30 Facts About Studebaker

1.

Studebaker was an American wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana, with a building at 1600 Broadway, Times Square, Midtown Manhattan, New York City.

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2.

Studebaker entered the automotive business in 1902 with electric vehicles and in 1904 with gasoline vehicles, all sold under the name "Studebaker Automobile Company".

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3.

Studebaker continued as an independent manufacturer before merging with Wagner Electric in May 1967 and then Worthington Corporation in November 1967 to form Studebaker-Worthington.

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4.

John Clement Studebaker was born February 8, 1799, Westmorland, PA, and died in 1877 in South Bend, St Joseph, IN.

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5.

In 1740 Peter Studebaker built his home on a property known as “Bakers Lookout”.

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6.

In 1747 Peter Studebaker built a road through his owned properties known as Broadfording Wagon Road.

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7.

John M Studebaker had always viewed the automobile as complementary to the horse-drawn wagon, pointing out that the expense of maintaining a car might be beyond the resources of a small farmer.

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8.

In 1918, when Erskine's history of the firm was published, the annual capacity of the seven Studebaker plants was 100, 000 automobiles, 75, 000 horse-drawn vehicles, and about $10, 000, 000 worth of automobile and vehicle spare parts.

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9.

In 1895, John M Studebaker's son-in-law Fred Fish urged for development of 'a practical horseless carriage'.

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10.

Studebaker began making gasoline-engined cars in partnership with Garford in 1904.

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11.

Studebaker was the first of a trio of brilliant technicians, with Owen R Skelton and Carl Breer, who launched the successful 1918 models, and were known as "The Three Musketeers".

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12.

In 1926, Studebaker became the first automobile manufacturer in the United States to open a controlled outdoor proving ground on which, in 1937, would be planted 5, 000 pine trees in a pattern that spelled "STUDEBAKER" when viewed from the air.

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13.

Studebaker ranked 28th among United States corporations in the value of wartime production contracts.

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14.

Studebaker prepared well in advance for the anticipated postwar market and launched the slogan "First by far with a post-war car".

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15.

Three-year management contract was made by CEO Nance with aircraft maker Curtiss-Wright in 1956 with the aim of improving finances due to Studebaker's experience building aircraft engines during the war and military grade trucks.

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16.

Under C-W's guidance, Studebaker-Packard sold the old Detroit Packard plant and returned the then-new Packard plant on Conner Avenue to its lessor, Chrysler.

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17.

Studebaker became the American importer for Mercedes-Benz, Auto Union, and DKW automobiles and many Studebaker dealers sold those brands, as well.

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18.

C-W gained the use of idle car plants and tax relief on their aircraft profits while Studebaker-Packard received further working capital to continue car production.

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19.

Closure of the South Bend plant hit the community particularly hard, since Studebaker was the largest employer in St Joseph County, Indiana.

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20.

Limited automotive production was consolidated at the company's last remaining production facility in Hamilton, Ontario, which had always been profitable and where Studebaker produced cars until March 1966 under the leadership of Gordon Grundy.

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21.

The 1965 and 1966 Studebaker cars used "McKinnon" engines sourced from General Motors Canada Limited, which were based on Chevrolet's 230-cubic-inch six-cylinder and 283 cubic-inch V8 engines when Studebaker-built engines were no longer available.

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22.

In late 1952 Studebaker produced one 1953 Commander convertible as an engineering study to determine if the model could be profitably mass-produced.

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23.

In November 1967, Studebaker was merged with the Worthington Corporation to form Studebaker-Worthington.

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24.

In 1967 when the Studebaker brand was closed, the factories in South Bend were bought by Kaiser-Jeep who started producing various models there such as the Jeep Wagoneer and the Jeep CJ.

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25.

Wagons pulled by the Budweiser Clydesdales are Studebaker wagons modified to carry beer, originally manufactured circa 1900.

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26.

Studebaker built 63, 789 engines at the plant and each had nearly 8, 000 finished parts.

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27.

Under the terms of the agreement, E-M-F would manufacture vehicles and Studebaker would distribute them exclusively through its wagon dealers.

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28.

Studebaker was located in the former Otis-Fenson military weapons factory off Burlington Street on Victoria Avenue North, which was built in 1941.

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29.

Studebaker briefly manufactured cars in Windsor, Ontario, from 1912 to 1936.

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30.

Studebaker had a long history of selling products in Australia, starting in the 1880s when horse-drawn wagons and carts were imported from the South Bend, Indiana factory, and as the company transitioned to automobiles, they were brought in.

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