Studebaker Museum Trip | The Vault Classic Cars

Studebaker Museum Trip

So Last year we went to the big ACD Festival at Auburn. But on the way there is South Bend, Indiana, home of the Studebaker Factory and Museum!

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To get to South Bend from Chicago you have to take the Chicago Skyway – a mid-century masterpiece of tollway design. And, over 50 years after being completed, they’re STILL collecting the tolls!

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And stop by the VICTORY BAR a couple blocks south of the Studebaker factory – which, sadly , is no longer victorious. But just imagine this cool stainless steel and glass place in 1947 or so, full of thirsty Studebaker workers just off their shift ( or just heading to work?) full of confidence they would be building Studebakers for another hundred years.

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And part of the factory itself. Designed by Albert Kahn, the same guy who designed the Packard factory. And then the 2 companies eventually merged. Co-incidence? or Conspiracy? YOU make the call!

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The Studebaker Museum itself is in a nice new building. Check out the sign!

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If it had wheels Ab Jenkins would race it!

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This was the “Show” wagon for the Columbian Exposition in 1893. Made of beautiful inlaid wood and decorated with Nickle plating, gold and brass. Takes the agriculture right out of the wagon doesn’t it!

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The absolute last Hurrah for Packard – the Predictor show car. Pretty spectacular even today.

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Some Great Avanti stuff here.

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170 MPH. that’s movin’ !

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A more recent Bonneville Contender. Note the 200.426 MPH on the fender!

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All this horsepower and they’re still running heater hoses!

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They say it better than I can.

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What’s the Airflow doing in the Studebaker Museum? Well it’s actually a Bendix, also made in South Bend.

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Different. But that’s what makes it South Bend – they’re daring to be different!

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Big Studebaker President – a very impressive car.

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Studebaker made these “Weasel” tracked vehicles during WWII.

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So one day back in 1961 or so, the car designer’s wife got him an electric razor for his birthday – and the rest is history!

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If your folks had a sliding roof Studebaker wagon – like mine did – then a close look at this car reveals it’s a styling prototype – same concept, but a bit more modern looking lines.

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Ok – some more detail of the “Skyview” wagon.

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Great looking concept, too bad it didn’t make it.

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Now THAT’s really unusual – a Porsche engine in a Studebaker.

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