Some Stupidbaker Questions?

[Danarchy]

-Has anyone ever retro-fitted a LARK hood without the prop to an older model that has a prop(stick that holds the hood open)?
-What model Studebaker was used to make the LARK(center section)?
-Did that model have power windows as an option? and can they be retro-fitted to a LARK?
-Does anyone out there have Front Disc brakes on your LARK (1959-1961)? What type of Master Cylinder do you use?

1960 LARK(4-Door)V8/Deluxe Wagon
Dallas,Texas

[JDP]

No easy way to "retro fit" the hood, even the cowl is different. The early Larks used the basic 56-58 body tub. Late studebaker disk with the disk brake spindles bolt on, or you can use one of several kits to add brand X disks.

Studebaker On The Net http://stude.com
64 R2 4 speed Challenger (Plain Wrapper)
63 R2 4 speed GT Hawk

[studeclunker]

Boy! If those are 'Stupidbaker' questions I need to change my user name...

Lotsa Larks!
Studeclunker
A.K.A: out2lunch

[Swifster]

I could be wrong, but with the exception of the Avanti, none came with power windows (or I just haven't seen one. I'm adding PW and PL to my Daytona with aftermarket kits and using GM style switches (Chrome).

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Tom - Sterling Heights, MI

Ancient Chinese Proverb: "Injection is nice, but I'd rather be blown!"

1964 Studebaker Daytona - Laguna Blue, Original 4-Spd. Car, Power Steering, Disc Brakes, Bucket Seats, Tinted Glass, Climatizer Ventilation System, AM Radio (136,989 Miles)

[Roscomacaw]

Power windows and seats were an option from 53 thru 58 on sedans and C-K cars. From 59-on, no Power windows or seats - the exceptions being power windows optional in Avantis and for the tailgate windows of 63 to 66 Wagonaires.

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

[studegary]

Bob/Mr. Biggs - I don't remember power windows or power seats before 1955. Do you know of any cars or literature to support your claim on 1953-1954 models?
I owned a '57 Golden Hawk with power seat and power windows. A friend owned two '55 Speedsters with power windows at the same time. On another thread here, you have been discussing the sedan power window set ups that you have.
I don't know why many people think that Studebaker power windows started with Avantis. I don't remember Studebaker Avantis as having a power seat available.

[Roscomacaw]

Parts book lists them for 53-4 sedans and C-bodies. K-bodies didn't have them available until '55. J-bodies, of course, not until '58.

The reason for the Avanti assumption is that PWs are rare in Studes of earlier years. How often do you see them at Stude meets??? I'd bet some Avanti IIs were fitted with power seats.

This set I have from a sedan - actualy came out of a 57 or 58 Packard Clipper. And of course, Packards might have been more likely to have had them fitted as a way of maintaining the upscale image of the marque.[8]I've got a power seat setup for it as well.[}]

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

[Transtar56]

My 57 Golden Hawk had pw and p seat and they all worked well too

[studegary]

[quote]Originally posted by Mr.Biggs

Parts book lists them for 53-4 sedans and C-bodies. K-bodies didn't have them available until '55. J-bodies, of course, not until '58.

The reason for the Avanti assumption is that PWs are rare in Studes of earlier years. How often do you see them at Stude meets??? I'd bet some Avanti IIs were fitted with power seats.



Bob - Thanks for the reference for the '53-'54 models. Have you ever seen a '53-'54 with power windows? I haven't. I wonder if any were built.

On the power seats, I specifically stated "Studebaker Avantis" to exclude the later Avanti IIs.

[studegary]

quote:Originally posted by Transtar56

My 57 Golden Hawk had pw and p seat and they all worked well too

My 1957 Golden Hawk had power windows and power seat. It was overdrive without power steering or power brakes. I thought it to be an odd combination. I guess the original owner didn't want to sap any of the engine's horsepower. The VIN/engine number was/is PS3000. I wonder if anyone knows of the existance of this car. It was originally black. When I last saw it, about ten years ago, it was white.

[Studedude1961]

I believe the Studebaker offered power windows for the first time in the Ultra-Vista Sedans in 1955. For the inititiated, the Ultra-Vista name referred to Studebaker's new wrap-around windshield introduced mid-year in 1955. As far as I know (and I could be wrong) the introduction of the Ultra Vista's was the first time Studebaker mentioned power windows (and seats) in print in an advertisement. I don't recall ever seeing a coupe or Loewy coupe or hardtop with power windows. I'm not sure they even offered power windows in the Gran Turismos, but the Avanti had optional power windows. I have often wondered why Studebaker did not offer power windows and seats on the Cruiser (1961-1966) line, as it was the firm's prestige sedan.

1953-1958 Champion center bodies were used to create the Lark. Some stampings and panels from the 1958-only Starlight hardtop design were used in creation of the 1959 Lark hardtop. Larks were basically 1958 Studebakers with new fenders, trunk lids, hoods and front ends. The dash was a remodeled 1956-58 design. It was one of the most successful facelifts of an existing models in history (my opinion).

Studedude1961
--1963 Cruiser

[rockne10]

I've seen the power window option in 1953 brochures but don't know of any so equipped.

[Roscomacaw]

Heh - heh....... I stand corrected! NO PS or PW for anything before mid 1955. Wish ta hell I could read![xx(] I misread the body parts book - plain and simple!

I happen to have a 55 President State sedan that came with PW. (and 55s with PW or PS are pretty rare anyways - actualy ANY Stude with these options is the exception instead of the rule! - yes Gary, save for Speedsters and maybe Packardbakers and a few Avantis) Ordinarily, I would be willing to bet that these 55 vintage PWs COULD BE retro-fitted to earlier sedans - but my deciding to install the PW setup I have into this 58 wagon has taught me yet another lesson about assuming.[}]

Again - no PWs after 1958 with the exception of optional ones in some Avantis and the tailgate windows of 63 thru 66 Wagonaires.

I just took a walk out back and compared Lark doors to 55-6-7-8 doors. Guess what? The mount points to install PWs on Lark doors are laid out. So if you wanted to retrofit a mid-50 PW setup to a Lark, you could!

Look at the BODY parts book for the 53 thru 55s. The same manual window regulators were used for sedan doors in 54 & 55. Curiously, not in 53.
Why? Because of the change from the square window handle shaft to the splined shaft with the onset of the 54 models. Otherwise, 53s regulators WILL fit where 54-55 ones are used. You just have to use the proper window handle that the given regulator demands.
Fact is, there's no difference in window regulators between Ultra-Vista 55s and the earlier, flat-windshield versions. SO - you might assume that earlier cars (53s & 54s) could easily take on the PW setups of the late 55s. But.....!
To my surprize, when I started comparing the PW regulators of these 57-58 cars to the existing manual regulators, there's a heck of a difference in configuration and mounting. There's punchmarks on the inner door skins to show where holes are to be drilled to mount the electric regulators but I'll have to do the actual drilling.
I'd bet that with early 55s and all the 53s and 54s, there's no punch marks on the inner door panels to spell out where the PW regulators should mount. This would inhibit the late 55 Pws from being retrofitted without some determined calculations and layout.
Of course, you could just buy a set of the current PW units that are offered to the cusstom car crowd if you really wanted PWs in your earlier Stude.[:I]

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

[studegary]

Thanks, Bob/MrBiggs. I don't go to the books, but my memory said 1955-1958 plus 1963-1964 Avantis (and wagon rear windows '63-'66).