T R O N K

"Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available" (whoistheleader2) 07/12/2020 at 00:31 • Filed to: junk in the trunk, Old Car City USA, DIOCCUSA

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Weez got it

ranwhenparked > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 07/12/2020 at 00:54

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The business coupe really accentuates the look, but, supposedly, Studebaker designed their 1947 bodies to accommodate a rear engine, which was scrapped at some point during the development on cost grounds.

They apparently messed around with a few rear engine prototypes again in the late ‘50s/early ‘60s, so someone at the company was hooked on the idea.

ranwhenparked > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 07/12/2020 at 00:54

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kinja

Jim Spanfeller > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 07/12/2020 at 00:55

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I love these “business coupes”. I’ve always wanted to build a mid-engined one, because why not? There’s loads of empty space back there! Heck, I could probably fit a V12 in that trunk if I wanted. With a giant supercharger sticking out the trunk as well. Yeah....

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > ranwhenparked 07/12/2020 at 00:57

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Yes, I think Kinja could easily fit back there but I don’t want my car crawling with bugs. 

SiennaMan > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 07/12/2020 at 00:57

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 Those are such unusual proportions.   It's like someone was going to make the first ute and got scared at the last minute and made a coupe instead.  Fascinating.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jim Spanfeller 07/12/2020 at 00:58

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When you com pletely eliminate the rear seat, there isn't much left. Such strange proportions but I love it. Imagine a V drive setup with a W12!

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > ranwhenparked 07/12/2020 at 00:58

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That would have been one big engine. What were they going to put in there, a straight 16?

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 07/12/2020 at 00:59

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A six body trunk

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > SiennaMan 07/12/2020 at 01:01

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Studebaker Champion business coupe. For when you want to haul around dead hookers but be di screet. A Ute is far too obvious, silly.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 07/12/2020 at 01:02

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I think if you stack em you could get 12.

Jim Spanfeller > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 07/12/2020 at 01:04

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Wait... Do you mean V drive as in the things boats use to flip power 180 degrees, or...

Either way, it’s insane and I love it. But I’d go a step farther and join two VW Passat W8 engines at the crank shaft to make a homemade W16!

I call it... The Stude bugatti!

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jim Spanfeller 07/12/2020 at 01:10

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A forward facing output shift running to a V drive, as in boats, is the easiest and most common way to make a homemade mid engined car. No, not like that.

I think considering the size of the trunk you could just string together two straight sixes for a straight 12.

fintail > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 07/12/2020 at 01:25

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The designer of the Chrysler fuselage coupe must have liked these Studebakers - on this one the trunk and hood might be the same length:

Jim Spanfeller > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 07/12/2020 at 01:28

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There are also plenty of FWD transverse LS-engined cars out there, so that could work. Or the drivetrain from the C8 Corvette... Or the kind of drivetrain they put in replica GT40s... Or an Oldsmobile Toronado drivetrain... Cadillac Northstar V8 FWD drivetrain... Wait, scratch that last one, that’s a terrible idea.

As far as stringing together inline sixes goes, I’ve often thought when looking at engine bays of American inline-six cars that there’s so much space on either side of the engine that you could probably squeeze a second one in there right next to it. And that naturally leads to fantasies of twin-2JZ -powered Falcons and Ramblers and stuff :)

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > fintail 07/12/2020 at 01:29

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A bit of a far cry from the Stude where the trunk is noticably longer. It is like someone put the front clip on the wrong end. The Chrysler is interesting because the length of the trunk horizontal lines is the same but the rear seat and roof intrudes past that to make for a semblan ce of practicality.

fintail > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 07/12/2020 at 01:30

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I’m pretty sure I’ve heard those Studes received “is it coming or going?” remarks back in the day.

Amusing, those Chryslers are a cult thing in Germany, of all places.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jim Spanfeller 07/12/2020 at 01:32

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I’ve been intrigued by putting a modern FWD drivetrain in the rear, not the middle, of a car. So true rear engined with the motor overhanging a little. I don’t think that would make for a good choice here because it blocks off the whole trunk.

Why don’t you just slap in a hybrid FWD transverse engine ad battery in  the front from a Prius and put the C8 drivetrain in the middle? 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > fintail 07/12/2020 at 01:35

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The business could had some wacky proportions, but what really gets me is the absurdly wide (visually) Studebaker next to it.

It just looks so sad!

I thought all the classic American fetishists were in Finland. . .

Strange that there Germans would fall for something so absurdly impractical and excessive.

Jim Spanfeller > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 07/12/2020 at 01:37

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Some of the FWD drivetrains I mentioned actually have the engine in front of or directly above the front axle. Not ideal in a FWD car, but great for doing weird stuff like putting it in the back of a Studebaker! Homemade hybrid cars are really hard to build, though, and it feels kinda wrong to have both Prius and Corvette parts on the same car...

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jim Spanfeller 07/12/2020 at 01:41

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Which means if you turned it around and reversed the gearing you would have a rear engined capable design. The more top of the axle design would make a great mid rear for more more predictable handling. Fine, let's put the hybrid FWD Bolt gear in that tronk and the C7 Corvette stuff can power the front. Same brand, no worries.

fintail > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 07/12/2020 at 01:42

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Those Loewy Stude coupes look a lot better with the bumper. A landmark design, that was really something in 1953, futuristic without being wacky.

