Studebaker
Brief History
The company was founded in 16 february 1852 form Henry and Clement Studebaker and was named H&C Studebaker, they started with wagon production.
In the late 1890s, steam, gasoline and electricity were all being considered as sources of propulsion by automobile designers. Studebaker had experimented with horseless carriages as early as 1896, but was proceding cautiously. That year, an electrical engineer named George Strong was retained to work on a battery powered carriage. Studebaker opted to go with electricity early on, largely because they were already making electric carriage bodies for another company and J. M. regarded steam and gasoline as noisey and dangerous. The testing came to fruition in 1902 when Studebaker introduced it's first production automobile, the Electric Runabout. The first sale occured five days before the company's 50th anniversary and Thomas Edison is thought to have purchased the second one. The Runabout was small and quiet and had a top speed of 13 miles per hour on level ground. Five different models were offered and a total of twenty electric vehicles were sold in 1902.
By the end of 1939 prosperity in America had begun to improve as the country steadily emerged from the depression. Employment was up and optimism was returning to daily life. In this year Studebaker sold large numbers of K30 3 ton trucks to France, Belgium and Holland who adapted them to military use until the fall of the continent in 1940.
1951 was charged with anticipation. The next year would be Studebakers centennial and preparations were well underway but the big news for now was a new engine. In its 99th year Studebaker introduced their first overhead valve V-8. Initially offered in the ‘51 Commander, the new engine displaced 3801cc and developed 120 horse power. The public loved the high performance engine and Commander sales were understandably brisk.
As the 20th Century dawned, Studebaker began building both electric and gasoline powered automobiles. After supplying wagons for the Allies during World War I, Studebaker put all its resources into automotive manufacturing. From the 1920s until its closing in 1966, Studebaker Automotive was a leader in styling and engineering. Many of the famous designs that rolled off the South Bend assembly lines are now an important part of America's automotive history. The legacy lives on. Studebaker was the only company to span the time from settlers' wagons to high performance automobiles. The 114 years of Studebaker history is preserved and on exhibit at the Studebaker National Museum in Indiana.
