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Topic starter
29/03/2024 12:01 pm Â
The 1950-'51 "Bullet Nose" Studebakers were marketed by the slogan "First By Far". Its successful postwar generation was beginning to lag in sales as the Big Three finally launched their postwar designs in 1949. Bob Bourke, head of Raymond Loewy's design team was told by Loewy with his heavy French accent, "Now, Bob, eet has to look like zee aeroplane). So, like the F-86 Sabre Jet, it has the nose of a raydome with intakes under the nose. All in all, this 2 year generation sold 343,000 units. In 1951, the top of the line Commander model received and OHV 232.6 cid V8 producing 120 hp. Ironically, it was smaller in displacement that the standard 102 hp 245.6 cid 6. Even though more aesthetic were to come over the years, they never eclipsed this generation in sales.
This H-61 model is finished in Maui Blue with the appropriate 1951 Hawaii license plate. To me, this blue/gray doesn't quite say "Hawaiian Islands", unless it's the color of the sky during an intense tropical storm.
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29/03/2024 1:15 pm Â
It is a great 1/18 model and the first from Highway 61. I have this same excellent color version from them.
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29/03/2024 2:21 pm Â
I see the "delux" set of Ned's offering in there too! 🙂 😀  Yepper-pepper, a great model (I have several ) and the one that started it all for HW61!  I remember-like it was yesterday-seeing the ad in a magazine (remember those? ).  I couldn't believe all that detail & quality from an Ertl!  ...and only about $45   I was blown away!
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Steve Jacobs and Rich Sufficool reacted
Topic starter
29/03/2024 2:36 pm Â
@chris I was going to credit Ned Anello for the mat set but I couldn't remember his name. I'm gettin' old, man!
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Steve Jacobs and Christopher Moroni reacted
29/03/2024 7:02 pm Â
I love the 50 and 51 Bullet nosed Studebakers and bought every H-61 made in 1/18 scale and every one Danbury Mint made in 1/24 scale. Nice pictures and writeup Rich.
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30/03/2024 5:40 am Â
and bought every H-61 made in 1/18 scale
That's allot of Studebakers! How many of the Road Signature 1950s (which is a pretty decent model ) do you have? I have many HW61's Studes, but only 1 RS.
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30/03/2024 8:04 am Â
Nice models! This was a car that I never liked as a young man but it has really grown on me in the last decade or so; mainly for it's unique styling and its place in automotive styling history.
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30/03/2024 2:06 pm Â
I am sure glad Highway 61 decided to do this Studebaker. Like Chris, I also have a 1950 Studebaker from Yat Ming/Road Signature and it is also wonderfully done by them, too
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Steve Jacobs and Christopher Moroni reacted
30/03/2024 7:45 pm Â
What an unusual model for them to do but aren't we all glad that they did... !
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Rich Sufficool and Christopher Moroni reacted