Virgil Exner, Jr. Conversation Now Available, "Revival" Imperial?

["A. Foster" <monkeypuzzle1@xxxxxxx>]

My Comments Below:
> >Rob, you mentioned that Exner drove an ex-Indy car on the street for a
few
> >years (and Ex, Jr. refers to a "black race car" that he drove)...do you
> >have
> >any more info., or a source of info., about that?  That's really cool!
>
> It's funny you would ask me about this because the first I heard of it was
> in a magazine article you guys posted about Virgil Jr.  I think it was a
'32
> Studebaker Special.  I think it actually won @ Indy and maybe some type of
> Grand Prix race, but I'm not 100% sure. I also think it's at the speedway
> museum. The one thing I am sure of is that he painted it black with red
> leather.
Rob, Others;
 I would bet your bottom dollar that this was an Indy car built from a
Studebaker President roadster chasis. They were popular to use back then as
a base for a low buck Indy car as they had a huge, for that time, inline
eight of about 336 cubic inches, maybe larger in 32', and 135 horsepower as
stock. Needless to say they hopped up those engines considerably for race
use. I had an opportunity to buy a 1930 Studebaker President Eight passenger
sedan, project car, once. It may be heresy to say this but Imperials held
very little over these cars for quality of construction or materials, unless
you are talking custom bodies but that wasn't unheard of for the Presidents
either.
 Back then Studebaker aimed more at the lower to upper mid range of the
market as opposed to the cheaper cars that they made ofter the war. This is
not a slap at the postwar enthusiests, I like them too, but they
concentrated on competing in the already overcrowded low price field too
much. Now back to your Imperially scheduled programing.
Best Regards
Arran Foster
1954 Imperial Newport
Needing A Left Side Taillight Bezel and other trim parts