History The aerodynamic 53/54 Studebaker- How about some photos of Speedway and Bonneville Racecars

Rene Charland


Gil Cramer and Cam Gagliardi



Guy Chartand


Red Framer


"Wild" Bill Slater 23 Galgiardi Cramer 70


History unknown

 

I would like to proudly say that I successfully performed an emergency horse-head transplant in the pits at Speedweek 2021 with 200, 300, and 400 mile per hour race cars going by.
The emergency horse head transplant was needed because other crew members scratched off the horses on the front fenders while chasing a fuel pump leak.
Knowing I had to act fast, I asked Brandon to find me some scissors and red vinyl.
snip snip snip press m***age trim snip.... SUCCESS!

I hurriedly performed what I believe must be the worlds FIRST and to this day, the worlds ONLY horse head transplant at the side of the worlds fastest race track just moments before the horse head on the fender made a 339 mph Studebaker-p*** just a few minutes later with the repaired horses, just out of surgery, hanging onto the fenders very well.
My name may not appear in any record books, but I've helped a few teams, and I am proud to say that I helped.
The one that stands out most in my mind is this successful horse head transplant on race day, and this MUST be a record of some sort.
Glad to be of help, and looking for more opportunities....
...keeping my fingers crossed that my successful horse-head transplant on race day keeps on being successful.
Thank you for letting me be of service to such an endeavor.
I now have yet another invisible unrecorded record of my own.
.....and more great stories for my s****book....

 

2021 Speedweek.
I know there were more, but I was busy busy .
(dang, Im afraid to erase all those duplicates in case I accidentally erase everything. oops )

 

Our's in 1961 right after the first El Mirage meet of the season.

 

Ours right after the first meet of the 1962 season. I learned, the hard way, Studebakers don't fly very well.

 

The McCredy motors 53 driven by Bill Wimble

 

I can't bring myself to hit the like ****on.

 

Our second Stude at Bonneville in 1963. Same engine and trans from the first one. This one is still alive and well.

 

I didn't see one car with severly chopped top. I know they existed.

 

I have always wondered, how soon after they were rolled off the ***embly line did they start rolling onto the salt? From the pictures I have seen I bet they were still under warranty.

It makes me wonder what is the fastest "showroom to race track" car ever built? Surely this is a strong compe***or for the honor.

 

The 880 above, was originally built by my friend Gary Hart. I have heard that it recently sold and maybe coming back to the states from Canada. I can not confirm this rumor.

Here is our Studebaker.
The rules that govern what can be modified and changed to the cars that race at Bonneville make for some unusual alterations. Sometimes they are not pleasing to the eye and do not make sense.

 

Steady Eddie Flemke's 53 headed to Daytona 1960 Modified/Sportsman race it didn't make it through the first lap.

 

1960 was the first year the modifieds and sports raced on the speedway, they were still on the beach in 1959.

Only the Grand Nationals, and Convertibles ran the speedway in 59.

 

That's gonna leave a mark!

 

At the Loring Timing ***ociation land speed events there have been a good number of Studebaker cars. I have to search the archives to find them all . In the pit area at the Maine Event in 2012 we see Charlie Venable's Studebaker coupe. He set the record in C/GCALT at 205.94 mph which earned him his 200 mph club hat.

 

I believe the yellow #352 Stude has also recently sold.

 

When I was a kid one of the first cool cars I remember seeing was this Studebaker. It was in the barn owned by my dad’s friend and when I would go with my dad to visit him I would drool over this car. All these years I thought it was a Bonneville car. In 2019 I started researching this Studebaker for a story to post in my Iowa car history page on Facebook. That is when I found out that it was actually a drag car and that my dad’s friend bought it from the original owners when it failed to be compe***ive. The car was built in Cedar Rapids Iowa.

I also found out that a small photo of it appeared in the November 1970 issue of Rod and Custom Magazine in a story Bud Bryan wrote about driving across country to the first NSRA Nationals in Peoria. Bud and his group drove some smaller highways and they found the Studebaker next to a garage in Springville Iowa. No one knows what happened to the car after Springville.

 

The above car might have been part of the inspiration for this

 

Remember the 'Belmont-Sanchez' Studebaker, with its chopped top, covered over headlamps, ran everything from SBC to Chrys Hemi. It returned to the salt, under 2 different team names...Then it vanished.

My ex boss Adam 'Jud' Smith, (Porsche shop owner/operator in Santa Cruz then) took me to L.A. to visit various friends, so Temple McFlathead's house (Yes, there was a real 'character') was the first place we visited.
High hedges around the front yard, we got out and the yard was full of tall sage-like dried 'gr***'...There, in the front yard, hidden in the sage was the Belmont/Sanchez Stude Coupe!
A bit rough, (rust and jagged edges, etc.) Temple was building a flathead for its next trip to the salt.
Visited Parnelli Jones, (another friend) then spent the night at Mickey Thompson's!
Jud worked on that first Funny Car Mickey did. (Ford)

 

A swoopy looking 56.4" tall 1953 Studebaker Starlight or Starliner parked next to a 1953 Ford or Chevy 62.3 to 65" tall must have really been a sight to behold.

 

Great photos, never knew they were oval track race cars. What is the Horse Head that the guy changed at Bonneville?

 

Sorry no photo but when I was 5 or 6 yrs old in the late 1960's my dad taught electricity and electrical theory at the State School of Science in Wahpeton, ND. I barely remember a 53 Studebaker Bonneville car in a gl*** display at the school campus. Wish I had pictures and more info now that I'm older.

 

Mike, Harold Hungerford of the Juggers, crashed the Sanchez Stude at Bonneville. I told him, I didn't know you drove that car, he replied, "I flew that car". Fun guy !
Here is an interior shot when it had Ardun Power.

 

I was a total Studebaker fan from seeing the 1953 model year brand new, in show room, my Dad would take me with him for the big show off,of the new cars. As a kid,liked there V8 even before that.!
.
Things that should be known,but often are not,how over looked the Studebaker V8 was.
https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/americas-best-v-8-engine-studebaker
The bottom end was near ****let proof.

 

2010 Maine Event. At speed we see the A/GALT Studebaker number 9095. The Butler and McKenney Race Team entry with Jim Clemons driving on it way to an LTA record 204.894 mph

 

Loring Timing ***ociation - At speed Studebaker 6222 entered in C/GSS (6 Liter / Gas Super Street). I have to do some searching to get the year and speed. In the photo I see at chute tether which means he is over 175 mph. I love the wheels