Studebaker Daytonas

Just curious to see if anyone can tell me more about these cars. There's on that looks like it might be pre-60 just sitting and definitely not moving in front of a house I pass on the way to work. I sit here and have dreams of the owner letting it go for cheap. What's the story behind the Stude Daytona?

-Taylor

 

Now that I've done a quick Google search, I think it's about a '63 Lark? Maybe. Still hoping to find someone who can set me straight. I'll try to get pix of it soon.

-Taylor

 

I remember the Lark coupe (V8) was a great sleeper.

Didn't remember the Daytona . . .

http://www.dyna.co.za/cars/Studebaker_65_Daytona_V8_White.jpg

 

I have a 66 Stude Commander. Never had a Stude before I got it. They are really well built cars with a very heavy duty frame. Parts are generally available and the National club, The Studebakers Drivers Club, has a wealth of information and resources and many of the members have multiple cars and multiple parts cars. Some of the local Stude clubs buy wrecked and rusted out cars/engines/components for private Stude parts stashes, that are then available to their members. Later V8 swaps (they generally use SBCs) are easy and disc brake front conversion kits are available (the 60's era Stude disc set up is pretty hard to find). If the car is a V8, the Stude engine is a good engine that speed equipment was made for and can be found at swaps and on ebay.

If it has been sitting outside, floor rust usually is a problem and some of the Stude websites (search for the Studebakers Drivers Club) have info on the usual other spots to look for rust, when inspecting Larks.

 

Well, here's a pic of it from the back that I managed to snap as the wife was driving to work today. I'll see about getting a better one tomorrow.



-Taylor

 

Here are some better pictures of the Lark...I believe it's a Lark, not a Daytona...even though it says Daytona on the side. I left my number and a note to call me if he wants to sell it.







-Taylor

 

Daytona was a fancy model of the Lark.
This one looks nice and solid.

 

Well, like I said, I left my card on it. Hope the owner doesn't care much about it anymore and will want to let it go cheap.

-Taylor

 

Looks like the floor has allready been repaired.

 

looks like a '62

prolly got a 289 in it.

hard tops are cool..

 

Yeah...I've spent the past couple nights falling asleep to the neat things I'd like to do to it. But no calls from the owner yet, and even then I'd have to convince the wife to let me get it while we're also buying a condo.

But here's a 'shopped pic of it lower...have fun!

 

Not positive, but the only daytonas I have ever seen are wagons. With the rear section of the roof slides toward the front. Like the new GM truck. "forgot the name" They also have a rear seat that faces rearward, and folds flat for cargo space. I was just looking at a Daytona at the Greenwood car show here in Seattle.

 

The Stude wagons were called Conestogas, go figure. The wagons with the sliding roofs were Wagonaires, everything old is new again.Most Daytonas were two door sedans or hardtops, there were some Convertibles and four doors built. The later ones had the Avanti engines, and were available with a T10 four speed, I have one in the pile. FWIW, the Avanti was built on a Lark Convertible frame until about 1980, the later ones were on Vette frames

 

there'sa guy around me in ohio that is VERY well versed in studes and either has or can get anything you need. studes had like an R2 or something like that engine that ran like hell, right? supercharged, etc. he's got 7 R3's or whatever they are and they're harder to find than arduns. he ain't getting off of em either! only available the last year if i remember correctly. cool guy, tons of old stuff around his shop.

Myers Studebaker Parts (740) 674-4897

 

will look good like this:

 

Thanks for the replies...I've actually printed that picture and one other off in B&W so I can get out the pencil and try out some ideas I've had. *If* I happened to wind up owning this thing (I really doubt it'll happen for some reason)...I know it'll need rear turn signal lenses. And probably a floor mat. Anyway...I still just like thinking about owning it...call it my step up toward a Shoebox someday.

-Taylor

 

Attached a pic of one I have. It was a one-owner car and bought from his estate auction when he went on to the salt flat in the sky.

Pretty ragged out but it's still pretty solid considering the Kentucky humidity. I robbed the 289 out if it and stick tranny a couple years ago, and sold a few other random pieces. The rest looks like this. It is a 61 I think, but not sure about that since the Studebaker numbers never show up in my literature.
Anyway, thats about all I can tell you about them; They existed, and in the 2dr hardtop configuration, with 289 stick and bucket seats. "Daytona" emblem on quarter trim just rear of the doors.

Ray
IronHunter Rod & Custom

 

Yeah, the one I see all the time has the script on the side, but I think that's a bench seat in it, isn't it?

Edit: Whoops, looked at that interior pic again...it's not a bench...just two close buckets.

-Taylor