Studebaker

US/ CDN, 1902 – 1966

(1) Studebaker Corp, South Bend, Indiana, 1902 – 1954

(2) Studebaker-Packard Corp, South Bend, Indiana, 1954 – 1964

(3) Studebaker Corp of Canada Ltd, Hamilton, Ontario, 1964 – 1966

The brothers Henry and Clem Studebaker opened a blacksmith’s and wagon-building shop in South Bend in 1852, horse-drawn vehicles of their construction serving in both the American Civil War and World War 1, and production continuing until 1919. Their first Studebaker cars were electrics, made in modest numbers from 1902 to 1912: these Studebaker carwere joined in 1904 by the Model-C petrol Studebaker car, a typically American 16hp flat-twin with amidships engine, 2-speed gearbox, and chain drive. This Studebaker carwas followed a year later by a vertical 4 on more European lines, this Studebaker car was selling for $3.000. For the next few seasons, however, Studebaker electred to act as selling gents for Studebaker cars built to their order, and their more expensive offerings of Studebaker cars were built by Garford of Elyria. The cheaper machines were the EMF and Flanders built by the Everitt-Metzger-Flanders Co, and these two makes accounted for 9.700 Studebaker cars in 1910. 1913 saw a brace of Studebaker cars made at South Bend, both with sv monobloc engines, dual ignition, and electric lighting and starting: the 3-speed gearboxes on the Studebaker cars were mounted in unit with the back axles, and the 6-cylinder Studebaker car was claimed to be the first such car to retail in the USA for less than $2.000. In 1914 there was a smaller, 15/20hp Studebaker car with 3.2-litre 4 with coil ignition only. Studebaker sold over 45.000 Studebaker cars in 1915, and their sixth position in 1916 US sales was matched by a seventh place in 1920. 1919 was the last year for 4-cylinder Studebaker cars, and the 1920 Studebaker cars, while retaining separate gearboxes, abandoned the transaxle layout. Studebaker carmodels available were 6s of 4.7-litres and 5.8-litres, the latter establishing a line of really large 6-cylinder Studebaker cars which survived until 1928. An inexpensive 3.3-litre Studebaker Light 6 joined the range in 1921, and 1923 Studebaker cars had all-metal bodies with welded steel pressings. Balloon tyres were standardized on Studebaker cars in 1925, in which year contracting-type hydraulic front wheel brakes were an option: open Studebaker cars were made with permanent tops of the ‘California’ type and detachable side-curtains. Front wheel brakes were standard on the Studebaker carin 1926, but the Studebaker carcompany reverted to mechanical actuation in 1927, in which year a ‘compact’, the Studebaker Erskine, was marketed. Studebaker cars went after stock-car records in a big way in the later 1920s, an outstanding performance of a Studebaker car being 25.000 miles in 25.000 minutes. The 1929 range Studebaker cars consisted of two 6s, the ‘Studebaker Dictator’ and ‘Studebaker Commander’ (at $1.265 and $1.495 respectively), and a brace of straight-eights of 4-litres’ and 5.5-litres’ capacity. Pierce-Arrow was acquired by the Studebaker car company in 1928, but regained its independence five years later. In 1930 Studebaker cars, with Plymouth, pioneered the free wheel, offered initially on 8-cylinder Studebaker cars alone, but available throughout the range by the latter part of the year, when the cheapest Studebaker car, the Light 6, could be bought in England for £295.

