"S" stands for Studebaker

I dream of my early youth. Does the "S" stand for Superman the hero of all young boys back in the post WW II days. The heroes of the comic book world back in those days were three guys and one gal. They were Superman, Batman, and Aquaman (these all sprang from the old "Captain Marvel" comic books). For the girls, there was "Wonder Woman." That was before all the new Superheroes like Plastic Man.

But the "S" in my dreams does not stand for Superman but for Studebaker, the superhero of Automobiles.

Some of my first memories are of the Studebaker. Now my parents for many years have claimed that I have had gasoline cholic. See my blog on December 24 entitled "A Blog that Only a Mother Can Love" where my father makes reference to this phenomenon. In short, I cried each night and would not go to sleep until I had a ride in a vehicle. (Today, I find that I can sleep on trains, plains and automobiles. But I can also sleep anywhere else.) The truth of the matter is that I fell in love with my folks' Studebaker when I was very young and would not go to sleep without a ride in it. Therefore just taking me for a ride today will not cure my sleep problems-unless it is a ride in a Studebaker.

There are various Studebakers in my memory including a 1949 Studebaker, a 1950 Sudebaker, a 1952 Studebaker and a 1953 or 1954 Studebaker. They are like counting sheep, they parade through my dreams. One is maroon, one is green, one is gray and maroon. Most have the wonderful Studebaker nose. They are wonders of auto engineering, advanced in design and harbingers of a wonderful automobile future. They are simple and unairconditioned. You ride with the windows down on hot days and with the windows up in cool days. They have heaters. The backseat is flat, it is a bench back seat. They are cool. And that wonderful nose. No wonder the 1950 was known as "The Rocket."

Some Studebaker links are:

The Studebaker Museum

The Sudebaker Drivers Club

The Antique Studebaker Club

The Home of the Studebaker Clubs

Studebakers were the cars of my dreams when I was a young child. They are also the cars of my dreams now. The Studebaker was an honest car. It was not for the rich. It was priced for the ordinary man. But it was an automobile of hope. One that looked forward to a new and modern world. The Allied Victory in the Second World War had saved much of civilization from tyranny. There was a new positive feeling in the United States and a promise of a better and more prosperous time. The Sudebaker looked forward and seized this hope. It was the car for tomorrow.