Vehicle Description
Nicely preserved original car. No-nonsense, but dead reliable with
a 170 cubic inch six-cylinder engine and 3-speed manual
transmission. Beautifully preserved interior, lots of recent
service work, ready to drive and have fun!We love original cars and
we love the unusual, so when this funky 1961 Studebaker Lark
station wagon rolled in, we were instantly smitten. It's one of
those honest old cars that doesn't have much to hide and thanks to
many years with conscientious owners, it's very well preserved. We
believe that most of the Green Jade paint is original with some
touch-ups here and there. It isn't hiding anything and was surely
done decades ago, so the car still has a consistent look
throughout. Styling isn't sleek, but the funky, off-beat look is a
big part of the Lark's appeal and it will certainly stand out at
any event, even against some much more expensive machinery. We like
the no-nonsense attitude and the distinct lack of frills-this was
transportation at its most basic in 1961 and that's very appealing
today. Add in some nice chrome bumpers, shiny stainless trim, and
correct emblems and badging, and you get a car that looks very much
like it would have in, say, 1967. It's not trying too hard, it's
just happy to be itself. The interior is where this car's
originality really shines-aside from new carpets, it is all 1961
componentry. The seat covers are in fantastic shape with no signs
of distress or age, and aside from some slight stretching on the
driver's lower cushion, it's almost like new. Correct reproduction
carpets were just installed and it helps keep the wagon cool and
quiet inside. The no-frills attitude extends to the dash, which has
two round dials, one for speed and one with temperature and fuel
level, but that's it for instrumentation. A few knobs control
lights, wipers, and heat, and this car is so basic it even has
radio delete-imagine how difficult it might be to find that
block-off plate! The steering wheel looks surprisingly upscale and
is in great shape and the dash pad hasn't been cooked by the sun.
The cargo bay is cavernous with spare tire storage underneath and
the back seat folds down to carry exceptionally big items. This is
one collector car that's still practical fun on the weekends! Power
comes from a 170 cubic inch OHV 'Skybolt Six,' which was the
standard engine in 1961. Thanks to recent service work, it starts
easily and idles well once it's warmed up (it's a little grumpy
when it's cold). Given the Lark's featherweight bodywork, the
112-horsepower engine feels energetic and the inline-6 is buttery
smooth at speed. Wearing a bright orange rocker cover, the engine
looks crisp in the mostly original engine bay. It's not detailed to
perfection, but it's clean and there are plenty of signs of recent
maintenance, including a full tune up, rebuilt carburetor, new
water pump, belts and hoses, and some new wiring, all of which help
the Stude maintain its reputation for bulletproof reliability.
After all, there's not much to go wrong here! The 3-speed manual
transmission is a lot of fun to row through the gears and makes the
most of the Skybolt's modest output. It belongs around town, where
just the right gearing makes it feel agile and you can just let the
torquey little engine pull it around in high gear. Floors are
exceptionally clean with one small patch at the base of the
driver's A-pillar, but it was done many years ago and presents no
issues today. There's a newer NOS muffler for just the right sound
and while everything's a bit grungy, it all works just fine and the
thing drives quite nicely. At this price, just leave it alone and
drive it without worries. Big 15-inch steel wheels with hubcaps and
new 165/80/15 blackwall radials look suitably low-tech, but just
imagine this car with a set of flashier period rolling stock-an
easy improvement that would make this Lark really sing. Extras
include some spare parts and a copy of the original
Studebaker-Packard Corporation production order. You can still have
inexpensive fun that isn't ordinary. By virtue of its funky look, a
wagon's versatility, and the durable mechanicals, this Lark
represents fun with no strings attached. You'll always have the
only one and you'll discover that it's just as economical to own
today as it was in 1961. And with a few upgrades, it could really
be a standout without any kind of major investment. That's exactly
the kind of hobby car we like most. Call today!Harwood Motors
always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections
of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.
