Studebaker is just one of many awesome automobile brands that never got the chance to see the modern day. The automaker, which started life as a wagon builder, produced some fabulous vehicles and was a proponent of the car-based pickup truck. Studebaker is dead and gone now, but a part of it literally lives on in northern Indiana.
In 1926, Studebaker built a test track in Indiana. And in 1938, the company planted 5,000 trees next to that track, but not merely to provide shade and beauty for those on the ground. When viewed from the air, the trees spelled STUDEBAKER in leafy green. After Studebaker closed, the track was passed onto Bendix and then Bosch. Today, it’s a test track for Navistar. And those trees? They’re still around, and still spreading the Studebaker word. This was pointed out by Harvey Firebirdman in Mark’s Shitbox Showdown:
Also fun fact Studebaker had one of the largest natural advertisements you could see from satellite images/plane at their old proving grounds in Indiana. The trees are actually still there and you can still see that it says Studebaker from a Google satellite view of what is now the Navistar Proving Ground and they are actually under some sort of protection to keep the ad (trees) up
I fired up a maps app, and sure enough, there they were!
Why did Studebaker plant its name in trees in a manner that you couldn’t see from the ground? Well, planes were really taking off in the 1930s and if you flew over New Carlisle, Indiana, you got to witness what was reported to be the world’s largest living advertisement. The ad is still around today, even when Studebaker isn’t. It’s an awesome landmark to see when you’re flying a Cessna.
Today, Lewin wrote about the dastardly way Ford tricked emissions in the 1970s. Holly Birge makes a good point about the lives we can live today:
I’m just going to say that I am old enough to remember when you could taste the air. Modern emissions standards are a good thing. And wow was that half-assed.
The next time you see a classic car go by, take a sniff and I bet you’ll be able to taste the exhaust. I know it’s often like that with the old motorcycles I play with. It’s amazing how far we’ve come!
Finally, let’s stop at Thomas and his piece about the new Ford Capri crossover. As LTDScott points out, the Capri’s nameplate has gotten around!
I am outraged! The Capri name should be only be used for full size Lincoln luxury cars!
Err I mean it should only be used for German sport coupes!
Actually, it should only be used on American muscle cars!
No, it should only be used on small roadsters!
Have a great evening, everyone!