On a Lark...

[Bredehoft]

I saw this on ebay and Bought It Then. It was delivered today!



Yes, it needs some work. The interior is beyond sad . I had to do some clutch adjusting already. The passenger's side rear brake line was broken. I had to pop for a new battery.

After the battery, it fired right up!

Looking underneath, I was amazed at the frame - no distortions or rust or anything! Check this out !!!



Yes, the pic is upside down, but you can read it this way. My tag is 63V-J8-175, so I assume the line built the frame and said "this frame is for V-J8 and drop in a 289. There is another string of letters that I cannot interpret. Maybe someone can look at the full size pic and figure something out.

Anyway, I am now a happy and "real" member of the SDC - I drove it from the cement pad into the barn. My son only said STOP! once - before he remembered that I can't - yet.

Check out all the pics so far at this URL (click the "full size" to see them large!):

http://www.teamwetworks.com/claymore/gallery/main.php/v/LARK/

--george (happy as a Lark!)


1963 Lark Daytona HT - 63V J8 175

[raprice]

George,
Congrats!!! I saw the car on Ebay and thougt it would be a nice acqusition for some lucky person.
The car really looks sound and should be a fairly easy restoration.
Best of luck.
Rog

'59 Lark VI Regal Hardtop

[BobGlasscock]

Congratulations George!!! I feel your pain, I mean excitement. I could gush all day long on the forum, but would be run off. It is truly so exciting to have the car run, and then to drive it. Just wait till the first time you get it on the street for a real normal drive. whew! At least you joined the club and forum before you got your car, I did the reverse and wished I hadn't. I had my car for 57 years before I joined, and learned everything I needed to know after I did it. duh.
Anyway, big congratulations, and I'm so happy for you.

'50 Champion, 1 family owner

[lstude]

Good find. Congratulations!

Leonard Shepherd

http://leonardshepherd.com/

[mbstude]

Is that the 4 speed car that JP had for sale?

I'm VERY envious! I wish mine was a 289 with 4 speed, and with a body that solid. They do look good in black too, don't they?

The writing on the frame is easily interpreted. The 'V' is for V8. 'J8' is the body style. (Hardtop, only available on the Daytona line) and '289' is obviously the engine.

BTW, take a close look at my signature pic. It's a black '63 Daytona HT. Factory R2 4 speed car. []

Matthew Burnette
Hazlehurst, GA

[whacker]

May I suggest a vist to this page?

http://www.studebakerdriversclub.com/tech_things2do.asp

[bams50]

Is that the one JP sold?

Good for you George! That's a great car that's not too bad; are you going to do a quickie for a driver, or a more thorough resto?



Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

"Some people live for the rules, I live for exceptions"- 311

"With your Lark you're on your own, free as a bird, alive as a Lark. You've suddenly discovered that happiness is a thing called Larking!"

[rockinhawk]

First you get it to run, then you get it to stop. Everything else is just details. NT


Neil Thornton
Hazlehurst, GA
'57 Silver Hawk
'56 Sky Hawk
'51 2R16 dump truck
Many others.

[Bredehoft]

It is the one JP sold. I figure I paid the premium for the lack of rust - I am content with that - no regrets.

I plan to fix it up, but it won't be a restoration. I won't go away from stock, interior, engine, everything. I might do some colorations here and there just little things that I want to do - say a very mild custom. Anything I do won't affect the restorability of the car, so no worries about cutting or hacking, etc! I already took the front bumper guards off and am thinking of the entire bumper. I plan on dousing the underside in POR-15, wherever necessary. Between that and not driving it in the winter, it ought to last many, many more years.

Does anyone have a clue as to the original options? I have a couple of clues that it might not have been black. I like black/red or red/black cars, so it is likely to remain black.

Matt, it was all I could do to bite my tongue when it was posted about you in the R2. Maybe after everything else, I can spring for an R2 setup

Thanks for all the kind words, everyone...I'm looking forward to this adventure!

--george

1963 Lark Daytona HT - 63V J8 175

[mbstude]

The front bumper isn't going back on my Daytona. Here's why.



Matthew Burnette
Hazlehurst, GA

[DilloCrafter]

quote:Originally posted by mbstude

The front bumper isn't going back on my Daytona.

In that case, Matt, stay well back from trucks with hitchballs!

[img=left]http://simps.us/studebaker/misc/images/Avacar-hcsdc.gif[/img=left]
Paul Simpson
"DilloCrafter"

1955 1/2 Ton Pickup
The Red-Headed Amazon
Deep in the heart of Texas

[Mark57]

Congratulations George! I used to have a '63 Daytona HT myself - lots of fun! [8D]

<h5>Mark
'57 Transtar Deluxe
Vancouver Island </h5>

[Dick Steinkamp]

George,
You can order the build sheet from the museum. That will tell you exactly what the original options and colors were.

Matt,
I agree on the bumper...like bullet nose cars, these Larks were MADE to go bumperless [^]

[Guido]

quote:Originally posted by Mark57

Congratulations George! I used to have a '63 Daytona HT myself - lots of fun! [8D]

I did too, and I think I have related here, I sold it in 1976 for $60.00. [xx(] It ran, had PDB, PS, auto, radio, vanity, etc. By the way, nice car. I first saw it before JP got it and if it had been anywhere close I would have bought it.

Guido Salvage - "Where rust is beautiful" and real Studebaker horsepower lives

See pictures here: http://community.webshots.com/user/GuidoSalvage

Hiding and preserving Studebakers in Richmond, Goochland & Louisa, Va.

[mbstude]

quote:In that case, Matt, stay well back from trucks with hitchballs!

I was waiting on someone to say that... [B)]

Whenever I finally get back to working on mine, I've got a V8 brake setup from a '63 Cruiser for it. Heck, I might even go the Turner disc route. I'll decide once I get there.

Matthew Burnette
Hazlehurst, GA