Found My Dream Studebaker 59 Lark Wagon

[64champ]

I have been looking for quite some time and I just purchased this 59 Lark Wagon. It rides like a dream body is mounted on a 79 Olds Cutlass Chassis. For pictures go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/7024237...7628086809073/ My wife thinks I'm a Studebaker nut and she is right. I also have a 62 Hawk, 64 Champ, 62 Champ (That will some day be my sons), and a 60 Lark 4 door. My 64 champ was given to me when I was about 14 by my father; it was purchased for $100 from Jack Palances Ranch, so it has a lot of sentimental value.

I have a few things to fix, but I think it is still one very cool ride.

[Ricardo]

[Lark8girl]

Lark VIII girl is very happy for you, thanks for sharing pics.

[kmac530]

That is a pretty litlle wagon...2 door wagons are cool.
BTW welcome to the site! Cant believe with 4 other Studes I cant believe you have not found your way here sooner.

[Lark_Looker]

Awesome ride, love the paint job!

[JeffDeWitt]

Neat ride, congratulations!

I've long thought it would be fun to build one of those, only I'd go with a slightly warmed up Stude V8 and a 4 or 5 speed... or what would be even cooler is a twin stick overdrive setup like Rambler had.

[StudeRich]

Welcome to the SDC Forum 64champ! If you have not joined SDC yet I encourage you to do that with the first time discount available at the top of these pages. You will be blown away with the good info, quality stories, pics, parts ads etc. in our "Turning Wheels" Monthly publication.

That is a Great selection of Studes. you have, and the '59 lark Wagon is very sharp looking, I have never seen a frame replacement that the wheels actually FIT the body that well!

Come back often!

[kmac530]

Rich, I was thinking the exact same thing. The wheels fit the chassis well for wheelbase and track width.

[Jessie J.]

Looks sweet! No engine pictures though. What has it got under the hood? Olds? Chevy? Stude? one could wish.

[raprice]

Beautiful wagon. Love those '59s. But then, I'm partial to the '59 Studes.
Rog

[64champ]

Looks sweet! No engine pictures though. What has it got under the hood? Olds? Chevy? Stude? one could wish.

It has a Pontiac 400 with turbo 400 trans. Idles down the freeway almost, 1800-2000 rpms at 60 mph.

I need to fix the quadrajet it is only running off of the primaries, choke is missing parts. I saw the car for sale and I just could not pass it up. It looks so good to me. I am in the process of getting a 289 put together for my Hawk. The engine was bored out and assembled with new pistons etc purchased from Lionel Stone. The heads have chevy intakes and springs. I cannot figure out yet the push rods, I must need to either buy longer ones or somehow machine the rockers. Geometrically does not match up right.

Anyway thanks for the good comments. I'm very excited about this car.

[allstateguy]

Welcome to the Forum! Do a search for "chevy valve conversion" here and on Racing Studebakers, you'll get the rocker stand info you need, or wait for Jack Vines (PackardV8) to post, he's done that conversion a few times.

OH! and I love your wagon, looks awesome. Can you post some chassis and engine compartment pix? Would love to see how it was done.

[ozarkman]

That's a sweet ride!

[Studebakercenteroforegon]

I see the Oregon license plates. I do remember a Pontiac powered '59 2 door wagon in the Portland area, actually quite a few years ago.

[Jessie J.]

Well! that was a surprise! That big 'ol Poncho mill ought to be more than up to the task. I owned a lot of Pontiac's over the years, even seriously contemplated that swap (engine and trans only) on a nice '65 Cruiser I owned circa '68-70.