Porsche-powered Lark comes to visit! [Pictures]

[garyash]

The 1959 Lark with the Porsche engine, as built by Curtis-Wright Corporation in 1959, is on its way to the Studebaker National Museum. I had the privilege of picking it up from the donors today and storing it in the Studegarage at my house until it can be picked up. The car is little changed from when it was put together in 1959, but needs a little paint and cosmetics and new brake lines to put it 100%. The 1500 cc engine and transaxle fit neatly in the trunk, the floor humps were removed to show the benefits of a rear engine car, and the gas tank is up front. The trunk lid sits up 3 or 4 inches to add a little air cooling and some bracing was added to the rear window area because the floors and frame had to be cut away a good bit. By next summer for the International meet in South bend, it ought to be on display (or at least in visible storage) at the museum.

The Silver Mist '59 Lark with my '63 Wagonaire and the mannequin who watches the garage.


The rear deck lid and rear quarter bracing around the window.


1952 Porsche engine - 1500 cc, 70 hp


Under the hood - spare tire, battery, and gas tank


Interior with Porsche floor shift and flat floors


The PorscheLark parked between two Wagonaires, and in front of the M5 trailer with Caravan top.


[img=left]http://www.studegarage.com/images/gary_ash_m5_sm.jpg[/img=left] Gary Ash
Dartmouth, Mass.
'48 M5
'65 Wagonaire Commander
'63 Wagonaire Standard
web site at http://www.studegarage.com

[mbstude]

I've heard of people putting Porsche motors in Volkswagens, but...
I saw a pretty Karmen Ghia not long ago with Porsche running gear.

How does it drive?



_____________________________________

Matthew Burnette
Hazlehurst, Georgia
'59 Scotsman PU
'63 Daytona HT

http://mbstudebaker.blogspot.com/

http://thestudillac.blogspot.com/

[mbstude]

I've heard of people putting Porsche motors in Volkswagens, but...
I saw a pretty Karmen Ghia not long ago with Porsche running gear.

How does it drive?



_____________________________________

Matthew Burnette
Hazlehurst, Georgia
'59 Scotsman PU
'63 Daytona HT

http://mbstudebaker.blogspot.com/

http://thestudillac.blogspot.com/

[r1lark]

Great pics! Great to hear the car is going to the Museum.

But I don't understand......your post on 11/24 on the 'porche powered 60 lark' thread said that you had last talked to the owner a couple of years ago. Now it is being donated to the Museum, and is stored temporarily in your garage. What did I miss? Relate the whole story, inquiring minds want to know how this came about all of a sudden!

Paul

Visit The Studebaker Skytop Registry website at: http://hometown.aol.com/r1skytop/myhomepage/index.html

[r1lark]

Great pics! Great to hear the car is going to the Museum.

But I don't understand......your post on 11/24 on the 'porche powered 60 lark' thread said that you had last talked to the owner a couple of years ago. Now it is being donated to the Museum, and is stored temporarily in your garage. What did I miss? Relate the whole story, inquiring minds want to know how this came about all of a sudden!

Paul

Visit The Studebaker Skytop Registry website at: http://hometown.aol.com/r1skytop/myhomepage/index.html

[monomaniac]

Gary, I certainly hope you are preparing some type of report for Turning Wheels. ???

[monomaniac]

Gary, I certainly hope you are preparing some type of report for Turning Wheels. ???

[garyash]

The rest of the story: Well, I was amazed a week or so ago when the subject of this car got posted. Negotiations between the museum and donor had been going on for just a little while, had to move quickly, and I happened to get a call from the museum because they knew me - but not because they knew of my past interest in the car. Skip's questions about the car set a few of us "a-tingling", seeing someone not previously involved bringing the car into the bright light. I wasn't in a position to spell out the whole story last week, I just volunteered to help the donor and the museum to solve some minor technical issues about transport and temporary storage. I did call Skip and found out he had driven down that road and seen the car a couple of months ago. Quite naturally, he wanted to know more details about it and just happened to post the question last week.

As it turned out, the very generous donor carried through with the plans. I rented a U-Haul car hauler trailer today and drove the 125 miles each way to get it so that it would be out of winter weather until complete transportation arrangements could be made to get it to South Bend. Since the brakes don't work and it has no battery, it can't be driven just now. It also has no parking brake - hasn't had one since Curtis-Wright removed the original rear axle. That made it a little tricky to get on and off the trailer, but we managed with my little come-along winch and my adventurous wife steering and using the clutch and 1st gear as a brake against the non-operating engine. [The engine does run when a battery is installed.] Sometime in the next couple of weeks, a professional transport company will take it to the museum. The museum will eventually display all of the details and history.

