousand dollars. Never heard a gripe about my expense account from Bendix Brakes and I pushed it to the limit for sure.
Great little film. It would seem that they new that their employees were back bone of company so when the factory burned they pushed on not only for themselves but loyal employees who helped them meet their goals. Companies have lost that value these days and think treating employees with disrespect and threats is the way to go.
@@worldtraveler930 What type of nonsense is that? Apart from the intake manifold, absolutely nothing from the Studebaker 289 V8 can be crossed over from a Cadillac unit. Ditto any other component.
Neighbors had one , most popular car in town for those taking a drivers test , everything was standard shift back then , and one of the driver tests was starting from a stop on a hill and not rolling backwards , Studebaker had a no roll back feature , great idea for standard shifts .
It seems somehow the spirit within Studebaker had been lost in the 1960's. My understanding is that those at the top had lost any desire and enthusiasm, leading to a lack of idea's and failed recognition in what the company was. In the end Studebaker had gone out of business for one of the worst reasons possible, because no one at the top cared anymore. I don't know what really happened to cause that, but the only things I know of that have the power to cause that are alcohol and drugs, affecting too many people that mattered at the top. It wasn't the worker's because Studebaker had a long history in South Bend and a lot of townspeople worked there. It was a great loss to the people of South Bend. Very sad.
It was also the best decision. Studebaker as a carmaker was done no matter what they did. If the Big Three didn't crush them to a pulp, which they almost did in 1953 and 1960, the import wave and increasing federal restrictions of the 1970s would have. Better to let the automotive division die than let the whole Corporation go under. I'm saying this as a Studebaker lover and owner of a '62 GT Hawk as well. That's just the blunt, unfortunate truth of it all.
@jakekaywell5972 Both Studebaker and Packard would've been better under Ford's leadership and could've made that independent car company into a performance division under Ford Motor company.
Loved the Golden Hawk. When I was in High School, one of the Seniors had a Golden Hawk, it was 1960 so even though it was a couple years old, we could hear him get scratch in every gear after he left the school parking lot. Sure turned a lot of heads.
Jay Livingstone, the songwriter (QUE SERA SERA, BONANZA THEME and many more) owned a Golden Hawk and donated it to the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. While the museum was closed & undergoing renovations The Hawk was taken to various middle schools in the LA area. I can testify that kids and adults alike oohed and aahed over the streamline beauty. Many of the teachers we encountered hadn't been born when that baby was new so it was pretty much a surprise to everyone it encountered
My first car was a 1949 Studebaker Champion and my best money making truck was also a Studebaker. During WWII the soviet army moved on the backs of Studebaker trucks. One problem that Studebaker had was that they were so ahead in design that the public couldn't understand them.
I remember around 1960 my brother had an old Studebaker that sit in our driveway. I was around 7 year's old, and would sit in it and pretend to drive it. I would push the starter button on the floor making the engine turn over, until the battery ran down. I don't think my brother thought it was funny at the time, lol.
Here's the issue: Tens of thousands of films similar to this one have been lost forever -- destroyed -- and many others are at risk. Our company preserves these precious bits of history one film at a time. How do we afford to do that? By selling them as stock footage to documentary filmmakers and broadcasters. If we did not have a counter, we could not afford to post films like these online, and no films would be preserved. It's that simple. So we ask you to bear with the watermark and timecodes. In the past we tried many different systems including placing our timer at the bottom corner of our videos. What happened? Unscrupulous RUclips users downloaded our vids, blew them up so the timer was not visible, and re-posted them as their own content! We had to use content control to have the videos removed and shut down these channels. It's hard enough work preserving these films and posting them, without having to spend precious time dealing with policing thievery -- and not what we devoted ourselves to do. Love our channel and want to support what we do? You can help us save and post more orphaned films! Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/PeriscopeFilm Even a really tiny contribution can make a difference.
As a boy, my father bought, and drove a few Studebakers, from the Champion, to the Lark, even the bullet nose as it was called. They were great cars. It was sad the day they closed shop.
Wish Both Studebaker and Packard merged together with Hudson and Nash along with Kaiser and Jeep to create AMC in 1954 so that they can still be around to this day.
02:57 Oh look! It's Perrry White (John Hamiton) from the Superman TV series! I kept waiting for him to cry out "Great Caesar's ghost!" and "Don't call me Chief!"
