Studebaker - the war, the rise and collapse of the brand. Bashny.Net

Brand because indeed legendary, but undeservedly forgotten contemporaries.

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Material: "Engineering Blog» stati Author: mgsupgs





The firm "Studebaker", the once well-known in the Soviet Union army trucks, owes its existence to the Studebaker family, who had come to the New World in 1736 from Germany. At the end of the XVIII century was born founder of a new generation of John Clement Studebaker (John Clement Studebaker), gave the world 10 children, including five sons.
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This family name is Dutch, and it is known in the United States since the 1736, when the first members of this glorious kind of return on American soil, among the first settlers. The first vehicle-company was founded by representatives of the family Studebaker in 1798 in the city of Konistoga - this Pennsylvania - and made it strong, solid, and most importantly, roomy vehicles played a role in the development of "Wild West": Famous resettlement vans in which the whole family at full strength could move to arbitrarily large distances, - a sort of mobile homes, ancestors of the current bus-camper.
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And that workshop, which was destined to become the automobile plant originated in Indianapolis town of South Bend in 1852, and its core capital at the time the base was sixty-eight dollars. (A large sum in those days, by the way.)
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In 1868, older brothers Henry (Henry) and Clement (Clement) was founded in South Bend vehicle-repair shop, and then they were joined by the younger John Moller (John Moller), Peter (Peter) and Jacob (Jacob).
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Factory Studebeker 1874.
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In February 1902 they built the first electric car, two years later began to produce petrol cars on the chassis, "Garford» (Garford), and in 1911 founded the car company "Studebaker» (Studebaker Corporation).
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In 1902 Studebakers released their first electric car and enter the world auto industry. By the way, the design of electrical equipment for the first "Studebaker" Thomas Edison developed itself.
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Despite the undoubted genius of Edison's electric idea it was premature - the problem of autonomous electric motion and now-is not really solved. Experience the production of gasoline engines at the Studebaker was not. Then the brothers turned to a car company, "Garford", and in 1903 came to light their joint offspring - 8-strong "Studebaker-Garford-A" with two-cylinder engine. In 1904, the latter-day automakers released a brand 4-horsepower engine, and then a car with an internal combustion engine: a two-cylinder 16-horsepower car class Gran Turismo. Little success, however, the brothers did not bring the car. Then, for the motor carts seized all and sundry, and stand out in the crowd managed not everyone.
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In 1910, the company EMF and "Studebaker" formed a joint venture "Studebaker Corporation" for the production of cars, some of which are supplied by "Garford" (Garford). «Studebaker Corporation» has released EMF 30, Flanders 20, Studebaker-Garford 40.
09 Studebaker-Garford 1908.



In 1912, they were replaced by a model of its own design with 4-cylinder (Series AA and SA) and 6-cylinder engines (series E) is now under the brand «Studebaker». Studebaker AA had the engine capacity of 35 liters. from. Its value is from 850 to 1200 dollars. It was the cheapest car in the United States at the time. By the way, a series of AA became the first US model to export to Europe. For two years (1912 and 1913) it was produced 10,000 cars.
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Model AA-35 was equipped with the largest at the time the four-cylinder engine capacity of 35 horsepower and offers customers three body styles - sedan, coupe and Phaeton. They laid the foundation lineup Studebaker brothers. "Studebaker" is the third largest automaker in America, conceding "Ford" and "Overland»
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In 1914 it was replaced by a four-cylinder version of the SC capacity of 25 horsepower. In contrast to the basic model of AA tank on it it was moved to a safer place - under the driver's seat, and to increase export deliveries wheel moved from right to left. So in the days of yore and right-hand drive cars in the United States to do! The demand for a new model with left-hand drive, besides cheaper than the previous ones, has increased even more (in the simplest version "Studebaker" SC series cost $ 1,050). It was a huge success for such a young car company.
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Studebaker Model SC was made until 1919. Every year it improved: changing engine capacity, its capacity, driven as a result of up to 44 horsepower. In addition, there was a gradual simplification of the construction - said the standardization of mass production. Romance Manual Boxed assembly was forgotten.
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Since 1920, the company began to produce only six-cylinder cars. Machinery "Studebaker", issued in the late 20s and early 30s, were names like "Big Six", "Easy Six", "Standard Six» (Big Six, Special Six, Light Six, Standard Six), but with the release in 1927 of a new model line traditional technical names have been replaced by a more presentable of the "President", "Commander" and "dictator» (President, Commander, Dictator).

