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Lark VIII info needed

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  • Lark VIII info needed

    I was in a junk yard today and looked at Lark VIII with a V-8 with a 4bbl carb intake. It had a floor shifter converted from a 3 on the tree. I was thinking about buying it to transplant the mtr and tranny into my 1957 Transtar. Since the 6cyl in the truck need building why not go with a V-8. The ID plate had 60?--W on it. Any thoughts???

  • #2
    Sounds like a really good parts car. The engine is good, the trans would have 'car gears' Not exactly like a truck had, but it would work.

    The trucks originally had special cast iron mounts on the bell housing and a 'truck clutch' and bell housing so they would bolt up nicely, and the water manifolds were a bit different to center the fan on the radiator opening.

    A V 8 parts truck would be your best bet, But i'd snag this Lark, because of some of the goodies it has. Find a truck with a V 8 later.

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    • #3
      With it having a 4bbl carb manifold I thought this might be a rare Lark.

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      • #4
        It will fit like OJ's glove. I looked at putting a V8 out of a 57 commander in my 59 Scotsman 6. EVERYTHING is different. The mounts,the water manifold, the bell housing, the pedals, the shifter arms, the drive shaft, the transmission, and on and on... Even the starter is on the wrong side. I just fixed the 6 and kept on truckin. Then I let my grandson trade me out of it. He drove it a year or two then took it apart and decided it was too much trouble to put it back togather.
        Last edited by rockinhawk; 03-29-2012, 02:53 PM.
        Neil Thornton

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        • #5
          Thats why I posted here. I knew ya'll wouldn't stray and old southern boy down the wrong road. Thanks for the info. I saw this Lark while I was stripping a '51 Commando.

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          • #6
            There is quite a difference in changing a truck over to a V-8, depending on whether the six cylinder was a Champion six or a Commander six. All of the items mentioned in post #5 - bell housing, pedals, transmission location, etc. are very much shifted rearward several inches when the engine had been a Commander six. Years ago I helped a friend change a 1955 one ton with a Commander six over to a V-8, and it was lucky the donor truck was on the premises. We were quite surprised at how much we had to remove from the donor truck to make it all come together.

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            • #7
              The V8 engines themselves - dead on the same as what went in a truck. The four barrel manifold is not a rarirty in a Lark. As has been said tho - it's all the peripheral stuff - mounts, shift linkage, water pump manifold, throttle bellcrank - that make it something other than a "bolt-in" deal. Those truck-specific things CAN be rounded up. I have a WP manifold and the proper truck 3-spd O/D for a V8 - I might even have some of the motor mount pieces. Shift rods, I don't know.

              We DO have a fella here who's bringing to life a C-cab truck WITH earlier car V8 and tranny in it. He might be able to lend some insights into how that was done - or at least share some pics of the installation. Kelly???
              No deceptive flags to prove I'm patriotic - no biblical BS to impress - just ME and Studebakers - as it should be.

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