Body / Glass: Where did Studebaker mount the StratoVue mirrors on the Lark

[Jeff T.]

Good evening,

When I was looking for something else in the basement Sunday, I found my missing second StratoVue side mirror in an unmarked box. Now that I found it again, where exactly is the mirror mounted on a Lark hardtop? on the door, the front fender.

As best as I can recall, when I bought these mirrors years ago, there was no mounting instructions provided with the mirrors so I guessed... badly. Afterward, the vent window would wack the mirror head when I opened the window.

I hope that the stock location isn't on the front fender, that location looks odd to me.

I spent some time a few years ago welding up all the mis-drilled holes on the drivers door trying to find the "right" spot. I'm sure there is a template somewhere but I don't know which is worst, situational CASOism or coming from a long line of stubborn Scot and German forefathers (Trust me, I know what I am doing).

thanks,

Jeff

[StudeRich]

Mirrors were rarely ever factory installed, usually only for Factory pickup; ("Prep for Retail Delivery" Cars).

The Strato-Vu was not used before 1963, and was mainly used on Avanti.

The Stratoline works much better with it's lockable swivel.
I like them mounted quite close to the front edge of the dogleg part of the Door on Lark Types, enough to clear an open Vent window.

But most people seem to mount them farther back like these:

Of course you know the Left side, is the only useful side to mount one.


You can see that this Stratoline on a Cruiser Sedan, barely clears the vent window, but may be hard to get enough inward tilt to see it well, as they all have quite limited movement.


The best way to "one time and done" install them, is while sitting in the driver's seat, have someone hold it on a towel and move it and adjust it to have some adjustment left, in and out at the location, then mark and drill.

There was a template for the hole pattern locations also the Gasket, but there really is no correct spot, because it is varies depending on the driver and driver's Height and Seat type.
Did I mention they have quite limited adjustment ?

OH, sorry, you did not mention Which Year you have, why did I assume it was a Lark Type? Don't know.

[Jeff T.]

Well shoot

My eternal project is a 62 hardtop, sadly built one year too early if you go strictly on "this part is intended for the 63-66 model years" I bought them years, if not decades, ago because I thought they were cool. Perhaps I may need to trade for the right mirrors for a 62 rather than force the issue.

[r1lark]

Well shoot

My eternal project is a 62 hardtop, sadly built one year too early if you go strictly on "this part is intended for the 63-66 model years" I bought them years, if not decades, ago because I thought they were cool. Perhaps I may need to trade for the right mirrors for a 62 rather than force the issue.

Jeff, if a '62 Lark was sold very late in calendar 1962 (there were a lot of leftover '62s when the '63s came out if I remember correctly), and you wanted the dealer to add a mirror on the door, the parts guy would most likely have shown you both the Stratoline and the Strato-vue, and the dealer's mechanic would have installed whichever one you wanted. In fact, the parts guy would probably also have shown you a generic aftermarket mirror that would have cost a good bit less than the two Studebaker mirrors!

If it were me, I would install the one I like the best. (I'm installing a Stratoline on my '64 Daytona, where most would install a Strato-vue, but as Rich mentioned the heads on the Strato-Vues eventually get floppy and then are useless.)

But your car, your money, and your call.

[redchamp]

I purchased a 64 Daytona that has a passenger side mirror. In its present position, there is no way any sized driver could safely use it. I queried the previous owner & he intimated that he never used it. I contacted Andy Beckman @ the Natl' Museum (since he owns the same model), thinking that I would garner a practical answer/solution. His car does not have a passenger side mirror. I may redrill & move the mirror rear ward & then cap the holes - not a preferred option - but practical.

[StudeRich]

Just remove it. Unfortunately, right side mirrors are just mostly for decoration.

[bensherb]

My '61 Lark had mirrors on both doors and they worked fine for me, I don't know which mirrors they were though. My '62 GT had the same mirror on only the drivers door. I stole the right mirror off the Lark and installed it on the right door of the GT in the same relative location as the left mirror. It worked but didn't really have the adjustment to work well, so I reshaped the ball socket on it to allow more movement after that it worked fine. I've since replaced those mirrors with 1969 Ford Mustang/ Torino "sport" mirrors which I modified the bases on to fit the GT doors. They're mounted just a bit further forward than the stock mirrors were to allow full opening of the wing windows, but also work just fine. You view them through the wing window same as the original mirrors.