1973 Super Beetle

Baha (Shawn) · March 12, 2009, 10:45:04 PM

Quote from: jthw8 on March 12, 2009, 10:14:35 PM
sadly none are VW

Oh really... What about the beetle in the photo? .##

njgt-1 · March 13, 2009, 06:13:19 AM

Jim,

Nice Studebaker! don't know how you find em!

Love em as much as VWs! (love

Looks like your ADD hasn't gotten better yet!

jthw8 · March 13, 2009, 08:24:15 AM

Quote from: Bahaha on March 12, 2009, 10:45:04 PM
Oh really... What about the beetle in the photo? .##

I figured someone might catch that little 1971 Convertible in the corner of the photo ;) Sadly its not mine, but its starting to feel like it.

It came here back in october so I could help a friend put a motor in it. Motor went in but the fuel pump was bad so he left it and had a pump sent to me. Put the pump in and it runs but then he couldnt make it back out until the end of January to get it. Went to drive it home then, got about 4 miles and ran it out of gas and now it wont stay running when he restarts it (probably sucked some junk into the filter) so it got towed back here and Im waiting for him to have a free weekend to come work on it again.

bugs2much · March 13, 2009, 12:03:28 PM

Quote from: njgt-1 on March 13, 2009, 06:13:19 AM

Love em as much as VWs! (love

Bob, are you like me, love a lot of cars and like something about the rest?

njgt-1 · March 13, 2009, 02:39:48 PM

QuoteBob, are you like me, love a lot of cars and like something about the rest?

Jim,

you got it! I look at different cars and realize they are a reflection of the time they were built. That Studebaker is a good example, look at when it was designed, after WWII. People were so used to cars being defined by the shape,fender were ovious and the bodies boxy. That Stude came along changed it all just by including the fenders into the body lines. Same thing for our Beetles, remember the VW was built to be a "cheap economy car" that everybody could afford. Just happened that the VW was built so well and efficiently that it created its own market and identy. Everybody would eventually reconize the beetle by its shape and the fact that it was a tough little car.

Now if you want to see "Pure Sex appeal" take a look at a 53 Studebaker Commander or an Avanti, thats two cars that still look "right" today!

here ya go.... 1953 !

Heres another... 1963

6T5 square · March 13, 2009, 08:54:40 PM

seriously Bob, i never knew why people liked the look of the Avanti- and I'm not trying to be a wise guy, but I think it is a butt ugly car.

jthw8 · March 13, 2009, 09:25:31 PM

Quote from: 6T5 square on March 13, 2009, 08:54:40 PM
seriously Bob, i never knew why people liked the look of the Avanti- and I'm not trying to be a wise guy, but I think it is a butt ugly car.

Think about that car in the context of the 60s and it was so far ahead of anything out there. The style, while controversial has survived for almost 40 years. I'll admit, its not my favorite Studebaker product but I respect it for being as cutting edge as it was. It would have saved Studebaker if they had not be sabotaged by GM.*

* cliffs notes - The fiberglass bodies for the Avanti were produced by the same company that made fiberglass bodies for....you guessed it...corvettes. GM reminded this supplier who signed the bigger checks and helped them find a way to do something about it. Their contracts with Studebaker were pretty airtight as far as the quantity they had to provide, but not the quality so the supplier was convinced to provide bodies that needed hours of custom fitting to make them work. The delay in the builds and delivery sunk the Avanti and Studebaker.

njgt-1 · March 13, 2009, 09:41:01 PM

Quoteseriously Bob, i never knew why people liked the look of the Avanti- and I'm not trying to be a wise guy, but I think it is a butt ugly car.

looks like we'll have to "agree to disagree" I think it was one of the most cutting edge designs. the car was completely different than anything on the road and the design was timeless and looks good today. You guys know that the car was built for many years later in Canada and still looks "right' on the road.

Quotecliffs notes - The fiberglass bodies for the Avanti were produced by the same company that made fiberglass bodies for....you guessed it...corvettes. GM reminded this supplier who signed the bigger checks and helped them find a way to do something about it. Their contracts with Studebaker were pretty airtight as far as the quantity they had to provide, but not the quality so the supplier was convinced to provide bodies that needed hours of custom fitting to make them work. The delay in the builds and delivery sunk the Avanti and Studebaker.

Read this story a couple of times, dirty dealing on GMs part but then they were pros at it, remember the Tucker? and how about scrapping the rail system in So California in favor of diesel busses?

Makes you wonder if Studebaker had survived what kind of cars would we be looking at today?

jthw8 · March 13, 2009, 09:53:51 PM

Quote from: njgt-1 on March 13, 2009, 09:41:01 PM
looks like we'll have to "agree to disagree" I think it was one of the most cutting edge designs. the car was completely different than anything on the road and the design was timeless and looks good today. You guys know that the car was built for many years later in Canada and still looks "right' on the road.

Read this story a couple of times, dirty dealing on GMs part but then they were pros at it, remember the Tucker? and how about scrapping the rail system in So California in favor of diesel busses?

Makes you wonder if Studebaker had survived what kind of cars would we be looking at today?

Another interesting cliffs note....ever notice how much a 50 Stude looks like a 48 tucker? So much so that the "Tucker" that got rolled during testing in the move was actually a 50 Stude with some enhancements.

Sadly if they had survived we would still be seeing the same jellybeans we see everywhere. Automotive design is lacking and an independent probably wouldn't have changed that. And the closest to something bearing the studebaker name in recent times was a concept SUV put out by the owners of Avanti, it was a hideous beast. I think automakers have just lost their sense of imagination.

matt · March 13, 2009, 10:12:49 PM

Jim

WoW! That is a nice Stude..... thought if I was going to get another old car it would be a Model A ...but it would be hard to decide..

what you have is a beauty & very cool!

matt

jthw8 · March 13, 2009, 10:36:59 PM

Quote from: matt on March 13, 2009, 10:12:49 PM
WoW! That is a nice Stude..... thought if I was going to get another old car it would be a Model A ...but it would be hard to decide..

what you have is a beauty & very cool!

There is a house not too far from here that has a tiny shed/barn that I see the backend of a Model A sticking out of every time I pass and another under a tarp next to it....I fight the urge to stop and make offers. A's are just cool little cars. I have a boatload of restoration books for them because my dad always wanted one so he had all the books in case he found one.

So I guess Im sayin I have no dispute ;) But the local Stude club is very active and getting even more active soon (Jack if you are still reading we would like to join Clayton Day lets talk) and there is definitely something special about being part of an active club (SJVWC showed me that)

bugs2much · March 14, 2009, 02:14:42 PM

You just can't beat the Studebaker style. Years ahead of it's time and still retained the compound curves we all love, in a class all by itself. I remember the first one I saw, brand new on the street in my hometown. Thought it was an airplane without wings.

bugs2much · March 14, 2009, 02:17:33 PM

ps Are we 99off Does anybody care???

njgt-1 · March 14, 2009, 03:05:00 PM

Quoteps Are we sign6 Does anybody care???

itstrue not/sure gudpoint Na!

jthw8 · March 14, 2009, 03:42:26 PM

Id say if the car in the original post was still for sale then we've done an injustice, but since its already sold at least we've had a good conversation ;)