Studebaker: Israeli Afterlife

Studebaker: Israeli afterlife is the unlikely and little-known story of how the famed Hoosier car brand continued production in the Holy Land after the Studebaker Plant’s closure in South Bend. This lecture will explore Israel’s first tycoon’s risky vision of a “Detroit of the Middle East” in the city of Haifa, with Studebaker being its flagship Car Brand in the mid to late 1960s.
About the Channel:
The Studebaker National Museum is devoted to sharing the story of the automotive and industrial history of South Bend and the greater region through the display and interpretation of Studebaker vehicles along with related industrial artifacts. The Collection also includes seven objects designated as “National Treasures” including the carriage Abraham Lincoln rode to Ford’s Theatre the night of his assassination, and a carriage used by the Marquis de Lafayette during his farewell tour of United States in 1824. Our Vision is to spark the imagination and ignite interest and passion for design, innovation, and overall impact of the automobile and its related industries.
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[@amonwirthiem5762]

Awesome, wish I was there, few comments: - Israeli Lark didn't have any plastic body parts or plastic molding whatsoever (for 27 years I had an Israeli Lark) - No Hawks assembled in Israel - 1965-1966 model years did use the Chevrolet engine (McKinnon) - 1966 model year didn't have the fresh facelift and continue using the 1964-1965 facia - The Lark President didn't have plastic parts. The car collapsed as Ilin didn't use the X chassis. Instead he used a regular chassis without the right reinforcements. The car was stored for twenty years and sold for parts in the early 80's. Nothing remains. - Ilin built several prototypes on the Lark chassis, and a few went into the market - Ilin assembled the Champ pickup. To save cost he used the bed from Willys pickup (still there's a connection as Brook Stevens designed both cars 😂) 23:56 - The OHV 6 engine actually suffered from overheating (the famous cracks in the cylinder head). Back in the early 90' I brought my licking crack head to a machinist)...right away the old machinist started to laugh and told me he got rich for the many heads he fixed in the 60'). - The Transtar trucks didn't fit the Israeli market as they sold only with gasoline engines and considered outdated Good stuff 👍

[@drakbar5957]

Fascinating documentary and tribute to Israeli innovation. Sure looks like a Champ at 22:12. And that Lark convertible with suicide doors is unbelievable. So now we wait for Australia’s response to where the last Studebaker was assembled. Kudos to the presenter and the Studebaker National Museum!

[@billhershkowitz5759]

Studebakernever built a V-6. The 6 cylinder engine was an "inline 6" which could be ordered with either a side-valve, or overhead valve cylinder head. In the States this engine was called the "Skybolt Six." Also in the U.S. you could get a Studebaker with a powerful V8.

[@shoutingatclouds1050]

That is a very nice car with some new door seals and some vintage Air I would would definitely cruise.

[@neildickson5394]

I've got a photo of what was hoped to be a continuation of Studebaker after 67 in Israel. It shows a white sedan from the completely revised front clip. Square headlights, horizontal grill, split center. Slightly Pontiac looking. Unfortunately, it didn't go forward. Another fascinating Post Studebaker model was the 65 Studebaker Champ in South America. There are many photos of it on the internet with it's mesh grill and Studebaker badge in the lower left corner.

[@Joeherman]

Thank you. I enjoyed watching that.

[@StudebakerMuseum]

Glad you enjoyed!