Buffalowed Bill

The Studebaker is my kind of car, wish it was in my garage! I could do the research, but it would be more effective to move that car to the Studebaker section of this forum. One or two of my friends might even know the car. The Velie is a true rarity, a Classic for sure, with a little work maybe museum quality. As indicated may not translate to exceptionally valuable, hard to say when there is no frame of reference. As an aside my lady friend's 96 yo mother, learned to drive on one of these, when she was twelve years old. The family also owned a 1925 Big Six Studebaker touring, which she drove when thy lived in Seattle, for a short time during the Depression. That must have been fun on the Seattle hills! She's still a pretty good driver today, and she puts over 10K miles a year on her car.

I have post war cars with older style wheels and radial tires, and never have had an inordinate problem, other then caps that want to come off or make noise. With my pre-war cars I never ventured into the radial unknown. It did lead me to ask a question that I simply couldn't answer. I have seen the videos of cars with wooden spokes handle the early rutted roads in a way that stamped steel wheels wouldn't have a chance. They did it with the wheel's ability to flex. Not just a little bit either, but with so much flex that you would swear that the spokes would break, but they always retained their shape. I know that when we were kids we tore up a set of wire wheels on a 1959 MGA, but what we did to that car I doubt that any wheel would have survived. But wire wheels have to flex, by their nature, correct? So my ultimate question-wouldn't wooden, or wire pre-war wheels, be a better choice then stamped steel, either artillery or disc, for use with radial tires? Pleas tell me if I'm missing something.

I was going to keep my mouth shut on this thread but I guess passing on this information won't hurt. This is something I said in response to some of the same questions on the Studebaker Drivers Club forum. I don't know how it might fit when it comes to no-cost shipping from China, so I'll just let others fill in the blanks. Yes China was an exception, because the US had given emerging nations special rates intended to help bring their economies into step with the global economy. The problem was that while it certainly helped China, it's removal was long overdue. The rates that the Chinese have been paying have not come close to covering the cost of shipping. In other words the PO was forced to subsidize all the small items mailed here from China. Previous administrations had sot to roll back the rates. Few on this side of the Pacific wanted the subsidy to continue, but this administration was the first to get get something done. It's common knowledge that the PO disliked the arbitrary low rates, because they were obligated to subsidize all the small items that came into the country via the mail stream.

I made it clear through your last thread what I think about your car. I loved it at first glance, and I knew that you would come to appreciate it as well. You have a very special car- very rare muscle car, beautiful original condition, and long time documented family ownership. It doesn't get much better then that! You have just scratched the surface. When you begin to share it with knowledgeable car people you will begin to understand how special it really is. Congratulations I think keeping it was the right decision.

Try to limit their exposure to sunlight. With limited exposure to UV damage, your WW's will look good long after your tires should have been retired from touring. Limiting UV damage will also immeasurably increase your tire life. You might hear negative comments regarding Westley's Bleach-white, but I've been using it for over forty years with only good results. Clean them once a year, and try to keep them out of the sun, and they should look good for the life of the tire.

I use this service for almost everything I ship. Never get a complaint on cost. And it includes insurance and tracking number. FedEx and UPS pricing is for the birds, but their costs are regulated by the U.S. government so as mot to compete with the post office. Greg Greg, just curious where you get your information regarding FedEx and UPS pricing being regulated "by the US government so not to compete withe the post office?"

Never an argument when it comes to music. I hope that the thread does go on forever. Here are a few that some of you old timers may remember. Pipeline-Chantays Rumble-Link Wray Walk Don't Run-Ventures Sleep Walk-Santo & Johnny Start out with Highway Star and end up with Sleep Walk-I guess that it means it's bedtime-Good night.

I really doubt that the scatter gun approach will have much chance of working. By this I mean concentrating on location and special features would seem to me to be your best chance of finding the car. During the 60's and 70's these cars were being destroyed at an alarming rate. Because the car had survived until 1980, and was being restored is a good sign that it may have survived. Another good sign is the fact that whoever was restoring it knew of the connection between your family and the car. This information will usually stay with the car once it is restored. Since you live in a rust belt state I would expect that the survival rate of local cars is not very high. In other words there were more cars being imported from the West and South then there were leaving. When sold there is a good chance that a seller wouldn't have to look very hard for a local buyer. The downside of any search for one of these is that many of them have been heavily modified, so distinguishing features without documentation it may be difficult to recognize. I would join a Camaro club, find out where the local chapters meet and attend some meetings, armed with whatever you have. Attend as a guest and ask questions. I think that you will have a much better chance of finding the car by staying close to home. You might have some luck by advertising in the national publication, but be careful of scammers. Camaro people are a close knit group, but sadly many of the clubs have become haven for new Camaros and younger owners. Good luck!

Kind of surprised to see no mention of the Hollamder interchange series. This was the Bible for the auto wercking yards for generations. I am sure that reproduced copies can still be found. I have spent many enjoyable hours pawing through these things. It's like an American automotive history lessen. Many of the cars may no longer exist, but I have always found chasing their linage intriguing.

