CarBrandLogos archive · Studebaker · 1959

StudebakerLark

A compact improvised from an existing body, and a year of unexpected profit.

Photo: Jeremy from Sydney, Australia · CC BY 2.0

The story

A defining chapter in Studebaker history.

Explore the ideas, engineering and context that shaped the Studebaker Lark, then continue into its specifications and place in the marque's lineage.

Origins

By 1958 Studebaker was close to finished: sales had collapsed, the Packard merger had gone badly, and there was no money for a new car. The Lark was the response, and it was an act of engineering thrift. Studebaker took its existing sedan body, cut a substantial amount out of the front and rear overhangs while leaving the passenger cabin intact, and produced a compact car with full-size interior space for a fraction of what a clean-sheet design would have cost.

1964 Studebaker Daytona Convertible · Stephen Foskett (Wikipedia User: sfoskett) · CC BY-SA 3.0

Design and engineering

The timing was excellent. American buyers in 1959 wanted something smaller than the enormous cars Detroit was selling, imports were rising fast, and the Big Three had nothing compact to offer. The Lark sold heavily, and Studebaker made a profit that year, its last good one. Buyers could have the old flathead six or a V8, which in a car that light made for a surprisingly quick sedan, and there were coupes, convertibles and wagons.

1961 Studebaker Lark VI four-door sedan · Trekphiler · CC BY 3.0

In production

The reprieve was short. The Falcon, Corvair and Valiant arrived for 1960 with proper dealer networks behind them, and Studebaker's advantage evaporated within a year. Restyling by Brooks Stevens kept the Lark presentable on a tiny budget, and the Daytona versions added some appeal.

1962 Studebaker Lark Daytona dash · Herranderssvensson · CC BY-SA 3.0

Legacy

When South Bend closed in December 1963, production continued at Hamilton, Ontario, with Chevrolet-supplied engines because Studebaker no longer built its own. That lasted until March 1966, when the last Studebaker of any kind was made. The Lark bought the company seven years it would not otherwise have had.

At a glance

The facts that define it.

Produced

1959–1966

Body

2/4-door sedan

Technical specification

The Lark, in detail.

Production: 1959–1966
Body style: 2/4-door sedan; 2-door coupe; 2-door convertible; 2/4-door station wagon
Layout: FR layout
Assembly: Studebaker Automotive Plant, South Bend, Indiana, United States; Studebaker Canada, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Studebaker Australia, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Motor Industries International, Otahuhu, Auckland, New Z
Manufacturer: Studebaker

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