The latest Collectible Auto mag features a car that nicely meshes with two of my interests. It’s a carefully maintained ’57 Studebaker sedan, made in Hamilton and bought in Vancouver. The original owner used the car for long trips, so he rigged the front seat to recline Nash-style. When he died in 1980 his grandson inherited the car and continues maintaining it and driving it.
Like most US carmakers, Studie had a large Canadian factory making cars FOR Canadians, not for import. Unlike the others, Studie descended into the Free Trade model in 1964, closing its US factories and using the Hamilton plant to build for import along with local sales. This only lasted a couple years before all car production ended. The non-auto parts of the corporation were still profitable and kept going until 1979.
The big three had enough resources to create special models and brands for Canada, while the independents simply made the same car everywhere, differing only in local legal requirements like RHD for England. The independents also designed symmetrical dashboards so RHD countries could switch the internal pieces (trade the instrument cluster and the glovebox) without forming a new major structure. The big three could afford asymmetrical main structures.
Studie’s Canadian plant added one inexpensive special touch for local pride:
A maple leaf on the radio speaker.
Polistra's Mill 
