Studebaker info Thanks

It is evident that the info about the Avanti comes from people that know
their Studes.
While having a discussion with a friend he mentioned that Studebaker
made a couple models which were Front Wheel drive, he thinks they were
in the early 50's,but they did not do well and were dropped. ?????
I looked around but saw nothing about it.
A small wager has been placed with my buddy, I say no front wheel drive
cars were made.
Anyone have any info
Thanks You guys know your stuff.....

On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 09:39:24 -0500, "S.rathbern" >
wrote:

>It is evident that the info about the Avanti comes from people that know
>their Studes.
>While having a discussion with a friend he mentioned that Studebaker
>made a couple models which were Front Wheel drive, he thinks they were
>in the early 50's,but they did not do well and were dropped. ?????
>I looked around but saw nothing about it.
>A small wager has been placed with my buddy, I say no front wheel drive
>cars were made.
>Anyone have any info
>Thanks You guys know your stuff.....

Studebaker, like Chrysler, was an automotive innovator. They had a
lot of firsts but I don't remember a front-wheel drive Studebaker.

Jack

You win the wager. Studebaker may have made a prototype that I'm not aware
of but the only serious proposal for an American front wheel drive car after
WW2 was made by Kaiser. They initially intended to have the Frazer as a
conventional upmarket vehicle with rear wheel drive and the Kaiser as a more
innovative front wheel drive car. Prototypes were built and tested but
after some time Kaiser decided that a conventional rear drive Kaiser was a
better way to go. Perhaps it was this Kaiser that someone confused with
Studebaker, both brands being independents?

max

"S.rathbern" > wrote in message
...
> It is evident that the info about the Avanti comes from people that know
> their Studes.
> While having a discussion with a friend he mentioned that Studebaker made
> a couple models which were Front Wheel drive, he thinks they were in the
> early 50's,but they did not do well and were dropped. ?????
> I looked around but saw nothing about it.
> A small wager has been placed with my buddy, I say no front wheel drive
> cars were made.
> Anyone have any info
> Thanks You guys know your stuff.....

I don't find any references to a front drive Studebaker either. However,
another possible source of confusion was the Ford Cardinal. It was a front
drive vehicle planned for release in the American market, but cancelled at
the last minute and instead released as the German Ford Taunus 12M.

"MagisterMax" > wrote in message
news:THosj.20153$C61.17237@edtnps89...
> You win the wager. Studebaker may have made a prototype that I'm not
> aware of but the only serious proposal for an American front wheel drive
> car after WW2 was made by Kaiser. They initially intended to have the
> Frazer as a conventional upmarket vehicle with rear wheel drive and the
> Kaiser as a more innovative front wheel drive car. Prototypes were built
> and tested but after some time Kaiser decided that a conventional rear
> drive Kaiser was a better way to go. Perhaps it was this Kaiser that
> someone confused with Studebaker, both brands being independents?
>
> max
>
> "S.rathbern" > wrote in message
> ...
>> It is evident that the info about the Avanti comes from people that know
>> their Studes.
>> While having a discussion with a friend he mentioned that Studebaker made
>> a couple models which were Front Wheel drive, he thinks they were in the
>> early 50's,but they did not do well and were dropped. ?????
>> I looked around but saw nothing about it.
>> A small wager has been placed with my buddy, I say no front wheel drive
>> cars were made.
>> Anyone have any info
>> Thanks You guys know your stuff.....
>
>

There was a 4 cyl engine built for a prototype rear engine Lark. The
engine is on display at the Studebaker Museum in South bend. Studebaker
did have some designs proposed in the early sixties for a front wheel
drive car,but the company's auto division was already in it's death
throws by then. the board of directors chose to concentrate on
Studebaker's other businesses which were much more profitable.




MagisterMax wrote:
> You win the wager. Studebaker may have made a prototype that I'm not aware
> of but the only serious proposal for an American front wheel drive car after
> WW2 was made by Kaiser. They initially intended to have the Frazer as a
> conventional upmarket vehicle with rear wheel drive and the Kaiser as a more
> innovative front wheel drive car. Prototypes were built and tested but
> after some time Kaiser decided that a conventional rear drive Kaiser was a
> better way to go. Perhaps it was this Kaiser that someone confused with
> Studebaker, both brands being independents?
>
> max
>
> "S.rathbern" > wrote in message
> ...
>> It is evident that the info about the Avanti comes from people that know
>> their Studes.
>> While having a discussion with a friend he mentioned that Studebaker made
>> a couple models which were Front Wheel drive, he thinks they were in the
>> early 50's,but they did not do well and were dropped. ?????
>> I looked around but saw nothing about it.
>> A small wager has been placed with my buddy, I say no front wheel drive
>> cars were made.
>> Anyone have any info
>> Thanks You guys know your stuff.....
>
>