Studebaker Archives - The Weekly Driver

The Weekly Driver Podcast: encore bests during COVID-19

Like many small businesses, The Weekly Driver Podcast remains on hiatus this week during the coronavirus crisis. Bruce Aldrich and I miss our weekly chats with auto industry experts and enthusiasts. It’s an analyst on one episode, a car collector on the next, and it’s all great fun. How about a 30-minute interview with a guy who turned an old firetruck into a mobile pub? How about a half-hour show with a guy from Sacramento who’s as passionate about his vintage Studebaker as any new car owner is about their flashy red, over-the-top, technology overloaded SUV? Or what’s up with all those cars in bike races? We take a several-hour drive on the opening day of training camp with the

Podcast

#102, Sacramento renaissance man drives a 1961 Studebaker

Dean Seavers has long appreciated vintage cars. He’s owned several, a passion that continues a family heritage. Seavers’ now-deceased father worked for General Motors in Fremont, California, and his son learned about mechanics and vehicle history at a young age. Seavers is also a renaissance man. He likes old stuff in his East Sacramento home. He appreciates craftsmanship from yesterday. Seavers’ interests are represented ideally by his current favorite automobile — a 1961 Studebaker Lark VIII station wagon. He’s owned the car for about three years and seemingly knows every inch of it. Seavers is our guest on Episode #102 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Seavers at a coffee shop near his

Specialty cars

1963-64 Studebaker Avanti Car Review

The rakish 1963-64 Studebaker Avanti was among the most daring 1960s American cars, a modern masterpiece with totally unique American styling that even top exotic Italian auto stylists wouldn’t attempt to do. The Avanti had advanced safety features, when no U.S. automaker particularly gave a darn about safety. Such features included a built-in roll bar, padded interior and door latches that became structural body members when closed. Performance? An Avanti with a supercharged V-8 was one of the fastest 1960s autos. A supercharged model hit 168 mph, while a modified version reached 196 mph — a staggering speed for a 1960s production street car. Some 29 Bonneville speed records were smashed by a supercharged Avanti. Safety? The Avanti (Italian for