Exactly one year from this week, the 59th Annual Studebaker Drivers Club International Meet will be gathering here in Manitowoc.
Steve Kanter, President of the Wisconsin Region Studebaker Drivers Club, tells Seehafer News that normally events of this size are held in larger cities.
“Last year was South Bend, Indiana, the year before Indianapolis. It’s been held in Seattle and a number of larger cities around the country,” he explained. “This will be the first time it’ll be held in a small town.”
The event set for September 12th through the 16th, 2023 is expected to draw over 1,000 Studebaker car and truck enthusiasts to the Manitowoc County Expo Fairgrounds with the Holiday Inn serving as the host hotel.
Kanter told us about the long and marvelous history of the Studebaker company.
“Studebaker started building vehicles in 1852 and they built most of the wagons for the Civil War for the Union,” he explained. “They became the largest vehicle manufacturer in the world in the 19th century and the only wagon maker that switched over to automobiles. They quit making automobiles in 1966, but diversified out of the car business and owned companies like STP, Onan Generator, and Gravely Tractor until they were all swallowed up in 1979.”
Kanter, who is a Studebaker aficionado himself, said he’s working with the Manitowoc Visitors Center, “to put together some sort of a parade in Manitowoc.”
He also said they are “going to have different tours and events during the week. We also plan on having an all-make car show the last day of the meet at the fairgrounds and the public is invited every day.”
Kanter told us to “stay tuned for further details as we get closer to the event” next September.
It is known that the host club is looking forward to having 300 Studebakers on display in a gathering that is certain to have a major impact on the lakeshore area economy.
