Gerry Revell - Studebaker Owner Exordinaire
Gerry Revell beside his 1956 Studebaker Golden Hawk
In 2020 the late Gerry Revell was added to the list of Studebaker Made in Canada Honourees on the SMIC Plaque located in the Studebaker National Museum in South Bend, Indiana.
Gerry's Studebaker story is very unique and is a true testament to one man's dedication in owning, collecting and preserving Studebakers. He was introduced to Studebakers during his wartime service
as a Signalman in the RCCS - Canadian Army while serving overseas in Italy and the Netherlands. He was a true Studebaker man for many decades and over the years owned up to 130 Studebakers to include Avantis,
Golden & Packard Hawks to name afew. He was extremely instrumental in forming the Ontario Chapter SDC in 1972 and was it's 1st President from 1972 - 1974. Below is the story of his
Studebaker adventures as written by his son, Paul Revell who has been a member of the Ontario since its start in 1972 while being President from 2001-2004.
Gerry with his grandson Brian in 1981 beside his 1963 Avanti
Gerry Revell - Studebaker Owner Exordinaire
By Paul Revell
I am sure my dad, Thomas Gerald (Gerry) Revell, would have been very proud to receive the Studebaker Made in Canada Award for his active role in the
Ontario Chapter of the Studebaker Drivers’ Club, and his role in the formation of the club. My dad was born on a farm just outside Guelph, Ontario in 1921. He was the
eldest son of four sons. Living and growing up on a farm in the 1920s and 1930s was tough – none of the sons returned to the farm after serving in the World War II.
The three oldest boys enlisted in the Canadian war effort at the ages of 15, 16,and my dad at age 17. My dad never spoke of being in the war. The only snippets I was able
to gather was that he ended up driving some Studebaker trucks during the war and was impressed with their performance and reliability. Apparently, a bomb fell right in
front of his truck but fortunately it was a dud and did not explode. My dad did service in Italy and the Netherlands, and was invited, and joined, the Netherlands liberation
celebrations. One of my uncles died after being shot down in a Lancaster (he was a gunner) over the Netherlands. My dad met my mother, Marjorie, (“a war bride”) in
Blackpool, England, and they were married shortly after the war.
After the war, my dad went to work for General Electric, then Burndy, then on to DT Shaw Company as a manufacturers’ representative for Ontario, a job he really loved.
He was an excellent salesman, and there was always food on the table. After the war, his personal choice of automobiles was always Studebakers, and was the trend back then,
he would buy a new one every two years. My mother drove a Studebaker as well. As a family, we went camping in Studebakers. We took long trips and saw all of Ontario
from Lake of the Woods, Lake Superior, Wawa, Timmins, North Bay, Georgian Bay and many points in-between. My dad’s Hawks (there were several) would typically
have a fishing boat on the roof, and a trailer behind. When my brother and I grew too big to fit in the trailer, we were assigned sleeping quarters in the reclining seats
in the Studebaker Hawks. After me turning on lights and honking horns in the middle of the night with my long legs, my dad was forced to disconnect the battery before
bedtime. My dad started to seriously collect Studebakers in the early sixties, first filling a lot behind his work at Dundas and Kipling, then moving all of the cars
up to Mono Mills (Airport Road and Highway 89 area), then finally moving the cars up to Orillia. (My dad always followed the rules. He applied for a building permit
for a barn to house his growing collection of cars, but Mono Mills would not let him build a barn without first building a 2,000 square foot home, even though the
neighbours were slapping up barns all around him without building permits.) The final straw at Mono Mills occurred when some neighbourhood kid with a gun shot out
at least twenty car windshields, headlights and mirrors.
At this point, I would like to add something about my dad’s character. He always believed strongly in a work ethic and that you should treat everyone fairly.
Some examples include: We went up to the cottage and cut down 14 Christmas trees. He ended up giving them all away, and had to purchase a Christmas tree
(from Guelph area, because he had to buy a similar tree to the ones he had given away). When asked why he did it, he merely stated that “Everyone was very happy with their trees”.
A SDC member asked him for a “really needed” fuel pump in the middle of winter. He drove from Toronto to Orillia where the pump was stored, walked in through
several feet of snow to the barns, shoveled a ton of snow and ice around the sliding doors so they could open, fetched the pump in the dark barn, then drove
home to Toronto. On the way home, there were very bad snow conditions (through Barrie as usual), and he ended up hitting the guardrail but was able to carry on home.
It was an all-day exercise. When I asked him how much did he get for the pump, he replied “$15.”
I came home one day to see a nice 1964 red Mustang convertible on my dad’s stock car trailer. I expressed interest in the car, and my dad said it was not for sale to me.
