THE STUDEBAKER STORY SOUTH BEND INDIANA AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURER 1953 STARLIGHT COUPE MD61364

[Music] [Applause] [Applause] man's first invention often called his greatest was the wheel [Music] it made the horizon attainable through the ages man went rolling ahead into the future then some hundred years ago a new horizons shone in the great surge of a mighty nation went wheeling west wing by wagon horse [Music] two brothers began forging a future they thought only their own never dreaming that in the century to come their names would be listed high among the makers of America like you had plenty practice doing that in my father's shop he's a hard man to please so am I get your own shop now huh yeah me and Henry matter of fact you're our first customer first one he'll maybe I'll bring you good luck we'll need it the shop tools and all cost $68 oh well now that doesn't sound like a lot of money it is when it's all you got in the world hmm y'all finished yes sir how much you're gonna charge me oh I don't know would 25 cents be too much well ain't you a little mad I reckon it ain't doing much either good luck yeah our first customer Henry Clem we're in business you won't be in business long if you leave your tours in the ground Oh father guess we were a little excited well we just had our first customer and you like the job well I talked to your trade the best I knew now you're striking out on your own that could be a good thing it's up to you I uh I brought this with me because well because this is where it belongs I've had my own shop and I've worked for others and if I've ever learned anything in life it's this it's yours now well I'll see you at supper [Music] I know this all traps on its last legs that should get a new one girl we can build you any kind of a wagon you want is that right can you tell me what it'll look like ever drying for you in a minute you fellas have another brother don't you besides Clement me there are three other boys all right I only know the young one Jacob isn't it John and Peter where are they Peter sell it general merchandise over in Goshen John he's getting ready to take off for California dig for gold place call hang town and you to set up shop here huh huh where's your farm mister Oh west about three miles from here how many acres border section quarter section you wouldn't be a hankering after some acreage of your own would you might be plenty of good farmland around here the matter of fact there's a nice piece of land just a few miles outside of town there it is mr. Earle straight sides around seasoned wood iron hinges hickory spokes and all the best work I'm on 175 dollars 175 dollars hmm all right how soon can I get it in a week I'll be back in a week and we'll throw in a good seat cushion well thanks [Music] as pledged seven days later the wagon was ready the first vehicle to bear the name that would in time identify millions more a nation on the move rolled fast westward were rich valleys waiting for man to bring wheat seed corn kernel Apple pip a plow and a prayer and beyond that California its newborn towns booming with the fever of the golden [Music] and from Hangtown California John Moeller Studebaker was preparing to journey back home to Indiana I hate to lose you John sure you won't change your mind I decided six months ago you know that mr. Hein look you came out here four and a half years ago to mine gold but did you know cause you would have starved like some of the miners did no you made money blacksmithing and building wheelbarrows and you made enough to save a nice chunk didn't you yeah and I appreciate everything country is just beginning to open up John we're getting more than get-rich-quick prospectors out here now we're getting farmers people who are settling men are coming in with their families and goods whole wagon trains of them that's why I'm going back mr. Heinz to where the wagon train start people will be buying wagons Lots up well I built the wagon I came here in I know the kind of wagons these people will need my brothers have had their own shop in South Bend six years now I've got some money saved and a strong back I'm gonna look that place over might be a good beginning for a real business maybe well best of luck John Thanks behind [Music] so John M Studebaker returned home returned to find two of his brothers Henry and Clem in a growing wagon making business you told us last night you wanted to see the shop John this is it mm-hmm I was kind of curious to see your place and it's something to see wagon yard workshop Forge and even an office where's Clanton he's out seeing about an order for some wagons Peter went with him and you know Peter he'd rather sell and eat yeah soon as he found out what Clem was up to he just had to go along helped nail a deal he said much of a dealer after it is for us 10 wagons for the army we've only got one at a time up till now you're lucky to be in a going business and it's only starting isn't getting me any closer to a farm still after a farm a Henry I don't know but what about all that you see there's Clement Peter now I should have stopped you Peter before it was too late no sometimes I talk too much what's wrong No Deal we've got a deal all right here's the contract you hear that John we got a contract for 10 wagons 10 Henry not 10 not 10 no a hundred a hundred wagons with delivery in six months says so right here in the contract that's wonderful sounded wonderful to me too till on the way back up again they realize how impossible it was impossible why in the first place where we gonna get the money for material money that's been the trouble in this family ever since I can remember now I know I'm home Clem you know we haven't got the men or equipment Peter even sold me on the idea we could do it well I have to go back and tell them that the deal's off I've got the money here's $8,000 $8,000 you said you didn't