Spring 2000 Issue #13

The JTN is intended to provide a link among owners and enthusiasts of the high performance Studebakers (Larks & Hawks) built for 1963 and 1964. We seek not only information about surviving cars but also parts which exist from ”parted” units. Please submit all the data of which you are aware on any of the nearly 2000 such cars built. Feel free to make copies of this notice to share with others who may be interested. Your contributions both financial and material will help to ensure its survival.

EDITOR & ROSTER KEEPER..... G.J. (Ron) Ellerbe, P.O.Box 940483, Simi Valley, CA 93094 Phone: (805)-522-4544

A major goal of the JTN remains the maintenance of the owner rosters of 63 and 64 JT cars and loose engines. These 3 rosters are now published on the PC. Reported JT car status the JTN receives goes into the rosters. That includes changes of ownership, engine transplants, survivor discoveries and news of parted and crushed vehicles. “Loose” means the engine is no longer in its original car. JT engines sold in the crate go on this roster as well. The roster trio is available as shown on the inside front cover. The original 1964 production summary listing is also still available as is a reborn 1963 production listing which now has engine serial numbers on it. The JTN keeps a library of photos and build sheets. Please send JTN your photos and build sheet along with that JT story.

The library of photos has been assembled into an album. The photos in the album are in VIN order and were taken from many sources including the Internet, old Stude magazine coverage, TW issues and the US mail . There are well over 100 cars represented. Is yours in it? The album wants to be shared at the Madison meet and the Michigan drags, et al. JTN is seeking an album custodian for Madison. A Web site is a possibility for the gems in the album. If you are interested in what an outstanding Stude Web site ought to look like and contain, check out the 56J Only site at http://pages.prodigy.net/56sghor/. Fact filled and a feast for the eyes it is.

(S) means this person has located the car but doesn’t own it. The discovery of 64V15777 in Florida as reported in issue #12 was erroneous. The Florida car was something else, maybe a repainted 64V14385.

Made Surviving Known Made Surviving Known

Parted Parted

Made Surviving Known Made Surviving Known

Parted Parted

Made Surviving Known Made Surviving Known

Parted Parted

Made Surviving Known Made Surviving Known

Parted Parted

When you opened JTN last fall, you may well have said something like “Who is this Ron Ellerbe guy?” or “What happened to George Krem?” Yes, you do have a new editor and, no, nothing happened to George except that he had plans to go racing in Michigan. George found his workload getting out of hand and he asked Yours Truly to write the newsletter. I accepted. All of this is the continuing outcome of contacting George and Don Curtis in 1997 about trying to relocate a very special Studebaker that I owned in 1967. Nelson Bove, James Bell, George and Don were quick to put me straight on the identity of the car and its whereabouts. The car went far underground and is likely to stay there but it was the R4 Daytona, 64V15405, after Joe Granatelli and brother Vince got through with it as Stude PR department property. The car was in top shape but the entire drive train had been changed. R3 in, R4 gone. I was the 21 year old, dumb lucky, factory worker/student who showed up at Paxton at just the right time. The car crushed the street competition for 6 months. The car’s handling was incredible. So much for the popular conception of the outdated Stude suspension. My story in JTN #8 was part of the confusion of identifying the car. Now I’m editing JTN instead of reading it. Go figure. The Daytona’s original R4 engine has yet to surface.

One of our projects has entailed gaining access to the USAC written record of the Bonneville campaigns of the Fall ’63. It’s taken over two years just to learn where the material might be and what it might contain relating to JT. USAC Director of Properties David Petrali has graciously shared his information with JTN This treasure trove will be summarized in a future JTN issue. Every speed record has a driver, car and date shown but engine #’s were absent. 249 records were set by the 5 JT cars but the only records that remain standing from the campaign were those set by Skybolt 6 Commander #7. All 5 JT cars went into the record book. Bob Palma was instrumental in discovering the whereabouts of this archive. Do these R3 and R4 engine B numbers exist anywhere?

