1915 Studebaker Model SD Light Four
Registration no. KB 1287
Chassis no. 438364F

Wagon makers since the middle of the 19th Century, the Studebaker brothers of South Bend, Indiana had been active in commercial vehicle manufacture long before the arrival of the 'horseless carriage'. Having made a fortune out of horse-drawn transportation, the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company built the first of its own automobiles - an 'electric' designed by Thomas Alva Edison - in 1902 and its first gasoline-powered motor car - an 8hp twin - late in 1903. In 1904 a twin-cylinder 16hp chain-driven model was added, followed in 1905 by a 20hp 'four' with shaft drive, both of which used chassis supplied by A L Garford of Elyria, Ohio; indeed, up to 1911 cars were marketed under the 'Studebaker-Garford' name. In 1908 Studebaker commenced an association with the E-M-F company, whose cars it marketed, eventually taking over the Detroit-based manufacturer in 1910 to form the Studebaker Corporation on January 1st 1911, at which time the link with Garford was broken. By this time the range consisted of a brace of fours ? the Models G-8 and G-10 ? of 40 and 30 horsepower respectively. Studebaker's big news for 1913 was the arrival of its first six-cylinder automobile - the Model E - recognised by historians as the first mass-produced 'six' to have its cylinders cast en bloc. By this time the four-cylinder engine displaced 192.4ci (3,154cc) and produced around 30 horsepower.

This most handsome and imposing 4/5-seat touring car has been dated by the Veteran Car Club as manufactured in 1915, and still has its first buff logbook issued on 4th February 1921, listing one Charles John Edmond of Bromyard as owner. The car's prior history is not known, though it is believed to have been imported by an Army captain.

'KB 1287' spent a period of time up to 1975 on display at The National Motor Museum, Beaulieu as evidenced by their catalogue on file showing the car in April 1960. From 1976 the Studebaker belonged to one D F Locked of Woldingham, Surrey. The car was subsequently owned by Dr A M Luther of Cornwall, passing from him to the current vendor in 2013 having been fully restored by Dr Luther in the late 1970s. Recent works undertaken include relining the handbrake bands, and replacing the rotor arm and ignition contact-breaker points with new original parts.

Accompanying documentation includes the VCC Dating Certificate and history/records CD, DVLA records extract, a selection of restoration photographs, an original Studebaker instruction manual, a quantity of (copy) advertisements for the SD model, a V5C Registration Certificate, and the aforementioned buff original buff logbook.