Studebaker beat most of the competition to the new compact market space by at least a year, introducing the new Lark in 1959. The car and its variants would remain in production through the demise of Studebaker auto production in 1966. This 4-door station wagon is from 1960 and needs mechanical and cosmetic attention, but it would be a nice project for a fan of these automobiles. Located in Portland, Oregon, this Lark is available here on Barn Finds Classifieds for $2,800 OBO.
Larks were built in two locations: South Bend, Indiana (Studebaker HQ) and Hamilton, Ontario (Canada). The company began to move away from the Lark nameplate in 1964, with the Commander, Daytona, and Cruisier going to the forefront. Response to the Lark was positive for two to three years, but sales tricked off as Chevrolet (Corvair, Nova), Ford (Falcon), and Chrysler (Plymouth Valiant, Dodge Lancer) all got into the game, joining both Studebaker and AMC (Rambler American), who also got there in 1959.
Sales (by Studebaker standards) were brisk in 1960. Out of 120,465 overall cars, 17,900 of them were 4-door station wagons like the seller’s. The 259 cubic inch V8 was the biggest engine available to the Lark, and this wagon has one. It’s not running due to some missing hoses and the wiring disconnected as the result of a previous owner working to replace the harness. It’s paired with an automatic transmission. There is no indication when the car was last on the road,
The body seems to be okay with the older paint wearing its share of patina. The glass is original as are the seals around it with no cracks. The interior has seen better days, but if you could get it running again, paint and upholstery can wait a while. The mileage is 28,000 but there is no claim if this is original. The seller and his fiancé purchased the car in 2016 but the title has been lost since then. To help with reviving the vehicle, some extra parts will go with the sale.
Borg Warner automatics and Studebaker standards were real slugs. Especially manual downshifts, move the selector and 30 seconds later it would awkwardly and grudgingly downshift. Standards acted much the same. That being said they were reliable transmissions drove and serviced many Studebakers.
Maybe you had some pump or seal issues in your Studebaker. The BW “Flight-o-matic” in my Hawk downshifts a into 2nd almost immediately when the selector is moved from D to L.
Nice looking car. I’ve never seen a Studebaker Lark wagon before. I used to know someone who had a 1959 Lark 4 door sedan, and that was a nice car. But I’ve never seen a Lark station wagon. Assuming all the parts are there, and that there are no serious body problems such as rust holes, etc., and that it’s capable of running and driving under its own power, I would think restoration would be possible.
“Studebaker beat most of the competition” and this one is definitely ‘beat’.
The Lark is the main reason many refer to them as “Stupidbakers.” Not worth a second glance, IMO.
Love this. But 23,000 mile odo reading means it’s rolled over at least once.
No title?
Rambler American came out in ’58, based on the original ’50 Rambler.
No title? How do I know it’s even yours? Beyond that I see a car worth $500. Maybe. I guess $2800 is the new $500 in Portland. Pass.
The owner will not go to DMV to get s duplicate title.
Therefore this is a rusty PARTS CAR.
Stay away.
This model was available with a sliding roof over the rear compartment in which you could stand a refrigerator for instance. This feature was not seen again until the 2004 GMC Envoy and then only 2 years.