… Amina Sinai and Baby Saleem arrived home in a borrowed Studebaker…
Don’t laugh. But I’d never heard of a Studebaker until I read Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie in recent months.
You can imagine what a pleasant surprise it was for me as I came out of the Book Sale at Crossroads Market. The name on the back of that antique truck had an almost electrifying effect: STUDEBAKER.
Wow here it is, a real-life, bright and shiny Studebaker. From the antique license plate at the front you can see it’s a 55. I know the one that brings Baby Saleem home has to be 1947 or older, and definitely not a farm truck.
Here are the back, side, and front views… exact sequence of my discovery. O what joy. Those two people watching me take photos of it with my iPhone must have thought I was … uh… born yesterday.
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Thanks to Alyce of At Home With Books for hosting Saturday Snapshot… for keeping my eyes peeled, making finding a farm truck as exciting as watching a sunset.
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Ripple Effects 
Now that is an awesome set of photos! How well preserved that truck is as well. Thanks for sharing.
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It was a lovely li’l red truck. I was so glad to have stumbled upon it. Thanks for stopping by.
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I was going to say “I can’t believe you don’t know about Studebakers!”, but there are a couple of good reasons you wouldn’t – you’re much younger than I am, and there probably weren’t as many running around Canada after you got there.
Here’s the funny thing. I’ve been sorting photos as part of this year’s hurricane prep, deciding which ones I want to store digitally as well. One of the snapshots I found is of me and my dad in front of the house, washing the – Studebaker! It’s the first car I remember. I’ll see if I can find that again later this weekend and link to it.
Your photos are wonderful. I wouldn’t want to spend the money and time it takes to do that kind of restoration, but I’m more than willing to admire the results!
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Linda,
Not ‘much younger’. But the second reason stands. I don’t recall ever seeing one on the streets here in Cowtown. 😉 I might have read about it in books before, but this is a serendipitous find… and so related to books and my Read-Along too! And oh, how I’d love to see photos of your Studebaker!
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That is one “sweet” Studebaker pickup! I’ll have to make sure and show this to hubby!
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Yes do let him see the pics. Like to know what he thinks of it. 😉
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That’s a classic, and beautifully restored.
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Leslie,
Welcome! I’m not into antique cars myself, but this sure’s a beauty. Thanks for stopping by.
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My husband owned a ’69 Camaro for years and we went to many car shows. I can appreciate the work that went into that Studebaker.
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What a beautiful old truck! Funny that it should be mentioned in a Salman Rushdie book. I have that title on my wish list 🙂
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Trish,
I’m just wrapping up a Midnight’s Children Read-Along, last post June 30. It’s a challenging read, but very entertaining.
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I think you were quite justified in taking photos anyway – it’s a beautiful truck! 🙂 The first time I heard of a Studebaker was watching The Muppet Movie when I was a kid. I think the only reason I remember that specifically is that I don’t recall hearing about Studebakers elsewhere.
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Books and movies… what a treasure trove of tidbits and info they are. I’m sure I must have read about a Studebaker before, in other books, but this one particularly stands out. And, Rushdie mentions the Rover too. Now that one I know, and have seen, but not the Studebaker.
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They are exciting photos, Arti! All the more so because my parents had a Studebaker when I was quite young. So the line you quoted from Midnight’s Children brought an extra chuckle. I’d never seen a truck, though, and that one is in beautiful condition. Thanks for sharing!
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ds,
Great to have you stop by. I’m amused by another Studebaker experience. Interesting to hear some of you actually had one in the home… 😉 I’ve enjoyed Rushdie’s very detailed and meticulous rendering of Saleem’s life. Will be wrapping this up soon. Thanks again for stopping by.
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I always wondered what a Studebaker looked like, and now I know! http://goo.gl/ou72V
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So I’m not the only one who hasn’t seen one. 😉
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Isn’t it wonderful when things we stumble upon in real life make our reading all the more real and exciting? Thank you for sharing your find with us.
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JoAnn,
Yes, serendipity… that’s one of my favorite words. Just the sound of it is fun enough. 😉
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That truck is so cool, I love it’s look. I had no idea Studebaker made trucks like that. My familiarity with Studebaker is their beautiful cars from the early 1900s like this one from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Studebaker_Touring_1916.jpg
It’s great you came upon the truck close to the time Studebaker appeared in the book you’re reading. Love those coincidences.
Incidentally, there is a Studebaker Museum in South Bend!
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Amy,
Don’t think I’ll have the chance to visit the Studebaker Museum any time soon. But thanks for all the links and info, I can at least make a virtual visit. 😉
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First of all, I’m totally impressed that you took these with an iPhone! We’ve had camera discussions before, but I wonder if you really need one 😉 I can see the love and dedication poured out on these vehicles.
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nikkipolani,
You know, I’m finding the iPhone such a convenience. Point and shoot, anytime, anywhere. I was told my iPhone 4S has a higher resolution than the digital pocket camera I have… still haven’t made any moves yet… just my phone and my Lumix. I’m thinking also that the longer I wait for a new camera, the better products they’ll come out with. 😉
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Arti! I love that fire-engine red (the perfect lipstick color, too!) of the ’55 Studebaker. One often hears of them in novels one reads, more than in just Midnight’s Children.
Speaking of which, I’m dying on the vine here. I have only about 150 pages to go, and having read thus far I feel I shouldn’t abandon ship. But, it’s really dragging for me! Perhaps I’ll finish in time, perhaps not. In any case, I’m glad that I’ve read 3/4 of the novel, been exposed to the Booker of the Bookers. You’ll still be my friend, right, if I don’t post at the end of June? We’ll see how it goes… 😦
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Bellezza,
I know exactly how you feel because I was a bit bogged down at the end of Book Two and beginning of Three. But after some Googling on the background I appreciated it much more. The key years are 1965 (Indo/Pakistani War), 1971 (Bangladesh Independence War), and Indira’s Emergency measures in 1975. Rushdie goes all out to pour out his own sentiments I feel. But hey, don’t worry about the deadline. But since you’ve already come that far, I encourage you to finish it at your own pace. The momentum picks up at the end and Rushdie amazingly ties up all loose ends. You’ll enjoy it. One more thing… I’m glad friends aren’t defined by deadlines. 😉
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Phew! Me, too! xo
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That is one smart farm truck! I had never heard of a Studebaker until I just read your post. Are they supposed to be very famous? Like the Rolls Royce of farm trucks?
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Here’s an interesting write-up on the Studebaker. It entered the automobile market in 1902 with electric vehicles before gasoline ones in 1904. Guess they didn’t have that many exports at that time that’s why those of us not in the US may not have been so familiarized with it.
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This is a fabulous series of photos on a wonderful car — it looks so loved and well preserved and cared for! I’m glad you found one after all this time!
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Jeanie,
Do you see the logo on the side? It’s Crossroads Market. I guess it must belong the owner or the Market. This is the only booksale I look forward to every year.
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