Another compact Studebaker carappeared under the Rockne nameplate in 1932. Special versions of the ‘Studebaker President 8’ distinguished themselves in the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race. Cliff Bergere’s Studebaker Special finishing 3rd, while in 1933 6th to 12th places were filled by similar Studebaker cars. Studebaker cars went into receivership in 1933, but came back strongly in 1934 with an unattractively-styled three-model range of Studebaker cars – the 3.4-litre ‘Studebaker Dictator 6’, the 3.6-litre ‘Studebaker Commander 8’, and the 4.1-litre ‘Studebaker President 8 ‘, all with synchromesh, free wheel, and X-braced frames. Subsequent evolution of Studebaker cars followed accepted American lines: transverse independent front suspension, automatic overdrive, and hydraulic brakes once more in 1935: a hill-holder (modernized version of the sprag) in 1936: headlamps half-faired into the wings of the Studebaker car in 1938: and column change in 1939, when Raymond Loewy became responsible for the Studebaker car Corporation’s styling. 1939 was also the first year for one of America’s longest-lived modern economy cars, the 2.7-litre 6-cylinder sv ‘Studebaker Champion’ selling at $765. Fluid couplings was available on the 1942 Studebaker car range, which included Studebaker cars last straight-8s. The revolutionary post-war ‘coming or going’ style with wrap-around rear window on Studebaker cars was launched by Loewy on the 1946/ 1947 Studebaker cars with 2.8-litre and 3.7-litre 6-cylinder engines. Sales climbed to 239.000 Studebaker cars in 1949, and the inevitable ohv V8 – a relatively small one of 3.8-litres – replaced the bigger 6 in 1951 Studebaker cars. Studebaker car companys answer to the big battalions was the low and elegant line of the 1953 Studebaker cars, which unfortunately became more cluttered down the years, and finances were not impoved by the merger of the Studebaker car company with Packard in 1954. An interesting departure was the sporting ‘Studebaker Hawk’ coupé powered by Packard’s V8 engine and Ultramatic transmission in 1956: 1957 versions had blown Studebaker car engines, the only example of a factory-equipped super-charger (save the 1954 Kaiser) since the Graham. The Studebaker car company managed to get their ‘Studebaker Lark’ compact sedan tooled and into production in ten months in 1959, and this descendant of the old sv ‘Champion’ was the only Studebaker car now offered with the exception of the ‘Studebaker Hawk’. The small 6 Studebaker car achieved ohv at long last in 1961, and 1962 saw the exciting fiberglass-bodied ‘Studebaker Avanti’ coupé with disc brakes on the front wheels, a 4-speed gearbox, and optional supercharger. The Studebaker car annexed 29 stock-car records, including a flying mile at 168.15mph, but neither this nor the continuing ‘Lark’ range could save Studebaker cars. A wide choice of Studebaker car models – two 6s and three 8s – was listed for 1964, but early in the season South Bend stopped making Studebaker cars, and production was transferred to the Canadian plant which had been assembling Studebaker cars since 1912. Even as an ‘import’, the Studebaker car did not sell well: the last examples of the Studebaker car marque had 3.2-litre 6-cylinder and 4.7-litre 8-cylinder Chevrolet engines, but even these were abandoned in the spring of 1966. Production of the ‘Studebaker Avanti’ was continued on a small scale by an independent factory in South Bend.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; MCS 

The information is written with the greatest of care. However, if you have any suggested amendments please contact us at office@prewarcar.com

American LaFrance

US, 1907 – 2014

LaFrance Manufacturing Company

American LaFrance (ALF) was an American vehicle manufacturer which focused primarily on the production of fire engines, fire aerials, and emergency apparatus such as ambulance and rescue vehicles. The company was located in Summerville, South Carolina. It was announced Friday, January 17, 2014, they would cease operations.
The American LaFrance Fire Engine Company was one of the oldest fire apparatus manufacturers in the United States. With roots that go back to approximately 1832, the companies that went on to become American LaFrance built hand-drawn, horse-drawn, and steam-powered fire engines. Founded in 1873 by Truxton Slocum LaFrance and his partners, including Alexander S. Diven as the LaFrance Manufacturing Company selling hand powered equipment. The International Fire Engine Company, corporate predecessor of American LaFrance, built some steam power fire engines between 1903 and 1907. Apparatus built by International included horse drawn steamers, hose wagons, and hook & ladders to chemical engines, water towers and combinations. The American LaFrance Fire Engine Company was formed in 1903. Its corporate offices and manufacturing plant were in Elmira, New York. It also operated a Canadian plant in Toronto, Ontario, where it sold apparatus under the name Lafrance-Foamite, until 1971. American LaFrance (ALF) delivered its first motorized fire engine in 1907. Over the years, American LaFrance built thousands of fire trucks including chemical engines, combination pumpers, aerial ladder trucks, Aero Chief snorkel trucks, and airport crash trucks. The classical style of the American LaFrance apparatus is easily recognized. Some of the company's innovations led to changes in the industry, most notably the cab forward style cab.
In 1995, the company was bought by Freightliner LLC, which is a subsidiary of Daimler AG. Freightliner continued to utilize American LaFrance's original nameplates and designations including the Eagle custom chassis

