1958 Studebaker Scotsman

A Minimalist Masterpiece of Bare-Bones Motoring for the Masses

_{Aside from the front and rear bumpers and the door handles and wiper arms, the Scotsman was devoid of chrome trim and other unnecessary decorative embellishments.}

Cultural stereotypes can sometimes be cruel. Just ask those of Scottish ancestry, who have lived with a reputation of not only being thrifty, but downright cheap.

When Studebaker introduced a plain-Jane model to attract frugal buyers who otherwise would not have considered buying a new car, they named it the Scotsman. This was the 1950s, when such stereotypes were acceptable, so it wasn’t looked down upon to typecast a car by naming it the Scotsman.

But was it a success? Well, not compared to the Ford Custom.

Introduced as a low-priced model in the Champion line, the Scotsman only lasted two years. When launched for the 1957 model year, it was offered as a two-door and four-door sedan, and a two-door station wagon. The cheapest model was the two-door sedan at $1,776 followed by the four-door sedan for $1,826. Total production reached only 9,348 examples. By comparison, for $215 more you could have bought instead a 1957 Ford Custom Six two-door sedan for $1,991, which had more creature comforts and chrome plated exterior trim than the Scotsman. No wonder more than 200,000 buyers choose the Ford Custom instead.

_{Based on the Champion line, the Scotsman’s two-year production run reached a total output of 31,338 units. It was the ideal car for buyers who wanted a full-size car at the lowest possible price.}

For the 1958 model year, the Scotsman’s production doubled selling 20,872 units of the same three body styles. There was also a four-door Scotsman called the Econ-O-Miler, plus a four-door sedan with an extended wheelbase called the Econ-O-Miler of which another 1,118 were sold. Sadly, this was the final year of this unadorned economical Studebaker.

The Scotsman’s low price and basic essentials made it ideal for fleet sales, taxies and also police departments. A special model called the Police Marshal was a four-door sedan equipped with Studebaker’s 289-cu.in. V-8 engine. Now this would be a fascinating car to own today, that is, if you can find one. But even a standard Scotsman is a rarity, as nearly all were sent to the junkyard once they were worn out. After all, who would want to keep such a bare-bones automobile with a name like Scotsman? What would the neighbors think?

_{Windows and door frames didn’t have any chrome trim and the taillamp assemblies and the stamped front grille were painted matte silver. The inline-six flathead engine displaced 185.6 cubic inches and developed a 101 horsepower at 4,000 RPM.}

_{Not much to see with the interior except for a painted metal dash, plain black steering wheel and flat door panels without any design pattern. And no carpeting either; just a simple black rubber covering. Now that’s an austere interior!}

_{The speedometer was as basic as they come, but it did include an odometer. To keep costs down, Studebaker did not install a divider between the trunk and the rear seat back.}