The response to the Avanti Magazine ad about JT engines was poor. We heard from one L.A. area owner, Bob Hansen, who has a JT type R2 crate engine that was tested by Champion Spark Plug. JTN didn’t get the sought after serial number.

Informal planning of a mass JT entrance at Madison was in the works at the time this issue went to press. Tony Berbig plans to get the JT faithful out in force for this annual meet in June. Contact Tony in Plymouth, MN for details. Take lots of pictures and video! JTN wants to report on the turnout in the next issue.

George Krem and Ted Harbit are planning to return to the Pure Stock Muscle Car Drags for 2000. Ted’s gorgeous red R2 Custom, 63V10942, is going this time. JTN is planning to make a Jet Thrust Reunion out of the event. It’s the weekend after Labor Day, September 8 and 9. Come to the Drags, all you JTers. No National Meet conflict this time. The Fall issue will have the story on the car, which, until very recently, belonged to George.

Eric De Rosa and 63V15256 Custom Eric is the Chicago area owner of a ’63 Custom that was originally delivered to Yuma, AZ. Having traveled to the Midwest and back to Arizona’s Chuck Naugle, the Custom suffered every manner of indignity, including a complete interior change, pulled R2 engine, JTS1404, and stripped disk brakes. The car is a restoration project that has needed a lot. Eric has been gathering parts to put it back in original condition but needs an R2 engine. Eric and JTN have no clues on what became of JTS1404. The gauge research reported later in this issue started with Eric’s desire to restore the instrument panel with the correct gauges.

Ed George and 63V6037 Regal Ed is doing a rebody on his Regal, a car that has been described as one of the Midwest’s worst surviving rust cases. Ed acquired a solid shell for the car. JTN looks forward to getting a look at this car in its renewed glory.

Jerry Kaiser and 63V10665 Jerry of greater Tucson acquired this solid, black R1 Custom 2 dr. from Long Beach, CA in 1998. The car has TT, red interior and 4 speed/Hurst. Hard at work restoring the car, which still has the original engine, JT1375, Jerry found a useable dash cap for the car. JTN looks forward to getting a look at the finished product.

Mason Maynard and the 64V11471 Commander Mason was very helpful in fortifying the JTN R3/R4 roster. As the builder of the R3 engine in his Commander, Mason knows plenty about High Performance Stude parts. The Commander is advertised for sale in this issue.. George Krem, Hal Clark and the late Ron Hall were owners of this car.

63V30619, a 64 GT Hawk prototype The discovery of this surviving and previously rumored car last November was a revelation but the really interesting story about this car is unrelated to its survival. This Hawk was built in early May ’63 as a non-package R2 styling prototype for the ’64 model. White, with Powershift, it went straight to Engineering for styling changes. A black vinyl Sport Roof went on the car so it could pose for photos to be used in ’64 literature. The car looked just like the 7 show cars and was sold directly off the factory floor after ’64 production started. Used for many years in Michigan, it was resold twice and became a salt zone casualty. The car is no longer in Michigan and is very far gone, but the original R2 is still in it. Sorry, no name.

Bill Sowerby and 63V26929 GT Bill is both a Michigan GM employee and a serious car collector of British and GM classics. His first Stude is this non-package R2 Hawk that came from Tennessee’s Walter Helms. This Texas car is rust free and only has 44K miles on it. It has neither JT badges nor 160 mph speedo. No Discs, no HD suspension. Bill is doing a mechanical refurbishment and has done some head work on the R2. Painting is next. The rear springs have sagged and the body is shifted over the frame about an inch in the rear.

Ted Banner, 63V16643 GT and the Storm Ted’s part of North Carolina was hard hit by the storms of last winter. Hurricane Floyd and the 500 year flood. Thanks to the good fortune of high ground, Ted and his Studes survived. The R2 Hawk 63V16643 is a restoration project in progress. This is the car that Ted acquired without being aware of its authentic JT R2 origins. The engine JTS1421 was missing. Ted is assembling an R2 engine for the car, whose trail of previous owners, maybe 5 or 6, goes cold after 3 owners back. JTS1421 has been gone a long time.

