1924 Studebaker Light Six

MY FIRST CHARIOT

I FOUND MY FIRST CAR ON A STATION PROPERTY IN THE LIVERPOOL PLAINS AREA IN IN NEW SOUTH WALES , THE ENGINE WAS SEIZED AND THE STATION HAD MADE A TRAILER OUT OF THE DIFFERENTIAL AND SPRINGS, AND I HAD TO FIND A DIFF AND SPRINGS THAT I COULD SWAP FOR THE 1924 STUDEBAKER LIGHT SIX THAT HAD BEEN CONVERTED INTO A UTILITY.

BEING ON LOW WAGES AND LIVING IN A REMOTE LOCATION I USED PENETROL TO TRY AND FREE THE PISTONS, AND EVENTUALLY GOT A TREE LIMB AND SHAPED IT BY HAND AND USED IT AS A BATTERING RAM TO FREE THE CAST IRON PISTONS,

THE STUDE HAD 24” TYRES AND BUDD WIRE WHEELS, AND I SAVED FOR AGES TO SEND TO SYDNEY AND GET TWO NEW BARNETT GLASS TYRES AND TUBES FOR IT, NO HOOD OR SIDE CURTAINS OR WINDSCREEN.

THE ONLY TOOLS I HAD WERE FROM THE STATIONS BLACKSMITH SHOP AND I BOUGHT A SET OF PRESSED STEEL SPANNERS THE ONLY ONES AVAILABLE WHICH WERE PRETTY WEAK BUT ALL THAT YOU COULD BUY AT THE TIME OF AUSTERITY.

AND WHEN I FINALLY GOT IT RUNNING BECAUSE IT WASN'T REGISTERED I COULD NOT BUY PETROL AS I HAD NO COUPONS FOR IT SO WOULD RUN IT ON A MIXTURE OF POWER KEROSENE WHEN WARMED UP ON SHELLITE, AND SOMETIMES LIGHTING KEROSENE

GOING UP PANDORA'S PASS ONE DAY THE STUDE DID A FABRIC UNIVERSAL JOINT SO IT WAS OUT WITH SOME WIRE AND DO A MAKESHIFT REPAIR AND CARRY ON REGARDLESS.

THE LOCAL POLICEMAN KNEW THAT I WAS RUNNING AROUND UNREGISTERED AND TOLD ME THAT AS LONG AS I KEPT OUT OT THE LOCAL VILLAGES HE WOULDN'T SEE ME .

THIS WAS A VERY WET PEROID IN OUR AREA AND IT WAS GREAT TO GO THRU MUD AND ONLY ABOUT 300CM OF WATER BECAUSE IT HAD AN OPEN FLYWHEEL AND IT WOULD KILL THE ENGINE QUICK SMART, AND ALSO INUNDATE THE DRIVER.

SO THAT WAS OVER 70 YEARS AGO AND THE FEW PHOTOS I HAD HAVE LONG SINCE DISAPPEARED.

TODAY MY ONLY CAR IS A 1928 PLYMOUTH THAT I DRIVE DAILY AND HAD COVERED WELL OVER THE MILLION. SO I HAVEN'T PROGRESSED MUCH IN THAT PERIOD OF TIME .

PHIL GANDER
BRUNSWICK HEADS 2483