Joe Cocuzza Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Here are some pics of the 2 Larks (both with V8's) I found sitting in a garage by meI was lucky enough to be able to buy themBoth have the V8 engineBlack one (1960) is a 3-speed w/70K milesGreen one (1959) is an automatic w/27K milesBeen sitting in the garage 10 yearsAll the "marks" are only dirt - not rustCan't wait to get them home next week Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhambulldog Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 very Nice !!Congratulations ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Mellor NJ Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Looks like a great find. I hope you have room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodfiddler Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 A great find Joe. We will be waiting for the "out-of-the-garage" photos. They sure do look like a couple of beauties. What plans do you have for them, if any? Chuck in Kansas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom99 Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Great find. Do post more pictures when you get them home, and cleaned up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AlCapone Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 (edited) have the mice and other rodents been near them ? Wayne Edited January 23, 2015 by AlCapone (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8E45E Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 VERY nice, and both are the top-line Regal (W6) models for both years!! I hope you also join the Studebaker Drivers Club if you haven't already!Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleach Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 The differences between the two years in the photos are very subtle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Cocuzza Posted January 23, 2015 Author Share Posted January 23, 2015 have the mice and other rodents been near them ? WayneWayne,NO damage or traces of any critters found in either car. The reason, I believe, is because there are cat paw tracks all over both cars.Lucky for me !!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Cocuzza Posted January 23, 2015 Author Share Posted January 23, 2015 Was able to get BOTH cars home today (Thursday).Good thing because the weekend looks like foul weather is coming.I will take some more pics ASAp and post them.I already put the green one under the tent and covered so I will not be able to get any good shots.I will take some of the black one Friday.Thanks for all of the nice comments, too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPrice Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 Good job. You managed to obtain a couple of good looking Larks. From here, the bodies look good and the interiors are great. Have fun.I've owned my '59 Lark Regal Hardtop for 24 years and love every minute I drive it.Rog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Cocuzza Posted January 23, 2015 Author Share Posted January 23, 2015 Roger Price, (or anyone else that can help)I have a question.The hood latch cable on the black car either broke or came loose.How can I open the latch?I tried but I need some help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Cocuzza Posted January 24, 2015 Author Share Posted January 24, 2015 Just a few pics of one of the cars after I got it home and played with it a little (the black one)Had to get them both indoors ASAP as foul weather is approachingCan only get to part of them where they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AlCapone Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Congratulations. They look like a great find and you have all winter to play to your hearts content. Have fun my friend !Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dictator27 Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Roger Price, (or anyone else that can help)I have a question.The hood latch cable on the black car either broke or came loose.How can I open the latch?I tried but I need some help.Lie on your back under the front of the car and look up at the underside of the hood latch panel. There should be a small hole in the panel next to the latch. Insert a long narrow bladed screwdriver through the hole and turn it. That should release the latch.Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPrice Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Joe,Terry's approach is probably the best one. There may be a little "play" in the hood. By that, I mean that someone may be able to press down on the hood to make it easier to release the hood latch. By the way, once you get the hood open, Studebaker International is advertising new hood cable realeases. Right up your alley.Best of luck.Rog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plymouthcranbrook Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 I've always liked Studebakers, especially Larks. Good for you on on this find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Cocuzza Posted January 24, 2015 Author Share Posted January 24, 2015 Terry,Thanks for the info. I will give it a try when I get time.We just had 6 inches of snow and now the car is in a tight garage area - hard to get at.Also, thanks to everyone's positive comments about the cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty Roth Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 Joe,Congratulations on a really interesting find. The Lark was a nice driving, and a dependable car, ahead of its time, and easy to work on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Cocuzza Posted January 25, 2015 Author Share Posted January 25, 2015 UPDATE:I got the hood opened on the black car. From a genius on a Studebaker site -I used 2 thin paint stirrer sticks between the hood and the body. Wedged them in (and no damage at all because they are wood)and then slid one and pushed against the hood release mechanism - JOILAThanks for all the compliments about the cars, too.I have been sporadically cleaning the black one - polishing mostly. I will try to get a few new pics of what it is looking like.Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhambulldog Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 Joe,Congratulations on a really interesting find. The Lark was a nice driving, and a dependable car, ahead of its time, and easy to work on.All the Studebakers were ahead of their timeThe Hawk for exampleI like the Studebakers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest drnittler Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 (edited) Larks are great. I have had one for 24 years.It is the only car I am keeping in my collection. Edited January 30, 2015 by drnittler (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Dobbin Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Great little cars, and faster than the new 1964 & 1965 Mustangs back in 1965. I loved my red 1959 Studebaker Lark VII until the U. S. Air Force sent me overseas. I sold it for a big loss and the idiot I sold it to totalled it a few months later. That light weight little hard top would fly with the Studebaker V8.This was it in 1965. Oh my god, that was 50 years ago, *@Z&()&$#@! