Story by Jon Stalnaker AKA The Studebaker Dude
Last week I talked about Studebakers for the benefit of the younger generations that didn’t grow up seeing Studebakers on a regular basis. I didn’t show pictures of all the cool cars that wore the Studebaker name as there are way too many. After all, they built cars from 1902 to 1966 and Studebaker Avantis were built until 2006, carrying the Studebaker coolness without the name for another 40 years.
Next week, I expect to see many Studes driving around in Sapulpa on their way to California in celebration of the Route 66 Centennial. I still don’t know how many to expect, but I’m pretty sure your eyes will be treated to some cars you may not see every day. As somebody who owns two Studebakers and drives them frequently, I can tell you I have heard the phrase “you don’t see a Studebaker every day” many times. My favorite comeback to that phrase is always “I do.”
We have been working on a caravan to take as many Studebakers as we can from Chicago to the Santa Monica Pier in California. The run will begin the day after Mother’s Day next week and should be driving through Sapulpa after noon on Thursday, May 14th. I have been working on showing off as much of Sapulpa’s efforts to make this community a place to remember for the many classic cars that will be “getting their kicks” this year in celebration of the 100th year anniversary of this iconic roadway. I wanted to represent Studebaker and Sapulpa.
The plan is to gather at the parking lot for the Guardian of the Plains statue for a photo op. from there we will make our way to Gasoline Alley where we can have a meeting upstairs and let our guests know where the cool places are downtown and further on up Route 66. We should have plenty of time to explore Dewey Street and shop for memorabilia and antiques and/or get something good to eat.
Sapulpa’s most excellent drone photographer is planning to meet up with us so we can take a ride down our beautiful new Dewey street and get some unique pictures. We want to stop by the Thursday car show at Braum’s and hang out with our local car club people and invite them to join us at the Tee Pee Drive-in for a car show and a movie. They are playing Twister Two for us and we intend to stay there for an overnight stay where we can talk Studebaker to anyone interested in these unique cars that most people don’t get a chance to see very often.
We will have to find a way to fit in a few winks before morning because the caravan will head to Elk City for the next layover in the trip.
If you have a Studebaker, come join us for as long as you like. If you just want to learn more and see more of these awesome cars, join us at the Drive-in and learn all about these cars from those of us that know about them. Bring a classic of your own or better yet, another orphan make like a Rambler or Oldsmobile or Packard or whatever. It’s going to be fun.
If you don’t want to stay all night, you can leave anytime you like, but you just can’t come and go. The movie is $10 a carload, and staying afterward is another $10. The Drive-in opens about 7:30. Come early so you can check out the cars before the movie starts when it gets dark. Or you can stay after the movie. We have a special Studebaker video that we will play after the movie. Come one, come all. Bring your kids and grandkids. Where else are you gonna find a bunch of Studebakers. There might even be some for sale. See you there.