Studebaker Pickup – 1954 Promotional Flyer

Description

This is a two-sided piece with a great illustration of a 1954 Studebaker pickup and the Earth on one side and testimonials on the other side (along with a photo of West Salisbury Garage in Salisbury, PA).
The piece measures approximately 7.75 x 10.75 inches. It is printed on pasteboard so that it is sturdier than paper.
By late 1953, Studebaker realized it would have to make changes in its truck line. The 2R series line had been in production for five years and had become dated, and would be spruced up for the 1954-1955 Studebaker truck line. In addition, market conditions had changed and sales were lagging badly. The truck division had become stagnant.
As a result of management failures, the new 1954 truck line did not get under way until February (when this promotional piece was printed). The half-ton pickup models were designated 3R5 for those powered by the Champion six and 3R6 for those with the 245.6-cubic-inch engine.
The two most visible design changes were the one-piece curved windshield and the restyled ivory-colored grille featuring four horizontal openings. Headlights were set into the grille with small parking lights positioned below. An oval "Studebaker" nameplate was placed at the back edge of the hood on both sides. Bumpers and wheels were painted ivory, and unadorned moon-shaped chrome hub caps, borrowed from the 1950 Commander passenger car, were used.
The instrument panel was all new and featured round gauges. Strangely, some items standard on the earlier 2R series were extra-cost options on the 3R. These included the right-hand sun visor and arm rest, and the door-activated dome light. No significant changes were made in the mechanical components of the truck. Because of the short eight-month production run and general decline in business, sales of the 3R5 and 3R6 dipped to 2,700 and 1,620, respectively,
making these among the rarest postwar Studebaker trucks.
That also makes this promotional piece rare as well.