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Cocuzza Posted January 29, 2015 Author Share Posted January 29, 2015 Here are a few new pics of the black Lark. I was able to clean the trunk lid/rear bumper/d.s. quarter panel. (NOTE: the splash panel below the rear bumper is only dirty - it is not rusty)Looks as if both cars will clean up nicely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 As a first car Dad offered me a ragged out Lark or a ragged out 4 door Corvair. I chose the Corvair, wish I'd taken the Lark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Zimmermann Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Nice found! It seems that the cars are in excellent shape/condition for their age and, especially the green one, low mileage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleach Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 I wonder if that oil filter made a big mess when changing it? It looks easy though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalowed Bill Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Bleach,The oil drains back down into the block, leaving scarcely a drop or two to be wiped off with a rag. It is a much cleaner and easier process then removing a filter from under a car which actually captures the oil, only to make a mess when it lets go. The difficult part is priming the new filter before replacing it. I never completely fill a filter when I replace it, only adding enough oil as the filter will capture when I turn it upside down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalowed Bill Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Joe, Great find! I note from the Studebaker Drivers Club forum that you may be selling your new purchases, indicating the search is where you get your pleasure. While I understand your reluctance to want to drive your original cars, these are not big dollar cars and judicious driving is probably the best way to preserve them. Selling them is certainly an option, but give them a chance to show what they can do. You may be surprised at what a great, old car driving experience they can be. I have quite a few cars, Studebaker and non Studebaker, and I find the Lark to be among my favorite drivers.-Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Cocuzza Posted January 31, 2015 Author Share Posted January 31, 2015 Joe, Great find! I note from the Studebaker Drivers Club forum that you may be selling your new purchases, indicating the search is where you get your pleasure. While I understand your reluctance to want to drive your original cars, these are not big dollar cars and judicious driving is probably the best way to preserve them. Selling them is certainly an option, but give them a chance to show what they can do. You may be surprised at what a great, old car driving experience they can be. I have quite a few cars, Studebaker and non Studebaker, and I find the Lark to be among my favorite drivers.-BillBill,I am sorry if I misled anyone on the Forums but at this point I am NOT looking to sell the 2 Larks.Yes, the search is the thrill for me BUT I do enjoy tinkering with the cars, too.Sometimes, in the past, if I had bought a car and it turned out to be more than I wanted to get into (mechanically, body work, etc) then I wouldseriously consider selling them - and I have. We all know too well how it is - look the car over, buy it, get it home and WHAM!!! that's when you start to find all of it's "needs". Of course, I ALWAYS was honest with potential buyers about the cars and NEVER hid anything.But, that said, these 2 larks APPEAR (I haven't had the time to really get into them - weather, too) to be rock solid and with a minimal investment of time and money I think they can be roadworthy. However, that mindset can change in an instant if I come across any "problems" I can't deal with. With me it is mainly a dollar issue that determines the extent I can get into fixing a car. I am just an average "Joe" (no pun intended) with a limited amount of play money. So if a car turns out to need more than I can afford to invest, I pass it on to someone who has the means. And I have not always gotten back what I may have put into the car(s) either!!!I am not new to old cars (been messing with them for 45 years) so I know getting involved with ones that have sat for years, etc can lead to high costs. But sometimes a guy can get lucky and find a few that don't need a ton of $$$$ invested. That is what I am hoping with these 2 Larks.Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest drnittler Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 What was the polish you used? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Cocuzza Posted January 31, 2015 Author Share Posted January 31, 2015 What was the polish you used?So far all I have used is No7 white polishing compound. I will use, as the last step, Mothers Carnuba Waxwhich really brings out the shine.Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketraider Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Boy- if the 62 I posted about in another thread looks as good as these do, I may be in serious Studebaker trouble!Didn't realise you could still get No.7 white compound. Thought it was a casualty of a DuPont divestiture. I've brought back many dull finishes using it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Cocuzza Posted February 12, 2015 Author Share Posted February 12, 2015 Boy- if the 62 I posted about in another thread looks as good as these do, I may be in serious Studebaker trouble!Didn't realise you could still get No.7 white compound. Thought it was a casualty of a DuPont divestiture. I've brought back many dull finishes using it.Rocketraider,At least I can still #7 white compound (and the red compound, too). I live in Penna so I know it is stillavailable here.Anyway, thanks for the compliment on my 2 Larks. Hopefully the one you are looking at is in nice shape, too.If you buy it you will not be disappointed. Besides, plunking down $2,000 for a car as opposed to $20,000+ is easier to swallowif things don't work out.Good luck and keep us posted.I have been unable to do much with my cars as it has been bitterly cold here and snowy.I did, however, manage to get to the black one a little bit this past Sunday. So I may be posting some new pics.BTW. If you go to the Studebaker Forum (here in the AACA Forums - scroll down- you'll see it) I have a post with more pics of the 2 Larks there.Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest exbcmc Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Someone mentioned Larks are fast. If I'm not mistaken 327? In '69 I had a Roadrunner, 383. On Wed nights you could beat your car to death at Irwindale Raceway for $1. No classes to run, you ran against whoever came up on the other side. A little 2dr Lark pulled up next to me and I snickered to myself. Light turned green and that little Lark proceeded to kick my ass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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