Ugliest Studebaker Design

[Studedude1961]

Here's a topic sure to get tongues wagging and heads noding. We all love Studebaker automobiles or we wouldn't be participating in this site, and we've all heard people condemn all Studebakers as "ugly." Every make has its unfortunate moments...the 1958 Ford, 1961 full-size Plymouths and the awful "Oval Taurus" designs all come to mind. What though, do you all think was Studebaker's ugliest design?

I'll start off by nominating the 1961-1962 Studebaker Lark greenhouses. Studebaker redesigned the greenhouses of these Larks for 1961 and went its own way with thick B pillars (when thin was in) clutsy side window shapes (particularly on the 4-door sedans) and they spent alot of money yet retained the unfortunate circa 1955 Ultra Vista panoramic windshield. Studebaker corrected this ugly design for 1963. Any other nominations, anyone?

Studedude1961
-1963 Cruiser

[casey]

Can't beat the '62 Lark for ugly. But I would nominate in 2nd place the '58 Pakardbaker wagon. That's the kind of car you either love or hate.

[raprice]

I really can't condemn any Stude for being ugly, considering the lack of funds to do REAL restyling. The headlights on the '58s always bothered me. In this case, Studebaker tried to keep up with the Jones' by going to quad lights. They would have been much better off staying with the single headlights on each fender. Otherwise, the cars were nice looking.
Maybe I just love Studes and really can't think of any ugly ones.
Rog

[studegary]

I can't think of any ugly ones, especially as compared to other makes of the time. Of course there are some that I like more than others. A 1958 Packard hardtop, a car that I owned for nine years, may look strange to a young person now, but compare one to a '58 Buick or Oldsmobile. I don't care for the upper body on '61-'62 Lark sedans, but I thought that my '61 Lark Skytop hardtop looked nice. The '63 upper body design really copied the Frau cars that Pat D. now owns. Keep in mind that Robert Bourke and Loewy Studios left Studebaker in 1955. Their final effort, other than Loewy Studios coming back for the Avanti, was the 1956 Golden Hawk. Mentioning Avantis, I think that they look good from the rear or rear three quarters view, but not from the front, front three quarters or side. Brooks Stevens Wagonaire sliding roof idea is good, but I don't care for his work other than some that wasn't produced, like the Sceptre.

Going back to the original post - My father-in-law bought a '58 Ford Fairlane new. It was black and white with a gold anondized panel. I bought it from him in 1963. We liked the looks of the car, at the time. It was just a terrible car mechanically. We traded it in for a good Lark with a 259 V8. My father owned a full size '61 Plymouth from 1961 to 1964, when we both bought new Fury hardtops. My father's car was a two door sedan with a 318 and three speed standard transmission. I came very close to trading my '57 President Classic in on a new '61 Plymouth Belvedere hardtop. In 1961, these cars were considered to be modern, not ugly. I have not owned an oval Taurus, but I have driven tens of thousands of miles in company 1988-1989 Taurus and Sables. I thought that they were good, trouble free cars up until 190K miles when the company sold them. They were comfortable to sit in and drive.

[Guest]

Well it for sure that the 58 Stude's were a compromise and they were a let down after the 56 Hawk. I always wondered why they didn't continue the Hawk styling throughout for 57. But all the GM products for 58 were some of the most bulbous, over chromed beasts to ever come out of Detroit. They look like antique cars compaired to the 57-58 Mopars. Had Chrysler followed suit, Stude may have sold more cars since their shoestring budget styling was much lighter and modern than the 58 GM's. Seeing what Stude was working on for 57 they would have fit in with GM, but I imagine that they would have sold worse than the actual 57's since people bought Stude's because they were unique. I think Stude's real lost potential would have been a whole line-up based off the Hawk body and front end. They could have saved alot of money by sharing bodies again, like the 47-52's. A wide rail frame would have allowed for reasonable leg room.

Restore it, don't replace it.Keep the Studebaker reproduction industry going

[N8N]

Y'all are sick! the '61-62 Lark had the nicest looking dashboard of any Lark/sedan type, ever. Of course that's not saying much; most of them were downright homely. And the windshield is kinda funky even if it wasn't stylish at the time.

My vote goes to the wide-bed T-cab pickups, with an honorable mention to the 53-55 sedans. 'course I know people that love both of those designs too. Aren't you glad we don't all like the same cars?

nate

--
55 Commander Starlight
62 Daytona hardtop

http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

[Danarchy]

I am probably gonna catch Hell for this, but the AVANTI is one of the ugliest cars, and fiberglass to boot! (never a fan of the corvette either)

Dallas,Texas

[Sam Roberts]

Hey D anarchy, and no I did not put the space in accidently, 'cuz us who don't care for Avantis are probably anarchists to those who do![8D][][8]

The only view that looks nice to me on an Avanti is the back side, and even then would look better with bigger taillights. Loved the looks of Corvettes until about 1967 though. [^]

quote:Originally posted by Danarchy

I am probably gonna catch Hell for this, but the AVANTI is one of the ugliest cars, and fiberglass to boot! (never a fan of the corvette either)

Dallas,Texas

Sam Roberts

[Roscomacaw]

We's a trio. I always thought the blunt-nosed approach of the Avanti harkened to the Renault Caravelle![xx(]

Miscreant at large.

1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President 2-dr
1955 President State
1951 Champion Biz cpe
1963 Daytona project FS

[oldcarfart]

ugly is packard-bakers and any full sized stude from '56-death other than a C/K. the avanti/corvette/boat issue has to do with the owner/operator huffing entirely too many fiberglass resin fumes.

[big jim]

I'm surprised the scotsman hasn't been mentioned, Webster put a picture of one in the dictionary beside the word UGLY!

[52hawk]

The front of the 58 PackardHawk makes all other Studes look good!
well-maybe not,those 'quad pod' headlights will never look good...
If they built the packardHawk today,they wouldn't be able to sell 588 of them!

Everybody's Uncle Used To Have One!

[Sam Roberts]

Respectfully I would disagree on the marketability of the Packard Hawk in today's era. With today's Anonymobiles people would buy a car that has distinctive styling. Ford brought back the image of the early Mustang, and it seems to draw interest among buyers. From my reading, the reason the PackHawk did not sell was due to the economy, Packard people rejecting the idea, and Studebaker people preferring the StudHawk at the time.

quote:Originally posted by 52hawk

The front of the 58 PackardHawk makes all other Studes look good!
well-maybe not,those 'quad pod' headlights will never look good...
If they built the packardHawk today,they wouldn't be able to sell 588 of them!

Everybody's Uncle Used To Have One!

Sam Roberts

[52hawk]

Well I was just kidding Sam! Reproduce any of these now days,and I'd be the first in line to buy one. Otherwise,there is just no way i will ever 'invest'in a new car!! IIRC,the packard was also priced way higher than the GH &SH- another reason for poor sales.
2nd ugliest on my list is the '55 [front view] 55's look better with the grille and bumper removed

Everybody's Uncle Used To Have One!

[Sam Roberts]

Ooooh, I been roasted! [:0][V][8D][:I][B)]

quote:Originally posted by 52hawk
2nd ugliest on my list is the '55 [front view] 55's look better with the grille and bumper removed

Everybody's Uncle Used To Have One!

Sam Roberts