My 1963 Lark at Infineon Raceway
1963 Studebaker Lark drag racing at Infineon Raceway 11/30/08
289 Studebaker V/8 4Barrel Edelbrock carb and an Isky cam. OE 3:31 gears and stock auto trans.
Our Studebaker Lark 1960 firing up for first trip around the block in 6 years.
Our 1960 Studebaker Lark VII. Its been sitting in the garage for around 6 years in bare metal condition. We took all the chrome off in the hopes we were going to eventually repaint it and fix its minor problems. We just dont hav ethe money or time at this point in our lives so we fired her up for one last trip around the block before we sell her. By the way, if ANYONE is interested and can make it to the portland oregon area....we are selling it! 1960 Studebaker lark 259 V8 automatic. $2500 OBO.
Studebaker truck working at the drag strip
My 1959 4E13 V/8 5sp OD dump bed working at the local drag strip. We were doing prep work for our new racing surface. Now my Lark will have a smoother track to run on. The truck is like an older brother looking out for the Lark.
1962 Studebaker Lark V8 (original) - in detail
At the time the Lark was conceived, Studebaker-Packard Corporation was under a management contract with Curtiss-Wright Aircraft Company. Studebaker-Packard had been losing money for years when company president Harold Churchill came up with the idea of abandoning the full-size car market in favor of building a new compact car that he hoped would save the company.
The Lark was ingeniously designed around the core bodyshell of the full-sized 1953-1958 Studebakers. By reducing the front and rear overhangs and shortening the wheelbase, the car could still seat six people comfortably and hold a surprising amount of luggage. It was hoped that the vehicle would save America's oldest vehicle manufacturer when it was launched in the fall of 1958 as a 1959 model, much like the 1939 Studebaker Champion had saved the company in the years prior to World War II. In fact, it was the Champion which Churchill specifically took as his inspiration for the Lark.
With its simple grille, minimal and tasteful use of chrome and clean lines, the Lark "flew" in the face of most of the established "longer, lower and wider" styling norms fostered by Detroit's "Big Three" automakers (General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler). Studebaker's 1957-58 Scotsman had proved the existence of a demand for a less-flashy automobile, and while the Lark was not nearly so undecorated as the Scotsman, it was unmistakably purer of line than anything Detroit would offer for 1959.