Historic vehicles

• Type 1 1903-1904 Steam-powered Combination Hose & ChemicaL Wagon
• Type 3 1906-1906 Packard "N" Two-Tank ChemicaL Car - only 1 built
• Type 4 1909-1912 Simplex based chassis - 2 built (see also Technisches Museum Sinsheim site )
• Type 5 1910-1911 First complete ALF motor fire apparatus - 4 cyl.
• Type 6 1910-1914 LaFrance Commercial truck
• Type 8 1908-1910 ALF roadster type passenger car
• Type 10 1911-1920 Improved larger version of Type 5
• Type 12 1911-1925 6 cyl. 800, 900 & 1000 GPM pumper (see also in Riga Motor Museum)
• Type 14 1912-1926 City service ladder truck
• Type 15 1913-1925 1400 GPM Pump and hose car
• Type 16 1912-1916 Front drive aerial ladder truck
• Type 17 1913-1926 Tractor drawn - aerial, water tower, ladder
• Type 18 1913-1913 2-wheel front-drive steam fire engine tractor
• Type 19 1915-1928 1000 GPM Pump and hose car, 6 cyl.
• Type 25 1914-1914 Front drive, straight frame aerial ladder
• Type 28 1915-1915 Front drive service ladder truck
• Type 30 1914-1914 Front drive, bevel-gear drive water tower
• Type 31 1915-1929 2-wheel front-drive tractor
• Type 32 1915-1927 LaFrance/Model "T" Ford, Alf "F" series
• Type 33 1917-1926 Front drive straight frame service ladder truck
• Type 34 1916-1916 Centrifugal pumper
• Type 52 1922-1927 "Village Queen" Model "T" Ford trailer pump
• Type 65 19??-19?? 400 GPM Junior pumper
• Type 75 1915-1927 750 GPM 6 cyl Pumper - large number built
• Type 91 1927-1927 500 GPM Pumper - Buda-6 cycl. engine
• Type 92 1927-1927 600 GPM Pumper - Buda-6 cycl. engine
• Type 94 19??-19?? Service ladder truck, Buda-6 cycl.
• Type 96 19??-19?? Same as Type 94 but configured as a Quad
• Type 99 1927-1932 GMC Cosmopolitan, Buick 6-cyl. - see 100 series
• Type 500 1941-1946 Narrow cab and body design
• Type 600 1941-1946 Narrow cab and body design
• 100 Series 1926-1929 Metropolitan
• 200 Series 1929-1931 Master
• 300 Series 1931-1935 V-12 powered, 312A
• 400 Series 1933-1938 Junior 450/600/475 GPM
• 400 Series 1935-1940 Senior1000/1250/1500 pump-in-cowl design
• 500 Series 1938-1941 New enclosed streamlined design
• 600 Series 1941-1946 Improved 500 Series
• JO/JOX Series 1938-1946 mid-mount aerial ladder - Cab-ahead
• 700 Series 1947-1959 Cab-ahead-of-engine design
• 800 Series 1956-1958 Updated 700 Series (Pumpers only)
• 900 Series 1958-1974 New wide-cab design
• Pioneer I, II & III 1964-1978 Also Sparton I TCM flat-panel cab
• Pacemaker 1973-1976 TCM canopy cab-forward
• 1000 Series 1970-1974 Premium version of 900 Series
• Century Series 1974-1985 New wider cab
• Century 2000 1986-1994 Redesign by Kersey/ALF
• Patriot 1992-1994
• ALF Eagle 1996–2014 All-new custom chassis
• ALF Metropolitan 1999–2014 Entry-level custom chassis
• Freightliner Business Class, M2 2002–2014 Commercial chassis

Source: Wikipedia

The information is written with the greatest of care. However, if you have any suggested amendments please contact us at office@prewarcar.com