Little help with Lark Distributor

[bigtex]

Hello all, and thanks for this forum. My teenager wanted to learn about cars and we found a nifty 61 Lark Cruiser 259 that he adores. We have gotten lots of good info here.

Need some help with the distributor. Wanting to do the usual replacement of cap & rotor, and possibly go with the Pertronix kit, but what do I have here? Apparently not the common Delco unit per all the online databases.

Distributor part tag says 1110864 Delco. So, what do I have here and what do I ask for to get the right parts? Thanks in advance.











Oh, and happy teenager (don't ask about the wings - it's a Lark, right?):

[BILT4ME]

You have a distributor from an 59 or 60 Lark. You need to go to Studebaker International for your cap, rotor, and points and condenser. The coil should be a non-resistor model with a resistor block attached to it. if your coil needs replaced, get that from SI also. I did not find that NAPA or anyone else carried these parts.

I have the same distributor in my 59 Lark (I installed a 63 full-flow engine, but retained the 59 distributor)

I LOVE the color on your Lark!

Great to have another next gen involved in Studes!!!

Welcome to the forum!

StudeRich is a wealth of info about these as are many others!

[53k]

Hello all, and thanks for this forum. My teenager wanted to learn about cars and we found a nifty 61 Lark Cruiser 259 that he adores. We have gotten lots of good info here.

Need some help with the distributor. Wanting to do the usual replacement of cap & rotor, and possibly go with the Pertronix kit, but what do I have here? Apparently not the common Delco unit per all the online databases.

Distributor part tag says 1110864 Delco. So, what do I have here and what do I ask for to get the right parts? Thanks in advance.

It's too bad that your Cruiser had the Delco window distributor swapped out. They are good units and a Pertronix is an easy install on them. Your Delco may still accept a Pertronix, but I can't say for sure.
My first Studebaker was a '61 Cruiser and I still consider them one of the nicest Studebakers ever- easy driving, comfortable and roomy. With reclining seats there is enough room for them to lay flat, a lifesaver for us when I had to travel 1500 miles with a new baby.

[studejohn]

Sorry it looks not to be a Delco window type distributor for 60 and 61 cars but a earlier type Delco used in the earlier 50s type Studebaker's. Just what I see. John

[TWChamp]

I also like the color. That is a sharp looking Lark.

[r1lark]

This does look like an earlier Delco, but they are also good distributors. They were used on most of the V8s up thru 1959 or 1960, and also on the 1961 Hawk. The parts are readily available at local parts stores as well as rockauto.com so you don't have to pay the high Studebaker International prices plus shipping unless you are ordering other stuff. The rotor in the picture does bother me, since that does not look like the typical early Delco rotor......so keep that in mind when you buy the parts.

By the way, great looking Lark! In my opinion the '61s are the ultimate early Lark because of the flatter roof, more sculptured areas on the hood and trunk lid, the hanging brake/clutch pedals instead of the thru the floor pedals, and the greatly improved heater system.

[Studebakercenteroforegon]

Window type Delco distributors were used on 1960 and 1961 V-8 Larks and Champ pickups only, but not Hawks. So, any local auto part store should be able to supply tune up parts if you said '59 Lark or whatever. General Motors cars prior to the window distributor used the same parts. Say, a '55 Buick.
A good auto parts store should have access to a listing of parts by distributor number. A good auto parts store means they can reach below the counter an pull up a book - you know, print on paper - that has this information.

[StudeRich]

The '59 Larks DO NOT have Delco Window Distributors, only '60 & '61's do as Jerry (Studebaker Center of Oregon) said.

This Distributor is a '51-'59 early Delco Type, all get the same Points, Condenser, Cap and Rotor as do many '49 to '56 GM B,O,P & Cadillac's.

But what has me baffled is, what is that 6 Cylinder Rotor doing there? Did a Parts Store sell your Son that wrong Rotor for it maybe?

Correct Studebaker Parts can be purchased here at one of our many Studebaker Vendors who are ALL SDC Members:

http://studebakervendors.com

[bigtex]

Terrific info, thanks so much for the help. That gets me going.

And that rotor has been bothering me as well. That was on there back when we bought the car, but it didn't match what I was seeing for earlier distributors. Makes perfect sense that it is wrong.

Making up an order list as we speak.

[Bud]

Rich, That is not a 6 cylinder rotor, it is a rotor for a GM application such as Buick, Olds and Cadillac of the same vintage which are almost the same as the Studebaker distributors. I use those rotors in the 1951 to 1961 distributors because they don't have the carbon rod in them like the stock rotor which has a tendency to come out at higher speeds leaving you stuck on the side of the road. The earlier Delco distributor is in my opinion a far better distributor than the window type which suffers from wear causing excessive shaft end play. I've been installing the Pertronix 1183 modules in those distributors with great results. Bud

[Bud]

As an added note, The rotor in question is used in GM Delco V8 distributors built before 1957 when the window distributors were put into service. Bud

[StudeRich]

Thanks Bud, I stand corrected on the rotors, it must be about the Length of the Cap contact on that GM rotor that makes it fit a 8 Cyl. Cap, because it LOOKS like (in the picture) a dead ringer for a Champion Six Rotor, which would never reach the Cap contacts.

Being a Stude. Parts guy, I would have never seen no stink'in GM Junk! Lol!
The current Production Stude. Rotors, now have a layer of epoxy over the Carbon Rod so they hold up good.

[skyway]

...and a drop of J-B weld to hold the carbon in place was/is my friends and my standard practice.

[Studebakercenteroforegon]

In my younger days I found myself in Sweet Home, Oregon around 9:00PM on a Saturday night. I filled up at a service station but then my 1957 Silver Hawk would not start. It didn't take much troubleshooting to discover the carbon slug had completely disappeared from the rotor. My local friend knew who owned the Western Auto store, who went to his store but reported he didn't have a listing for Studebaker. I told him to check for a '55 Buick - which he had. It was the exact rotor, including the carbon slug.
From that time on I always carried a spare rotor whenever I had a Studebaker with the "early" Delco distributor. That of course insured that I never had that problem again.
As a dealer, though, I see that the rotors currently supplied have the carbon slug very well bonded in with epoxy, so I would no longer have the concern.

[Bud]

Rich, You're welcome. I've found that the GM style rotor works well in place of the original style rotor as most of the replacement spark plug leads are of the resistance core variety which eliminates the radio noise which is what the carbon rod in the original style rotor was supposed to do. Plus the GM variety rotor is cheaper than the original equipment replacement type rotor. Bud