1960 Lark

[Chumad]

I recently bought this car from a guy in California, I live in Ohio. My first car was a 1959 Lark I bought for $40 when I was 15 so when I saw this one I had to have it. It has a 350 Chevy, auto trans, 8" Ford rear end and is FAST!!!. The car has Thrust magus on it and after taking delivery on the car when I turned into my drive the front tires really had a clearance issue with the fender... no damage but you can't turn very tight which will make wide turns mandatory which we all know you can't always do. I want to go to steel wheels with baby moons and chrome trim rings to give it a more retro look. Can some one recommend wheels to me? Clearance on the rear is good. The front tires are 165/15R75 and the rear 225/15R70. I believe the issue is the thickness of the area of the wheel that bolts to the drum is so much thicker than a stock steel wheel throwing the tires further out. The fella I bought the car from suggested machining the Thrust magus thinner in that area... I don't think that would make for a safe wheel. Any after market wheels you could suggest? Chrome stock wheels or black.
http://sportsandmore.smugmug.com/Fri...FtK-M-LB[/IMG]
Thanks
Chuck

[COMMANDERPINK1]

Welcome! I also have a similar issue with the 66 in my signature pic with clearance on the aftermarket wheels I installed. They are 8" wide with 215/70-15. A combination of the offset of the wheels and weak springs I have clearance issue at full turns and that is with the sheetmetal fold where the floorpan meets up with the firewall. It keeps the tinwork there well polished.

Tom

[junior]

I would put money on the wheels having the wrong offset, the problem will not be the thickness of the wheel 'flange' surface. DO NOT machine this area, you WILL make the wheel less safe. Get the correct offset of wheel. Right now, a tire with a cross section of 165mm is very narrow, so it's not a size issue either. BTW, very clean looking Lark, and from the photo it appears you have American Torq Thrust II wheels, which come in a variety of different offsets. Please post more photos of your car! Hopefully someone who has a Lark with custom wheels can provide more detailed info on offset or backspacing that will work. If you don't have a stock front suspension, and need custom offset steel wheels, consult Stockton Wheels or Wheel Vintiques.Junior.

[Corvanti]

http://sportsandmore.smugmug.com/Friends-and-No-where-else-to/My-Rides-new/14352943_D5cy4#1079265319_jFFtK-M-LB[/IMG]

wow!!! that is one nice lookin' lark!
i agree with the above - offset issue...

[Sdude]

Stockton Wheel provided the wheels for both of my Studebakers. They're local for me.

[barnlark]

Some of your problem may be your coil springs and shocks. New HD coils, shocks and a thicker front sway bar will make a huge difference. The front end isn't like a new car even with fresh springs, though. You can't hammer it into a driveway apron, or parking lot with too much speed at a bad angle with the tire out. I try to take to easy in those instances as best that I can. Your front offset may be the problem, too, as mentioned above. Deciding your wheel look is a tough one. Take your time.

Nice picture...your hot Ohio mountains on the horizon look great! Heh, heh. Cars just look better in any California sun shot rather than here right now!

I noticed that the fenders are either 1959 fenders, or the car had 1959 Studebaker emblems installed during a re-paint. That would have required drilling new holes and filling in the correct holes. What does the serial number read on the driver's side door jamb hinge area, or the body tag on the passenger side cowl? I'm trying to figure out what the silver vertical area is behind the right side of the grill. Does it have an electric fan installed? Really pretty car. My second 1960 Lark was that color combo from the factory; very, very nice colors.

Good luck & welcome. In what part of Ohio are you?

[BobPalma]

Cute Lark, Chuck; welcome to the club, the forum, and the Studebaker hobby. BP

[r1lark]

Sweet car Chuck!! Love those Lark F-bodies (ie, 2-door sedans).

[52-fan]

Beautiful Lark. My first car was a Lark and I still want another one. I love that black paint!

[R3 challenger]

Great-looking '60 Lark, Chuck. We have similar stories....five years ago, I bought a nice Colonial Red '60 Lark 2-door sedan from a guy in California. He had installed a Chevy 350/700R combo with custom wheels & tires that were too wide for the front fenders. I put my '60 back to stock appearance and installed a supercharged Stude V8 with overdrive and 4.27 twin traction rear end. The wheels are 5" Avanti wheels with repro Firestone Wide Oval F-70 X 15s. They worked out great and don't rub on corners....however, the original springs, for some reason, haven't sagged. I'm not real happy with the handling of the old-design repro tires, so I'm considering new radials. I used Avanti wheels for three reasons: I already had them, they accept the stock '60 Lark hubcaps for that '60s muscle car look, and the offset is good for the car.

Good luck,

George

[Chumad]

Now that was interesting... went out to the garage to shoot a video of the car and in the process of getting it started It flooded, backfired and started to burn YIKES!!! I was able to get it out before loosing anything other than the air filter. Car does not like cold weather! While I did get it out and am uploading the video now. The serial number is 60S 27705. I can't wait for summer to clean it up from the long trip from California. I can drive it the way it is for now, I bought the outside mirrors and figure to get them on so I can back the car up... not as limber as I once was. Car has a good feel to it the little I've been able to get it out. I work at Tri-C and this summer we will be having a grand opening for the new Westshore campus and I'm going to organize a car show for the event, I'll get a date to you and hope you can make it. I live in Parma and my email is chumad@cox .net... keep in touch.

http://sportsandmore.smugmug.com/Other/Studebaker-Video/15261367_hDr2b#1141790374_pX392-A-LB

Chuck

[Chumad]

Thanks Bob... can't wait for summer to get here!

[Chumad]

http://sportsandmore.smugmug.com/Other/Studebaker-Video/15261367_hDr2b#1141790374_pX392-A-LB

[Jim B PEI]

60S 27705? Could that be 'part' of the problem, all you knowledgeable early Lark folks out there? It started life as a 6 cylinder with 6 cylinder springs etc. So, even though an SBC 350 is lighter than the Stude 259/289 could it be a bit much for the original set up, especially if the wheel offset isn't quite right. What a pretty car!!!!