Average Driving Speed on a 169 Six Cylinder Lark Engine

[drnittler]

I have a 61 Lark VI, with an automatic transmission. You folks with the same type of Stude, what is your average driving speed on a 169 Six Cylinder Lark Engine?
It seems that much over 50 MPH it sounds like it is winding out. Just wondering. Thanks.

[studegary]

It depends on differential ratio, tire size and body style. With those qualifications, I was going to give a general answer of 55 MPH.
Most people refer to it as a 170, that is what the displacement is to the nearest cubic inch.

[JoeHall]

Some report 70-75 MPH all day long, and 25-30 MPG. My experience was similar to yours with the one I owned.

[rockinhawk]

Mine does 60-65 with no problem but it has 3sp OD. 62 Lark 4dr.

[2R Truck Seeker]

Not Studebaker data, but I have a '61 Rambler American with a 196 cid OHV six, which has similar lineage (OHV conversion on a flathead dating back to 1941), 3-speed stick, and "optional" 3.78 :1 rear, and 15" wheels.

My little Nash-Rambler sounds "busy" at 60, really wound-out by 65 mph. Fastest I 've pushed it to is 70-75, and it was SCREAMING. Am currently seeking an OD tranny for it.

Usually auto-tranny cars were equipped with taller rear gears...

My experience with a 1962 Falcon with a 144 six and 2-speed auto was that 65 MPH was all she had.

For what that's worth. Suggest seeing if you can find / borrow a test tachometer that has leads long enough that you can connect it and have the meter head with you in the cockpit, and see what kind of rev's you're turning at a given speedo indication.

I wouldn't exceed 3,000 rpm for any legnth of time.

[LeoH]

My first car was a 60 Lark VI 4 door sedan, 3spd, no OD. No idea what the rear end was, but I don't remember going much over 60, unless it was going downhill. My signal memory of that car was, being 17 and all, taking it out one day in the summer, finding a long flat stretch and seeing what my 0-60 time was.

60 seconds.

I'm sure it was because the clutch was going out. If I'd had a newer clutch, it would have gone faster. I know it!

[Tom Bredehoft]

I had a '60 Lark 6 flathead (built new from stock parts) with a stock 3 speed. Rear Axle ratio, about 4.10:1. It would max out at 80, really screaming. I put in an OD, it would still reach 80 in 3rd, but really struggled to get to 80 in OD. Mileage increased from 18.5 to 22.5 mpg.

[52-fan]

My 52 with 4:56 gears and overdrive would easily run 70. That is, if the road was level or just rolling hills. In steep areas it would pull way down, but usually you could make it up going down the other side.

[clonelark]

My 1960 2dr Lark 6, 3 spd no OD, would do 78 mph top speed (ran it floored from OKC to Tulsa no problem) but a reasonable speed would be about 65mph

[drnittler]

Thanks one and all. Does anybody have this information with the six cylinder the automatic, and factory differential? Thanks

[JoeHall]

Per the Shop Manual, your car most likely has a 3.73 rear end. If you are running 205/75-15 tires, figure on about 22 MPH per 1000 RPM. With that 4" stroke motor, 2000-2500 RPM (45-55 MPH) will likely make for a cool, quiet, longer lasting motor with better MPG. If pushed toward 3000 RPM constantly (60-65 MPH), it will likely run hotter, noisier, burn more gas, and not live as long.
Just my opinion, and limited experience with the one I had, which I only drove around 5,000 miles IIRC. It was a 3 speed, and I also swapped the 3.73 for a 3.31 rear end, in attempt to improve cruising speed. But that did not help it go any faster without the same maladies it suffered with the 3.73.
Just my limited experience. Others report much better experiences. I also ran Thornton gas here in KY back then, so that may have been part of the problem, but that is a whole nother bad experience best reserved for another thread maybe (similar to Arco in California).

[studegary]

There seems to be more "what will it do" answers here than answers to the poster's question of "Average Driving Speed".
My initial response of 55 MPH, was what I thought that the car and driver could comfortably average. Of course, I know that the top speed is higher, but that wasn't the question.
I think that Joe Hall's post no. 11 is the best answer.

[unclemiltie]

I have a 61 Lark with OHV and stick/OD. I try to hold it around 55 even though with OD 60 and 65 does not seem to make it feel labored. A friend has a 64 OHV automatic and he keeps up with traffic, ie he is moving faster than 55. .

[StudeRich]

Posts #11 and 12 are right on.
The thing I noticed about these OHV 170 Sixes is that with the standard too low, 3.73 factory gears and direct drive: Automatic or straight stick you can actually watch the temp gauge climb when you drive over 55 MPH, when you do this you are risking bringing on the dreaded Stude. OHV 6 curse...a cracked cylinder head between the valves.

You need Overdrive or 3.54 gears to make it Interstate compatable and safe so you are not run over by a 100,000 LB simi going 70 MPH.

[Chad Huth]

David,

My 62 OHV 170 with automatic and 3.73 gears is the same, anything over about 55 mph sounds like it is sceaming. I don't get it out on the interstate very often. I would love to eventually change the gears or trans... all in good time.

Chad