Potomac Chapter The Commander Drivers Club Volume 46 Issue 3 March 2014

We invented Cool!!

My 1948 Studebaker 5 passenger coupe (starlight) was purchased in new in western NC, driven for 10 years and stored until 2011. The car was passed to grand son and sold to me in 2011. "Jimmy Earl" named after the original owner has served me well for the last 4 years. Except for paint job, new interior and custom wheels the car is original with 70,300 miles on the odometer. I am planning to bring Jimmy Earl to the 2014 SDC International meet in June at Dover Delaware of which I am a SDC DelMarVa chapter member. I also hold chapter memberships with greater Virginia and Potomac chapters.

Theron White

Activities Director President Vice President Treasurer Secretary Paul and Karen Johnson Ron Salen Karl Veit Dave Farris Stephen Walter 1122 Duncan Road 14717 Lake Terrace 3703 7th Street South 4313 Landgreen Street 7401 Westlake Terrace #1504 Harpers Ferry, WV 25425 Rockville, MD 20853 Arlington, VA 22204 Rockville, MD 20853 Bethesda, MD 20817 301-767-9416 304-876-3347 301-460-1970 703-979-4763 301-460-4341 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Ndfarris 1 @verizon.net

Membership Historian Web Master Editor Nadine & Mike Farris Ed Lemanski Bob Johnstone Lynda Welsh 4313 Landgreen Street 7875 Red Jacket Way 12161 Holly Knoll Circle 24121 Ridge Road Rockville, MD 20853 Jessup, MD 20794 Great Falls, VA 22066 Germantown, MD 20876 301-460-4341 301-776-9893 703-450-0754 301-253-3723 Ndfarris [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 2014 Keystone York Swap Meet

Remember, the Keystone Swap Meet at York opens Thursday, March 6th and runs through Sat- urday, March 8th. Unfortunately, the Pennsylvania Garden Show at York will not be open dur- ing the same period. However, for those who don’t want to spend the entire weekend at the swap meet, there are numerous shopping venues in the area not to mention a large, historic downtown area. The Potomac Chapter will have two spaces in Building A, primarily for Chapter socializ- ing. However, if you want to bring a few small items to sell, you are welcome to do so. Howev- er, you will be entirely responsible for those items (pricing, collecting, cleaning up). 25 percent of your proceeds will be paid to the Chapter to offset the cost of the spaces. You will need to pro- vide your own table and chairs. Other members are requested to bring their own chairs as well. The Chapter will hold a membership meeting at the Comfort Inn (2250 North George Street) at 5 pm Friday. After the meeting a Chapter dinner will be held at 6:30 pm at Ruby Tuesday, 1401 Kenneth Road (just off Route 30 at the Best Western Hotel). All members are encouraged to attend the meeting and the dinner. Please let me know if you plan to attend the dinner so I can make sure we have enough seats at the restaurant. See you in York, Paul Johnson, Potomac Chapter Activities Director [email protected] 304-876-3347 (home), or, Meet Friday only, cell 304-702-5439

STUDE SPOTTER March Birthday’s Hemmings online daily uses a photo of a Studebaker Bulletnose in Joseph R. Rudolph 3/4

Karen Barthlow 3/6 http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2014/01/22/how- Kathy Hermann 3/7 Jeff Barthlow 3/9 exactly -does-road-salt-cause-cars-to-rust/?refer=news Elaine Ridenour 3/10 Nancy Pfahler 3/12 STUDE SPOTTER-Hot Rod Magazine April 2014 Robet Winokur 3/16 Page 12, has a small color photo (#5) and a brief mention of a 1950 or- Sidney Kertzel 3/22 ange Starlight coupe owned by Mark Firth of Jan Rutledge 3/23 Salem, Ohio. JoAnn Straatveit 3/23 Edwin Dashiell 3/25

