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1960 Studebaker Lark

In 1960, Studebaker unveiled the Lark convertible, the first Studebaker convertible since 1952, making the Lark the only compact with a V8 and the only compact with a convertible. In 1960, Studebaker produced 5,464 Lark Convertibles, which was the first time Studebaker offered a soft-top since 1953.

The 1960 Lark VI was similar in design to the 1959 version, with only slight updates to its design. The Lark model hit the streets in 1959, and over 57,000 were produced. These vehicles were aimed at more economically-minded consumers, and a year later, the optional 259 cubic-inch V8 gave it a bit of performance gusto. Weighing under 3,000 pounds and shorter than most of the competition, the new V-8 Lark was available as an Econ-O-Miler, Deluxe, and Regal, with the Econ-O-Miler marking the rarest with only 215 constructed. The convertibles were part of the Regal trim.

The Econ-O-Miller of the Lark VI was offered as a sedan priced at nearly $2,400, and 1,096 examples were built. The Deluxe trim of the Lark VI included a two-door sedan priced at $1,975, a four-door sedan at $2,050, a two-door station wagon at $2,365, and a four-door wagon at $2,440. The two-door sedan was the most popular with 24,605 examples built, followed by 22,534 of the four-door sedan, 5,420 of the four-door wagon, and 3,497 of the two-door wagon.

The Regal trim of the Lark VI included the convertible priced at $2,620, a hardtop coupe at $2,300 and a station wagon at $2,590. 3,107 examples of the Lark VI Regal convertible were built, 2,829 were hardtop coupes, and 1,925 were station wagons.

The Lark VI and the Hawk both came equipped with an L-head six-cylinder engine with a 169.6 cubic-inch displacement, four main bearings, solid valve lifters, a Carter one-barrel carburetor, and delivering 90 horsepower at 4,000 RPM. The Hawk, offered solely as a coupe, was sold outside North America.

Station wagons and the Econ-O-Miller sedan rested on a 113-inch wheelbase, the Hawk had a 120.5-inch wheelbase, and the hardtop, convertible, and sedans rested on a 108.5-inch platform. The Lark VI DeLuxe trim had painted headlight moldings, was devoid of padded instrument panels and lacked grille moldings. The Lark VI Regal had chrome moldings around the headlights and grille and a padded instrument panel.

The Lark VIII, offered in Econ-O-Miller, Deluxe, and Regal trims with the same body styles as the Lark VI, came standard with a 259.2 cubic-inch V8 engine with overhead valves, five main bearings, solid valve lifters, a Stromberg two-barrel carburetor, and 180 bhp at 4,500 RPM.

The Lark VIII Econ-O-Miller sedan was priced at $2,430, and 215 examples were built. The Deluxe two-door sedan listed for $2,110 and 8,102 were built, 14,231 of the 4-door sedan ($2,180), 5,711 of the 4-door wagon ($2,575), and 1,734 of the two-door wagon ($2,500).

The Lark VIII Regal four-door sedan was popular with 11,410 examples built with a base price of $2,330. The rest of the body styles had similar production figures, with 5,464 of the convertible ($2,760), 5,741 of the four-door station wagon ($2,730), and 4,565 of the hardtop ($2,430).

Additionally, Studebaker built 227 examples of the Hawk with the six-cylinder engine and 4,280 with the V8. Studebaker's total production for 1960 was 105,902 units. Most of the Econ-O-Miller four-door sedans were built as taxis, and a few were sold outside the United States.

A three-speed manual transmission with column-mounted gearshift controls was standard equipment on all 1960 Studebaker models. Overdrive and Flight-O-Matic were optional for an additional $110 on all models except for the Econ-O-Miller taxi. Eight-cylinder-equipped cars, except for the Hawk with the 289 CID V8, could be equipped with an optional power kit that added a four-barrel Carter carburetor and dual exhaust, boosting the output of the 259 CID V8 to 195 hp. Twin-Traction was optional on all models, and a few Larks were equipped with the 289 CID V8 - mostly police Marshals.

by Dan Vaughan

Regal VIII Hardtop

Studebaker's compact Lark series, introduced in 1959, was widely credited with saving the company from extinction. For 1960, the Lark retained its European-inspired design and added an attractive convertible body style. A Mobilgas Economy Run winner, the 1960 Lark V8 averaged 22 miles per gallon in the widely promoted contest.

But 1960 also brought new competition from Detroit's Big Three, as the Corvair, Falcon, and Valiant were introduced to the growing compact car market and caused Lark sales to suffer.

This Lark, a Jonquil Yellow hardtop equipped with the 259 cubic inch V8, was restored by the owner nearly two decades ago when he was between the ages of 14 and 16. One of his first photos of the Lark, around that time, was taken with him and his now-wife. They went on dates in this car, had their engagement photos taken with it, and it was their wedding car.

Regal VI Convertible

The Lark was ingeniously designed around the core bodyshell of the full-sized 1953-1958 Studebakers. By reducing the front and rear overhangs and shortening the wheelbase ahead of the firewall, the car could still seat six people comfortably and hold a surprising amount of luggage. It was hoped that this new model would save America's oldest vehicle manufacturer when it was launched in the fall of 1958 as a 1959 model. Initial models included two- and four-door sedans, a two-door hardtop coupe and a two-door station wagon. Studebaker's first Lark convertible debuted in 1960, as well as a four-door wagon. This Studebaker Lark Convertible is powered by a six-cylinder engine.

The Studebaker Lark was produced from 1959 through 1964, which was the same year that Studebaker went out of business. The Lark was a compact car that was hoped to continue the Studebaker name and provide competition for the Big Three Automobile Manufacturers. At the time of its introduction, there was little competition in the compact car market. Within a few years, this changed and the sales of the Studebaker Lark began to decline.

In 1959 and 1960, the Lark was available with either a six or eight-cylinder engine. The six-cylinder 170 cubic-inch unit produced around 90 horsepower, while the 259 cubic-inch V8 produced an impressive 180 horsepower. By 1962 the other automakers had caught up with Studebaker and were offering more-modern versions of the compact vehicle offered with more amenities at an affordable price. In comparison, the Lark looked very dated. In 1962 Brooks Stevens modernized the interior of the Lark and increased the overall length. Sales began to improve until a strike by the United Auto Workers Local 5 at the South Bend Plant slowed production considerably.

Throughout the following year, minor improvements were made in an effort to keep the Studebaker Lark looking modern. The wrap-around windshield was eliminated in 1963. The door and roof pillars became thinner. A stripped-down version of the Lark, called the Standard Series, was introduced in 1963 and offered as a low-cost version of the Lark. It was intended as a fleet vehicle with the interior being void of any non-essential amenities. On the exterior, the vehicle bore no nameplates, just the 'Studebaker' name could be found on the fenders. It carried a sticker price of just $1,935, making it affordable to most buyers.

Even with all the changes for 1963, it was not a good year for the Lark with only 77,000 examples being sold. The prior year had seen 90,000 Larks produced even with the strike. In 1964, the changes to the Lark were even more drastic. The new design featured aluminum grilles and squared-off headlamp surrounds. The rear end of the vehicle incorporated horizontal tail lamps and backup lamps. The hood was flattened, along with the trunk lid and roofline. Despite this effort, the Lark was phased out the following year, leaving the Challenger, Commander, and Daytona to carry on the Studebaker name. Sadly, Studebaker production would cease, ending production of one of the oldest American Automobile Manufacturers. The Studebaker Company had incorporated in 1868 and entered the automotive business in 1902. Their first vehicles were electric. Gas-powered machines were introduced by Studebaker in 1904. They continued in business until 1966.

by Dan Vaughan