27:02 My goodness Man! You see them delicious lines on that red beauty! Can’t you see the Ford ‘Thunderbird’ sideview? That’s just nailed on body, not the big clunky body we associate with the cars of the period. Can you imagine that line in a hatchback and you have a 1963-1/2 Corvette split window! Ahead of its day. I’m just smitten! 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
The Studebaker Avanti was the car that didn’t want to die, made from 1962-2006 if it’s not in production again, who knows? Only for a few years by the Studebaker corporation but then by others but still!
First vehicle I ever drove was a 1950 stude truck. 3 on the tree and the starter was under the clutch. And the 52/53 Lowey coup in my opinion was the best looking
I have a 1947 M16-28 2 ton flat bed that my Great uncle bought new from the Chrysler/ Studebaker dealer that was in our town, it has,12,800 original miles on it, my cousin, who's dad bought it can confirm this. When my cousin gave it to me it had 10,276 miles on it, hadn't been run in years and had a cracked block so I had that stitched and rebuilt it, was painted Ruby Glow Red with Black fenders ,226 Commander engine.
In my young life i used to enjoy truck and tractor pulling. Never forget a truck called the Studly Studebaker!! Popular and usually did well!! Wonder what became of it 🤔🤔🤔
@@billolsen4360 It's actually a '64 body with a '62 front end. A true orphan car! I like the '62 front end better than the '64, and I like the '64 rear end better than the '62. I was lucky to stumble upon this orphan!
What a highly romanticised depiction of a family of four brothers in business, that never argued or squabbled over anything. Such a family never existed!
My great grandfather Clement Studebaker II believed that one was obligated to over deliver on promises. What he and my grandfather gave me was the antiquated notion that we are bound by our word and to help others.
I had a 51 Studebaker (the one in my profile picture) and more than once I'd have someone pull up next to me at a stop and ask what it was, i would say it's a Studebaker, then they would ask "who made it?"
Growing up in the UK, I hardly ever saw a Studebaker except in books. One day, I noticed that a fairly common English car, the Sunbeam Rapier, looked just like a scaled-down version of the Golden Hawk. Over the years, I puzzled about this resemblance and how it had come about - industrial espionage? Pure coincidence? But last week I happened to see a video about Sunbeam cars, and it revealed that Raymond Loewy had designed both the Golden Hawk and the Rapier! Mystery solved, and the video even pointed out the similarity.
I found that out some years ago, I always referred to the 'pre-Arrow body' Rapiers as 'mini Studebakers', British kids of the fifties knew what a Studebaker Golden Hawk looked like as the Welsh toy company Corgi produced a fine die-cast model of one with windows AND suspension!
I'm surprised they did mention Erskin once! He lead Studebaker through the 1920's which was the companies best period as an automaker. Then he bet the company that the depression would end quickly and committed suicide after he had driven it into bankruptcy. A bunch of Wall Street investment bankers had control after that and they took the company into to the lower priced part of the market and decided, finally there was no money to be made in cars for a company the size of Studebaker.
My Dad shipped aboard the Isthmian Lines U.S.S. Steel Inventor, a United States Steel ore ship, that carried a load of Erskine automobiles to Rio de Janeiro in 1928. He is interred in the Erskine quadrant near the Erskine mausoleum in Maple Hill cemetery, Huntsville, Alabama.
Funny how they were an early and innovative automobile manufacturer, the only one to successfully transition from horse drawn wagons to gasoline powered (and electric) transport, yet were out of the business by 64' or 65'. Studebaker's were built tough, to be thrifty and to last. The Soviets received quite a few during Lend-Lease. Studebaker in Russian slang means "indestructible" or so I've read.
No, it does not mean anything in Russian. We do remember the lend-lease help of our American brothers, but unlike you, we wave hand to our past more easily and readily.
And Emert Studebaker of Process Equipment Company, an extended family member, helped found ABANA, the national blacksmithing association. His legacy carries on with the yearly conference held in Troy, Ohio. The Quadstate Roundup is held each year on the 4th weekend in September. Southern Ohio Forge and Anvil (SOFA) blacksmithing club puts on the conference which draws upwards of 1000 smiths to its festivities annually. SOFA is possibly the largest local blacksmithing club in the world, passing on the knowledge and art to the next generations. The Studebaker legacy lives on.
He also had a private museum next to his machine shop. We used to ride our bicycles over to visit on occasion and he showed me how to do a little blacksmithing on occasion.
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I never get tired of hearing the story of Studebaker. Being a descendant of Peter Studebaker, it makes me proud.
You should join the people in Colorado who are trying to revive the brand.
He's my ancestor too. Amazing story.
