My Studes Original Owner's Home (current photo)

[Stude-Preferred]

I bought my Lark in 1976. While we both grew-up in St. Petersburg Florida, I never thought about going to the original owner's residence. After all, I had Freda Driver's address with the original 'Lark Papers' found in the glove box.

My Stude's history timeline can be found here.

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/showthread.php?72317-The-Little-Old-Lady-from-St-Petersburg-Florida-1960-Lark-VI

As I now live in Georgia, the Lark had not been home since 1996. Plus she was now restored and a much faster girl than she was raised to be.
I thought it would be nice to bring the Lark back to Florida, during Thanksgiving week. We would be visiting my parents & family members. I could take her back to some of her old haunts, even the one I had never been to before. Her original residence.
Image to my surprise when searching the address in mapquest. Freda's house was 1.7 miles from my parents. That was the home where I grew up & kept the Stude after my purchase. She was garage kept of course.

I thought it would be fun to take some photographs of Freda's home, with the Stude in front. Just where the little Stude lived back in 1960.
What a humble home I found. It figures, because my DeLuxe Lark VI was a humble car too. I'm guessing the garage had been enclosed over the years, as I know the Lark did not live outdoors. She was so rust free, when I found her.

I also went back to my Grandfather's Dealership, Stewart Jones Motors. This is where my Father sold my Lark to Freda Driver, new in 1960.
However, the building burned down in the late 1970's. My Grandfather sold the dealership in 1973 (Mercedes-Benz & Fiat). Today the property is a parking lot for St. Anthony's Hospital. The Lark is positioned where the "showroom" use to exist.
Additional link to Dealership info: http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...970#post743970

Below are a couple of photos of my Stude on her Florida vacation.
The Original Owner's Home, my Parents Home, my first home - where the Stude was stored for 10 years, before moving to Georgia.


That got me thinking, do any other SDC Member's have current photos taken at their Studebaker's Original Owners residence?

[57pack]

Lovely Lark! Love that Studebaker dealership, wish I had that Studebaker sign out front.
Thanks for sharing your story and photographs.

[53commander]

That's a great story and a real nice car too. I bought my 1953 Commander from the original dealership where it was kept until 1985 when the property was sold. It was a demo so I'm technically the original owner. When she gets back on the road I intend to take some pictures of it in front of the building which still stands basically unchanged, it's a body shop now.

[Corvanti]

no pics to share, but i must say, i "Love that Lark"!!!

[JBOYLE]

I did something similar. albeit via computer.
After I received the original owners name from the SNM, I did a search via Google and Bing. I say the house in an upscale Baltimore suburb (they disagreed from each other each favoring a different house on opposite sides of the street, but I was finally able to figure it out). A bit more of my car's story is thus known.

[52-fan]

I love the stance of your car. It screams hot rod without flames or any of the usual add-on stuff. The rear tires almost look like slicks on a drag car. What size are the tires and what did you do to get the car to sit like that?

[Deaf Mute]

I love the idea and photos... trouble is I know (and have photos) of the dealership where my '53 was sold but no other info. I have no information at all on my Avanti except it was to go to Laredo Texas, but got re-routed to Chicago on April 23, 1963.

[SN-60]

Great story!....very nostalgic....and the pictures really help 'tell' Your story!

[Swifster]

I have my Commander's first residential address as well as the dealer's address (building still standing). Someday it'll be out in front of each...

[Noxnabaker]

GEE, that's some sexy Lark! ...those high'nd wide tires looks SO GOOD & makes me real happy!
(I just can't stand those fat-wheels-&-shortened-rear axle inside/under that most folx seems to prefer nowadays, only makes the car looking as it's in need of a toilet badly!)
As erious HotRod-looker! ...what's lurking under the hood?

[JBOYLE]

I love the idea and photos... trouble is I know (and have photos) of the dealership where my '53 was sold but no other info. I have no information at all on my Avanti except it was to go to Laredo Texas, but got re-routed to Chicago on April 23, 1963.

The SMN can help you if it's a Studebaker Avanti....and they might be able to help you on the 53.
Call and ask.

[Stude-Preferred]

I love the stance of your car. It screams hot rod without flames or any of the usual add-on stuff. The rear tires almost look like slicks on a drag car. What size are the tires and what did you do to get the car to sit like that?

Hey, thanks for the stance & tire size comments. Your question made me think of another story. It will tie back to your question. But as my Wife says, I can ramble on.....

My Dad would drive home the trade-in cars, off the lot, to keep their batteries charged. Being a car lover, I would spend hours each evening, setting in the cars (mostly Brand-X), reading the Owner's Manual, studying the instrument panel & learn all I could, about that used-car of the day. He could get in a rut & continue to drive the same car home each night, (I think the ones he liked) but that was OK with me. It has made fond memories of other 60's cars, that were not Studebakers.
Image my surprise when around 1970-71 he drove home an '63 R1 Avanti, fiberglass packed mufflers and all! That was my 'Corvette' experience that I hear other guys speak about. The first time they saw a Corvette. However, mine was an Avanti experience. I loved the stance of that car, aka RAKE. Nose down, so cool. I felt the Avanti II lost some of that coolness, when they raised the nose. So Studebaker Avanti's are always my first love. While as a 4 to 5 year old I cut up many 1963 brochures for my scrapbook, I don't remember seeing an Avanti when they were new. Stewart Jones Motors sold around 4, my Dad has said. This Avanti was different, I could touch it, smell it, sit in it vs. cutting up a photo of one. Lucky for me, my Grandfather decided to keep this Avanti for himself. Later he sold it for $3,000 around 1975-76. I always dreamed he would sell it to me (at a much greater discount), but being wise, he did not.