14 Studebaker Dictator.



15 Studebaker President.



In 1925, "Studebaker" produced 107 thousand vehicles - a record figure for the company. And in 1927 the company had the opportunity to release a new series of low-cost cars, "Erskine" (Erskine).
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17 1928 Studebaker Erskine.



In 1928, "Studebaker" buys New York-based manufacturer of luxury cars Pierce-Arrow and becomes one of the leaders of the American auto industry. In the same 1928 Rus Barney (Barney Roos) - the new chief of the design department has created an 8-cylinder engine. It has been designed for executive car modification "President" (President). Cars with 6-cylinder engines dubbed "The Dictator" (Dictator) (issued 1925-37gg.) And "Commander" (Commander) (issued 1927-52gg.), And in 1929 they also were equipped with eight-cylinder engines.

18 Commander 1927.



By the way, cars "Studebaker" participated in the prestigious 500-mile race in Indianapolis. The best result was achieved in 1932 when they were engaged in the third, sixth and thirteenth place.
19 Dictator 1929.



However, do not sort out the situation on the market during the Great Depression gripped the country, President Erskine continued to produce expensive luxury models and by 1933 led the company to the brink of bankruptcy. The bulk of the production was sold for debts. And never more "Studebaker" was not able to find the position which he occupied in 1929. The new owners have done the following: first stopped making "President", and secondly - have introduced two new low-cost models with 6-cylinder engines (they have been used previously on a popular and inexpensive car "Rockne" (Rockne)), and third, returned the independence of the company "Pierce-Arrow".

20 Rockne



By 1935, the situation has stabilized, and production "Studebaker", and last but not least thanks to his leadership - Paul Hofmann (Paul Hoffman) and Harold Vance (Harold Vance).
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In 1934, "Studebaker" presented several models with the advanced design of the body, including the Land Cruiser - a car whose smooth and sleek shapes were borrowed from the famous show cars Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow.
Now that name with its associated strongly with the Japanese off-roader, but once it was an American car! Subsequently, trade names Cruiser and Land Cruiser models are assigned to different "Studebaker", produced from 1934 to 1966.
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In an effort to make their products competitive, gives the car the grace and elegance, the company invited a famous stylist Raymond Levy (Raymond Loewy) as a consultant. And so, in 1938 there was an attractive car "Champion" (Champion) (produced 1939-52 gg.) With 6-cylinder engine in 2687 cm3. Thanks to this small car sales rose to 100 thousand cars a year.
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Also, "Studebaker" and attempted to gain a foothold in the market of commercial vehicles. In 1936 he introduced a new model line of trucks with a cabin, located directly above the engine, and in 1937 - krugloboky pickup Coupe-Express.
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Production of commercial vehicles under the brand name "Studebaker" lasted until the end of 1963. Among them were a variety of specialized machinery, chassis for buses and fire engines. It is thanks to a powerful and reliable American trucks, which during the Second World War supplied under Lend-Lease to the USSR, in our country are well aware of this brand. On the basis of truck chassis "Studebaker" were created by the famous Guards mortars "Katyusha" and "Andryusha" different tractors, cranes, engineering machines. Going to the Soviet modification "Studebaker" in the Moscow and Gorky automobile ZIS, as well as a dedicated facility in Minsk. In the USSR, "Studer" have become a real symbol of the military vehicle.
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On military service.
The first in the US Army in 1907 began to receive a 30-strong sports models H, serves to deliver an urgent message. During the First World War, the armed forces were used mostly passenger cars "Studebaker". In 1917 Captain Arthur Krossmen (Arthur Crossman) on a 24-strong chassis SF He produced high-speed machine-gun carts, reach speeds of 96 km / h. To work in the warehouses of the naval ports of the United States in 1908-14 gg. used trucks electric "Studebaker" with a payload of 750 kg to 5 tonnes and chain-driven rear wheels that can move at speeds up to 13 km / h. This was the only case in the history of widespread use of electric vehicles in the armed forces. It is worth adding that in 1918, on "Studebaker" was built one of the first tanks of the world.
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In the interwar period, the firm still content to supply the army of its serial production. These were mainly passenger cars, on which the elongated chassis since 1928 on the orders of the major hospitals set roomy health body "Met» (Metropolitan). In 1939, they were used for the 90-strong cars «Commander» (Commander). Truck scale, took place in the 30s. from the series S, T and K in the supply of the army did not undergo any changes. The only special military machine in 1933 became built on the chassis of the machine-gun armored car T5 support for the cavalry. With the onset of World War II, the largest contract came from France, ordered the 2000 commercial 2, 5-ton trucks K25 with a 86-horsepower engine "Hercules JXK» (Hercules) and 5-speed gearbox, differs from the serial a protective grille. < br /> 27



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