I live in south bend if you ever are close the Studebaker museum is great place to visit not only for Studebakers but alot of other automotive history
As a descendant. I can proudly state that. Deliver. More. Than. You. Promise. Is a good motto to live by.
I was driving from Richmond VA back home to Denver years back, was on I-64 and thought, "since I'm in southern Indiana, South Bend should be near & I can see the Studebaker museum." Then I looked on the map, lol. Will be back some day!
In 1976, My girlfriend and I drove her 1930 Model A Ford from San Francisco to Williamsburg Virginia and back. At home, I had a 1938 Studebaker State Commander. So on the way back west, we stopped in South Bend to visit the Avanti plant, where they were making the cars one at a time. Newman and Altman were the largest Studebaker dealers in the US and they bought the rights to the Avanti. They also continued to supply parts for Studebakers in their old showroom. For me, it was like going to a department store exclusively for Studebaker parts - what a mecca. Sadly, my 1938 Studebaker went to a new home years later, but I still have many fond memories of those cars and trucks.
@@marksmith4235 Wow!!!
@@mafcawebmaster4237 I have been fortunate to beable to restore a 57 GoldenHawk a 48 M-5 half ton pick up a Gold Avanti and a 50 Bullet nose.I used to tell people I have Studebakeritas.Haha
Dad was a Studebaker nut! Our beloved 1933 President 8 faithfully sped us all around New Zealand for almost 50 years.
Now another Family cherish it just as much! Avanti & Hawk V8's were great too, All our Stude's were a great pleasure to drive.
Thank you from Russia, my grandfather drove a Studebaker during the war, a very nice car!
I found å familymember working at studebaker about 1917...later he started his own garage in Town. Ernest Melander garage....He was born herr in Sweden...Have a Photo of that garage sent to me...The garage is still exist..So interesting car. Studebaker.. digferent than oter american cars...You have so interesting motor and racing history in the USA....thank You.. Bo Karlsson. Sweden...
"There is a future more challenging than the past"
Prophetic. RIP Studebaker.
My brother had a '53 Commander Starliner (I think) and to me it is one of the most compelling designs I've ever seen. I liked the early Corvettes and T-birds but to my eye this reigns supreme. Just love the shape and proportions.
A very nice bit of history. These days I don't think that there are many youngsters who would even know what a Studebaker is.
why frighten the kids?
Born and raised 1 mile away from the Studebaker factory.. watched it transitioned into Avanti’s automotive.. I don’t live there anymore.. but I have some great memories..☘️
Wonderful film about great ingenuity and craftsmanship learned and implemented working together in the family sense toward the American dream and entrepreneurial spirit
Agreed, it's about a family of decent hardworking people. It's sad Studebaker car company is no more.
My mother had a Studebaker. She loved it. She is now 92 and still speaks fondly of the Studebaker.
Great actual footage of the history of the Studebaker the Studebakeris one of the classic cars of the past i liked the way they looked and now they became classic automobiles
Nicely preserved color. Not washed out and purple-tinted like so many of these old films. Must have been decently stored before you got it. Thanks.
The presentation was filmed in Technicolor, which happens to hold up it's quality unlike Eastman color, which discolor and fades though time.
@@anthonyhodnett9085 Anscocolor also sucked
My Dad drove a 1950 Studebaker when I was only 8 years old. He said that that car was way ahead of its time. It had more power than his old Chevy, and the wheels leaned into the corners when it turned a corner like no other car he ever owned. It looked like it was coming and going at the same time with its bullet nose and tail. He really loved that car.
1958, I was 7 yrs old. My mom , grandma and young uncle.early 20's. Drove in Studebaker from Phoenix to boston, no be an downs just a tire change. Mom had that Gray colored Studebaker few years after. Mind you it was used one in a dealer lot. Great memories. Miss those sweet days and family.
Dad loved Studebakers'. We had four during my teenage years.
I learned to drive on a 53 Commander V8 stick shift. Never forgot that car. He even let me cool it up. 3" lowering blocks, spun aluminum Bonneville moon hubcaps, glasspac duel exhaust. I only had my learners permit at the time, but boy that was fun.
Last one I remember was a 57 Golden Hawk with the Packard V/8 that he bought for 'Mom'.
Just in time for me to be the head of the "crew." I still consider to be it the first muscle car. Aluminum engine turned dash with Stewart Warner gauges, Golden cream two-tone paint, it was one cool ride.👍
At 72, I’m A little younger than you. However, I remember those old Studebaker’s.
