A Brass Era Beauty out of South Bend, the Oldest of its Kind
With gas headlights and sidelights, an optional canopy, a horn, an engine design to be reckoned with, and possibly the first-ever factory direct dual exhaust, the 1906 Studebaker Model G roared onto the automobile scene as Studebaker’s flagship auto.
This unique Model G is also the oldest existing four-cylinder Studebaker around. It has won top honors in its class at Meadow Brook Concours d’Elegance and Best in Class at Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance in 2006.
The Model G cost $4,000 in 1906 which squarely put the car in the upper echelon in terms of cost. It offered riding room for five passengers in a Roi des Belges touring car body. While similar to the Model F, the G had a more powerful engine, upgraded upholstery, and different front fenders.
Overall, the Model G was ahead of its time and is quite possibly the ultimate Brass Era vehicle to be made by Studebaker.
Studebaker’s Electric Beginning
The South Bend, Indiana, owned carriage company began by making electric cars in 1902. Its first foray into gas-powered vehicles was in 1904, meaning this vehicle hails from only two years into their gas era.
An Engine of Change
The 1906 Model G featured a T-head, dual cam, four-cylinder engine that could produce 36 HP. Its exhaust system was one of the first if not the first factory-produced dual exhaust. This particular exhaust was not just for aesthetics either as with some modern vehicles. It featured four individual headers. The Model G reached cruising speed at 40-45 mph
1906 Studebaker Model G Specs
- 36 BHP
- 280.6 Cubic-Inch T-head 4-Cylinder Engine
- Three-Speed Progressive Manual Transmission
- 104 Inch Wheelbase
- Factory Dual Exhaust
- Rear-Mechanical Drum Brakes
- Leaf Spring Suspension
- Formerly owned by Henry Austin Clark Jr., Bill Harrah, and Bob Valpey
- Best in Class at Meadow Brook and Amelia Island