Author: lmoss

Sports Car Invasion

Posted on by lmoss

The Sports Car Club of America or SCCA was formed in 1944 as an enthusiast group for both amateur and professional racers.

After World War II, sports cars—typically defined as low-bodied vehicles designed for speed, handling, and acceleration—grew popular among returning U.S. service members, many of whom
were dazzled by the quick, nimble European cars that had a lower center of gravity and more direct response to the driver. Though names like MG, Healey, Porsche, and Alfa- Romeo weren’t yet common in America, the SCCA soon made a name for itself with regular marquee racing events around the country. The SCCA began sanctioning road races with the inaugural Watkins Glen Grand Prix in upstate New York in 1948.

Early SCCA events, like Watkins Glen and Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin often utilized public street courses through state parks and on county roads—or even disused air force bases owing to the large, flat
expanses of paved runways. In 1950, Studebaker offered to host the SCCA summer regional meet at its famed Proving Ground just west of South Bend. The 800-acre “outdoor laboratory” featured a three-mile oval track along with graded roads and other automobile testing facilities, and was the only closed course race supported by Chicago Region of the SCCA. That June, hundreds of SCCA members, press, and Studebaker staff descended on the Proving Ground for a fun weekend of camaraderie and motorsports.

*This information comes from our past exhibition “Sports Car Invasion: The SCCA at Studebaker“

Top of the Line

Posted on by lmoss

TOP OF THE LINE: STUDEBAKER PRESIDENT

The Golden Age: 1926-1933

In the mid-1920s Studebaker was looking to refresh its model lineup and expand its market.   A new slate of model names was introduced:  The former Standard Six was now the Dictator, the Special Six and certain Big Six models evolved into the Commander line, and Studebaker’s top-end models were rebranded as the “President.”  

The “President” name debuted in mid-1926 on several of the company’s previous model ES Big Six automobiles.  In January of 1928 Studebaker unveiled a brand-new model FA eight-cylinder President which took aim at the ever-growing luxury market  The model FA President featured an all-new 100 horsepower inline eight-cylinder courtesy of Studebaker chief engineer Delmar G. “Barney” Roos.   These so-called “big Presidents” remained in production through 1933.

The Great Depression hit automakers hard and Studebaker was no exception.  The high-end automobile market all but vanished as Americans struggled to put food on the table.  Falling sales and dwindling reserves forced Studebaker into receivership in March of 1933. Though Studebaker would survive, the big Presidents would not.  Just 635 1933 Speedway Presidents built, and Studebaker dropped the line at the end of year.

 

This information comes from our past exhibition: Top of the Line: Studebaker’s President.

Powering Masters of the Air

Posted on by lmoss

Powering Masters of the Air: Studebaker & the B17 Flying Fortress

Each B17 Flying Fortress was powered by four Wright-Cyclone R1820 radial engines.

Studebaker built over 60,000 R1820 engines at the new Chippewa Avenue plant in South Bend supplemented by additional factories in Fort Wayne and Chicago. While the basic engine assembly processes was similar to those for automobile engines, the R1820 was far more complex and required the utmost in precision and exacting tolerances. Each R1820 had over 8,000 individual parts, compared to a couple hundred for a contemporary Studebaker passenger car engine.

Upon completion, each engine was installed in a large two-story concrete test cell where it underwent a “green test.” This involved running the engine for four hours over a normal range of speeds and loads, including 5-minute full-throttle runs to simulate take-off or top speed. It was then completely torn down and inspected before being certified for final assembly and a final test run.

After final assembly, engines were shipped to Studebaker’s Pacific Plant in Vernon, California for distribution to B17 production facilities Boeing, Douglas, and Lockheed subsidiary Vega.

 

This information comes from our former exhibition Powering Masters of the Air.