s a tremendous diversification. In hindsight, if they had put that money back into the car the company might have been saved. By 1962 the operation was doomed.”
The Hamilton plant was going strong in the early 1960s, putting out Commander and Daytona sedans and station wagons. In 1964 over 17,000 cars were built, and output increased to over 18,500 in 1965.
But in March 1966, with only 2,045 cars built that year, Studebaker Canada ceased operations, and 900 employees had to find new jobs. The last car produced, a turquoise Lark Cruiser four-door sedan, rolled off the line on the morning of March 17.
Hamilton did not have engine or foundry facilities, and when the final Studebaker engines were shipped from South Bend late in 1964, management in Hamilton had to find something to power their cars.
Former Studebaker of Canada president Gordon Grundy worked with General Motors to supply engines for his cars, but the costs of the 194-cubic inch (3.17-litre) six and 283-cubic inch (4.63-litre) V8 from the GM engine facility in nearby St. Catharines were greater than expected, which did not help the bottom line for the Canadian operation.
Today the Studebaker has a large and devoted following, and owners of the Hamilton-built cars are especially proud of their Studes produced by this feisty independent, which in its last years could not compete with the larger domestic automakers or with the influx of foreign autos.