Jump to content

1959 & 1960 Studebaker Larks


Joe Cocuzza

Recommended Posts

Here are some pics of the 2 Larks (both with V8's) I found sitting in a garage by me

I was lucky enough to be able to buy them

Both have the V8 engine

Black one (1960) is a 3-speed w/70K miles

Green one (1959) is an automatic w/27K miles

Been sitting in the garage 10 years

All the "marks" are only dirt - not rust

Can't wait to get them home next week

post-55506-143142945326_thumb.jpg

post-55506-143142945353_thumb.jpg

post-55506-143142945379_thumb.jpg

post-55506-143142945403_thumb.jpg

post-55506-143142945428_thumb.jpg

post-55506-143142945452_thumb.jpg

post-55506-143142945477_thumb.jpg

post-55506-143142945501_thumb.jpg

post-55506-143142945526_thumb.jpg

post-55506-143142945551_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

Guest AlCapone

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

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

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

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

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 - JOILA

Thanks 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

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&()&$#@!

post-32318-143142951438_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

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

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

Bill,

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 would

seriously 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

  • 2 weeks later...
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 still

available 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 swallow

if 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

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

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...