The Commander is the monthly publication of the Potomac Chapter, Studebaker Drivers Club. Subscription is by membership to the Potomac Chapter at $15.00 yearly. Canada/Mexico $20.00, all other countries $25.00. Direct all membership correspondence to the Membership Director. Direct all correspondence relating to The Commander to the Editor, who retains the right to edit or modify any contribution. Deadline date is the 15th of the month for the following month’s issue. The Commander is also an internet publication. The Potomac Chapter is an officially chartered chapter of the Studebaker Drivers Club, Inc.; its by-laws were approved, and charter granted by SDC in June 1967. Membership is recruited from the States of Maryland, West Virginia, Northern Virginia and Washington, DC. And those from other areas wishing to join the chapter are welcome.

2 Potomac Chapter, SDC Activities 2014

Event Date Contact

Keystone Swap Meet, York, PA Dinner/Membership, Meeting, Friday- Ruby Tuesday March 6 - 8 Paul Johnson

Apple Blossom Meet, Winchester, VA May 10(?) non-SDC

Spring Tour, Allentown, PA weekend May 16-18 Pat and Larry Merhaut

Spring Picnic, Devil’s Backbone Park, Boonsboro, MD June 8 Paul Johnson

Orphan Car Tour, Williamsport, MD June 7 Paul Johnson (Potomac Chapter is a sponsor)

Sully Plantation, Chantilly, VA June 15 non-SDC

50th SDC International Meet, June 28 - July 5 Paul Johnson

Rose Hill Manor car show, Frederick, MD Aug 17(?) non-SDC

Fall Picnic, Washington County Agricultural Center, Boonsboro, MD Sept 7 Paul Johnson

Atlantic Zone Meet- none scheduled due to proximity of International Meet

*International Drive Your Studebaker Day Sept 13 Paul Johnson

Fall Tour, Elkins, WV weekend Sept 19 – 21 Shirley and Terry McDaniel

Hershey Fall Meet, Hershey, PA Oct 8 - 11 AACA

Bradfield Show, Bridgewater, VA Oct 12 Paul Johnson

Antique and Classic Car Show, Rockville, MD Oct 18 Bill Morgan (Potomac Chapter is one sponsor) Ron Salen

Reedsville Swap Meet, Reedsville, PA Nov 21-22 Max Corkins

Chapter Planning Meeting Nov 8 (tentative) Paul Johnson

Chapter Holiday Party Dec TBD Paul Johnson

* Firm date- will always be the second Saturday in September

3 TECH TIP HISTORIAN CORNER by Ed Lemanski by Ed Lemanski Spring Safety Checks Under The Hood 1991 ROCKVILLE AUTO SHOW--A Studebaker- Early spring is a good time to inspect the engine Powered (was it the prototype?)

fan blades and the hub that they are mounted What is an Excalibur? The Excalibur is an automobile on. What you are looking for are cracks or manufactured in , WI, It was a car styled after splits. Cracks tend to form on the blades real the 1928 Mercedes-Benz SSK by for Stu- close to the hub. Even if you think it is only a debaker. Mr. Stevens subsequently had to form his own paint crack, you should investigate more close- company to manufacture and market the cars. They were ly. If the fan fails while you are driving it might conventional underneath their exotic styling. destroy your radiator or cut the belts that drive the accessories. LOOKING BACK - In 1991, the City of Rockville October classic car show had an Excalibur present in the Stu- While under the hood, look at the accelerator debaker row. It was powered by a Studebaker 289 which meant it was an early production model or even the orig- springs attached to the carburetor linkage. If inal prototype. It was parked between Bob Johnstone's you haven't already, install a second spring as a white GT Hawk and John Witkowski's green 1966 Com- safeguard against failure. The engineers didn't mander. I never spoke to the owner nor did I document realize that if a spring fails, the carburetor will the car to my satisfaction. The car was present for only try to accelerate the engine. This can be a bad one year so I never got to revisit it. surprize if it happens while you are driving. Much worse if the engine is a V8. I once had a BACKGROUND: A prototype premiered at numerous spring fail in a parked car in the garage and car shows in 1963, fitted on a Studebaker chassis and us- when I started the it, the racing engine scared ing a 290-horsepower Studebaker 289 V-8. In December the heck out of me. 1963, Studebaker ceased its operations, ending the availa- bility of its 289 V-8's. friends Ed Cole and

