Dragged home another one

[mbstude]

Went by my granddad's shop today and saw his newest acquisition, a '60 Regal Hardtop. V8 automatic. It has some rust through in most of the sheetmetal, but it all looked repairable. Overall a car that needs a good bit but it's all there. No idea what his plans are for it.

[studegary]

Nice car. It reminds me of a 1959 Lark hardtop with 27K, V8 & AT that I sold to a local guy. Last Winter, he said that he would sell it back to me in the Spring. Spring (and Summer) came and went and I am still waiting and still interested.

[StudeRich]

That is a very cute little Lark! I always regretted selling my '60 Jonquil Yellow fully LOADED '60 Hardtop that needed an engine and had to be sold when I moved from Redondo Beach, CA

That car had a signal seeking push button Radio, Rear Seat Speaker, 259 V-8, Automatic, 4 Barrel Carb, Dual Exhaust, Power Steering, Back-up Lights, Individual Reclining seats, dual Headrests, Black all Vinyl pleated Interior, Heater, Clock, Cigar Lighter, Factory Mirrors, and Wheel Covers. It came from a very affluent area, Palos Verdes Estates and was actually junked in 1965 when the engine lost a Rod bearing, cost me $100.00 plus towing 3 miles. A very nicely equipped Lark, the one that got away!

[rockinhawk]

Plans are to first make it run, then to make it stop. Every thing else is just details.

Grandson Josh and I went check it out and try to see what we bought today. The dist. is missing and it wouldn't turn over with the starter. Pulled it off and checked it. BAD!! But I could turn the ring gear with a screw driver so went to put a new starter on. In so doing, I dropped the starter. It hit Josh(10) on the head leaving a gash and landed on his wrist. Jumped in the Silver Hawk and ran to the ER where his Mama was working. After she scolded us for coming in with grease all over us, she got him sewed up. We went back to the shop and finished up with the starter.
The engine now spins over good but we still have to come up with a distributor.

Joshua is fine with 4 stitches in his head Couldn't find any broken bones in his arm and it stopped hurting. He is a tough little kid.. His mama asked him if he cryed. I told her we both did. NT

[JeffDeWitt]

Sorry to hear about little Josh but glad to hear he's OK, and I bet he's the only one of his friends to have a Studebaker related injury!

Many years ago I was helping a guy work on his Firebird. He had the starter sitting on a fender and knocked it off. He grabbed for it and managed to catch the thing... right before it hit the ground. He was lucky his hand wasn't broken.

[Kurt]

Last summer when showing our 4H cattle I hit my 13 year old daughter in the nose with my elbow while pulling the starter rope on our generator. After a trip to the doctor and a bag of ice on her face, we still showed our calf. She too is a trooper. Yes we both cried.

[Ron Dame]

That is a very cute little Lark! I always regretted selling my '60 Jonquil Yellow fully LOADED '60 Hardtop that needed an engine and had to be sold when I moved from Redondo Beach, CA

That car had a signal seeking push button Radio, Rear Seat Speaker, 259 V-8, Automatic, 4 Barrel Carb, Dual Exhaust, Power Steering, Back-up Lights, Individual Reclining seats, dual Headrests, Black all Vinyl pleated Interior, Heater, Clock, Cigar Lighter, Factory Mirrors, and Wheel Covers. It came from a very affluent area, Palos Verdes Estates and was actually junked in 1965 when the engine lost a Rod bearing, cost me $100.00 plus towing 3 miles. A very nicely equipped Lark, the one that got away!

That sounds a bit like Buttercup, my '60 Regal hardtop. 259, 3/OD, 3.73 TT, 2bbl, power steering. Skip Lackie bought it from JDP, played some, collected LOTS of NOS, sold it to Lee DeLabarre, who collected more, and then I bought it, finished it in Jonquil, sold it with first right of refusal, was still underfunded 3 years later when he offered to sell it back AT THE PRICE I SOLD IT, and it went somewhere west...I've never heard from theh buyer, though I asked that he contact me. . I wish I had that one back....If anyone knows where Buttercup is, I'd like to keep in touch with the owner

[rockinhawk]