I restored a 57 GoldenHawk Supercharged Mcolly 289 Tripple black white fins white interior and wire wheels.
Studebaker was so important to So.Bend, In. It never really did totally recover when they moved to Canada.
Growing up in South Bend I remember the day they shut down. It was horrible. My parents had friends that had worked there many years and they and many families were very scared. I don’t think South Bend ever totally recovered. If it wasn’t for Notre Dame it would be a forgotten city.
I know how you feel. I’m from Hamilton Ontario .I remember when they closed there doors. It was sad to see.
The Studebaker story is of a time when people were struggling to make a better product for the betterment of society. When great corporations started as a small shop in a little town with just a dream as fuel. The slogan of giving more than you promised is so sadly missing nowadays when corporations want maximum profit to pacify greedy investors. This film documents a bygone era that is unlikely to ever return.
While totally correct, removing Corporations dominance is merely returning to personal, family businesses. Support your local business whenever possible. A return to old values is simple as that.
Well maybe we can bring back work like we had a year ago I had the most enjoyable working time in the USA since I moved here in 1978 and my best years since 1978 .
Excellent Documentry!
I loved watching this 50s era marketing short movie, great stuff! Good historic perspective, too. Studebakers building great wagons, probably yes! Beating Henry Ford, surely not. Terrific history. A very noble effort.
People like the Studebakers made America great. The problem is we ran out of Studebakers and their brand of integrity. Sad.
I learned to drive on my brothers' 1957 Studebaker pickup . We both wish his still had that truck .
My Father was a Pontiac man. But my Mothers favorite car was the Studebaker Lark. Over the years she drove three of them.
Also, I recently saw a Studebaker pickup. Never knew they made them.
They made big trucks too! Well big for the time. 5 ton capacity, dual rear wheels. Competed against Ford and GMC, I think they may have gotten in on the early semi road tractors too but not 100% sure on that.
To me Ford could've bought Studebaker and turn it into a performance division to compete with Pontiac.
One of my earliest memories of a car dealership was Studebaker, IIRC it was in the far north end of what is now Shoreline, Washington. A friend of the family bought a 1966 Lark, license plate AYA 814. On another note, a number of years back a neighbor of mine needed the clutch adjusted in his 1961 Lark which I did for him; that vehicle was built SOLID.
My Grandfather had a Studebaker Lark during the 1960's in Emerald Green I believe was the color. I was always proud of his choices. He had a 1956 Packard Clipper prior to his Studebaker Lark. My father also has a 1956 Packard Clipper-those were fantastic automobiles too! Our neighbor had a Red Studebaker too! - Peter age 71
The South Shore Electric trolley line went from south bend to chicago.
@@heaven-is-real I lived in South Bend in the 50's. The South Shore came right into town along residential streets. I took it into Chicago a number of times. It was fun!
@@bobdillaber1195 I got to ride in it just once, but I agree with you.
The only American car I've consistently wished I had an opportunity to own. From their fleet leaders of the '30s to the Avanti, with special mention of the '57 supercharged 4 speed Golden Hawk!
I loved to just go out and sit in my '57 Golden Hawk The only changes I made to it were: I put two of the back seat bottoms in the front with a custom console between them. Then I replaced the vacuum gauge with a direct reading pressure gauge so I could monitor Blower pressure.
My Uncle had a Studebaker pickup when I was a little kid. Everyone loved it. I remember it had a big hole in the passenger floor and I was excited because I could see the road go by! I think it was a 1954.
I think the favorite car brand of my grandparents on my father side was Studebaker. They had several of them, going back to when my dad was a kid. Two of them were given to my parents shortly after they got married. My parents got rid of the last one in 1967. I really enjoyed this movie.
Growing up, my Dad was the owner of a car auction. Between the age of 14 and 18 I had owned 54 different cars. The one that always eluded me though was the 53 Champion. I still love that car. I was really sad when Studebaker folded.
I remember seeing this movie in the auditorium of out grade school. It was presented by our local Studebaker dealer, who later became a personal friend, Bob McLanahan.
Thanks for your memory, Chuck. As I watched this I became interested in how they would distribute this film. Being so commercial, it is not a theatrical film, and it is way before even VHS or the internet. So it had to be distributed for live watching my a sizable number of people. Based on today's standards, I'm not so sure a corporate marketing film could be shown in a public school unless it had significant science information.
Bob McClanahan why does that name sound so familiar 🤔
@@kevinbodman1011 Where do you live?