Frank Fay and the R1 Marshal Frank has returned to the US. The stunning restoration of his ’64 Marshal 7657 is nearing completion and the car will come home to Maine. Frank attempted to locate the R1 Daytona HT, 64V10138, that was shipped new to Switzerland. No luck but it likely survives in a private collection. Thanks for trying, Frank. Brother Joe had his R1 Marshal, 64V7657 at Westmoreland Studebaker at last report.

Dan Tucker and the Powershift Hawk 63V26241 Dan is the new owner of this R2 GT Hawk once owned by Bob Riebli. Dan obtained the car at an auction. While Dan’s Boise, ID mechanic was struggling to tune the R2, the Powershift slipped into reverse and took off across the street. Dan and the mechanic saved the day by running down the car before it wiped out half the town. They didn’t save the engine diagnostic machine. The car is getting a thorough mechanical rebuild and detail. Watch out where you raise your hand.

Chris Eastburn and 63V36674 R1 Regal That was Chris’ gorgeous Regal (cover photo) at La Palma last May. The car has had 2 known owners. The car was delivered in 1963 to South Bend Lot 151. No mention of a dealer or other destination. The first owner got it in 1965 in Phoenix. We don’t know how it got from South Bend to Arizona. He used it for 15 years in Phoenix. With original paint and a fresh engine rebuild, it was parked behind the man’s garage for 15 years because of serious electrical problems. Chris’ dad learned about 36674, discovering it was an R1. The Eastburn’s landed the car 5 years ago. It ran right away and the paint buffed out. Changing to a 64 instrument panel didn’t solve the electrical trouble. Chris put in a 64 harness. That did the trick. Chris is another 63 owner who needs a dash cap.

Chris repainted the car, did a custom interior, and added Power Brakes, A/C, wheels. The rear deck and hood had already been shaved. The car has made many show appearances, Prescott, La Palma, et al. Chris shows the car with the build sheet in the quarter window, a spectator if not judge friendly touch. The car scored 390 points in the custom class at La Palma 1999. This car has the highest numbered R1 engine, JT1889, used in 1963 and is the latest 63 on our owners roster. Thanks to Chris for bringing to car to CA where your editor could find it.

Gene Matthews and 63V28903 Gary Matthews reports that his dad, Gene, still has the R1 package Super Red Custom. Gary is building an R2 ’64 Commander and has a ’64 GT with a transplanted JTS1475 in it.

Tom Beckman and 64V8869 This R2 Hawk is in mid-restoration. The three Beckmans, Tom, Tom’s dad and brother Andy, have worked on it. The car’s floorboards had disintegrated into the Wisconsin soil. Dad did the welding of new floorboards. Tom was instrumental in discovering the fate of 64V7643, the scrapped R1 Marshal built for the Nebraska state police. It’s likely that 64V7962 met the same fate.

Ken Voigt and 64V18049 Ken has this well equipped, R1 package, white Powershift Commander under restoration. 18049 is a long time Rapid City area car and Ken is its 3^{rd owner. The original engine is missing but Ken has JT1376 from a ’63 GT Hawk ready to go in the car. JTN #12 showed no surviving R1 package 2 door Commanders. Not so!}

Dennis Wingert and 63V14416 Dennis has had this beautiful R2 Custom (cover photo) since 1975 when he bought it from Jerry Bizzell. Dennis drove the car daily for 3 years and he’s been working on it in his L.A. area garage since 1996. This original California car, which now has 59K miles on it, was dragged at Long Beach Lions where the original engine, JTS 1379, was lost. A salvaged but very strong Avanti R2 engine was installed in the car after a correct conversion to JT style blower set up. The modestly optioned 4 speed car is a sharp Blue Mist and doesn’t have TT. Dennis, the 4th owner according to a full set of registration slips, did a complete refurbishment of the bucket seat interior including a reproduction dash cap from Just Dashes in Van Nuys.

