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Dinky Studebaker Tanker Truck by Randy Griggs
I recently learned about the very near S-Gauge DINKY Studebaker tanker truck on eBay where someone mentioned that the "length" was a little over 4 3/8".  Several folks mentioned the DINKY Studebaker tankers were 1/43 scale - TOO BIG FOR US!  So, I pretty much ruled it out as a potential "S" model.  I found on eBay where someone had photographed the bottom of the Studebaker tanker.  I printed the photo to "scale" and measured the "width".  It turned out to be about 1.41" wide, which to ME equals about 7.5' in1/64 scale!  Good enough for this vintage & type of truck!
I finally was successful in bidding on an eBay offering - THAT NEEDED TO BE RESTORED!  When I received the little gem, I saw that it had been subjected to pretty rough use, and had apparently been used for BB gun
practice as it had a bunch of little round BB "dents" in several places. 
After taking it apart, doing some body work & dent "filling", repainting, decaling, and installing scale "S" wheels & tires it turned out GREAT.  I had to modify the sheet metal "chassis" and the rear wheel axle support on the body of the model for the new, scale wheels & tires.  I drilled out the rivet supports, tapped them for a small brass screw so I can now reassemble the model with 2 small screws.  (This turned out much better than I thought it would!)  I also recontoured the front wheel well openings as the DINKY model was a little off with respect to the REAL Studebaker trucks of the early 50's which this represented.  The original DINKY had sort of a 3-sided front wheel opening whereas the REAL trucks had rounded ones.  I plan on adding a rear view mirror on the driver's side as well as some proper ICC clearance lights on the top of the cab, but that can wait until I get a "round 'tuit"!
I also purchased a second Stude tanker off eBay which I photographed next to the previously restored one.   I think you would agree the "restored" is suitable for just about any "S" layout - ESPECIALLY IF YOU JUST HAVE TO HAVE A STUDEBAKER!
This past Christmas holiday I spent a LOT of time restoring the little DINKY Studebaker tanker truck as well as an ERTL MACK semi tractor I had bought years ago which had a broken chassis.  I decided the MACK
would look nice (after I removed its "sleeper" and shortened the chassis about 2 scale feet) in UP armour yellow paint with a UP emblem on each door.  I figured I had to use SOMETHING to load/unload all those "S" TOFCs with!  :-) 
The tanker is shown with two SHROCK BROS. diecast model Studebakers that are also VERY CLOSE to 1/64. One's a little '49 or '50 pickup, the other is about a '62 Stude CHAMP pickup.  Both of these little gems are the same color as the ones my Dad & Mom used to own.  (They still own the REAL light blue CHAMP pickup!)  What I'd REALLY like to see someone like ERTL or Racing Champions make is a 1/60-1/64 scale Studebaker AVANTI!  WHY NOT?  Our "S" layouts should ALL have several Studebakers!  ;-)

 Randy Griggs  (Always looking for "S" Studebakers!) rlgriggsXXX@megsinet.net

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