@@chuckberlemann3400 California
I do not remember seeing this film while in grade school. But I do remember seeing one about a turtle who sees a bright flash and does the "Duck and Cover." After my sister and I watched the film, I did a very naughty thing. Late one night, I took a flashlight to her bedroom and shined it on her eyes, and yelled, "Duck and Cover."
It was true what they said about Studebakers, that you'd see them on the road years after everything else their age was in the boneyard. They were the Toyotas of their day. It's a company that should have never gone out of business.
Took my '61 Lark 8 convertible out for a cruise in last weekend!
The world sure looks better from the inside of a convertible, better yet if you're behind the wheel of a classic.
I love it..
I have grown up always hearing stories about my Dad's first car, the Lark. I wish I could afford to buy him one and put a bow on and leave it in my parents driveway. They would cry I'm sure as it is the car they went on their first date in and they are now married 54 years. It is awesome how our first cool cars hold such fond memories. Enjoy that 61!
Ironic and sad that a year after this film they were in dire financial trouble, merged with Pakard a year later and within 10 years of this film Studebaker closed it's plant in South Bend, and by 1967 was finished as an automobile maker.
After the merger with Packard, Studebaker's books were audited and it was learned that in order to just break even Studebaker would have needed to sell over 225,000 units (which they were never close to doing). Packard had shackled themselves to a walking corpse and that, along with their own poor financial position doomed both businesses.
Poor business practices = building too good of a product for the amount of money charged.
@@gregorytimmons4777 -how cynical of you.....
Blame everyone who bought Japanese cars. 🤓
@@luisreyes1963 Won't Let ANYONE park A japanese or korean made automobile in my driveway!
Childhood memory - returning from motor racing at Warwick Farm (NSW Australia)
My mother was driving our Standard 10
Passed by Grand Turismo, towing an Avanti race car..
I truly believe those were the better times.
Not if you were black. But for us white guys in the suburbs life was great!
I concur!
Care to bet that within a month, someone accuses you of racism for that “Eurocentric” comment? So yes, I concur. Those were better times. Even for those who gripe they weren’t.
@@martyzielinski1442 I'll take that bet and raise with "I'll stand my ground"
@@martyzielinski1442 As a Euro American, I concur.
10 years ahead of its time. That is one beautiful car.
Kool video I'm a car nut/mechanic and the older the better I would not buy a new car or anyting newer than 1980 if my life depended on it they are nothing but junk. You take half of the money you would spend on a new car and get an older one and spend the money on that refurbishing it you have a hundred times better of a car. I learned something today with his video that I never knew about Studebaker thank you for that. Cheers
When I was growing up in the 50's and 60's, my Dad always bought Studebakers. He was a master mechanic and raced cars. He raced a '59 Lark, but didn't tell anyone he was also putting nitro in the gas to make it go all that much faster. That's, no doubt, why he won a lot of races in those days. My Mom insisted on having a new Studebaker every year. My wedding announcement was pictured with a white, Studebaker Lark with a sign on the back 'Just Married' in honor of my Dad. I sure miss him. Thank you!! This was a very interesting video and has increased my knowledge of the name Studebaker.
I remember my mom's Studebaker overheating on the New Jersey turnpike . It was a cool looking futuristic car .
My grandfather was the head welder at studebaker for 48 years. Hi picture was on the cover of life magazine along with his son, my uncle gene. My whole family owned studebakers until they went out of business and moved to canada.
Back when people celebrated American industrial might and innovation and the men who were responsible for it were considered to be national assets.
We need to get back to that way of thinking
@@kevinbodman1011 When President Donald held The Office, YES! NEVER Now with this cast and crew of socialist ..
Yes, but not too much. That'll give rise to the disgusting brand of corporatism the late 19th century was infamous for. It's not called "The Gilded Age" for no reason.
@@tonyfriend7413 Looks like you got fooled as well.
My dad bought a 62 lark and it was great! Years later I got my hands on a61 Hawk.Sorry to say that I don’t have it any more. They were ahead of there time
I was born in South Bend and took my wife to the museum too.
Love the history!
Learned to drive in a 1962 Studebaker Hawk. My dad loved them. They were neat cars.
I sat there and watch them tear the building down I remember it very clearly as if it was yesterday it made me feel so sad to see it go
Great cars of their time. We had several in the family .
Good to see. I love it when Periscope digs out an old chestnut and posts it. And Perry White as the Patriarch of the family? Priceless. When I saw John Hamilton in the cast list I knew I HAD to watch. Sad that in 10 more, very short, years after this was made Studebaker would be out of options and close the doors. A puff piece, a valentine to one's self as it were, but professionally done and an absolute hoot.