Dennis loosened up the engine after 20 years in storage with Marvel Mystery Oil and diesel fuel and collected parts during the car’s time in storage. The engine is strong enough to shut down a Lexus. Dennis got the last NOS Blue/White interior set from N&A on a trip to South Bend. The car was once affiliated with Inglewood Electric and Carburetor. The car’s first appearance and the Wingert’s first show experience was at the Pacific Southwest Regional SDC meet last June in Bakersfield. Dennis and his wife, Pat, had a great time.

Doug Tjapkes and the lost 63 R2 Daytona. Doug is the Michigan owner of 63V31105, a package R2 GT Hawk with Powershift. Doug was owner 30 years ago of a 4 speed, Champagne Gold, R2 ’63 Daytona Hardtop and is searching for the car. There were 15 cars built that fit this description and only two of them are accounted for. This car was delivered to Northwestern Auto Sales in Grand Haven, MI.

Steve Doerschlag and R2 ’63 Daytonas in CO Steve of Eaton, CO has owned 63V1579, an R2 GT 4 speed, and 63V13279, a 4 speed R2 Custom 2 door for many years. He reports finding two other ’63 R2 cars in Colorado. One is 20650, a Daytona HT with JTS1460. The car is restorable and all red. The other is 10558, a quite far gone 4 speed Daytona HT, white with blue interior and JTS1255 (1235?).

Richard Poe and 63V20656 Richard of Wisconsin owns another rust free California car that made it East. Richard brought this arrow straight, silver beauty of a 4 speed 2 door Custom to Muscle Car Drags last Fall. The car still has the original JT1650 R1 engine, which now has a modernized ignition system. The car has TT, disc brakes and traction bars but no rear sway bar.

John Metzker and 63V34886 John, a very JT knowledgeable Stude man from Garden Grove , CA, reported that he parted this R2 package, white 4 speed Regal 30 years ago. He has the engine, JTS 1694. Many years back, John built a high quality ‘63 R2 skytop clone. The car went to Ray Miller in Elkhart, Indiana and to points unknown after that.

Peter Sidlow, the R2 convertible clone and 63V8183 Peter of Las Vegas bought the beautiful Gold R2 Daytona, 63V8183, from John Isom but has since sold the car to an non-SDC Ohio man. The buyer made an offer Peter could not refuse. JTN has lost track of the car. Peter has a gorgeous R2 package convertible clone in Rose Mist. The car was built with authentic parts to JT specs on a V8 ragtop. It’s in the photo album under the VIN of a factory car with the same options.

Doug Atchley’s 63 Regal 63V6307 This was one of November’s amazing 8 survivor discoveries. This intact Rose Mist Regal went 127K miles as it was used in Ft. Wayne, Denver CO, and Central Texas. Although not a typical salt zone car, 6307 was rebodied with a Rose Mist Regal six. Doug spent the winter doing a complete restoration of this 2 door, R2 HD Flightomatic Regal. Doug replaced the interior panels, rebuild the engine and overhauled all the mechanicals.

Jack Shiver’s 64 Cruiser 64V15772 This is the car advertised as 15770 in JTN #2. Jack has long term plans to restore the car, which is missing its original engine. JTK330 disappeared in Arizona a long time ago.15772 is an unusual package R1 Cruiser with Powershift. It’s in Albuquerque, NM.

Tony Berbig and the R1 4 door 64 Commander 64V11752 Minnesota’s Tony Berbig has the stunning Horizon Green R1 package 4 door Commander that once belonged to Don Curtis. The car looks great. Tony also has 63V33120, a 4 speed black R2 package Wagonaire. The car needs restoration and is getting a rebody. The original JTS1666 is still in this car, the only fully intact R2 package ’63 Wagonaire.