Yes, I had wanted to buy this car at one point in the past, but it really does belong in the Studebaker National Museum as an interesting side light of the Studebaker - Curtis Wright relationship and as a unique example of a rear-engined Studebaker. I've got enough projects going as it is. I'm told that the use of the VW microbus gear reduction units on the rear wheels limits top speed to 55-60 mph and putting 1500 cc of engine in a 3000 lb car makes it slow off the line. That said, the previous owner claims to have driven it all over New England during the last 30 years or so. The car really is a mind-bender!

Gary Ash
Dartmouth, MA

[garyash]

The rest of the story: Well, I was amazed a week or so ago when the subject of this car got posted. Negotiations between the museum and donor had been going on for just a little while, had to move quickly, and I happened to get a call from the museum because they knew me - but not because they knew of my past interest in the car. Skip's questions about the car set a few of us "a-tingling", seeing someone not previously involved bringing the car into the bright light. I wasn't in a position to spell out the whole story last week, I just volunteered to help the donor and the museum to solve some minor technical issues about transport and temporary storage. I did call Skip and found out he had driven down that road and seen the car a couple of months ago. Quite naturally, he wanted to know more details about it and just happened to post the question last week.

As it turned out, the very generous donor carried through with the plans. I rented a U-Haul car hauler trailer today and drove the 125 miles each way to get it so that it would be out of winter weather until complete transportation arrangements could be made to get it to South Bend. Since the brakes don't work and it has no battery, it can't be driven just now. It also has no parking brake - hasn't had one since Curtis-Wright removed the original rear axle. That made it a little tricky to get on and off the trailer, but we managed with my little come-along winch and my adventurous wife steering and using the clutch and 1st gear as a brake against the non-operating engine. [The engine does run when a battery is installed.] Sometime in the next couple of weeks, a professional transport company will take it to the museum. The museum will eventually display all of the details and history.

Yes, I had wanted to buy this car at one point in the past, but it really does belong in the Studebaker National Museum as an interesting side light of the Studebaker - Curtis Wright relationship and as a unique example of a rear-engined Studebaker. I've got enough projects going as it is. I'm told that the use of the VW microbus gear reduction units on the rear wheels limits top speed to 55-60 mph and putting 1500 cc of engine in a 3000 lb car makes it slow off the line. That said, the previous owner claims to have driven it all over New England during the last 30 years or so. The car really is a mind-bender!

Gary Ash
Dartmouth, MA

[StudeDave57]

Looks like a front end collision would be something you only do once!!! [)] [:0]

StudeDave [8D]
V/P San Diego County SDC
San Diego, Ca

'54 Commander 4dr 'Ruby'
'57 Parkview (it's a 2dr wagon...) 'Betsy'
'57 Commander 2dr 'Baby'
'57 Champion 2dr 'Jewel'
'58 Packard sedan 'Cleo'
'65 Cruiser 'Sweet Pea'

[StudeDave57]

Looks like a front end collision would be something you only do once!!! [)] [:0]

StudeDave [8D]
V/P San Diego County SDC
San Diego, Ca

'54 Commander 4dr 'Ruby'
'57 Parkview (it's a 2dr wagon...) 'Betsy'
'57 Commander 2dr 'Baby'
'57 Champion 2dr 'Jewel'
'58 Packard sedan 'Cleo'
'65 Cruiser 'Sweet Pea'

[Thomas63R2]

Now that is interesting. It is amazing that unusual cars can fly under the radar for so long - and then like magic they come to light.

Gary, any idea why that weighs more than a standard Lark?

Thomas

New Stude guy! Long time hot rodder
'63 Avanti R2 4 speed with interesting plans

[Thomas63R2]

Now that is interesting. It is amazing that unusual cars can fly under the radar for so long - and then like magic they come to light.

Gary, any idea why that weighs more than a standard Lark?

Thomas

New Stude guy! Long time hot rodder
'63 Avanti R2 4 speed with interesting plans

[mbstude]

Is the trunk lid closed in this position? Or does it go down more?



_____________________________________

Matthew Burnette
Hazlehurst, Georgia
'59 Scotsman PU
'63 Daytona HT

http://mbstudebaker.blogspot.com/

http://thestudillac.blogspot.com/

[mbstude]

Is the trunk lid closed in this position? Or does it go down more?



_____________________________________

Matthew Burnette
Hazlehurst, Georgia
'59 Scotsman PU
'63 Daytona HT

http://mbstudebaker.blogspot.com/

http://thestudillac.blogspot.com/