Work took me to South Bend one winter many years ago. I mainly remember how every person from infant to elderly talked ND Football every chance they got. Several of us went to TipaCanoe. It was my understanding if I remember right that this was Studebaker's original home. It was converted to a posh restaurant at the time. I had a very nice Prime Rib and put everyone's tab on my company card. Seems 6 of us ate and drank for a little under a thousand dollars. Never heard a gripe about my expense account from Bendix Brakes and I pushed it to the limit for sure.
I wish that philosophy were used today instead of "give me more".
Great little film. It would seem that they new that their employees were back bone of company so when the factory burned they pushed on not only for themselves but loyal employees who helped them meet their goals. Companies have lost that value these days and think treating employees with disrespect and threats is the way to go.
Mercedes Benz of US. Beautiful and beyond time 👏🏻
I'd agree with that
After world war II my father worked for the Studebaker plant in South bend Indiana I sure do miss him
I learned to. Drive in our 57 President age 16 I’m 77 now would love to have that car again
Interesting side note. The Cadillac and Studebaker engineers were friends.
Maybe that is the reason the Cadillac engine bolts in so easy.
what else is interesting, is that "HENRY FORD" started out at "CADILLACK" as a machinest!!!!
You'll find that Most GM parts are swappable to Studebaker.
@@worldtraveler930 What type of nonsense is that? Apart from the intake manifold, absolutely nothing from the Studebaker 289 V8 can be crossed over from a Cadillac unit. Ditto any other component.
@@jakekaywell5972 Go Troll Somewhere Else!!!
@@worldtraveler930 It's true though. Nothing you can say or do will change that.
Neighbors had one , most popular car in town for those taking a drivers test , everything was standard shift back then , and one of the driver tests was starting from a stop on a hill and not rolling backwards , Studebaker had a no roll back feature , great idea for standard shifts .
Wasn't expecting a docu-drama, but this is pretty interesting
Great story.
When I was small, my Dad drove a 1949 Studebaker Champion.
It seems somehow the spirit within Studebaker had been lost in the 1960's. My understanding is that those at the top had lost any desire and enthusiasm, leading to a lack of idea's and failed recognition in what the company was. In the end Studebaker had gone out of business for one of the worst reasons possible, because no one at the top cared anymore. I don't know what really happened to cause that, but the only things I know of that have the power to cause that are alcohol and drugs, affecting too many people that mattered at the top.
It wasn't the worker's because Studebaker had a long history in South Bend and a lot of townspeople worked there. It was a great loss to the people of South Bend. Very sad.
the death nail to a business comes when the "THIRD GENERATION" runs the company( into the ground)!!!!!
It was also the best decision. Studebaker as a carmaker was done no matter what they did. If the Big Three didn't crush them to a pulp, which they almost did in 1953 and 1960, the import wave and increasing federal restrictions of the 1970s would have. Better to let the automotive division die than let the whole Corporation go under. I'm saying this as a Studebaker lover and owner of a '62 GT Hawk as well. That's just the blunt, unfortunate truth of it all.
@jakekaywell5972 Both Studebaker and Packard would've been better under Ford's leadership and could've made that independent car company into a performance division under Ford Motor company.
Hell yeah! South Bend! Indiana! Just a mile down the road as the crow goes.
I was expecting something totally different initially. But I wasn't disappointed. Nice film.
Loved the Golden Hawk. When I was in High School, one of the Seniors had a Golden Hawk, it was 1960 so even though it was a couple years old, we could hear him get scratch in every gear after he left the school parking lot. Sure turned a lot of heads.
Jay Livingstone, the songwriter (QUE SERA SERA, BONANZA THEME and many more) owned a Golden Hawk and donated it to the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. While the museum was closed & undergoing renovations The Hawk was taken to various middle schools in the LA area. I can testify that kids and adults alike oohed and aahed over the streamline beauty. Many of the teachers we encountered hadn't been born when that baby was new so it was pretty much a surprise to everyone it encountered
@@thomastrout9997 A former business partner had a '58 Packard Hawk. Not as good looking as the Studebaker version, but a real collectible regardless.
My first car was a 1949 Studebaker Champion and my best money making truck was also a Studebaker. During WWII the soviet army moved on the backs of Studebaker trucks. One problem that Studebaker had was that they were so ahead in design that the public couldn't understand them.