John Kroulik and CO 64 GT An indirect report from John says he found a derelict 64 package GT in a CO field. He also found a shotgun pointed at him the first time he moved in to look! JT isn’t supposed to be that hazardous.

Chuck Collins and JTSH38 Chuck of Phoenix is the new operator of the supply business once run by Charles Schnetlage. Chuck has provided JT status updates on the travels of many Arizona cars. Chuck has the R2 engine JTSH 38 out of a scrapped 64 GT. Chuck is looking for the right Stude to receive the R2. Thanks, Chuck. No excuses this time on the mailing!

John Hora and the Car Life Wagonaire John Hora is no stranger to Studebaker High Performance. John of Granada Hills is well known as the owner of Avanti #9 and other R3 cars and engines. Recently it came to light that John is also a Jet Thrust owner. He has owned 63V18524, the Car Life road test Wagonaire, for 25 years as well as 63V5503, a R1 GT. The wagon was stored for a long time less than 3 miles from my home and I never knew it. John mentioned having the car to Fred Fox and that made the phone ring in Iowa and then in my office. The car is rough but is being restored. The previous owner had the blower air flow hooked up to blow into the air cleaner. The floorboard has a window cut into it for easy access to the A/T shifter! This car has a pair of blue racing stripes and was used during both the 10/63 Bonneville campaign and the coast-to-coast Avanti promotion as a parts and crew hauler. It will still outrun your average muscle car on the highway and has its original California plates. John’s revelations were part of the November discovery bonanza. John reports that a Red ‘64 R2 Commander fitting the description of the one in Motor Trend was alive in Pasadena at one time. It belonged to a person who was in the magazine or newspaper business.

Jim Pepper and a parted 64 Marshal, 63 Super Red R2 Ragtop Jim reports parting a ’64 R1 Marshal, blue or black, for Franklin Motors 30 years ago. Okay, Marshal buffs, which car was this? Jim has the gauges from the car. Jim also reports obtaining a cluster set from a rusty ’63 Super Red, R2 convertible, originally from Ohio but parted in Louisiana 20 years or more ago. The car’s drive train went into something else. Of the 3 such cars built, 1 is accounted for, 63V33077. See below. The other 2 are 33121 and 28259. Which one is the car that yielded Jim’s cluster set and what happened to the drive train? None of the possible engines are accounted for. Jim wrote the fine ,”must read” article in July ’99 TW on R2 pulleys and vibration dampers.

Harold Freeze and the Woody convertible Harold Freeze of North Carolina acquired the ’64 R1 package ragtop 64V12439 from the estate of the late H.T. Woody. The engine is frozen and the car is in poor condition but it has not been scrapped. The car spent 30 years as a hillside derelict. Harold has 64V15854, an R1 package GT, purchased from a lady just on the NC side of Virginia. She had owned it the previous 17 years. The last 10 years of her ownership it was only driven 250 miles and the whole time she had it garaged. Harold was told it was purchased new at Mink Motors in Galax, Virginia.

OC Stude and the 64 Cruiser Orange County Studebaker has a very nice ’64 R1 Cruiser. The car is 15777. OC Stude also has an authentic ’63 R2 Daytona with over 400K miles on it. The Blue Mist 4 speed car isn’t pretty but it runs strongly. The engine has never been rebuilt. The blower is on the car and was rebuilt at 150K. Synthetic fluid has been in the blower ever since. This car has to be the JT mileage king! If not, let JTN know. This shop’s proprietor is a very knowledgeable JT man and related many personal JT sightings. He is building a ’64 GT to JT specs.

The Ugly Orange 64 GT 3 speed James Bell reports having a lead on the sole ’64 R1 GT with 3 speed manual shift. The car, 64V12786, was originally Golden Sand with black vinyl interior and few other options. Now orange, ugh!, the car is believe to be stored in Southern California. JTN hasn’t seen it yet. It once belonged to an ex-Californian, now Washington based friend of James. James’ newest JT addition is the ’64 R1 package Powershift Wagonaire, 64V12786, from Ohio. James plans to restore the car and put it to use as a daily driver.

