I really wish that I wouldn’t have seen this 1959 Studebaker Lark VI. This car has been on my wish list for a long time and this looks like a really nice one. It’s not perfect, but it’s really, really nice. It’s on eBay with a current bid of just over $3,800 and it’s located $900 from me in Los Angeles, California.
What a great looking car. You can see that it has been repainted and even though the seller says that it’s a “completely rust free car”, it looks sort of wavy in spots so I’m not sure what that’s about.
The paint isn’t perfect, according to the current owner. You can see something that I would automatically think is rust in the cracks, but other than that it sure looks good to me from the detail photos that they’ve provided in the listing. 1959 was the first year for the Lark and the VI designates a six-cylinder model. The one that most people want is the Lark VIII, the V8. I would be a very serious bidder on this car if it were a VIII, even with $900 in shipping costs.
And, look at that profile! I’ve always thought that these Larks look like something that Porky Pig would drive in a cartoon, with x-shaped band-aids on the tires. They really are an unusual shape, but the profile is so unique. I’m not a red car fan, in general, but I love it on this car, especially with the red wheels.
Here’s where a bit of a letdown comes, for me at least. I’m not a fan of these textured interior “restorations”. I would probably want to totally redo this one to original-spec, but that’s just me. It looks great, though, and I’m sure that this fabric is nice and cool for southern California. It has to be much more comfortable than the original vinyl was. I’m wondering what the original color of this interior would have been, gray? There is gray trim around the windows, and what’s under those unusual, white, snapped-on interior panels? I’m assuming that it was gray, thoughts? I guess I could ask the seller for a photo of what’s under those wacky snap-covers, or maybe I don’t want to see what’s under there.
Here’s the VI, Studebaker’s 170 cubic-inch inline-six with 90 hp. The 260 V8 would have had around 185-190 hp, no wonder they’re so much more popular, and expensive. Hagerty lists the #3 “good” value of a 1959 Lark as being $4,100, but they say to subtract 20% for a 6-cylinder model, which would be $3,280. I’m guessing that the seller’s reserve is more than that but I could be wrong. Have any of you owned a Lark?
Lark’s are great little cars. My parents owned a 62, my Grandmother a 59 and I had a 61 for a while. I’d buy another in a heartbeat. This one’s a beaut.
I would go get my brother in law, get on a plane, and bring this thing back here to Florida. And though I can’t see well enough to drive, I
can see in the pictures that this car is drop dead gorgeous! It quite
literally jumps off the screen and grabs your attention! Sure, it’s just a driver, but you could enjoy this one daily due in part to the outrageous
gas mileage that these cars get when driven sensibly. Some folks get at least 30+MPG while driving them. I believe that they actually beat a
Rambler in this regard. Gotta go take a heart pill, and wipe the drool off
my tablet screen.
I like these. Although we got them here with Chevy 283s fitted. Seemed like solid cars. We raced our 50s Chevys against these, they were lighter.
But my concern is that fuel filter fitted AFTER the fuel pump. Surely that is putting the filter under pressure? Where as before the pump, will not?
Yes I did own rear engined VWs that landed up burning on the highway.
Let’s take a nice original grey car and paint it resale red.
Why is it wearing late Cali tags?
because it is located in Los Angeles, California.
Would have black plates if it were a true California car.
Recent calif plates are black again
I love these little cars. Looks like something that would be much fun to drive. Just not sure the red paint job is for me.
I think it is 110k. A 10k car would not need a repaint and a new interior. It would be great with a 259 and overdrive.
Seller states in the Question and Answer section of EBay that the miles are at least 110,000 and is not sure what the actual miles are.
One of these days soon, I will probably sell my ’59 Hardtop VIII. 259V8 3 speed with OD. Engine purrs like a kitten, but car will look better with new paint. It also is a ‘ California rust free ‘ ride, located here in Alabama.
Don’t tell Scotty G!
Dave, I’d love to see that car. Oddly enough, I’m going to be in Alabama in a couple of days.
I did my driver training in a four door Lark with three on the tree of course.
With the 3 on the tree, no OD and the 6 cyl., not practical for modern traffic. Perfect for local coffee & cars though. I love these old Studes and this one is a beaut !
I really like the 3 on the tree, even without the overdrive. Seller states on EBay that the car “Runs and drives good and cruises easily at 60mph.” Wish it wasn’t so far away.
I really liked this car a lot and had a great deal of interest in it but sadly it was way too far away on the West Coast. I was especially impressed that the seller stated that it would cruise easily at 60 mph which tells me that if needed it could do 70mph and probably even 80. That’s good enough for me. I do not care about 0-60 times, I just want the car to make it to 60! As I open a new box of Kleenex, I see that this Red Ride has SOLD for $3975 which I think is a heck of a deal.
Neat car. Always felt sorry for the Lark. It really had everything , and more in some cases, than the competition. Again, there’s no mention of the O/D ( red “T” handle under left side dash), and again, I wonder if the seller even knows about that. Red is a bit loud, but what the heck, this car makes a statement where ever it goes anyway, it may as well be red. Maybe a white top, or something, but a very nice car. Destined to be flipped a couple times at that price.
@Howard I don’t see a kickdown switch under the hood. No o/d
Thanks, Vince. Further research shows pictures of automatic cars with that red T handle in the corner. What was that for, anyway?
Yes I had a 1959 brand new as a high school graduation gift from my parents. It was green.
This is exactly like my first car bought for $100 in Fredericksburg TX. Color,dash etc. mine was bought in 1965 the year I graduated high school. I later had a TR6 bought in 1970 identical to the one shown today except I had wire wheels.
I am leaving now to go buy a lottery ticket!!
Nice Car, Same car that`s listed on, bringatrailer.com with e-bay, bids are at $3975.00. Well worth it.
I learned to drive on my parents’ ’60 Lark VIII three-on-the-tree wagon. I love these cars even though they are serious rusters. If you’re going to get a six, the ’59 and ’60 are the ones to have in my opinion. They are underpowered (I never understood why Studebaker dropped the displacement and power on these from the ’58 Champions, which had 101 horsepower), but the flathead dating from 1939 is nearly indestructible. The same cannot be said for the Skybolt Six from ’61-’64, a fast OHV remake which often had problems with cracks in the heads around the valve seats. This one won’t be fast by any means, but it would be enjoyable both locally and even on some long trips as long as you’re not in too great of a hurry. Larks had full size room in a very compact package. You sit up high and can stretch out, unlike in a Falcon or Corvair. Too bad about the red repaint; the 1959 gray was an interesting color. You could get a ’59 Lark in red, though, so it doesn’t look terrible. It’s a driver after all. I hope a good soul buys this and keeps it carefully.
Sweet looking Studebaker Lark VI. I’d buy one if it were a four door sedan or a four door wagon with an automatic transmission.
The Lark was an ingenious design using the basic full size 1953 body shell chopping down the front and rear. Can’t understand why they reverted back to the 170 six instead of sticking with the 185 from the previous year.
$1400, LA craigslist
great little car but those little flathead sixes are a leisurely drive until wound up… the 259v8 is still economical but a rocketship by comparison
The rear quarter looks smucked or is that just the contour?
Too much red and those seats are hideous. But a trip to the paint shop and maybe those seats would be really appreciated on a hot Vegas day. I like it.