Changing Lark transmissions

[mwilleson]

Just curious how difficult it would be to swap the transmission on 1961 Studebaker Lark 259 V-8 and go from a 3 speed to an automatic?

Problems, pitfalls, transmission availability, etc., etc.....

Thanks,
Mike

[SN-60]

Just curious how difficult it would be to swap the transmission on 1961 Studebaker Lark 259 V-8 and go from a 3 speed to an automatic?

Problems, pitfalls, transmission availability, etc., etc.....

Thanks,
Mike

As they say it's "A lot of greasy wrench turning" if You swap everything over from another Lark 'parts' car. (If You can find one) Swaps like this have been done many times, but, depending on Your mechanical abilities, it might be better to sell what You have now, then purchase what You really want.

[DEEPNHOCK]

If you bought a donor car, and swapped everything over, it could be done just bolting stuff on....
Buy it will take a lot of grunt work.
Steering column, linkage bits, etc.
One good thing is you won't have to pull the oil pan and rear main to change the crank bolts.
The manual bolts are the long ones.
This is a pretty big swap, but not an impossible one.

An alternative (just as much, or more work) would be a conversion to a GM overdrive auto trans.
You'd get the benefit of overdrive (and a lockup converter if you got the right model trans).
There are a couple of good Stude vendors making trans adapter kits, so bolting the trans to the engine is now the easy part.
You'll need to build a rear trans mount, shorten the driveshaft, build the linkage, and figure out a shifter.
Either way, this swap has been done a lot through the years.
HTIH
Jeff

[57pack]

I'm right in the middle of the same swap.
Changing out a three speed with OD trans to a Flight-O-Matic.
Like our fellow members stated, a lot of work! Besides the transmission you will need a automatic steering column with the correct linkage, and a kick down cable.

[mwilleson]

Thanks for the info! I was asking because I saw a Lark with a fairly recently rebuilt 259 and a three speed. Turquoise color...actually was thinking about it for a daughter...don't think she would want a 3 speed. As suggested, probably best to leave that one as is and find one with the setup I want.