Lee Gitchel and the Fire The ’64 R2 Daytona on the cover of issue #12 survived the major Northern California forest fire of the Fall of 1999. Lee, his people, property and the car are fine. It was a close thing.

Dennis Day, JTS 1100 and the Power Hawk Dennis’ current Stude project entails installing the engine, JTS1100, from a parted ‘63 GT into his Black ’56 Power Hawk. This is another superb, all-Stude, custom, coming to life. Good going, Dennis! Cedar Rapids, IA.

Neville Bunker and 63V16481 Your editor put the arm on Neville to keep tabs on JT affairs in Australia. Neville graciously agreed. Thanks from your friends in the US. Considering the number of our flock that is Down Under, JTN is expecting to hear plenty from Neville, who owns the 63 R1 wagon once owned by Myles Walker. 16481 is doing great, having been taken to the National Meet in Brisbane in 1997 for a round trip of 5730 miles! Now that’s long distance. Neville’s wagon is one of the hingepins in the gauge story below.

John Williamson and the R2 Super Red Convertible John reports that 63V33077, one of 3 ’63 R2 Super Red convertibles built and the only one accounted for, is still in his possession and its restoration continues. The previous owner, Bill Lucht, found 33077 on an Ohio used car lot and brought the car from Ohio to New Mexico in the 60’s. The car was used for rapid commuting and Corvette eating until the disc pads wore out. The local brake shops didn’t know what to do with the front discs so the car was sold. John’s mom acquired 33077, which was in bad shape by the early 70’s. The car has stayed in this Studebaker family. John and his people have 10 working Stude trucks and 10 working Stude cars.

The car required extensive restoration in the body department from its life in Ohio. Little of the floor remained as well as the lower firewall. Opening both doors resulted in the windshield tilting rearward as the backs of the doors sink to the ground. The body has been removed and another is being fabricated from various parts cars that have given up their fenders, doors, floor, firewall, etc. John’s son, David, ended up fabricating a new set using the remains of the originals as a pattern. The frame has seen rust. It has been sandblasted and painted and the last crossmember was changed out due to loss of material.

The engine/tranny currently sits in a '62 GT Hawk. John decided to exercise the JTS 1645 engine while the convertible project was underway and can attest to the spunk in that engine. The engine is due for an overhaul as it does burn oil and it will be rebuilt before being returned to the convertible. The differential cluster was nearly destroyed. It appeared to have been run without oil as the teeth were nearly gone. A low mileage unit has replaced it and the whole axle unit has been stripped and painted awaiting installation. The car needs a top, dash cap and interior panels. A dashboard came from the parts cache of Louise Olsen, Don Curtis’ mother-in-law, along with many other parts. The Paxton blower and mount for JTS1645 was separated long ago but the engine now has a McCullough variable rate blower set up from a 58 Golden Hawk.

Doug Crall and 64V9251 Doug has the title and VIN plate for this full package Powershift R2 GT. This car was first owned by the Krem family and has since been scrapped. Among many other Stude projects, Doug of greater St. Louis is assembling a car to 9251 build sheet specs. Doug has acquired considerable hardware to do the job. Plans call for a concourse quality product. Good Luck, Doug.

Gary Olson and 64V18537 That sharp package, Golden Sand , JT Daytona on the SDC Web site belongs to Fargo, ND’s Gary Olson. This one time Colorado car came in pieces from Jim Ryan and is a 4 speed R2. Gary took the car to Rapid City and it looks terrific. This Daytona is one of those 6 known surviving ’64 R2 Daytonas. Gary also owns 64V15466, a Strato Blue, R1 package Daytona with Powershift.

