Today nibbs53 and myself went and looked at the silver and black 61 lark wagon with the 350 chevy engine ect. Pictures will get you every time, if any one was really interested in it think twice. first the owner Mark is really a nice guy that bought this car at a good guys show and bought it because he liked the color and the shape of the body, also chevy 350 sounded good to him a non Studebaker man just want a classic good driver, he bought it and the owner brought it on a trailer to Mark's house, he unloaded it and told him there had been some work done under the car at the rear just a quick fix but it will work and mark not a real car man figured ok, after the seller left Mark took it for a ride around the block the first right turn he made something started to make a hell of a noise at the rear end area, he had a friend that knows something about cars came by and looked at it and figured it was wheel bearings,Mark had just lost his job and didn't have any bucks to but into the car so figured he would sell it as is. Well when I got under the rear of the car I could see a lot of things that are not right, first the car started out as a 6 cyl. with auto and has a 27 rear end and small brakes running behind the 350 engine, the rear end had been remover and reinstalled under the springs with a 2" spacer between the housing and springs and the metal spring plate was on top of the spring with shocks up high with out much movement area, this in turn but the drive shaft at a hell of an angle downward, but the real noise is coming from a drum that is cracked all around at the outer edge, the minor quick fix is some 2" angle iron about 24" long secured to the side of the frame starting at the rear spring support covering something maybe rust, but no problem getting the iron off because they are held on with muffler clamps and this is on both sides of the car. also the front floors are rusted out and plywood put down under the carpet. Mark was totality taken away by our findings, as of now the car is not for sale we are going to help Mark get this thing on the road to drive and be safe, re due the rear end and new drum and what ever it needs, remove the angle iron and see whats there and fix as needed with welding new metal, floors are the least of his problems right now, since he is out of work we will bring the car to my shop and he can work on it with us and learn some thing about it, he wants to join the club and happy to have a chance to be able to keep his car, oh one other thing if you look real close in the picture you will see where the rear part of the fender has been cut across the bottom about 8" off, I guess they needed the room to get the angle iron in place, this car will be back on the road so he can drive and enjoy it...Bob
Bob Peterson / C & B Studebakers
Castro Valley, CA
canbstudebakers-
Bob Peterson / C & B Studebakers
Castro Valley, CA
canbstudebakers-
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