This isn't going to be vary popular with the safety first guys, but here is something that wrote to comment on ageing tires for the Studebaker Driver's Club forum. While not very fashionable to state what I have to say, I know that in this group I am in no way an outlier. I've commented on this before. I don't claim to be an expert on tires or anything else for that mater, but have read a bit on the subject. The NTSB has never given any specific guidelines on tire life, or specifics on age related degradation of tires. they indicate that there are too many variables involved in in storage and tire usage. Things like temperature humidity, inflation and UV damage. Also if a steel belted tire has been incorrectly repaired rust can damage the belts from the inside of the tire, and can go undetected. Then the NTSB throws it back at the tire manufactures, by saying that some tire manufacturers suggest tire replacement after seven years, but they take no stand in this regard. IMO the replacement schedule that we in the PNW can get away with, safely, because of our mild climate and relative little UV damage, a person in Texas would be foolish to try to maintain. I think that it's vary important to know your tires history and to check them often. All important is how your vehicle is used. common sense should be your guide, but I guess if you feel unsafe driving on what you have, better change them out, for your own piece of mind. I have a few cars, so if anyone in the PNW, arbitrarily decides to discard any seven year old tires, let me know I can find a good use for them

Don't kid yourselves the overseas manufacturers of smaller cars are feeling the pinch too, as Americans show their proclivity towards larger trucks. The difference is that the American buyers have simply askewed some fine US made, or designed sedans in favor of almost anything else. Take a look at the smaller cars parked in any parking lot, anywhere except where the US car manufacturers have a production plant. Ford and now GM are jettisoning some fine automobiles that should have been competitive, but too few Americans found favor with their offerings.

Sadly it seems to reflect the changing tastes of the buying public. Ask yourself if you, or anyone that you know, is driving one of the cars that is currently being produced in one of the plants scheduled for closure.Trucks, trucks and more trucks, SUV's and crossovers. Is GM just following the lead of Ford, by the deletion of many of their signature models? Automakers seem to be concentrating on their more expensive, and more profitable large trucks. I really don't know the answer, but it certainly seems reasonable to me.

Love the wagon Matt, color notwithstanding! Found one like it thirty years ago, I can't remember if it was a New Yorker, or Windstor, but rust free NW car and a decent driver, but for some reason I passed on it. The guy also had a Windsor convertible, two of them as a mater of fact. I passed on that too because it didn't have the hemi. What was I thinking! Maybe too many choices, but should have grabbed one of them.

If your car has the optional overdrive, you are fortunate. If you expect to tour with your car, and if it doesn't have an OD, I would start looking for one to add to your ride.

it's all about El Nino and how it affects the jetsream. We have had a very dry fall in the PNW, October and November extremely dry. Now if we could just shift the jetstream closer to California, temporarily of course, then the rains would put out the fires, and not create mudslides in the burned out areas.

Just wait until spring, and take a vacation out west, and buy a rust free CV type. You should be able to get a good running and driving car for around $3K.

I too give my unequivocal vote to the 1953-54 Studebaker Starliner (it was my first car in 1961). In the era of rather unimaginative shoe box design of the early 50's the Studebaker's styling shines like a jewel. Another interesting fact-that post Classic era, where many of the great car designs were penned by a single stylist. This beautiful design has been credited to a single individual, Bob Bourke. Studebaker also chose to put the car into production basically as drawn. It's not that I dislike other cars from the early 50's, but your question was about beautiful styling. 1956 300B 1955 C300 1956 lincoln 1956-57 Mark II

Price guides generally do a better job of viewing the market for cars that are more abundant, and that change hands often. They seem to do a much poorer job of capturing the market for the cars that seldom change hands. You could go to a hundred car shows and not find one like yours. A convertible is especially rare and coveted. It's hard to even put a value on this car. I wouldn't even guess at the high end value for your car, but $4000 is absurdly low. Comparable car sales are what are supposed to set the bar for the value guides, but if there aren't any cars like it that have changed hands, it becomes a guessing game. The market for any car is what it will bring at a moment in time. Some might suggest and eBay auction as a way of catching the market trend. At any rate you should join the Buick club, some members will have a good idea of it's real value. I applaud you for deciding to keep the car, selling and suffering seller's remorse is an experience that I don't recommend.

So the car is in Mich. now not Portland? I was certainly tempted until I saw Mich.

If your car has old sealed beams exchange them for new ones. I don't know why, but sealed beams do loose their illumination capability over time.

What color was the car and what tires and wheels did it have then? Significant number have survived because they were so special, but the upside was that many changed hands locally because there were so many of them.-Bill

A guy just opened a thread for a 1965 Grand Sport convertible in the General discussion part of the forum. If I were you I would jump on this one fast!

No Buick expert, but I can tell you that this is a fairly rare and desirable car. I have a friend who had a coupe in the 70's. It was Buick' first attempt at a joining the muscle car mania, and it was fast. Up until several months ago I hadn't seen another one like it. Your car is unmolested, the way many collectors like to find them. This is a Buick 401 cu" engine and very robust, I'm just wondering why you think that the engine is tired. The car's condition seems to indicate an original car and unless it has been abused I see no reason why the drive train would not be serviceable as is. In my opinion, this a gem as found. IMHO the less you do to the car the more desirable the car will be to a collector, and the higher dollar return. Get it running and do the brakes I think that you will be amazed at the response! i would move this to the Buick portion of this forum. https://musclecars.howstuffworks.com/classic-muscle-cars/1965-buick-skylark-gran-sport.htm

Any upholstery search should include SMS in Canby Or. What they don't have may not exist.

Thankfully there are a number of ways to both use and share the legacy that previous generations have given us. Of course run-ability is an important aspect of any car that was built to run, but does that mean that it must be driven to be appreciated, I think not. It goes without saying that a gorgeous Fagoni et Falashie cabriolet will run, but I doubt that is the first thing that comes to mind by someone viewing it for the first time. It was considered a work of art when built, and it's focus is the same today. I doubt that it's function was ever intended to be transportation. I view a static display as an opportunity to share with so many more people, then using a car for one's personal driving enjoyment. Thankfully our automotive works of art are needn't be hung on the wall to be seen an enjoyed, but function is only one aspect of appreciating and sharing automotive history.