Robert Lovett and 64V19925 Robert of N. Easton, MA is the original owner of this Red R1 Powershift. Is there another original JT owner among our faithful? None of which JTN is aware. If we’ve missed or forgotten someone, let JTN know, please. The car has been in storage for over 22 years awaiting restoration.

Ray Martin and 63V30407 Ray of Jordan Station, Ontario acquired this R2 Cruiser from the Witmers. The car has been stripped, repainted in original Rose Mist and is in the process of reassembly. The car has red vinyl interior, 4 speed, buckets, radio, and hill holder options. The engine is running well and has a Don Simmons stainless exhaust system. Ray is the owner of the brown R1 ’64 convertible that has appeared at many meets lately. This stunning car is an upgraded Hamilton product.

Paul Warta and 64V16085 North Carolina continues to be fertile JT territory as Paul owns this sharp, white package R1 GT. Wire wheels have been replaced with stock wheels and covers. Truett Ray’s 64V11440 R2 GT and 64V16085 traded transmissions some time back. 11440 now has the 4 speed and 16085 has the Powershift. Paul has some of the parts from 63V30773, a scrapped Super Red R1 package Cruiser. The engine, JT1832, disappeared into an Avanti.

Mitch Bennett and 63V19795 Mitch of South Carolina reports that the restoration of the R1 4 speed GT Hawk is ongoing. The car’s engine is being rebuilt.

Victor Ratliff and 64V1609 Victor of Texas owns this black R2 4 speed GT. Victor salvaged parts from a Texas area Super Red ’63 R2 GT to aid in the restoration of 1609.

Bill Pressler and 63V5224 We know Bill as the owner of the R1 Skytop Daytona, 5224, on the cover of JTN #10. Bill reports that 64V14402, a black R2 package Cruiser, was originally sold in his boyhood hometown of Greenville, PA. It belonged to the local Stude agency service manager for 7 years but disappeared in 1973 off the lot of the town’s Chevy dealer. Bill is looking for the car. The car had red interior, power steering and Powershift.

Paul Wolff and 64V1001 Paul of greater Denver is the owner of this Red convertible, aka Bonneville #1. This factory R2 package car got an R3 engine at Paxton back in August, ’63. The R3 and the car were soon separated and another R2 went back in. When Paul acquired the car a few years ago from Lionel Stone, it had no engine and the flanged axle rear end had been replaced. The B number identity of the R3 was lost in the process. Paul has put much effort into finding the B # to no avail. JTN and Paul would like to make that discovery. Any help will be welcome.

63V29265 R1 Super Red Custom This car, once belonging to Don Bjelke of Santa Rosa, CA has resurfaced in Northern CA. The car was for sale in January.

Andy Petrass and 63V33220 Andy of South Bend owns this factory drag team Super Red R2 Regal 2 dr. and has done extensive research on the travels of the 3 other identical Regals (30561, 30690, 33219) and the Hawk (30758) that made up the team. 63V33219 is the only one that has completely eluded Andy, who is well acquainted with the production archives. Andy has also been working on the ID of the Tanner Custom R2 Champion drag machine. The car’s identity has been narrowed to one of 3, none of which are accounted for.

Jeff DeWitt and the Brown R2 ’64 Daytona HT More of the history of this car was reported to JTN. The car was originally Red with Powershift. It came from TN in ’73 with a hot cam and was traded among several NC Stude folks before Jeff saw it in 1979. In the meantime the car was painted brown and the engine was replaced with an R2 out of a wrecked ’63 Standard! Terry Sink was the last known owner. JTN has not pegged the VIN on this Daytona.

64V5459 This last ’64 R2 Cruiser existing in the US is, at last report, still stored in California.

The big news is the recent discovery of 7 JT production orders by Andy Beckman. These are the JT orders among the 500 that were missing for the end of the 1963 model year. The 7 orders, which were mixed in with a large volume of fleet sales, are summarized here. Thanks to Andy Beckman for finding these orders.