Projects "Saving" a Studebaker

This is about the “saving” of an abandoned automobile… You see, I’ve got an affliction regarding my want of saving all the old cars. Now of course I know well & good that I can’t actually do that, but I still give it a fair amount of effort, as do many of my fellow H.A.M.B.ers.
The next “victim” (if you please) is to be a ’60 Studebaker Lark and is the subject of this thread. This model is not what the main stream embraces as a popular car by any stretch. That’s fine with me, as I appreciate the different and see the hidden cool in it.

 

Looks like a lot of important parts are there. And the right amount of doors.

 

Does it have a V-8?

 

It did... V-8 automatic from South Bend, since removed some time ago. However, I'm going to use an engine I've been tripping over and a 4-speed.

 

Are you saving the Stude truck as well?

 

From the picture it looks like a good candidate worthy of saving. The big thing, of course, would be rust/rot. Old Studebakers are not known for their rust resistance. Good find, post more pictures.

 

No, there are a few trucks there, but since I've already got my '56 (daily rig) I'll stick with it.

 

The car is remarkably straight & solid.

I am not a wealthy person with buckets of $$$ to dispose of. On the other hand I’m not “Cheap”… I prefer “Thrifty”. I also don’t have immeasurable amounts of time to dedicate to such an endeavor as derelict automobile preservation. So that’s pretty much how this build will progress… in a slow, methodical, thrifty manor.

 

My neighbor has a '57 Stude 2 dr. sedan in similar condition just sitting outside. He says he's going to restore it when he retires but you know how that goes. I told him he needs to get it inside of that big shop he's got, but he would rather have a bunch of lumber lying all over the floor, taking up the shop space. He doesn't seem like much of a car guy. I'm too old and have too many projects to bother him about selling it.

 

“Can a guy” drop a motor and trans and mix up some shine juice. “I don’t know”

 

Man, all the hard stuff is there, glass, trim looks nice.

 

3 cheers for saving that lil Lark, I'll be following along.

 

I built a 59 a few years ago , 400 sbc ,4spd , 9 inch. It was a total sleeper ! Most people didn't know what the hell it was. I sold it a few months ago to fund another project , turns out the kid who bought it drove it for a couple of months then mined it for it's running gear to put in a Nova A friend of mine bought the shell and is now putting it back together. Good luck on your project Larks are way cool.

 

I likey. Good save on an oddball. I love oddballs.

 

Like to see what it would look like with a 3" chop, chrome body trim removed, split front bumper with the ends just starting around the front fenders, tuck the tail light lens closer to the body, bar grille, and just out of curiosity twin rectangular headlights. Shave the door handles, remove chrome around the windows and replace with a tight fitting black rubber seal and maybe a candy root beer.

Just a thought....

.

 

Sleeper…..,

 

Chopped would be interesting..Has anyone ever chopped one of these?

 

I do not have, at this early point, a solid plan except to return this urchin to the street as a fun and cool looking vehicle. There are scads of genres to choose from when deciding on a build’s ultimate outcome, of course.
I often (strange as it may seem) listen to the car… slowly walk around it and stare at it for hours on end until it tells me what direction to proceed. I do have many ideas floating around and bumping off the inside of my head. As this project progresses I welcome any ideas from those of you who choose to follow… I tend to embrace “brain-storming” as it is. If I don’t act upon the ideas and/or advice given, I hope not to offend the purveyor of those ideas. I will, however, consider any that make sense to me and the build. One of my original thoughts was to build it in the so called "Gasser style". That's been done many times and they look bad-ass. But, as stated earlier, my mind is not made up at this point. I've collected a few images from various sources and want to give credit to those who posted them... who ever they may be.
However, I am into customs... never thought of a Lark as a custom... Maybe one of you with photo-shop skills could enter a rendering of such modifications just for another point of imagination...

