Testing Tomorrow: The Studebaker Proving Ground
Explore a century of innovation and change at one of the automobile industry's first outdoor testing facilities.
Driving on the Rooftops (1900/1910) by Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing CompanyStudebaker National Museum
The Early Days
In the early 20th century, Studebaker engineers used the wider world as their laboratory. Automobile testing took place on rutted dirt roads, brick-paved streets, board tracks, and even a specially-constructed track on the roof of the company’s factory buildings.
Driving Innovation
In 1926, Studebaker opened its Proving Ground test facilities a few miles west of South Bend. The site featured a three-mile oval track, over thirty miles of roads with varying surfaces and grades, service facilities, and a club house. Here, a new Erskine climbs a steep grade.
Proving Ground Pit Stop
At the heart of Proving Ground, the service garage supported the testing of new vehicles. Mechanics prepared cars for trials, inspected them afterward, and made adjustments based on what the tests revealed. The original garages have been expanded and are still in use today.
Safety first! Studebaker put its cars through dramatic crash tests at the Proving Ground. At left, two sedans meet head-on to test the effectiveness of safety glass; at right, a car tumbles down a steep hill as newsreel crews look on. Engineers examined the damage to learn how the vehicles held up, while the filmed tests showed the public just how far Studebaker went to prove its cars. Explore the full "Studebaker Safety" video from 1932 at the end of the story.
Big Car or Small People? (1931/1936) by The Studebaker CorporationStudebaker National Museum
The Giant President
Studebaker built this giant, 40-foot long replica of a 1931 President Four Season Roadster and placed it on a hill near the Proving Ground entrance. The man and woman posed on the rear fender and bumper give a sense of its enormous scale.
A Grand Entrance
The iron gates at the Proving Ground entrance were flanked by brick posts topped with terra-cotta “Turning Wheel” sculptures, a symbol long associated with the company. Thirty-four of these distinctive toppers once adorned the posts along Indiana State Road 2.
One Potato, Two Potato
Studebaker piled sacks of potatoes high atop this 1937 President Sedan at the Proving Ground to test its structural integrity. The weight pressed the body and suspension to their limits, giving engineers a memorable way to demonstrate how much punishment the car could take.
One Flying Leap for Motordom (1939) by The Studebaker CorporationStudebaker National Museum
It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's a...Champion?
Simulating real-world conditions often meant pushing cars to extremes. Here, a 1939 Champion launches off a ramp at 68 mph to test how its suspension and frame (and driver) handle a hard impact with the ground.
Studebaker Tree Sign (1940/1950) by The Studebaker CorporationStudebaker National Museum
Studebaker Tree Sign
In the late 1930s, Studebaker planted the world's largest living sign at the Proving Ground. Over 8,200 pine trees spelled "STUDEBAKER" and spanned nearly half a mile. The trees remain today as part of St. Joseph County's Bendix Woods County Park.
Keep 'Em Rolling
During World War II, both Studebaker and U.S. Army used the company's Proving Ground to test military vehicles. Studebaker-built "Deuce and a Half" US6 trucks faced rigorous trials of their off-road performance, hauling capacity, fuel and oil consumption, and durability.
Start Your Engines
In the early 1950s, the Sports Car Club of America (SSCA) hosted their regional meets at the Proving Ground. Jaguars, Ferraris, MGs and more hit the track for 18-mile contests, exhibition runs, and handicap races. Here, a new Champion convertible paces a race at the 1950 meet.
Scotsman Testing (1956) by The Studebaker CorporationStudebaker National Museum
Making a Splash
A Studebaker Scotsman drives through "The Basin" at the Proving Ground in 1958. This test evaluated deep-water navigation and traction, brake performance, and vehicle waterproofing and electrical integrity.
The World's Fastest Production Car
Introduced for 1963, the Avanti paired striking design with record-setting speed. Here, Studebaker president Sherwood Egbert (left) and designer Raymond Loewy (right) pose beside two Avantis at the Proving Ground track. A supercharged R2 Avanti could reach speeds up to 145 mph.
The Graveyard
The densely wooded infield of the Proving Ground test track was the final resting place for dozens of test vehicles, syling exercises, and other pre-production vehicles from the late 1930s through the mid-50s. This abadoned car is likely an unused 1953 "bullet-nose" model.
Bendix, Bosch & Beyond (1984) by Allied AutomotiveStudebaker National Museum
Bendix, Bosch & Beyond
After Studebaker closed, Bendix acquired the Proving Ground and donated 175 acres for Bendix Woods County Park, including the clubhouse and tree sign. Today, the testing facility is operated by International and is the only Studebaker property still used in its original capacity.
Watch this "Studebaker Safety" video from 1932!
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