Automotive History Online
Automotive History Online
1959
The all new Lark compact models we Introducted in 1959. Except for the Sivler Hawk coupe, all of the former Studebaker designs were discontinued. The central body section of the Lark was basically the 1958 Studebaker body, but the front and back sections were drastically shortened. Deluxe models had painted headlamp molding, no grill moldings and lacked padded dash. Regal Larks had chrome moldings around the grille and headlights and a padded dash. On sedans and station wagons the former "cyclops-eye"speedometer was replaced by a normal speedometer, although the central glovebox was retained. On Silver Hawk models the parking lights were relocated to the side grille. All models were available with only single headlights. The two-tone paint option was discontinued on everthing but fleet purchased cars. Model years sales soared with the debut of the Lark, with 126,156 units sold helping Studebaker reach 10th on the industry sales chart.
Contents
1. Automobiles
2. Trucks
3. Factory Specs
4. Concept
1959 Studebaker Lark Regal HT
1959 Studebaker Lark Regal HT
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1959 Studebaker Lark Regal 4-door Ad. |
1959 Studebaker Lark Regal 2-door Station Wagon Ad. |
1959 Studebaker Lark VI
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1959 Studebaker Lark AD. |
1959 Studebaker Lark AD. |
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1959 Studebaker Lark 2-door Hard top |
1959 Studebaker Lark 2-door Sedan |
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1959 Studebaker Lark 2-door Hard top Front |
1959 Studebaker Lark 2-door Hard top Rear |
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1959 Studebaker Lark 2-door Hard top Door Panel |
1959 Studebaker Lark 2-door Hard top V-8 Engine |
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1959 Studebaker Lark 2-door Hard top Dash |
1959 Studebaker Lark 2-door Hard top interior |
1959 Studebaker Scotsman
1959 Studebaker Scotsman
1959 Studebaker Scotsman
| Lark VI / Silver Hawk | Series | ||||
| Model | Body / Style | Body Type | Factory | Shipping | Production |
| Number | Number | & Seating | Price | Weight | Total |
| Econ-o-miler | |||||
| 59S | Y1 | 4-dr Sed-6P | n/a | 2870 | 1,033 |
| Deluxe | |||||
| 59S | D4 | 2-dr Sta Wag-6P | $2295.00 | 2805 | 13,227 |
| 59S | F4 | 2-dr Sed-6P | $1925.00 | 2577 | 33,259 |
| 59S | W4 | 4-dr Sed-6P | $1995.00 | 2605 | 26,566 |
| Regal | |||||
| 59S | W6 | 4-dr Sed-6P | $2175.00 | 2600 | 11,898 |
| 59S | J6 | 2-dr HT-6P | $2275.00 | 2710 | 7,075 |
| 59S | D6 | 2-dr Sta Wag-6P | $2455.00 | 2815 | 5,685 |
| Silver Hawk | |||||
| 59S | C6 | 2-dr Cpe-6P | $2360.00 | 2795 | 2,417 |
| Lark VIII / Silver Hawk | V-8 Series | ||||
| Econ-o-miler | |||||
| 59V | Y1 | 4-dr Sed-6P | n/a | 3225 | 92 |
| Deluxe | |||||
| 59V | W4 | 4-dr Sed-6P | n/a | 2925 | 1,367 |
| 59V | F4 | 2-dr Sed-6P | n/a | 2899 | 550 |
| 59V | D4 | 2-dr Sta Wag-6P | n/a | 3138 | 378 |
| Regal | |||||
| 59V | W6 | 4-dr Sed-6P | $2310.00 | 2924 | 14,530 |
| 59V | J6 | 2-dr HT-6P | $2410.00 | 3034 | 7,996 |
| 59V | D6 | 2-dr Sta Wag-6P | $2590.00 | 3148 | 7,419 |
| Silver Hawk | |||||
| 59V | C6 | 2-dr Cpe-6P | $2495.00 | 3140 | 5,371 |
Studebaker Concept- Story and photo's by Gary Ash
1959 Studebaker Lark /Porsche
In February, 1959 Curtis-Wright bought a new Lark with a Champ
6 engine from a local dealer and modified it. A used engine from a 1953 Porsche
was rebuilt by Porsche and installed along with the torsion-bar rear suspension
and transaxle. Wheels and gear reduction boxes from a VW bus were used to
optimize the drive line. This engine was placed in what had been the trunk of
the Lark after removing the Champ 6 and automatic transmission from the front of
the car. In addition, since Curtis-Wright had taken out a license to build
Wankel rotary engines, an adapter was prepared to install a small Wankel engine
in place of the Porsche engine. Curtis-Wright had allegedly planned to test it
as a rear-engine drive car, then swap a rotary engine in, but the second phase
never happened. This car may have been the prototype for the
sub-compact touted two years later.
Before the car could be fully tested and the rotary
engine installed, the relationship between Curtis-Wright and Studebaker ended.
The Lark was sold to a local New Jersey garage, then quickly resold twice more
to car collectors. The car still survives today at the Studebaker National Museum. It retains the 1500 cc, 70 hp Porsche engine in the
trunk. While the horsepower rating is less than the Champ 6 it replaced, the
much lower weight of the Porsche engine and transmission help, but it is not a
high-performance car. The engine produces peak horsepower at 5,000
rpm.
1959 Studebaker Lark /Porsche powered
1959 Studebaker Lark /Porsche powered Interior
1959 Studebaker Lark /Porsche powered rear Lid
1959 Studebaker Lark /Porsche powered under hood
1959 Studebaker Lark /Porsche powered trunk & engine.
1959 Studebaker Lark /Porsche registration
1959 Studebaker Lark /Porsche rear suspension
1959 Studebaker Lark /Porsche rear suspension
1959 Studebaker Lark /Porsche front suspension.
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