Got it running today! Due to the holidays and the weather I haven't had much time to spend with the Lark. We had found the bad starter, the Distributer was missing as was the thermostat housing. Also the oil pan was full of water.
Every thing was drained, cleaned,and replaced so today I decided to try to get it fired off. I hung the IV bottle of gas, ran a hot wire, jumped out the solenoid,and hoped for the best. It took awhile to get the timing right but when it did, she fired right up!
The old 259 runs pretty well all things considered. Now to get to the trans and see what we have there. If that turns out as well as the engine, we'll put brakes on it and go for a ride.
Matthew came by the shop and helped me celebrate. We had agood visit. It was almost like old times. NT

[rockinhawk]

Joshua and I went back to the shop after it warmed up a bit today. He wasn't there yesterday when I started the car for the first time so he wanted to hear it run. The car was still tied down on the trailor so after I cranked it for Josh I dropped it into drive. It pulled hard against it's restraints,so I pulled it into reverse. Another hard pull. Checked the fluid. Barely touched the stick. We aired up the tires, untied it and rolled it off the Trailor. Started it back up and added 2 quarts of type F,put it in drive and took off!! Drove it accross the yard, found neutral,let it roll to a stop,dropped it into R and went backwards for awhile.
Josh was grinning from ear to ear as he sat in the drivers seat revving it up. He said "Papa, We need to keep these same mufflers, they sound good!"
I told him we couldn't do that because the pipes were rusted off and that was the reason for the sound. He asked
"Can we put some Cherry Bombs on it?" I supose so.

Now I reckon we need to start on the brakes. NT

[JRoberts]

. His mama asked him if he cryed. I told her we both did. NT

I know how you felt. Like lots of folks I've been there too. Glad is all alright.

Oh, and congrats on the cool little Lark. My first Studebaker was a '59 Lark Regal Hardtop. Is this one Josh's?

[rockinhawk]

I know how you felt. Like lots of folks I've been there too. Glad is all alright.

Oh, and congrats on the cool little Lark. My first Studebaker was a '59 Lark Regal Hardtop. Is this one Josh's?

When Josh was 5 or 6 He wanted a car to claim as his own, I told him he could have a 54 coupe clone that we were slowly building from a 56 flight Hawk. He was happy and we have always called that one Joshua's car' When he saw the Lark on the trailor,He got allexcited and wanted to know if I would trade with him. I said "We'll see". Since then Josh has laid claim to the Lark. He has several years to go yet so he may change his mind again. NT

[Deaf Mute]

With the scar to rmember it by... I vote for Josh's getting the Lark as his own.
Those old Studes keep showing up, don't they. I just never have enough luck to find one that doesn't need a LOT of work.

[mbstude]

That sounds a bit like Buttercup, my '60 Regal hardtop. 259, 3/OD, 3.73 TT, 2bbl, power steering. Skip Lackie bought it from JDP, played some, collected LOTS of NOS, sold it to Lee DeLabarre, who collected more, and then I bought it, finished it in Jonquil, sold it with first right of refusal, was still underfunded 3 years later when he offered to sell it back AT THE PRICE I SOLD IT, and it went somewhere west...I've never heard from theh buyer, though I asked that he contact me. . I wish I had that one back....If anyone knows where Buttercup is, I'd like to keep in touch with the owner

I remember Buttercup well! On our way to the Asheville, NC meet with the family several years ago in the Avanti, we'd happened across a Super Red '63 R2 Super Hawk sitting on the side of the road, that turned out to belong to currect SDC Prez John Begian. Shortly after you pulled up in the yellow Lark, I still have snapshots of it. Jeff Rice rolled in at the same time, pulling a trailer if it was needed to get the Hawk back to the hotel. I think I was about 12 or so, so wasn't on the Internet at that time..

I think that was the meet where you sold it. I remember a stranger walking up to me in the parking lot of the hotel, asking if I knew of any early Larks for sale. (I didn't know him, but apparently he knew I was from a Stude family). I pointed at Buttercup, but told him "The guy just finished that yellow one, but I doubt it's for sale." Turns out, he's the one that bought it from you. <G>

Josh also has a '72 Charger with a hot 440 as well that his Dad has given him. He's got plenty of choices for a cool set of wheels! He just turned 11, so he'll be driving around on his own before we know it.

[crazylark]

yeah im twelve now and i still own my lark i've driven it alot and now were trying to get it to the florida state meet.

[Mr. Bill]

I like your signature line (the Lark kid!)


Mr. Bill
Hamlet, NC