Why is the spare tire here?

[Nitram]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and reveal a little of my ignorance in the Lark arena.
I've seen quite a few pics of Larks but have never seen a spare tire in this location. This is a 1961 Convertible and in all the pics I have ever seen of any Larks I have never seen any externally mounted spares with a hard cover no matter what year they were made. Was this a special trim package/option? Was this on all 61's? Or maybe in my old age with senility creeping up I just never noticed the location before?



[img=left]http://farm1.static.flickr.com/158/360197307_8639ee4a46_m.jpg[/img=left]
~Nitram~
57 Transtar
Lancaster, PA

[rockne10]

A period correct aftermarket kit; never offerred by the factory.

[rockne10]

A period correct aftermarket kit; never offerred by the factory.

[65cruiser]

That was an aftermarket continental kit that was fairly popular in the 50s and early 60s. I'm not sure Studebaker ever offered a continental kit as an actual accessory, other than a fake one mounted on the trunklid that appears on some models.

________________________
Mark Anderson
1965 Cruiser

http://home.alltel.net/anderm

[65cruiser]

That was an aftermarket continental kit that was fairly popular in the 50s and early 60s. I'm not sure Studebaker ever offered a continental kit as an actual accessory, other than a fake one mounted on the trunklid that appears on some models.

________________________
Mark Anderson
1965 Cruiser

http://home.alltel.net/anderm

[StudeRich]

Continental kits seemed to be a regional thing, very popular in the South ie: Oklahoma, Arkansas, parts of Texas. If you saw one on the West Coast, you would look for the license plate and say: I wonder where he's from?! Same with "fender skirts", they actually go together smile!

[StudeRich]

Continental kits seemed to be a regional thing, very popular in the South ie: Oklahoma, Arkansas, parts of Texas. If you saw one on the West Coast, you would look for the license plate and say: I wonder where he's from?! Same with "fender skirts", they actually go together smile!

[Nitram]

quote:Originally posted by StudeRich

Continental kits seemed to be a regional thing, Same with "fender skirts", they actually go together smile!

Are you saying the Continental kit included fender skirts or that the persons choosing the contintental kit usually also chose to put the fender skirts on?
It appears like the Continental kit had a different bumper because it looks like it is notched around or is made to receive the spare tire holder. Is the bumper different also?


[img=left]http://farm1.static.flickr.com/158/360197307_8639ee4a46_m.jpg[/img=left]
~Nitram~
57 Transtar
Lancaster, PA

[Nitram]

quote:Originally posted by StudeRich

Continental kits seemed to be a regional thing, Same with "fender skirts", they actually go together smile!

Are you saying the Continental kit included fender skirts or that the persons choosing the contintental kit usually also chose to put the fender skirts on?
It appears like the Continental kit had a different bumper because it looks like it is notched around or is made to receive the spare tire holder. Is the bumper different also?


[img=left]http://farm1.static.flickr.com/158/360197307_8639ee4a46_m.jpg[/img=left]
~Nitram~
57 Transtar
Lancaster, PA

[lstude]

Fender skirts did not come as a package with continental kits, but most people who liked to "dress up" their cars with continental kits also liked fender skirts. Usually the rear bumpers were the same but there was an extension on each side ot he pan that held the tire to go from the existing fender to the bumper.

Below is a typical continental kit aftermarket supplier.




Leonard Shepherd, editor, The Commanding Leader, Central Virginia Chapter, http://centralvirginiachapter.org/

[lstude]

Fender skirts did not come as a package with continental kits, but most people who liked to "dress up" their cars with continental kits also liked fender skirts. Usually the rear bumpers were the same but there was an extension on each side ot he pan that held the tire to go from the existing fender to the bumper.

Below is a typical continental kit aftermarket supplier.




Leonard Shepherd, editor, The Commanding Leader, Central Virginia Chapter, http://centralvirginiachapter.org/

[Nitram]

I'm envisioning trying to get something out of the trunk of a car with a continental kit. Must have been interesting to get the trunk key inserted to get the trunk open. Were the locks easily accessible? Did you slip your hand in behind the tire to unlock the trunk? Did the spare tire stay in place when the trunk is opened or did it go up with the trunk lid?
I like the appearance of the contintal kit but the practicality of access I imagine was quite limited. It did give you more storage area in the trunk with the spare externally mounted.


[img=left]http://farm1.static.flickr.com/158/360197307_8639ee4a46_m.jpg[/img=left]
~Nitram~
57 Transtar
Lancaster, PA

[Nitram]

I'm envisioning trying to get something out of the trunk of a car with a continental kit. Must have been interesting to get the trunk key inserted to get the trunk open. Were the locks easily accessible? Did you slip your hand in behind the tire to unlock the trunk? Did the spare tire stay in place when the trunk is opened or did it go up with the trunk lid?
I like the appearance of the contintal kit but the practicality of access I imagine was quite limited. It did give you more storage area in the trunk with the spare externally mounted.


[img=left]http://farm1.static.flickr.com/158/360197307_8639ee4a46_m.jpg[/img=left]
~Nitram~
57 Transtar
Lancaster, PA

[brigand]

The bumper mounted spare, or continental kit, was offered by several manufacturers as a factory option, the more popular users of the item being Chevrolet and Rambler (AMC) in the fifties. It may have been referred to as a Continental kit due to the fact that it was a feature of the late 40's Lincoln Continentals. Having the spare mounted outside the trunk area increased luggage space, as well as offering a longer, sleeker look to the car. In some geographic areas owners tended to lower, or "rake' the back end of the car, and the fender skirts and wheel kit would add to the perceived low long look. The whole assembly would indeed tilt back and out of the way, or in the case of Ford/Mercury, flip up and over in a clockwise direction, so that access to the trunk was not too badly impeded. One disadvantage was the extra weight that far back on the frame rails; these kits would invariably rattle themselves loose, so keeping the fasteners tight was a regular maintenance item if you did not want the whole thing to fall off when crossing railroad tracks. The popularity of the look lost its flavor when forward rakes (the dragster look) became more the vogue.

[brigand]

The bumper mounted spare, or continental kit, was offered by several manufacturers as a factory option, the more popular users of the item being Chevrolet and Rambler (AMC) in the fifties. It may have been referred to as a Continental kit due to the fact that it was a feature of the late 40's Lincoln Continentals. Having the spare mounted outside the trunk area increased luggage space, as well as offering a longer, sleeker look to the car. In some geographic areas owners tended to lower, or "rake' the back end of the car, and the fender skirts and wheel kit would add to the perceived low long look. The whole assembly would indeed tilt back and out of the way, or in the case of Ford/Mercury, flip up and over in a clockwise direction, so that access to the trunk was not too badly impeded. One disadvantage was the extra weight that far back on the frame rails; these kits would invariably rattle themselves loose, so keeping the fasteners tight was a regular maintenance item if you did not want the whole thing to fall off when crossing railroad tracks. The popularity of the look lost its flavor when forward rakes (the dragster look) became more the vogue.