Rockne

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The Rockne was an American automobile brand produced by the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana from 1931 - 1933. The brand was named for University of Notre Dame Football coach Knute Rockne.

Discussions between Studebaker, which was headquartered in South Bend and Knute Rockne began in 1928. Rockne was offered a high visibility job with Studebaker by Albert Erskine, President of Studebaker. In the interim, Studebaker began plans for a tough, durable, inexpensive car named for the football coach. The Rockne would replace the slow selling expensive (for its intended market) Erskine (automobile) (some sources incorrectly list as Erskin) brand that Studebaker was producing at the time.

On March 31, 1931, twelve days after being appointed manager of sales promotion, Knute Rockne was killed in an airplane crash. In September, 1931, George M. Graham, formerly of Willys-Overland, was named sales manager of the new Rockne Motor Corporation. Two models were approved for production, the "65" on 110" wheelbase and the "75" on a 114"wheelbase. The "75" was based on the Studebaker Six, while the "65" was based on designs by two engineers under contract for Willys-Overland. When Willys-Overland announced they did not have the money to build the car, the two went on the road to sell it. Studebaker president, Albert R. Erskine, was quite impressed, and bought the car and the engineers' services. The "75" was designed under Studebaker's head of engineering, Delmar "Barney" Roos.

Production of the Rockne "75" began at South Bend, Indiana, on December 15, 1931. The smaller "65" went into production at the old EMF plant on Piquette Avenue in Detroit, February 22, 1932. This was the same plant the 1927 and 1928 Erskine models were built. The Rockne also went into production at the Canadian Studebaker plant at Windsor, Ontario.

The 1933 Rockne line was reduced to one line, the "10". The Rockne "10" was an update of the "65". When Studebaker went into receivership on March 18, 1933, it was decided to move production of the Rockne to the Studebaker plant in South Bend. The Rockne "10" was built in South Bend from April through July, 1933.

The Rockne "65/10" engine would replace all the six cylinder Studebaker car engines then in production and power Studebaker cars and trucks through 1961.

Although the Rockne was not a success, its failure was a product of the times. The year 1932 was the bottom of the depression, not a good time to introduce a new name. That year Studebaker and its subsidiaries lost $8.7 million, which would not have hurt Studebaker had Erkine not paid out hefty dividends in the previous three years. During that time Erskine had Studebaker pay out $10 million more in dividends than the company made. Working capital had fallen from $26 million in 1926 to $3.5 million in 1932. And the banks were owed $6 million, for which they demanded payment. And thus Studebaker faulted.

Ousted from his position at Studebaker, himself $350,000 in debt and his Studebaker stock now all but worthless, Albert R. Erskine committed suicide on June 30, 1933. His $900,000 life insurance policy covered all his debts.

Leftover Rockne's were sent to Norway in kits where they were reassembled and sold.

[edit] References

• Maloney, James H. (1994). Studebaker Cars. Crestline Books. ISBN 0-87938-884-6. 

• Langworth, Richard (1979). Studebaker, the Postwar Years. Motorbooks International. ISBN 0-87938-058-6. 

• Kimes, Beverly R., Editor. Clark, Henry A. (1996). The Standard Catalog of American Cars 1805-1945. Kraus Publications. ISBN 0-87341-428-4. 

• Cannon, William A. and Fox, Fred K. (1981). Studebaker : The Complete History. TAB Books, Inc.. ISBN 0-8306-2064-8.