Wild Studebaker powered Lark

[stude freak]

Sure StudeDave57 . I'll help ya out.Did you blow out all the candles on the cake? If so, problem solved. Happy Birthday Dave

David Baggett Mantachie,Ms.

[ceecab]

I've talked to Jerry Hawk. the owner, many times while he was building that car, although this was the first time I had seen it, and mostly he spent most of those times telling me about everything he was having done, but nothing about the actual car other than being a Lark
I thought the project died. since I never hear anymore about it
I will say that it's probably very well done though judging from the past Studes he's owned

[Thomas63R2]

I like this Lark, but I'm not quite signed on to the idea of it being "wild". A 13.99 e.t. would be "in" the 13's (we really don't know where in the 13's this car ran), which kinda doesn't compute with 450 hp / 500 tq, even if it were a mid 13 e.t. Especially with what should be a sub 3,000 lb car. In a past incarnation of one of my El Caminos I ran 13.1x e.t.'s @ 105+ mph all day long - this was leaving it in drive to upshift at 4,200 rpm, with 3.08 gears and 245 street radials. It had a pump gas naturally aspirated 406 that made less than 450 hp, and in a car that should weigh ~ 500 lbs more than that Lark. The new Corvette Z06, with 505 hp and 3,100 lbs of car weight runs in the upper 11's at ~ 125 mph. The Lark is no where near as aerodynamic, but at that power level and likely weight, speeds in the upper 110's, closing in on 120 mph, should be the norm.

Maybe this Lark still needs a bit of sorting out to run like it should for that power level and weight. I hope some others try this Whipple Charger, from what I've seen it is a very well made piece.

Thomas

New Stude guy! Long time hot rodder
'63 Avanti R2 4 speed with interesting plans

[Randy_G]

I'm going out on a limb here, Larks didnt come equipted with V-8's did they?? they were more of a 6 cylinder econobox, this is part of my Stude 101 learning curve so be kind.


Randy- www.automotivehistoryonline.com

https://www.automotivehistroyonline.com

[Roscomacaw]

Look out, Randy! That limb's about to sna.............. ouch! [:0]

Larks had either or - and while there WAS an "economy slant" to their initial push, the V8s were just about as economical as the 6.

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]

quote:Originally posted by Randy_G

I'm going out on a limb here, Larks didnt come equipted with V-8's did they?? they were more of a 6 cylinder econobox, this is part of my Stude 101 learning curve so be kind.


Randy- www.automotivehistoryonline.com

https://www.automotivehistroyonline.com

I have owned about 30 Lark type Studebakers and every one of them was factory equipped with an OHV V-8.

Gary L.
Wappinger, NY
1954 Commander Starliner (restomod)
1959 DeLuxe pickup (restomod)

[Thomas63R2]

Randy, I'm pretty sure that in all years of the Lark you had a choice of getting a Lark VI or Lark VIII. It seems that the 259 V8 was about as economical as the flathead inline 6's plus they were much more fun to drive, that's what test reports of the day seemed to indicate. The 259 V8 was very economical - but that 300+ cube supercharged variation in the eBay ad probably is not a fuel mileage champ anymore! The OHV inline six turned the tables, but by the time of its release Lark sales had really declinded.

Thomas

New Stude guy! Long time hot rodder
'63 Avanti R2 4 speed with interesting plans

[Randy_G]

I appreciate the bit of history lesson guys, thats why I joined. By the time my intrest in cars was realized the Studebaker Car Company was long gone. thanks again!

Randy

https://www.automotivehistroyonline.com

[N8N]

quote:
Larks had either or - and while there WAS an "economy slant" to their initial push,

No, Bob, that was Chrysler :P

nate

(been there, drove that)

--
55 Commander Starlight
62 Daytona hardtop

http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

[Roscomacaw]

Hey Nate! I've had 2 slant 6s thru the years (not in Larks of course!) and they were good engines.[: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

[StudeDave57]

Interesting~ not a single bid as yet...

[8D]

StudeDave
V/P San Diego County SDC
San Diego, Ca

'54 Commander 4dr
'57 Parkview (it's a 2dr wagon...)
'57 Commander 2dr
'57 Champion 2dr
'58 Packard sedan
'65 Cruiser

[PackardV8]

Even more telling, he hasn't posted answers to the probably twenty or more questions he must have received about such a specialized car. As noted above, clear details and specifications are the key to a sale like this.

Secondly, having a starting bid of $21,000 is questionable eBay tactics, at best. Most sellers feel starting low and getting several bidders involved at a lower level keeps up the interest.

One re-seller I know always starts low and has a half-dozen friends and relatives making shill bids to make it look like a hotly contested auction. Every once in a while, he has to "buy back" his own car and pay eBay an extra few dollars. More often than not, this technique, which is as old as auctions, works for him and he sells at his price.

thnx, jv.

PackardV8

[JDP]

Shill bidding is a major no-no on ebay, just report him and ebay will do the rest. (Usually a verbal warning if it's a minor infraction, but having a bunch of shills will get him suspended ASAP)
I even got a warning just for posting my reserve on the News Group since it gives "Information to a select group not available to all bidders"

Arnold Md.
Studebaker On The Net http://stude.com
Studebaker News Group

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.autos.studebaker

64 Daytona HT
63 R2 4 speed GT Hawk
63 R1 GT Hawk
63 GT Hawk
63 Avanti R1/AC
63 Avanti R2/4 speed
62 Lark 2 door
60 Hawk
51 Commander

[Guido]

I got an auctioneer fined here in Virginia for taking shills. I determined that if he had his hand open, he had no bidder, but if he made a fist, there was a bidder. What first tipped me off was that he was taking bids in my area but none of us were bidding. Also telling the clerk to "put it on number 486" when there were no other attendees close to that number.

Guido Salvage - "Where rust is beautiful"

1946 M-16 fire truck
1948 M-16 grain truck
1949 2R16A grain truck
1949 2R17A fire truck
1955 E-38 grain truck
1957 3E-40 flatbed
1961 6E-28 grain truck
1962 7E-13D 4x4 rack truck
1962 7E-7 Champ pickup
1962 GT Hawk 4 speed
1964 Avanti R2 4 speed
1964 Cruiser
And various other "treasures"
Hiding and preserving Studebakers in Richmond & Louisa, Va.

[PackardV8]

eBay has gotten so large with so few employees, they only react to the most egregious violations. To prove shill bidding takes so much research and even then, is not always clear-cut.

They won't even bother to go after sellers who waste our time by using the infamous "NOT a Studebaker, Packard" listing jerk off.

Back to the topic which started this, the seller really wasted his time and money by rambling on in the description, by having too high a starting bid, by not answering questions. A good car went unsold.

PackardV8