"Bunkie" Knudsen agreed to provide Brooks Stevens with The trunk may need checking too. If a spring 327s in 300-bhp Corvette tune, making the 2100 fails the trunk will be real heavy to lift -pound Excalibur a strong performer. With the standard open. Trunks springs are under stress whenever 3.31:1 rear axle, acceleration from 0-60 mph took less than the trunk is closed. They can split and let go at five seconds. Projected top speed was 160 mph. any time. However this is not usually a safety item just an inconvenience. Enjoy those

Have you renewed your membership for 2014?

Nadine and Mike Farris are working on the 2014 roster if you have not renewed please do so ASAP. If you do not you will be dropped from our newsletter.

4 Think Spring 2014 Potomac Chapter/SDC Spring Tour Allentown/Bethlehem, PA May 16-17-18, 2014

Friday, May 16 , we will assemble at 8:30 am at the Burger King, Walkerville, MD (North of Frederick on Rte 15 Exit Rte 26). We will leave for Allentown, PA promptly at 9:00 am.

The drive is approximately 160 miles with driving time about 4 hours. Stop for lunch York/ Lancaster, PA area. After lunch, we will proceed to historic Bethlehem, PA, for a visit to the histor- ic quaint downtown of this city for a shopping spree. At 3:30-4:00 pm, we will proceed to our hotel. The Staybridge Suites on Airport Road, CALL NOW FOR YOUR RESERVATIONS 610-443-5000. The rate $109.00 per night plus tax. Reference the Potomac Chapter SDC. You only have until April 15, 2014, before the cutoff. This is a very busy time of the year for Bethlehem, so it is imperative that you get your room reserved ASAP. This amount includes a hot breakfast in the AM and the rooms are all Queen Suites and very pleasant. We will have dinner at the Chess & Checkers Restaurant at 6:30 pm (walking dis- tance from the hotel.

Saturday, after a nice hot breakfast, we will assemble at 9:30 am in the hotel lobby, and leave for America on Wheels (a fantastic Auto Museum). After touring the museum, we plan on lunch at the 1930’s Vintage Hubcap Café. After lunch, we will depart for the Bethlehem Steel Stacks. A movie and tour of the historic steel mill is next on the agenda. After our tour, we will then return to our hotel for a rest, happy hour and then on to dinner at the Red Robin Restaurant (also within walk- ing distance.

Sunday, we will assemble at 10:00 am for a drive to Roadside America. We will have lunch at the Blue Valley Family Restaurant. After lunch-1/2 mile to Roadside America, There is also a Pennsylvania Dutch Gift Haus and Antique store on the same property.

We will then depart for home.

We are really excited about this Spring Tour. Something for everyone, nice accom- modations, restaurants and companionship all making this a wonderful experience.

For planning purposes, please advise as soon as possible if you are planning on attending email [email protected].

5 AUTOMODELLO IS OUT WITH A NEW LINE

If you don’t have enough Avantis - and who does - here’s the chance to add some more 1963s (round headlights) to the collection. In 1/43, these Automodellos were announced for Februkary delivery and they are:

AM43 GM - gold metallic AM43 RD - red AM43 TE - turquoise AM43 HE - black

These four are, of course, the same model - though the turquoise job is being promoted as a “tribute edition” and the black one, as the “heritage edition.” These Avantis were part of Automodellos’s big splashy showing at the 204 Nürnberg Toy Fair (or, if you insist on saying it wrong, Nuremberg). We have not seen them yet, but Automodello has a good reputation and we don’t expect any shortcomings. As Automodello jobs tend to sell out and the special-edition versions are being promoted as limited in production, we decided to send the information now.

