During my recent adventures-in-dog-sitting weekend, I stumbled across one of the most interesting graveyards I’ve ever seen: A repair shop dedicated to Studebakers–an array of disheveled, decaying birds from Indiana, and in Hayward, California, of all places.
The majority of the castrated crop were Hawks of every vintage, most of which seemed to be just a thrown rod or only slightly more extraordinary reason away from being roadworthy. That I had two Dachshunds in tow, neither of which could care less about this crop of curiosities, hindered me from spending more time with these faded stars.
This 1964 Daytona was there too. One interesting thing, at least in the Bay Area, is that of all the cult compacts, Larks are the lowest on the totem pole in terms of desirability and value (not surprisingly, Falcons are at the top). I’ve seen many a nice, passable Lark-derived vehicle listed on my area’s Craigslist for months at a time. Once an orphan, always an orphan? When viewed in that context, it’s easy to see why this particular and seemingly clean example sits in this vehicular orphanage.
I felt a strong pull to go find a piece of paper and get some answers to the many whens, wheres and whys I had about the car. My best hope is that this is a Studebaker resto-repair place specializing in bringing these prides of South Bend back to life, much as Mel’s ‘Vair Mart, in San Jose, brings into the present a bit of the Bay Area’s eccentric taste in vehicles past.
Could it all have been a mirage? Hopefully I can return soon on a weekday, with no dogs in tow, and ask a few questions. Each of these Studly Studes must have a fantastic story.
I am in love with that Daytona. Actually, Studes sold quite well in California, and for a time, there was even a Los Angeles assembly plant on Loma Vista Ave. in Vernon. The plant opened in the mid 1930s and finally closed in the summer of 1956, when things really started unraveling.
The fashion-forward models of the immediate postwar era were quite popular in the Golden state back in the day, and I have read that Stude’s market share in California was higher than in most of the rest of the country. I would imagine that California sales receded pretty severely as the company’s fortunes declined.
Wow, that ’56 Sky Hawk looks like all it needs is one wheel cover and a wash and wax, and it would be set. I believe it was the only hardtop Hawk to not have fins–the Power Hawk and Flight Hawk were pillared coupes. Pretty rare today, I’m sure.
That Daytona hardtop is rare too, and it had to have been built in South Bend early in the ’64 model year. When Studebaker shut down South Bend in December 1963, Avantis, Hawks, trucks, and the Daytona hardtop and convertible were dropped.
Nice find!
Wow, what a find. I am Packard-lover so was never a huge Stude fan. However in the last few years they have begun to grow on me. There were quite a few Studes in the little town of Crockett, CA where I grew up in the ’60s, and the teenager across the street from us here in the foothills restored a 58 President last summer, and that was fun to watch as well. I look forward to hearing an update.
A 2 door Daytona? AAHHH, you are killing me LJ. 64 and 65 are my favourites.
It’s 4200km to Hayward, so it appears these Studes are safe from falling into my hands.
Hayward is very close to San Francisco. It would be very easy to take a short “holiday” in SF and just happen upon the Stude graveyard during your sightseeing.
Yeah, if you fly in to SFO, it’s a short 20 minute rental car drive from the Airport.
Id take the Daytona ahead of any biodegradable early Falcon
I happen to own these cars and as of right now the first one posted the 60 fin hawk has been parted out and rotten parts on their way to China, the 56 Sky hawk is on it’s way to New Zealand, the 64 Daytona is for sale as soon as my body man fixs the bad spots in the roof , the blue and black 63 GT is also for sale, the all black custom is my grandsons, other have already take the place in the lot that have left, also the shop has 6 more inside. Stop by any time or call 510-266-2522, name is Bob
So another old Stude emigrates to Aotearoa, Awesome
Interesting.. I would have thought offbeat orphan cars would be more popular than a product from the evil big 3 (in terms of 50s – 60s special interest machinery anyway). How utterly conformist of them.
I remember once in Saskatoon, in about 1990 or so, the local Tri-5 Chevy club was having a show& shine in one hotel parking lot, while across the street at another, the Studebaker Driver’s Club was having theirs. Virtually all spectators were at the Studebaker event, almost nobody was at the Tri-5 event. Man, were those Chevy guys pissed…. I laugh about it to this day.
A GT Hawk in that condition? Very, very sad indeed. Some cars truly deserve the best, especially one on my bucket list.
The first picture it’s my new desktop background !
You better fix that car up before using it as a wallpaper.
eheheh!! It’s a very cool shot anyway !