 

i have a '59 hard top lark too. i fell in love with dave koffle's flintstone flyer II when i saw it at lions back in the day. i said i would own one some day. mine was an estate sale and is rusted real well. if i live long enough i will build it.

 

After googling Studebaker gassers, I’m not sure that the world needs another jacked up, straight axle Lark. Just sayin’….

 

Looks like a very good start to a nice car.
I've been driving a Studebaker for MANY years now in some form or another.
My last..."Daily Driver" was a 59, Lark, 2dr. wagon. Almost 13 years worth.
Working on a couple of 54 wagons (Conestoga) right now. One of them will be my..."Daily Driver", and even Stude powered.

The one below is the hot rod. Quick Change rear axle, MANY dollars modifying a Stude engine (still on the engine stand (!)


I have a 1960 Lark, 2dr. wagon that's turned into a hot rod.
Have a small Chevy for it, but the way that it's built, any engine will fit with the correct motor plates.
C4 Corvette front suspension, Ford 9" on a four link in the back, full roll cage, bumper to bumper !


Have fun with whatever you decide to do with yours.
Just a note, there are many...OEM, and custom parts available for them. More than people think.

Mike

 

I wonder what one would look liked sectioned, they always looked like a block of ice. Bob

 

Just my nickels worth, but what about making a Ute out of it.

 

My interest with Studebakers began when I was a youngster. My great aunt had a “Bullet Nose” Stude that for some reason caught my eye. I remember it being comfortable and smooth to ride in and I can still remember the smell of mohair and engine blow-by.
Many years later my daughter found a ’59 Silver Hawk stashed for 30+ years in the garage of one of her friends’ father. I dragged it out and made it cool again. I’ve always appreciated the Studebakers and their heritage. Odd Ducks, as they are referred to by some, and unique in their own way. There's something about them...
The second Stude-a-Ma-Baker was found whilst I was looking to find a Tri-Five Chevy truck… Instead I found a ’56 Transtar which serves to this day as my daily driver.
I will be withdrawing from my parts on hand (a.k.a. junk-pile) for a lot of the components used on this poor un-suspecting little creature. Fellow Studebaker "enthusiasts", C.L., e-bay and the H.A.M.B. classifieds will surely contribute and I’ll undoubtedly be required to fabricate some pieces. There will also be some new stuff tossed into the mix just to make it interesting.

 

Interesting. I have also committed to buy a 59 Lark although with too many doors. The one I ended up with was already swapped to a 283 back in the 60’s so does have that going for it. I think I bought the one I did more because of its story than for what it actually is. I agree that cars will tell you the direction they need to go. Good luck with your build. I will be following. Just something about these Larks has caught my attention in recent years.

 

In about 1960?? Hot Rod Magazine featured a black (New?) Lark in which they had swapped a Hemi (392?). It really made an impression on a 16 year old kid because I have forgotten most of that "stuff" I wasn't even a Studebaker fan, but I really thought that was cool
I hope your Lark doesn't have the same Studebaker rust disease that my coupe suffered

 

The car itself is better than many in some areas and rougher in others. I can usually see past the negatives, for the most part, with my over- active imagination. The way I see it, if you’re lucky, you generally get what you pay for. In my opinion this car wasn’t expensive and I’m getting what I’m paying for.

My first order of business is to take physical possession of the Lark. It currently resides miles down the (what seems to me) roughest “road” I’ve ever had the misfortune to traverse... dirt, gravel, pot holes you could hide a Volkswagen in, football size rocks... The current owner is a friend who has a vast collection of random vehicles stashed about his properties. He has agreed to trailer the car to an area of actual paved road so that I can drag it onto my trailer for the ride to my hacienda. A thorough cleaning, critter evacuation and evaluation will follow.

 

There's a couple of Larks running around my area. One has a HEMI, the other I think is SBC powered. Both are neat cars. I've always like Studes with the exception of the bullet nose ones, just never did care for them.

 

Nice catch. Looking forward to your progress.