1963 IN 1/43 BY AUTOMODELLO, AM43, available in four col- ors. Gold, red $119.95; turquoise $150; black $235, all from JM Modelautos, P. O. Box 15, Fairview, PA 16415; (814) 474-5697; fax (814) 840-4026; email [email protected]

This is Excalibur's 50th anniversary and Ed Lemanski forwarded me a link to a Hemmings site that discusses the top- ic. The car, of course, is one of the two latter-day personal cars originating in the 1960s and based on Studebaker chas- sis. It brought a few memories back that might interest your vast readership. A couple of years back, one of those was denied entry to some show or other because the managers decided it was a replica. Never mind that it was series- produced for what, 20 years? The powers would not be budged by historical fact. But Stevens made a go of that project for a long time. One of his problems was the federal government, of course. He was muttering to me one day that the feds wanted him to GIVE them five cars just so they could crash them. "Nothing doing," he told me. "I said, if you'd like to BUY five cars, we can come to an agreement." And to this date, I don't know how that one came out. If anyone could stare those idiots down, it would be Ste- vens. Final Brooks Stevens story: I was out driving my 1962 GT Hawk to Bur- tonsville one noontime and what should pull up next to me but a Wienermo- bile. The chap driving was most interested in my car and we carried out a quick conversation at a traffic light. "Would it interest you to know," I asked him, "that the same guy styled both of these jobs?" He thought that was price- less. And come to think of it, it was. Geo

6 Steering Column by Ron Salen

By-Laws are what governs us. Have you ever seen a copy of them? I know that some of us have, mostly the members who have been officers. I know that I had not seen them. I have heard quotes from them at various meetings. When I became President, I received a notebook which included a copy of the BY-Laws. As I read it, the first thing I noticed was that it was undated, no revisions or original date. I do know it’s current as it contains the two-year term requirement for the Board of Directors. I also noted that some of the statements I had heard are not what is stated in the By-Laws. I thought I would review the By-Laws with you so that all members could be well informed as to what governs us. Article I. relates to the name, purpose and emblem of the Potomac Chapter; promotes a closer relationship among owners of Studebakers and related automobiles in the National Capitol area; promotes expansion of membership; and encourages the acquisition, preservation and use of Studebaker and related vehicles; provides and regulates social events, tours and exhibitions of same and further to own real and or personal property incident to such purposes in- cluding a periodic publication. I read in past meeting minutes a member stated that the By-Laws require a monthly publication. Periodic means recurring at regular intervals. It does not state what interval the publication should be produced. The emblem of the Potomac Chapter is the lazy “S” as shown on the cover of your current Commander with the addi- tion of the slogan (we invented cool!!) below. Article II pertains to membership and states that any person who holds a valid membership in the Studebaker Drivers Club, Inc. is eligible to join the Potomac Chapter SDC at the current membership rate. The membership rate is not pro- rated to the number of months in the year he or she joins. A member who pays dues is considered an active member with all rights and privileges including the right to vote and hold office. An Associate Member is the spouse of an active member, does not pay dues, but has all the rights and privileges in- cluding the right to vote and hold office. I would assume that an Associate Member would continue to the end of the year in which an active member should become deceased. If the spouse wishes to continue as a chapter member, she/ he would have to become an active member paying dues and would also have to become a paying member of the Stu- debaker Drivers Club, Inc. An Honorary Member is any person who, at the opinion of the Board of Directors, has made an outstanding contribu- tion to the Potomac Chapter SDC. Honorary Members shall be exempt from paying dues and shall be continued on a yearly basis at the pleasure of the board and shall not have a vote in chapter affairs or hold office. Other classes of membership may be created by the Board of Directors without the right to vote or hold office. The dues and qualifications for those classes of membership shall be fixed by the board. Dues for active membership shall be $15. per annum. Any change in dues shall be submitted to the voting membership by the Board of Directors and must be ratified by a majority of the members voting. Expulsion can occur only after charges are submitted to the Board of Directors in writing. Notices of such charges shall be sent to the charged member by certified mail and the charged member is given thirty (30) days to respond to such charges. Expulsion is the power reserved to the Board of Directors. Meetings of the membership shall be called annually on at least twenty (20) days notice by the Board of Directors at a time and place to be determined by them. I interpret this to mean that a meeting of the membership is required once a year and is fulfilled by our December meeting where notice is given well in advance, elections of officers is held when required and awards are given, etc. I think this is enough to digest for one month and I will continue with the balance of the By-Laws including “meetings” next month. Please e-mail me your comments. In the meantime, don’t forget to vote for Larry Merhaut for Atlantic Zone Director. I look forward to you in York, PA at the Swap Meet.

