Not only is
this collection of beautifully-illustrated true stories perfect for car
lovers, it is charming enough to captivate even the reader who never before
understood the mystique of vintage automobiles.
Rob Ballard thought he may never find another 1955 Studebaker
President Speedster after he passed up buying one from a seller in
Australia because shipping would be so costly.
In
a curious twist, however, that experience eventually led him, via
e-mails from England, Holland, Australia and Texas, to another Speedster
in California. By then, he said, he had learned not to quibble, and he
snapped it up.
Ballard’s fascination with this rare Studebaker coupe started when he
first saw one about five years ago. “I just fell in love with that car,”
he said. The Studebaker coupe, designed by Raymond Loewy in 1953, is an
icon. Loewy was an industrial designer who also penned the Lucky Strike
package and logos for Shell, Exxon, Greyhound and Nabisco.
Loewy’s 1953 Studebaker coupe is touted as one of the top auto
designs of all time, and his 1963 Studebaker Avanti has always been
given high praise as well. Ballard’s Speedster has the distinctive
profile and shape of the 1953. Priced at $3,253, it was the most
expensive Studebaker until the supercharged 1957 Golden Hawk.
Ballard’s
Speedster has Stewart-Warner gauges, a turned-metal finish on the
instrument panel and diamond-tufted leather upholstery. The engine,
sourced from Packard, is a Passmaster 259-cubic-inch V-8 with 185
horsepower.
Ballard said that of the 2,215 Speedsters produced, only 424 had this
color scheme.
His car was originally a gift to actress Mary Brian from her husband,
George Tomasini. From the 1920s through 1947, Brian appeared in 87
movies, including “Front Page” and “Blessed Event.” Tomasini, a film
editor who gained renown with Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rear Window,” “Psycho”
and “The Birds,” died at age 55. Brian drove her Studebaker until age
87. Then she gave the car to her godson, Stuart Erwin, Jr., and he
restored it. Ballard bought it from him. Brian died in 2002 at age 95.
Ballard
owns a number of collectible cars, and he said each one is an “affair of
the heart.” It’s easy to put too much money into restorations, he said,
and you don’t often come out ahead on value. He owns classic cars and
motorcycles because he loves them. He laughs when he says that everyone
should own a vehicle from each decade of their life. And while he’s not
quite there, he’s close. For Ballard, owning classic cars is all about
enjoyment, and that’s why his grin is so wide when he drives them.
Notice: The information on this site is
not intended as a substitute for the advice of a professional who is
qualified to examine, diagnose and repair your vehicle.
In
a curious twist, however, that experience eventually led him, via
e-mails from England, Holland, Australia and Texas, to another Speedster
in California. By then, he said, he had learned not to quibble, and he
snapped it up. 
Ballard’s
Speedster has Stewart-Warner gauges, a turned-metal finish on the
instrument panel and diamond-tufted leather upholstery. The engine,
sourced from Packard, is a Passmaster 259-cubic-inch V-8 with 185
horsepower. 
Ballard
owns a number of collectible cars, and he said each one is an “affair of
the heart.” It’s easy to put too much money into restorations, he said,
and you don’t often come out ahead on value. He owns classic cars and
motorcycles because he loves them. He laughs when he says that everyone
should own a vehicle from each decade of their life. And while he’s not
quite there, he’s close. For Ballard, owning classic cars is all about
enjoyment, and that’s why his grin is so wide when he drives them.