I remember around 1960 my brother had an old Studebaker that sit in our driveway. I was around 7 year's old, and would sit in it and pretend to drive it. I would push the starter button on the floor making the engine turn over, until the battery ran down. I don't think my brother thought it was funny at the time, lol.
Periscope should've kept their counter smaller, and in the corner
That's an industry standard for burned-in time code, used on copies for internal production use and not for public viewing.
Here's the issue: Tens of thousands of films similar to this one have been lost forever -- destroyed -- and many others are at risk. Our company preserves these precious bits of history one film at a time. How do we afford to do that? By selling them as stock footage to documentary filmmakers and broadcasters. If we did not have a counter, we could not afford to post films like these online, and no films would be preserved. It's that simple. So we ask you to bear with the watermark and timecodes.
In the past we tried many different systems including placing our timer at the bottom corner of our videos. What happened? Unscrupulous RUclips users downloaded our vids, blew them up so the timer was not visible, and re-posted them as their own content! We had to use content control to have the videos removed and shut down these channels. It's hard enough work preserving these films and posting them, without having to spend precious time dealing with policing thievery -- and not what we devoted ourselves to do.
Love our channel and want to support what we do? You can help us save and post more orphaned films! Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/PeriscopeFilm Even a really tiny contribution can make a difference.
Love Studebaker. Quility
As a boy, my father bought, and drove a few Studebakers, from the Champion, to the Lark, even the bullet nose as it was called. They were great cars. It was sad the day they closed shop.
Wish Both Studebaker and Packard merged together with Hudson and Nash along with Kaiser and Jeep to create AMC in 1954 so that they can still be around to this day.
And 14 years later, they closed their doors for good.
The theme music is from “Death Valley Days”!
Why not? The actors are. And from Superman, Wagon Train and Spin & Marty to name a few, The BG music is 1950s TV too. I
Não resta dúvida nenhuma , uma linda história , de uma grande família e de uma grande empresa , que marcaram uma bela época .
02:57 Oh look! It's Perrry White (John Hamiton) from the Superman TV series! I kept waiting for him to cry out "Great Caesar's ghost!" and "Don't call me Chief!"
Great story!!!
27:02 My goodness Man!
You see them delicious lines on that red beauty! Can’t you see the Ford ‘Thunderbird’ sideview? That’s just nailed on body, not the big clunky body we associate with the cars of the period. Can you imagine that line in a hatchback and you have a 1963-1/2 Corvette split window! Ahead of its day.
I’m just smitten! 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
Stude roof designed very much like a '58 Galaxie or '58 Thunderbird, but looking even better with the single headlight system.
Bill Olsen
Exactly!
The sloping hood between the headlights reminds me of a Porsche 911.
The Studebaker Avanti was the car that didn’t want to die, made from 1962-2006 if it’s not in production again, who knows? Only for a few years by the Studebaker corporation but then by others but still!
First vehicle I ever drove was a 1950 stude truck. 3 on the tree and the starter was under the clutch. And the 52/53 Lowey coup in my opinion was the best looking
I have a 1947 M16-28 2 ton flat bed that my Great uncle bought new from the Chrysler/ Studebaker dealer that was in our town, it has,12,800 original miles on it, my cousin, who's dad bought it can confirm this. When my cousin gave it to me it had 10,276 miles on it, hadn't been run in years and had a cracked block so I had that stitched and rebuilt it, was painted Ruby Glow Red with Black fenders ,226 Commander engine.
I have a friend who has a Studebaker wagon that still has the green paint and the yellow Logo on back, its been stored inside for many years.
My da had an old Studebaker. He loved that thing. It was light & fast for its' time.
I don't think that car ever let him down.
In my young life i used to enjoy truck and tractor pulling. Never forget a truck called the Studly Studebaker!! Popular and usually did well!! Wonder what became of it 🤔🤔🤔
I learned how to drive on a 1959 Studebaker Lark, flat 6.
My dream car is a 64 Hawk GT. Would always wanted a "Dictator" too ;-)
Well, at least we got a dictator.
I have one and it is really special!
@@kristenstudebaker814 Cool!!
@@billolsen4360 It's actually a '64 body with a '62 front end. A true orphan car! I like the '62 front end better than the '64, and I like the '64 rear end better than the '62. I was lucky to stumble upon this orphan!
What a highly romanticised depiction of a family of four brothers in business, that never argued or squabbled over anything.
Such a family never existed!
I always loves Studebakers. My 1st car was 1953 4 door small v8 ,three speed with o.d. the was a good car and it really spun donut.
