1963 Super Hawk,1963 Super Lark,1964 Super Hawk,But 1964 Super Lark ?

[63t-cab]

Ok maybe this could be a little fun/or not ?would this be a simple matter of opinion,or is some one gonna justify 1964 Super Lark .1963 was the last Lark,after that they were/should be called Lark Types.so I guess some one would have a 1964 Super Commander,Daytona, etc, just thought I'd stir things up a bit

[BobPalma]

There is no question about 1963 model year nomenclature, Joe. If a Lark or Hawk had the full high-performance package after those packages became available, the factory would identify that product as a Super Lark or a Super Hawk.

Model year 1964 gets murky, as you suggest. There are three Studebaker-issued, 1964 model year documents that would address this.

The first is the huge PD64-17 salesman's Showroom Album, with loose-leaf insertions for all the various models and features. There only two pages in PD64-17 that have any reference to Super Larks or Super Hawks, Pages 10/2 and 10/3. Here they are:





The second is the large PD64-10 Showroom Brochure to be given away to prospective customers:



It makes exactly the same references, by wording, as does PD64-17.

The third document is the large, 8 1/2 X 11, un-numbered, 16-page 1964 Advance Specializations, sent out to dealers from which they could see the specs for ordering cars:



I have a copy of it here and there is no mention of Super Anything, period. The closest they come is to cite High-Performance Kits that are available only with R1 and R2 engines.

So there you have it. If you want to split hairs, Studebaker did ever so slightly refer to 1964 Super Hawks and 1964 Super Larks under the large umbrella of Super Studebakers.

But for the most part, they downplayed Super Lark and Super Hawk nomenclature for the 1964 model year, preferring that both cars be identified as Super Studebakers, possibly to avoid the confuision with "Lark" at a time when they were phasing out that model name. BP

[clonelark]

Or even a Super Cruiser and a Super Wagonaire The two Super Champs are kinda pushing it. What about Super Marshall.

[stude dude]

With the Lark name still being used by the factory as a prefix for Challengers and Commanders, they would certainly qualify as 'Super Larks'.

I believe there was an article in Turning Wheels some years ago on this very subject. If I recall correctly, there was early consideration for using the 'Super Cruiser' and 'Super Daytona' names. Some early production orders may have even been labelled this way. But the names were not as catchy from a marketing perspective so they were soon replaced with 'Super Lark' for all Lark types.

International SDC members will find most of this irrelevant. In Australia, most sedans built after 1963 were called Cruiser. In South Africa most sedans build after 1963 were called Daytona (including 1965 4 doors). Different foreign markets badged and trimmed models to best suit local market requirements.

Chris.
STUDEBAKER of AUSTRALIA

[StudeRich]

Really! So what trim level would be in a exported R/H Drive Australian '63 Lark 4 door "Cruiser"?

Lark Standard, Regal, Custom or Cruiser door panels and seat coverings also Body Mouldings?
Maybe none, just whatever local random material was used?

[stude dude]

Our 1963 sedans had Cruiser exterior trim, but with two variations from US cars - fixed rear quarter vent windows and LARK letters on the front guards.

Interior trim was locally manufactured and generally followed the appearance of US Cruisers. Makes concours judging pretty interesting at times!