February 2019
CENTRAL HAWKE’S BAY BRANCH of the VINTAGE CAR CLUB of NZ (Inc) Lamb Country Branch Email: centralhawkesbay@vcc.org.nz
Contributions should be emailed to the Editor no later than (25th of each month)
Club Nights
7.30pm 3rd Wednesday of every Month
joycecalder@gmail.com
A Brief History of Studebaker—1852-1966
Postal Address
C/-73 Porangahau Road On January 24, 1871, Albert Erskine, who headed up Waipukurau, 4200 the pioneering American automaker Studebaker before NOMINATED POSITIONS
it went bankrupt during the Great Depression was born CHAIRMAN Lynn Cross in Huntsville, Alabama. Erskine joined the South Bend, Indiana-based automaker in 1911. Studebaker Corp. dates back to 1852, when brothers Henry & Clement Studebaker opened a blacksmith shop in South Bend. Studebaker became a leading manufacturer of horse-drawn wagons and supplied wagons to the U.S. Army during the Civil War.
secross@xtra.co.nz 06 858 9814 SECRETARY Ken Lyons Ken.lyons@xtra.co.nz 06 858 8093
TREASURER Kaye Carswell wpkmotors@gmail.com 06 856 9777
As the 20th century dawned, the company entered the fledgling auto industry with an electric car in 1902 and a gas-powered vehicle two years later. After CLUB CAPTAIN partnering with other automakers, Studebaker started selling gas-powered cars Rod McKenzie under its own name in 1913 and made wagons until 1920. rod.mckenzie.wpk@xtra.co.nz 06 858 9562
Albert Erskine became president of Studebaker in 1915. During his tenure, the company bought luxury automaker Pierce-Arrow in the late 1920s and launched the lower-priced but short-lived Erskine and Rockne lines, the latter named for Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne (1888-1931).
COMMITTEE John Foot V.I.C. (I.D. Card) Coordinator jsfoot@xtra.co.nz 06 858 8301
In the early 1930s, the Great Depression hit Studebaker hard, and Erskine was accused of mismanaging company finances. In March 1933, the company had to declare bankruptcy. Erskine, also dealing with personal debt and health issues, killed himself on July 1st 1933 at the age of 62.
Peter McCool pandscool29@gmail.com 06 856 8087 Barry Smales barlyn.wpk@gmail.com 06 858 9956 Ruth Parker brparkrz@xtra.co.nz 06 858 5411 PUBLICITY OFFICER Sandra Cross secross@xtra.co.nz 06 858 9814
1928 Studebaker GB Commander crossing the continent of Australia on unmade roads in 1975
Designer Raymond Loewy (left) and Studebaker president Sherwood Egbert admire a prototype of the 1963 Avanti.
EDITOR Joyce Calder 022 166 1403 joycecalder@gmail.com