1965 – 1966 Studebaker Cars

In order to understand the 1965 Studebaker cars we need to take a brief look at the 1964 model year.  As we all know on December 20th, 1963 South Bend production ended.

While the main Studebaker automobile assembly line in South Bend shut down, engine assembly and foundry operations continued for several months, lasting until roughly May 1964.  Some truck production also continued shortly after the initial shutdown, but major manufacturing operations ceased, with production moving to Hamilton, Ontario.

With the end of operations at the South Bend plant foundry and engine assembly operation, Hamilton needs to find another source for engines.  One might ask “why not just continue foundry and engine assembly in South Bend?”  According to the Fred Fox TW article September 2012, “In mid-1964, Studebaker was producing less than 2,000 cars a month.  The engine plant facilities at South Bend had the capacity to build 20,000 engines a month.  To operate it at less then 10% capacity was not economically feasible.”

So………………, here comes the McKinnon (ChevyBaker) engines.  The transition to a new engine series was extreamly difficult considering the change had to be made using the same bodies and frames used in the 1964 car production.  Harm Arnold and his small Hamilton engineering team would have their work cut out.  New motor mounts need to be designed, clearance problems overcome, the new engines needed to be matched with existing Borg Warner transmissions.  All with a production start date of September 21, 1964.  The job gets done, but not without having to sacrifice some optional equipment offering.  Initially no air conditioning, no six cylinder power brakes, and no Hill Holder.  Most of the options and accessories were phased in during the model year.

So much of the engineering effort was put into the engine swap that there would be little time or money left for any styling changes.  Thus, except for some minor items, the 1965’s looked just like the 1964.  This would be were the Studebaker’s advertisements took over, claiming the lack of styling change resulted in the…

 “The 1965 Studebaker [is] the Common-Sense car because the body style doesn’t change every year.”

For 1965 the Daytona convertibles and hardtops were discontinued and a new Daytona V8 Sports Sedan was added.  It was an F-bodied 2dr coupe and had a standard vinyl covered roof and a dressed up interior.  All six-cylinder Daytona’s were discontinued and a six-cylinder Cruiser was added.  The fixed roof Wagonaire option was eliminated and only the standard sliding roof unit was available.

Both the Daytona Sport and the Cruiser have a new horizonal trim strip added to the crease just above the gas filler cap.  The horizonal deck lid wide trim is replaced with a slim trim strip which had been used on 1964 Challengers and Commanders.  This trim is also used on the 1965 Commanders.  The amber parking lights, introduced in late 1964 models are carried forward on 1965’s.  Duel headlights are now standard on all 1965 Studebaker cars.  On the interior a new parking light warning light is added to the dash.  Cigarette lighter and manual windshield washer are now standard equipment.  The Cruiser broadcloth upholstery option is deleted, other wise interior fabrics and colors are similar to 1964.  A rear fold-down arm rest similar to those seen on Hawk’s is added to the Daytona Sport Sedan.  Individual reclining front seats are optional on Cruisers.

Tells:

One quick way to identify 1965 Studebaker cars, (unmodified) is the single tailpipe exists the rear of the car on the drivers side.  Studebaker engined single exhaust was on the passenger side.  There was no duel exhaust option offered for 1965.  Of coarse you could also look under the hood.