Personal Story About My
1939 Studebaker Commander Model 9-A
by Jim Long | Sackville New Brunswick
 My
car was purchased in Brockville, Ontario in September of 1970. The
original registered owner was Mrs. Laura Decarle, from whom I bought the
car indirectly (I'll explain in a few lines down). I am the second
registered owner of this vehicle. Mr. & Mrs. Decarle purchased
the car in May 1939 and Mr. Decarle passed away in June the same year. Mrs.
Decarle thus put the miles on the vehicle; the odometer showing 47,151
miles when I got it. It is now showing 56,557 miles.
Registered for 100 mph, I had the car up to 75
mph when I brought it down from Ontario to my home in New Brunswick in
1972. The car has always been winter stored, antifreeze used in
winter, distilled water for the summer months.
As I was returning home from work early one
Friday evening, I saw the Studie was sitting on the dealer lot of Perrin's
Chrysler - Dodge
of Brockville, Ontario. The dealership owner's son looked
after the car for Mrs. Decarle, as she was getting elderly. Within a
couple of years she decided that she no longer could drive it. She thought
she'd give it to the owner's son as she had no longer any use for it.
However, the
son did not want the car, but he wanted a snowmobile.
I knew the dealership as it was one that my
company did business with at the time. I wasn't sure whether they were
pulling my leg or not as I couldn't believe this beautiful automobile was
for sale!
I wasn't long buying it. I signed the purchase
papers that night, but told them I would not have the money until Monday,
when my friendly folks at the bank would loan it to me which was alright
with them. I assumed the dealer's son got his snowmobile with the money I
paid for the car, but I never bothered to check.
Incidentally, they could have sold the car to a
local collector for more money during the weekend, but they kept their
word and told him that the car was to be Jim Long's as they knew how much
I wanted that vehicle. Honor with them could not be surpass.
The car is a 6 cylinder flathead, 226 cu. in.,
displacement and has around 95 hp. It has a 3 speed column shift
transmission (they went from the floor in 1939). A special feature is the
automatic hill holder. When you are on an incline both the clutch and
brake are on and the car will not roll back.
When you release the clutch you start off without
a hitch, nice feature. It also has an under the seat heater called a 'climatizer'
and it sure does create the heat. The car has never had a radio, but it
has the original clock located in the glove compartment door. Everything
works in the car including the lighter in the ash receiver which is the
ashtray. It has a 6 volt system and original paint, balsam green in
colour. In 1995 I put 1949 Commander rims on the car with 15" radial
tires. What a difference in handling.
The car is in near-mint condition except for the
bumps and bruises it has received over the years.
The interior is immaculate. Their are still some
"Old Star Weekly" and some "Brockville Recorder" newspapers in the car
dating back to 1943.
During my tenure with the car, I replaced the
muffler once, tail pipe, a new carb kit probably 15 years ago. A diaphragm
for the fuel pump was put in and I have replaced spark plugs periodically.
Regular changes of oil and filter were always done as required.
I've accumulated some small parts over the years
such as points, condensers, plugs, oil filters, fuel pumps, headlamp bulbs,
and dash light bulbs to name most of them. The original owners manual is
the glove box.
An engine overhaul was done in the summer of
2002. Again, what a difference in the way the car performs! The universal
joints and all the brakes were overhauled at the same time. The car was named "Jeusha" by Mrs.
Decarle. I've never
heard this name before and have no idea what it means.
|
Regional
Reports
Canada
Day in St. Andrews
As the vehicles
led the floats through hundreds of red-and-white clad spectators clapping
and snapping their cameras, they were the recipients of many compliments.
After the parade, the cars were displayed on the main street for closer
inspection by the locals, and members of Passamaquoddy along with our
guests from Lower Valley and Fundy Regions enjoyed a fun-filled day,
visiting with each other and browsing the many gift outlets in this
picturesque village, and of course the local ice cream store. 