One of his supplier’s had confided that his dream was to own one of these cars, and he was on the lookout for one. My dad had passed this car for over three years,
sitting neglected in a farmer’s field. He decided to ask the owner if the car was for sale and how much. It was purchased for $300. My dad spent all day getting it out and
getting it on his trailer. I asked how much he would sell it for. “$350” was the answer. “Why couldn’t I buy it for $350?” I asked. He replied that it wasn’t his dream:
It was someone else’s. He had passed this car for three years, and had not asked about it before because it was not his dream. If the supplier hadn’t mentioned that a
1964 Mustang convertible was his dream, he would have passed it by for many more years. When my dad’s lawyer was settling his estate, he took my brother
Steve and I aside and told us how my dad helped him to get started by being his first client and introducing him to many other people that would turn into
his clients. He was very thankful.
My dad seemed to be a natural born leader. He was a baseball coach, a soccer coach, a Scout leader, found employers for the University of Waterloo’s Work-Study Program,
became president of the Willowdale Gem and Mineral Club, volunteered many hours for the Optimist Club, and I am sure did many things I am not aware of. Even though
he did these things, he was very humble so tended to lead by action, not by words. He was intentionally quiet about the beginnings of the club. The club has flourished
and grown due to the quality and enthusiasm of its members, not necessarily one person. He made many friendships within the club, as have I, and as have anyone that
wanted to. Its members have included doctors, lawyers, dentists, engineers, accountants, and many other professionals and tradesmen. The common bond of Studebaker
friendship is what makes the Ontario Chapter strong.
L to R - Sandy ( Don) Ross, Rick Broomer, Gerry Revell, Bob Shapton and Lloyd Crowdis at the Inaugural Meeting in 1972 of the Ontario Chapter SDC
Finally, for those interested in Studebakers and the formation of the Ontario Chapter of SDC: In 1971, a letter was sent to Studebaker owners in Ontario encouraging
Studebaker owners to show up in early October at Sherway Gardens Shopping Plaza. About 25 cars were present. There seemed to be enough interest to start a club.
The chartering and first official meeting took place in September 1972 at the Bramalea Lions Club. My dad, Gerry Revell became the first president, Bob Shapton took over the role
as vice president, Rick Broomer was Treasurer, Sandy (Don) Ross was in charge of activities (now Tourmaster) and Lloyd Crowdis was secretary/ newsletter editor.
Back in the old days of the club, many of the members owned “driver quality” Studebaker cars. Most had rust issues, but Studebakers provided cheap and reliable transportation.
My dad’s cars often fell short of show cars: for example, he put chrome reverse wheels on one of his cars bound for the Studebaker show. I told him he would lose points
for the unoriginal rims. He explained: “It makes it look like it will go faster, doesn’t it?” Finally, in 1991, he had a chance to win. He had just finished a red 1962 Champ pick up
and there were few competitors in the class. On the day of the show, a non-Studebaker backed into the front passenger door and front fender of the truck. He ended up winning
the “Hard Luck Award.”
Gerry's 1962 Champ Pickup - Still in the Revell Family today
In summary, Studebakers were his passion. He drove his red 1963 Gran Turismo Hawk for many years. In 1966, he bought a new Chrysler. However, it wasn’t his trademark,
and he sold the car shortly after and kept driving the GT. While he loved his many Studebakers, it was clearly the friendships of the many people in SDC and the Ontario Chapter
of the Studebaker Drivers’ Club that made membership in the club so very special to him.
A Letter from the President
Below is a letter from Mr. Gordon E Grundy then President of the Studebaker- Packard of Canada Ltd which was send to Gerry on one of his many purchases of a Studebaker over the years.
You don't see this happening in this day and age and demonstrates the personal touch that Studebaker maintained with Studebaker Owners while in Production.
THE AVANTI THAT WAS NOT TO BE
By Paul Revell
It was in the summer of 1963, and my dad announced that we were going to a Studebaker dealer to see a special Studebaker – a very special low mileage (about 6,000 miles) 1963 gold Studebaker Avanti
that was a company car for the then president of Studebaker of Canada, Gordon Grundy. My dad, my mom and I, a tall and growing 11 year old, got in my dad’s red 1963 Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawk
that had been recently purchased. My dad had ordered this car directly from the Hamilton factory and they had built it to his specifications.
We get to the dealership that had the Avanti, and I could tell from the look of lust in my dad’s eyes that this was going to be the next car for him. We decided to go for a test drive, my dad in the front driver’s seat,
my mom in the passenger seat, and me in my usual place behind the driver’s seat. The seat behind my mom was usually reserved for my big brother, Steve. I was OK for the first few minutes, but then the driver’s seat
was slid back as far as it would go. My knees now straddled the driver’s seat and I was locked into the back seat. It was very uncomfortable, and I let my mom know. She saw the situation right away, and my dad was hustled
out of the showroom by my mom. The Avanti purchase was off the table!
About 15 years later, my dad traded a few cars and cash to get a nice gold Avanti formerly from Hawaii. He did have to remind me that this car was just like the one I messed up the deal on. (this car was subsequently sold to Ross Mallard.)
For what it’s worth, I still have that red 1963 Studebaker GT. It was shown in the 2008 Canadian International Auto Show.
The Revell Family's 1963 GT Hawk - Gerry's Grandson - Kyle standing beside his favourite Studebaker
Studebaker Made in Canada