There are some surprising car fetishes in Europe.

Jim Spanfeller > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 07/12/2020 at 01:45

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Or... Put a second FWD engine in the front for the front wheels and have an AWD, twin-engined monster of a car! Only thing more POWER than an LS is two LS !!

Exage03040 @ opposite-lock.com > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 07/12/2020 at 06:58

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Dat ‘59 Cadillac in the back! mmmmmm.

I’ll say this time and time again since FP [E rik] has it out, but I really think the modern pickup has taken the place of these past big trunk beauties . Even the HD pickups with the diesels are just super refined in NVH to the pickups of 25 years ago (let alone the time of the barges). T hey’re bigger, but they drive really well.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > fintail 07/12/2020 at 12:54

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I think they would say the same thing about us when the Europpos hear us lusting after manual wagons.

The last of the Stud ebakers are surprisingly striking looking. I wonder what would have happened if they could have continued as a brand, possibly under AMC or something. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jim Spanfeller 07/12/2020 at 12:57

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The only thing worse than a Northstar are two north stars.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Exage03040 @ opposite-lock.com 07/12/2020 at 13:00

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A pickup with a cover or cap over the bed is more practical and has better resale value than a car specifically designed for murderous traveling salesmen. I understand it. Honestly, the business coupe was just a tad but it sure made some wacky and wonderful looking cars.

Wait, did I predict an FP article?

Oh, and happy to oblige.

fintail > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 07/12/2020 at 13:51

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One that gets me is Euro enthusiasts sometimes retrofit US spec headlights, while in the US the US spec lights are usually hated. The grass is always greener.

Some of the later Studes are fairly sharp, and some seem to even have a little MB influence to their styling and equipment (as you probably recall Stude handled a lot of MB distributing at the time).  I think by then it was just one brand too many, and volumes weren’t high enough to keep it going - it was selling to brand loyalists, not expanding share.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > fintail 07/12/2020 at 13:59

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Yes, but not all grass is created equal. Still, you always want what you can’t have. I know someone here saw a US spec Toyota Echo in Europe once where they didn’t sell the coupe. I just can’t understand the case for that when the Euro spec Platz is better. I hope no one is retrofitting 5mph impact bumpers.

I didn't know Studebaker handled MB distribution. Lots of brands died out with it. Nash and Hudson come to mind.

fintail > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 07/12/2020 at 14:41

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That’s it, you want what you can’t have. The US spec lights of the time looked clunky, but were functional enough - the Euros looked worlds better. And Europeans want the US style to be “different”, especially on 107s and 126s, from what I can see. I’ve never seen a US bumper retrofit movement, thankfully.

From roughly 1957-64, Stude handled much US market M-B distribution, and many Stude dealers also sold MB (there were also standalone MB dealers). Here’s an ad from 1958 showing the co-branding:

And a period dealer pic showing fintail and ponton co-existing with some Studebakers in a dealer setting:

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > fintail 07/12/2020 at 14:44

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“allow an unduplicated panoramic view”

Wait, Merc drivers don’t see double while driving?

US lights were clunky looking but it would set yours apart. Kind of like how Holdens sometimes get Chevy rebadging to be different and vice versa. It varies from model to model which looks better but the Holden will always stand out outside Australia. 

fintail > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 07/12/2020 at 14:55

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Old time vocabulary lol. I bet there was some odd dimension of the glass (probably height) not matched by any other hardtop of the time.

I’ve seen that Chevy/Holden stuff on both sides, I’ve also seen more than one Infiniti rebadged as a Skyline, which is trying really hard.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > fintail 07/12/2020 at 14:59

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I haven't seen too many rebadges as overseas nameplates. I think it is a fun idea though, especially if it is something really weird. Like rebadging an Echo as a Platz. I don't like the ones that are try hard like the "skyline" you mentioned.

fintail > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 07/12/2020 at 15:30

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Or a Fit as a Jazz, etc. It’s not pretending to be edgy, anyway, unlike the Nissan rebadge - but that kind of fits the demographic - also no doubt a straight piped VQ and plenty of aggressive driving that would even make a BMW fanboy just a little self-conscious .

Taylor Martin > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 07/12/2020 at 15:39

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Upon first glance I thought that was the front... Didn’t have my glasses on but holy moly that’s a long T R O N K indeed.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Taylor Martin 07/12/2020 at 15:45

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Studebaker business coupe. For when you need to haul around dead bodies AND vacuum cleaners.

oldmxer > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 07/12/2020 at 18:46

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so much awesome ‘bakers, so little $

ranwhenparked > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 07/12/2020 at 18:52

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Just a straight eight at most, I wonder if they would have stretched the hood out ridiculously to create a bigger frunk for the business coupe? 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > ranwhenparked 07/12/2020 at 18:58

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I would love to see a rear engined business coupe where the extreme cargo capacity goes up front. Imagine a Corvair business coupe.

Like this but if the rear doors were the front doors of a coupe