This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
I love Garrison Keillor's columns, although at times his satire is a little off. Case in point: the column published June 7 headlined "When you know nothing, nothing can stop you," in which he refers to "the poor schlump" giving a speech in the Rose Garden.
Oh, I have no problem with that. It's further on when he refers to Studebaker automobiles that I beg to differ. Keillor nominates the 1951 Studebaker as "the most beautiful car of the 20th century." Right carmaker; wrong car.
The 1951 Studebakers continued the "bullet nose" line introduced the year before, a futuristic and radical design, but hardly what you could call "beautiful." It was the 1953 models — continued with slight variations through 1955 — designed by the Raymond Loewy group, that auto historians agree was the all-time style winner among American cars. Even the Museum of Modern Art in New York City gave the '53s its highest praise.
Today when I drive my 1953 Starlight Coupe I still get honks, waves, thumbs-ups and a lot of requests to take photos.
Stude-beauties continued to roll off the South Bend assembly lines, including Hawks, Larks and the Avanti, all style winners, but none popular enough to save Studebaker. Sad.
Keillor redeems himself by advocating what some Studebaker owners advertise on their bumper stickers: "Bail Out Studebaker." Yes.
Jan Harold Brunvand
Salt Lake City