Now the answer to your question....
I later found out that Avanti's were Lark based animals. While I never could afford a true Avanti, I could bring the Avanti to my Lark. AKA Super Lark. So that was my intention with this restoration on my 6 cylinder Lark. Create a nose down, semi-loud exhaust, plenty of power V8 beauty. So I built a Super Lark type chassis: F/R Sway bars, Turner disk brakes, Rear Radius Rods, Supercharged R2-289 engine (with 57-58 style supercharger vs. Paxton SN-60).
Creating the stance.....
I wanted a Super Lark type rear leaf springs, but Sasco said they had recently sold the last pair. Their suggestion was to use a 5 leaf wagon spring. So I bought '63 station wagon leaf springs. That is what gives the car such a nice stance, up high in the rear, due to so little weight vs. a wagon.

FYI: Those springs provide an additional 1/2 inch of wheelbase. I would need a new drive shaft, but I was going to need a new one anyway, going from 6 to 8 cylinders. Plus with the shape of the 59-60 Lark rear fender openings, I though the half inch difference would not be noticed. I was right, the tire still looks centered within those wheel well openings.

The size of the tires also add to the stance (big / little). When I first completed the Lark, I had the same size all the way around. 235-65 R15 Those rear tires did not fill the wheel well. So I ended up using Mickey Thompson Sportsman SR tires. I wanted a radial and these were the ones I found. While I am not crazy about the 'Flame' tread, most people think it is a slick, from afar or in photos.
The Rear tire size: LT 28x10-R15
How did I get such a wide tire to fit?
I must say that all the rims are Wheel Vintiques 62 series. 15 x 5 front; 15 x 7 rear. The rears are custom ordered with a unique back-spacing. I don't remember the measurements. But what I did was place a flat edge on the rear drum & measure between it and the back of the wheel well. Then subtract an inch for protection (tire bulge when inflated).
Studebakers have plenty of tire clearance, but it is on the opposite side from most cars. They have more room in back of the tire, than between the fender & front of the wheel. So that is why I went with a custom offset. Looking straight from the side, the wheel dish looks the same as the front rim. All the additional offset is behind. That is 10 inches of rear tread. Plus the height the tire is close to Studebaker's originals, allowing for accurate speedometer readings.

Below are some close-up photos: Front & Rear

[Studedude]

Good build, great recount of it!

[Stude-Preferred]

GEE, that's some sexy Lark! ...those high'nd wide tires looks SO GOOD & makes me real happy!
(I just can't stand those fat-wheels-&-shortened-rear axle inside/under that most folx seems to prefer nowadays, only makes the car looking as it's in need of a toilet badly!)
As erious HotRod-looker! ...what's lurking under the hood?

It is all Studebaker. I have so much fun at car shows, explaining to people what they are looking at. 'Studebaker Parts & Services' Dave Thibeault orchestrated the build for me back in 2001. See the business card file section in Turning Wheels. A great resource for vendors.

The engine:
Basically it is a full-flow 259 block from a 1964 Daytona Hardtop. Don't tell my Grandmother. It came from her car, but I have a real R2 Avanti engine to replace it.
289 crank, bored .030 over, truck type cylinder heads for lower compression. Hydraulic lifter conversion (didn't want to adjust the valves, plus I wouldn't rev much past 5,000 rpm).
R2 Spec engine built with reproduction parts (makes life easier). R3 type exhaust headers, aluminum intake manifold, water manifold, R2 fuel pump, supercharger drive belt tensioner, pulleys etc.
Real Carter R2 carburetor
Repro Offenhauser valve covers
The neat piece (per Dave's suggestion) was to use a McCulloch VS-57 Supercharger instead of a later Paxton SN-60. I like the bulky look of the older supercharger, plus it allows me to explain about the solenoid activation, freewheeling capabilities, pulley width changes during activation etc.
I can also talk about the difference between the 1957-58 Golden Hawks and 1963-64 Avantis, Super Larks and Hawks.

It also has a Power Shift transmission, so that provides more Avanti discussions too. Along with the Super-Lark chassis.

Thanks for your comments.

To the sharp eyed Stude lover. The carb in these photo is not the real R2 version I found later. These are earlier photos.

Clue: Fuel Line going into Carb is a Pontiac Carter AFB. Studebaker inlet is on the passenger side.

Below are some engine pics:

[Noxnabaker]

Just one more thing: it's totally SUPER-COOL!
That engine-bay & the rest: AAAHHH!!!
(& yeah, I've got a soft spot for early Larks since my parents had a -59 wagon for a while)