make a cent mining gold I didn't not mining gold I got it making wheelbarrows wheelbarrows and I came home figuring on making weight this is the perfect spot but jumping off place to the west I don't think there's a better business to be in any place what's the matter Henry don't you agree well I oh I see you'd still rather have a farm huh John I'm a hole right Henry you're gonna have your farm got a place picked out there's a place a couple of miles out of town I'd give anything to own your share of the wagon business my share isn't worth the price of a farm it is to me you mean you did the farm or your share of the business it's a deal thanks John now that's settled what about our little deal what do you mean Clem and I drew up sort of an agreement before we had any notion you'd be buying in JM you see we a.m. why not it's business like John Moeller am I like that here it is i Peter Studebaker agree to sell all the wagons my brother Clem can make sign Peter Studebaker I Klem Studebaker agree to make all the wagons my brother Peter can sell sign Klem Studebaker well that's certainly business like business well we're in one now a big one too big maybe it's gonna take more than money to build 100 wagons in six months we're just not fixed for turning out wagons if anywhere near that rate all right we'll work out new methods new machinery maybe I'm glad I don't have to worry about finding seasoned wood for any hundred wagons Henry's right there's not that much good wood to be had even if we pay a good price for it at any place Clem can't we use unseasoned wood those wagons are going to have our name on them if we can't get seasoned wood we'll make it there's no such process then we'll invent one [Music] and they did invent 100 wagons were turned out in half the agreed-upon time under similar canvas top wagons settlers went riding out into the wilderness while the West expanded the oldest states to the east were split by strife now the brothers were called upon to supply various types of military vehicles then the piece and further expansion the West was settled by the gun the axe the plow and the Studebaker wagon many of them purchased from Peter at his new Depot in st. Joseph Missouri [Music] the Year 1874 destined to become memorable in the company's history for more than one reason Klem John and Peter now joined by their brother Jacob felt that a family celebration was in order from the gaiety apparent in this household I suspect my announcement is no longer a surprise nevertheless it pleases me to be able to tell you that for the first time our annual sales have passed the million dollar mark well the past has been kind to us may we all be worthy of what the future has to offer what's the matter Pierre you're not disappointed with our sales are you [Music] the shop come on [Music] well what's the future now two-thirds of the whole place gone up in smoke 15 years of hard work wiped out in an hour maybe the million mark is as far as we were supposed to go the panic of 73 could be stopped the fire 74 certainly did the railroads opening up these new areas I said to be a greater demand for wagons than ever before somebody else will be making those wagons now not us I thought you might want to cut this thank you [Music] wait a minute eater let's not allow the smoke in this place to fog our mind isn't it clear we'll have to close down close down what else if we close down can you go through the streets of South Bend and face all the people that depend on this plant for a livelihood JM we can't blame this tragedy on ourselves maybe not we can shut down the planet lesion yeah but what about our men most of them have never worked for anyone but us they helped us to build a tradition of fine craftsmanship we had sons working at benches beside their fathers learning the right way to make wagons and carriages taking pride in their way they'll hand that skill and pride and work well done down to their children if we let them down if we let down the customers and dealers who count on us for wagons then we automate what can we do stay in business that's what there's a train leaving for Chicago in exactly 38 minutes and you're gonna take a Peter Chicago whatever for to raise the money that'll put us back into operation raise money on what jail what can I possibly tell the bank's what you've always sold faith in anything that Studebaker puts on wheels all right I can try good Clem Jacob we're gonna take inventory we've got to have a report ready by morning on what can be salvaged I'll start in the shop I'll take started all over soon as we find out what we've got left we'll Telegraph the figures to you in Chicago and you can tell him in Chicago that we're going to build better than before and bigger [Music] from the ruins of a fire they built the largest vehicle plant in the world a plant to keep pace with an America making gigantic strides in Science and Industry 25 years later progress was keyed by a younger generation such as JM son-in-law Frederick s fish or the brothers had passed on leaving only JM with a gratifying record of achievement and a keen enthusiasm for the newest form of transportation the automobile the new and complicated mechanical needs of this day were a far cry from the first simplicity of the buggy days well that seems to make sense when do we road test the car whenever you're ready I'm always ready for tests on the gasoline buggy if I'm not mistaken this is the 16th road test this year isn't it ever since you gave me the responsibility of a gasoline buggy I've been anxious to get into production the model we have now is at least as good as what other manufacturers have good enough to sell with the name Studebaker honey well don't worry about getting into production worry about developing a car that's worth producing [Music] and we're going 8 miles an hour [Music] hmm still haven't solved the problem of misfires in the cylinder hmm why