Go to just about any car show in the US and you will see countless Chevrolets, Fords, and Mopars, but there probably won’t be too many Studebakers present. It’s really too bad because they built some great looking cars. Thankfully, for those of us that like to be a little different, you can pick up a Studebaker for far less than the cars it competed against! Take Reader Casey C’s Studebaker Lark, it’s a sweet sedan and for $4,000, or best offer, is a fraction what a similar condition Ford or Chevy would set you back. It isn’t perfect and is going to need some work, but it runs and drives already. If you’d like to have an American classic that will stand out from the pack, you can message him via the form below!
What Makes It Special? All original New Mexico car, no rust. 3 owner vehicle. has been in a barn most of its life. interior and all parts untouched. all numbers matching. chrome in excellent condition. Paint looks to be original, possibly touched up in some minor places. There are minor cosmetic blemishes to paint. Small tears in upholstery but in great shape considering its originality and age.
Body Condition: Body in great shape. no major dings, scratches, or dents. Minor cosmetic blemishes, Paint is believed to be original to the car.
Mechanical Condition: Engine head was removed and re-worked two months ago. Compression is great and the car does start and drive, but there is a knock in the lower part of the engine. Brakes are good. The only issue is the knock. Could be something small like a bearing.
The engine knock really is a shame, but like Casey said it could be something small. If fixing the issue isn’t a simple task, I might be tempted to find an R2 289 V8 to install in it, which would make it a bit of a sleeper! Casey is upfront about this car’s issues and is willing to answer any questions you might have, so be sure to message him or leave any questions in the comments below. It really looks like it could be a fun project and would be something that really stands out.
- Asking Price: $4,000
- Location: Roswell
- Mileage: 88,000
- Title Status: Clean
Do you have a classic that needs a new home? Consider listing it here on Barn Finds and get it in front of a huge audience of car nuts!
Maybe the knock is an alien …….I believe a Lark was a sleeper winner in drag strips in upstate NY. Will need to check Turning Wheels, the Studebaker owners club magazine.
The good part is that the head was recently worked on because these Skybolt sixes were prone to head cracking early on. Hopefully, the lower knock is fixable. If all else fails, a Chevy six will do the job.
Dam aliens!
I love these little art -deco -meets-mid-century-modern gems.. Especially the ragtop coupes.
Funny you should mention car shows. I’m co-chairing a charity car show in August that I’ve helped at for several years. In all that time I honestly don’t remember seeing a Studebaker of this era. It’s not a common commodity, so enjoy the rarity.
Good luck on your sale, hope it all goes well.
On the exhaustive movie database, IMDB, there’s a paragraph about Frances Bavier, the gal who played Aunt Bee on the Andy Griffith Show (1960-1968). She apparently she wasn’t very close in real life to her character and didn’t always get along with co-workers (doesn’t that go for everyone?) Here’s a paragraph from IMDb that describes her love of Studebakers:
“A life-long exponent of Studebaker automobiles. The last car she bought was a 1966 model, the last model year for the make, made in the Canadian plant in Hamilton, Ontario. Some accounts say that the car was a 1964, the last year of production in the US plant in South Bend, Indiana. During the production of The Andy Griffith Show (1960) and Mayberry R.F.D. (1968) she drove herself to and from the studio in it. Reportedly, it can be seen in the latter series. Miss Bavier took it to her home in North Carolina after she retired there and is believed to have last driven it in 1983. After her death in 1989, it was found sitting on four flat tires and its interior had been ruined by cats. Even so, two Andy Griffith fans bought it for $20,000 at auction.” I know that’s information that everyone wanted to know.
Interesting. A quick web scan pulls up quite a bit of info. Apparently the car was a green ’66 two door Daytona model, and she also had another prior to this which she drove to the set.
$20K would seem like a lot for this car back then, but then it was ‘TV’ related.
Bonus points for an Andy Griffith Show reference, Mike!
Wow, a blast from the past!
Dad had this same car, color, engine, interior, just wow.
Uncle had the wagon in red, sliding roof and all.
Story was they went to South Bend with another buddy and picked up 3 of them.
Rotted out like everything back then, Dad got tapped and it split open like a tin can, two years and on to a Dodge Coronet for us (that rotted out on the cowl), and then the ’68 fast back Chevy Impala (also gone by ’70).
Unc’s lasted till ’68, replaced by a Polara. I wrecked the Polara in ’73.
I’d love this, just too far from Ohio, maybe that’s a good thing, barns full anyway!
I’m with you on the, um “sleeper” upgrade Josh, could surprise a few “fart cans”! GLWS!
Hmmm…LSX drivetrain.
Fun
The first thing I would check is the timing gears. The sound it makes can be confused with nearing noise. But these Studebaker 6’s with basic maintainence can go for a long time. I sold a 62 Lark 6 last summer that I drove the dogs#+$ out of it, and it never let me down. It was an original car that had sat on a concrete slab for at least 20 years and I figured the engine was shot. The interior was completely rotted away from sitting outside for all those years, but within an hour of getting it home, it was up and running. I took the seats and whatever upholstery from an old LTD II and used it and drove it for years. I just didn’t have time for it any more, as I had others. I couldn’t complain on the speed in case anyone wonders, as a couple of speeding tickets of over 80 mph will attest. Good cars, good engines, I love them. There was an article in Hemmings, March 2015, that the author stated that the Studebaker V-8 was the best V-8 ever made. I dont have the web address, but you can Google it easily.
We have a very active Studebaker club that shows a fair number of cars every October at the Maple Leaf Car Show in Carthage, MO. Everything from convertible Larks to Golden Hawks to Avantis. It’s always my favorite corner of the huge show. That, and the section where my buddies and I show off our GEO Metros. Don’t hate. Lots of people want to see the three-bangers.
Might be interested, is the car in New Mexico? Bit too far for my trailer. Thanks.
Hey Hank. Feel free to call me at (575)-626-5167. This car is in New Mexico. Its a great car
Might be interested, is the car in New Mexico? Bit too far for my trailer. Thanks. Roswell, might have to check for aliens.
That’s a nice old car you have there Casey, but that knock you have in the
engine makes me a little gunshy these
days. Had you been selling it 40 or so
years ago, I would’ve been all over it
because I was young enough to do most
all the repair work myself. Nowadays, I
call my mechanic, he tows it to his shop,
repairs it, and I write him a check for the
repair bill. If this car were mine, that same mechanic would be swapping in
a 250 cube GM inline six and then hand the keys over to my SIL to use as her daily
driver.
Yes nice car. Had a Lark Cruiser in the same colors with the 289 and factory disk brakes. It was attacked in storage and the windows knocked out. Re-planted that 289 cause it ran so good into a 63 2 door coupe.
Have a 63 R-1 Cruiser with the disk brakes as well…Studes just aren’t so much in demand but the price isn’t to far off. If it had a Chevy motor it would sell quicker at that price.
Used to live across the street in Toronto in the 80.s from a guy who restored and sold Studebakers exclusively from his family garage. Did some really nice work. The one I remember best was an almost mint 66 with a rear window decal saying “See the 67’s at your Studebaker Dealer”. Well,we know that never happened.
Love these.
The six is just fine. Perfect timing as gas prices are on the rise again.
Thankfully no comments about “two many doors”.