Bring Studebaker back
Chip in that $100 billion that you have just lying around.
What a shame that Studebaker is no more. The Silver and Golden Hawks were far ahead of their time. Not to mention the Avanti.
My great grandfather Clement Studebaker II believed that one was obligated to over deliver on promises. What he and my grandfather gave me was the antiquated notion that we are bound by our word and to help others.
I had a 51 Studebaker (the one in my profile picture) and more than once I'd have someone pull up next to me at a stop and ask what it was, i would say it's a Studebaker, then they would ask "who made it?"
Growing up in the UK, I hardly ever saw a Studebaker except in books. One day, I noticed that a fairly common English car, the Sunbeam Rapier, looked just like a scaled-down version of the Golden Hawk. Over the years, I puzzled about this resemblance and how it had come about - industrial espionage? Pure coincidence? But last week I happened to see a video about Sunbeam cars, and it revealed that Raymond Loewy had designed both the Golden Hawk and the Rapier! Mystery solved, and the video even pointed out the similarity.
I found that out some years ago, I always referred to the 'pre-Arrow body' Rapiers as 'mini Studebakers', British kids of the fifties knew what a Studebaker Golden Hawk looked like as the Welsh toy company Corgi produced a fine die-cast model of one with windows AND suspension!
In the early 1950s, my dad owned a '48 Studebaker Land Cruiser. It was a heavy and well riding car.
beautiful
BEHOLD ! The LEGENDARY Studebaker HAWK !
Nice
What a sad situation that this company was allowed to die.
I'm surprised they did mention Erskin once! He lead Studebaker through the 1920's which was the companies best period as an automaker. Then he bet the company that the depression would end quickly and committed suicide after he had driven it into bankruptcy. A bunch of Wall Street investment bankers had control after that and they took the company into to the lower priced part of the market and decided, finally there was no money to be made in cars for a company the size of Studebaker.
My Dad shipped aboard the Isthmian Lines U.S.S. Steel Inventor, a United States Steel ore ship, that carried a load of Erskine automobiles to Rio de Janeiro in 1928.
He is interred in the Erskine quadrant near the Erskine mausoleum in Maple Hill cemetery, Huntsville, Alabama.
@@algrayson8965 Great story..
Hangtown: Placerville, California. They didn't just build wheelbarrows there, they built wagons too.
The name "Hangtown" always gave me the impression that they didn't tolerate too much in the way of law breaking up there.
Funny how they were an early and innovative automobile manufacturer, the only one to successfully transition from horse drawn wagons to gasoline powered (and electric) transport, yet were out of the business by 64' or 65'.
Studebaker's were built tough, to be thrifty and to last. The Soviets received quite a few during Lend-Lease. Studebaker in Russian slang means "indestructible" or so I've read.
No, it does not mean anything in Russian. We do remember the lend-lease help of our American brothers, but unlike you, we wave hand to our past more easily and readily.
@@cokeforever By gosh, your right. It (Studer) means truck, or did.
Studebaker also sponsered the TV show Mr. ED. Wilber always drove a Lark.
Lassie.......a Stude pickup.
And Emert Studebaker of Process Equipment Company, an extended family member, helped found ABANA, the national blacksmithing association. His legacy carries on with the yearly conference held in Troy, Ohio. The Quadstate Roundup is held each year on the 4th weekend in September. Southern Ohio Forge and Anvil (SOFA) blacksmithing club puts on the conference which draws upwards of 1000 smiths to its festivities annually. SOFA is possibly the largest local blacksmithing club in the world, passing on the knowledge and art to the next generations. The Studebaker legacy lives on.
He also had a private museum next to his machine shop. We used to ride our bicycles over to visit on occasion and he showed me how to do a little blacksmithing on occasion.
Also his name was Evert Studebaker and he told me he was his brother. As they do hold a annual Studebaker reunion in Tipp City , Ohio every year.
Wow... Studebaker must have spent a fortune on this. Shot in Technicolor... very expensive. Certainly has high production values.
They should've became a pick up/truck/heavy hauling auto car company. If that happened they would still probably be with us in some form
They did, my friend has a Studebaker flatbed truck
Don f Your friend has a 2021 Studebaker pick up?
@@K-Effect They made trucks, including heavy ones. It still didn't make a difference as to the final outcome.
Or better yet, they should've become a performance division under Ford Motor Company.
Guinness says oldest Studebaker still in use today is the Budweiser carriage pulled by the Clydesdales.