7 We wondered if anyone has named their pet after their Studebaker? I know many dogs are called Champion and may- be a few Hawks. Sometimes, I believe we have a Dictator in our house. When feeding time rolls around, he becomes a Commander. Once in awhile, he goes on a Lark to explore rooms that are off limits. Although we have two Studebakers, we have but one cat. His name is CRUZER. He is shown in the picture doing what he knows best: His af- ternoon nap. Like our Studebakers, he requires CRUZER. maintenance and TLC. They all give enjoyment in return. Bob and Anne DeVore

I see by the current issue that you are interested in original purchase documents. Here's my contribution - not only the invoice, but the window sticker, which was a beast to get off intact, I might add.

You'll note that the car has a 4-speed transmission. It took two months to get delivery because Warner 4-speeds were very hot right then; the salesman told me the Ford dealer next door couldn't get them ei- ther. Years later, probably at SDC '67 in East McKeesport, a factory man saw the car and said he remembered it. You remember THAT par- ticular job out of, what, 70 thousand cars?

"Son," he said, "not only did it sit off to the side for like two weeks waiting for a transmission, but it was it one of the most unusual orders we got. Just how many 1963 Larks do you think we made with four doors, 4- speed, 289, and individual seats?"

Um, I dunno, a hundred?

"Two."

And around 1985, I met the other car; it was in a back yard not a quarter mile from me! It was a Marshal, zippered headliner, the whole setup - but was or- dered and used as a regular car (I occasionally wondered how many of those fleet-spec vehicles were ordered as personal cars).

One thing that made it so memorable for the factory man was probably the shifter. Nearly all cars with 4-speed got bucket seats, but that short shifter won't work if there's no console. So a car with bench or divided seat got a rather odd curved shifter that the judges always used to claim was a custom piece of some kind. Eventually I got tired of that routine so I stopped having it judged.

Geo

8 2014 Potomac Chapter SDC Membership Application or Renewal

Please complete this form and mail a check for $15.00, payable to POTOMAC CHAPTER SDC. Send the completed form and check to: Nadine & Mike Farris, 4313 Landgreen Street, Rockville, MD 20853 email [email protected] Phone: 301-460-4341

Yearly dues apply from Jan 1st to Dec 31st of each year

I am a member of I am joining SDC International at this time- SDC International National Upon receipt of your national membership #, Membership # Please send information to the address to email above.

This is a NEW Application Renewal/Update

Name: Phone:

Address: Spouse:

City/ST/ZIP:

E-Mail:

Birthday: Month Day Spouse: Month Day

I own the following Studebakers (including , , EMF, Avanti)

Year Make Model Body Style

YOU MUST BE A MEMBER OF NATIONAL SDC IN ORDER TO JOIN ANY SDC CHAPTER The Commander 24121 Ridge Road Germantown, MD 20876

We invented Cool!!

FIRST CLASS MAIL

March National Kite Month birthstones aquamarine and bloodstone. These stones symbolize courage.

Birth flower is the daffodil.

Noodle Month

National Nutrition Spring Month

Umbrella Month

Peanut Month

Social Worker’s Month Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month Women’s History Month Potomac Chapter SDC web site: http://potomacsdc.org Youth Art Month Poetry Month Optimism Month Red Cross Month March 2014