The Studebaker National Museum

 

Today I'm starting a week long look inside one of the great brand specific automobile museums in the country, the Studebaker National Museum (http://www.studebakermuseum.org/). This is one of the most comprehensive museums dedicated to one marque that I have had the opportunity to visit. Located at the corner of Thomas and Chapin Streets in downtown South Bend, Indiana, the museum houses a magnificent collection of all things Studebaker. In fact, you can begin at the beginning and see the covered wagon John C. Studebaker built to move his family from Pennsylvania to Ohio.

Other examples of horse drawn carriages manufactured by Studebaker are on display, including a 1857 Phaeton and a 1903 Half Top Park Phaeton.

When Studebaker first manufactured an automobile in 1902 it was an electric car, their first gasoline powered vehicle came in 1904. The oldest surviving Model C is also on display at the museum.

They didn't immediately stop building electric cars when they introduced their gas engined models. In fact the museum shows a 1911 Electric Coupe. Studebaker did stop manufacturing electric vehicles the following year in 1912.

Other early cars in the collection include a 1916 SF Four Roadster, a 1922 Big Six Child's Hearse, a 1933 Speedway President, 1932 President Convertible Coupe, a 1932 President St. Regis Brougham, and a 1933 Rockne Five Window Coupe, seen at the beginning of this blog.