1959 Studebaker Lark

In 1959 a miracle happened at Studebaker. It was called the Lark. After losing enormous amounts of money since 1954, Studebaker unveiled this compact that was popular enough to bring Studebaker a nice profit. The amazing thing was that, although the venerable names of Champion, Commander, and President were gone, the Lark sold enough to supplant the sales of all three lines and then some! Chief Engineer Eugene Hardig and stylist Duncan McRae championed the Lark. What they did was take a standard 1958 Studebaker sedan, chop off nearly 2 feet of front and rear overhang, and the new 'compact' Lark was ready. Since the dimensions were new and the front and rear styling were also new, the public received it as a totally new car. The Lark beat the Big 3 manufacturers with their compacts, so the Lark enjoyed one full year of prosperity. When GM, Ford, and Chrysler all unveiled their compacts for 1960, Lark sales began to slip, and Studebaker was back in its downward slide.

The base engine in the 1959 Lark was a 169.6 cubic-inch six-cylinder with solid valve lifters, four main bearings, and a Carter one-barrel carburetor developing 90 horsepower at 4,000 RPM. It came standard with a three-speed manual transmission, with overdrive optional, along with a Flightomatic. The optional overhead-valve V8 engine had 259.2 cubic inches, five main bearings, and solid valve lifters and delivered 180 horsepower at 4,500 RPM. The hardtop and sedans rested on a 108.5-inch platform, and the station wagon and Eco-O-Miler sedan had a 113-inch wheelbase.

Lark prices for 1959 began at the high-$1,900s and rose to $2,450 for the six-cylinder options while the V8s pinnacled at $2,600.