can't we get a good spark only used for spark plugs in it to our ride can't expect people to travel around with pockets full of spark plugs well I'll get it back to the shop have the engineers go to work on it again all right let me know when you're ready for another test [Music] what do you think of the improvements we've made in the last two years we're going 16 miles an hour but that's on the level Road let's see what it can do on this hill [Music] what do you think mmm it's good good it's a marvel now let's not get over enthusiastic this is just a beginning then you do think we're ready mm-hmm it's been worth the seven years of development I think the time has come for us to go into the manufacture of gasoline automobile take me back to the plant we've got some figuring to do yes sir just one more thing Fred I know we'll have to go outside to get some of the parts right now but eventually eventually I'd like to see us make the whole car right here in South Bend this business was built by turning out wagons that way you see you didn't start here Fred you weren't brought up in the wagon business but I can remember when South Bend was a village my brothers and I helped to make it a city and it's always stood biased of course this is your baby this car I wish it were mine but I'm a wagon man my days behind me this is for young men so you're the one will have to say how and where our cars will be built I understand to him will make the parts - just as soon as we can Studebaker cars will be made right here that's a promise that was the beginning a wave of enthusiasm for the new gasoline buggy mounted tremendously till World War one when Studebaker under the leadership of AR Erskine was one of the first to convert to military production with the coming of peace manufacture began on a completely new big6 it's instantaneous public acceptance so securely established the company in automobiles that the manufacture of wagons was reluctantly abandoned Studebaker alone among five thousand wagon makers accomplished the transition from horse-drawn to motor powered vehicles this unbroken advance was endangered by the crash of 1929 and the ensuing depression then with Paul G Hoffman in charge of sales and Herald S Vance in charge of production the company emerged from the threat of disaster intact without loss of identity or sacrifice of its founders principles the Board of Directors was constantly moving forward to meet the challenge of new times gentlemen I'm sure that we all want to do what is best for the company even though we do disagree over what that is the main question is do we want to make this card or do we want to enter the low-priced field or don't we mr. Vance yes Bob I don't think we should break with the tradition of this company which is to give quality that's the policy on which this company has grown why should we suddenly try something new I think we'd wreck the record and the company as Harrell said before Bob a low-priced car doesn't have to mean a low quality car if that were the alternative I think we'd all agree with you but this is a quality car a quality car designed to meet today's demand in size and price of why plunge into competition the stiffest kind of competition in the felis not our own why not stick to what we know ma been business like anything else you can't stand still you either move ahead or fall behind a Studebaker brothers knew that they knew that when they made these their buggy let me tell you how this buggy got its name it seems that at a horse option Peter Studebaker overheard a dealer with six or eight horses trying to sell one of them to a farmer well he was bragging about past performances this horse was a winner of many blue ribbons that horse was first in a hauling contest another was leader in an endurance contest but this was all past performance so the farmer turned away in disgust has been as he snorted waters I don't want a water I want an is er these are buggy became famous throughout the world the brothers promised a good wagon they gave more than they promised a better wagon they were champions whatever they made was a champion and we can make this car a champion Harold you've just named the new car [Music] so production began in the low price field with a champion and instant success Studebaker resumed leadership in the progress of Transportation World War two and the company suspended the production of civilian cars and dedicated its assembly lines to the armament program trucks like track vehicles heavy bomber airplane motors conversion to peacetime production brought an even better champion a car of revolutionary new design for the post-war world today Studebakers newest models continue to justify its eminence in the forefront of American Progress [Music] those are the sales figures and these letters keep rolling in we've never enjoyed an automobile more than our new Studebaker and these wires from dealers so I guess we have a right to be proud of our newest car congratulations gentlemen mr. Vance I don't think a better car can be built the new one is the absolute ultimate in design and craftsmanship in quality the ultimate for now suta they're built each one of these to serve long and well and each one of these was the best for its time we've made progress during the years that have passed and ears come bring radical new developments in transportation involving new problems new challenges new opportunities the story of this company is very much like the story of America always pushing forward in new frontiers our past is romantic and full of achievement but there is a future more challenging than the past this company has seen many changes but there's one thing that hasn't changed the basic policy that has provided the inspiration for Studebakers first 100 years of progress [Music]

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Length: 29min 20sec (1760 seconds)

Published: Mon Sep 20 2021