61' lark horn button question

[61LaRk4dr]

Hello,

I seem to have accumulated several different types of horn buttons for the lark types as they have the lark "bird" in the center of them. Some of them have grey backgrounds with a gold bird, others have black backgrounds with a gold bird, some are grey with a silver bird and so on. I was told that in 1959 the horn button was essentially a button with a hawk design on it and that 1960 was the first year for the bird design.

Now what I would like to know is which one is correct for a 1961 lark 4-door deluxe sedan? Pictures would be helpful.

Thank you

1947 Studebaker M-5
1948 Studebaker Land Cruiser
1961 Studebaker Lark 4-dr. Sedan

[bams50]

Are you an SDC member? If so, your TW magazine has an exhaustive study of horn buttons in this month's issue, with tons of pictures.

If you're not a member, join now, and I'm sure they'll send you a copy.

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

"Do they all not, by mere virtue of having survived as relics of a bygone era, amass a level of respect perhaps not accorded to them when they were new?"

[John and Tracy Smith]

From what we can determine from the Turning Wheels article is that the same horn button was used in 1960 and 1961. It has a black outer circular background with silver straight lines radiating from the center. The center circle looks to be silver colored with the silver bird in the middle. I hope our not so good description helps. But if you do get a chance, the we found this information on page 34 of the TW magazine. According to that article, the part number is #1549577p. Hope this helps somewhat and we're the first to suggest you double check our information, as neither one of us was alive when this car was made (smile) and we just asked a question about our own horn button last week.
John and Tracy Smith

http://1955studebaker.blogspot.com/

[4961Studebaker]

Here you go, glad to help with a visual.
I'm afraid I've sold it and the steering wheel. But I still have the contact info if anyone needs.

ChopStu

[barnlark]

What Bams said...if you have not done so, you really need to join the SDC and get TW monthly if you are putting all that work into that 61. The parts books are not much help for determining color differences. The chassis book shows the '61 changing color in a tiny illustration through the end of the Lark/Cruiser run, but that same book has the part numbers showing the '60 and '61 as the same "cap or button." I thought for sure that my two Studebaker International catalogs had the pictures of the correct buttons by year, but I couldn't find them for the life of me.

STUDEBOB has done an incredible favor for everyone whom may have authenticity questions through that horn button article and clearly shows them (60-61) as the same..gold flat mesh-look center, interchanging gold thin scallops with black thick scallops on the sides and the suspended gold Lark in the middle. 4961Studebaker shows a good shot of the steering wheel change in 61, too, yet keeping the same horn button.

I have a beautiful one on my 60 wheel right now. I also have a '63 button which looks the same only with a black center and gold scallops and wasn't sure what it was until I read that article. John and Tracy were close... and sadly I was born before my horn button was made. Not sure if it's a copyright infringement to show TW pics, though..[?]

You can kind of see the correct button for 1960 and yours here:

[img][/img]

[John and Tracy Smith]

Picture removed! We did not mean to infringe on copyright, we were just trying to help. But what the heck,we guess they could have sued us. But all they would have received was this rusty old truck we own.

John and Tracy Smith

http://1955studebaker.blogspot.com/