Studebaker studied Tatra’s technology

T26-30MeadowBrook

The 1930 Tatra T26/30 was a very important vehicle in the companies history, as it was the forerunner of all Tatra trucks to come with rear-wheel independent suspension, a central tube chassis and an aluminum, air-cooled boxer-type engine driving through a transmission with six forward and two reverse speeds. The axle differentials can be locked and one of the rear shafts can be disengaged. In total, there were only 181 T26/30 trucks produced with various bodies and only five or ten are known to survive.

This truck was ordered by a Mr. V. Meister of New York, acting as a front for Studebaker, which was manufacturing trucks for the U.S. Army and wanted to investigate Tatra technology. The current owner discovered the car for sale in Ohio in a crate with the Studebaker name. It has less than 5,000 original miles and the engine still runs very well.

http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z17225/Tatra-T26/30.aspx