Finally a CAR WIZARD approved engine swap done on this '60 Studebaker Lark VIII

Comments · 2.4K

• JT

  @JTLaser1 · 4 years ago

  I was raised by a single mom, right at the poverty line. In the 60s we had a Lark, that at some point had several cylinders stop working. But that car kept going, for many miles, until Mom could afford a different, (all eight cylinders running,) car. She loved that Lark, and even as a child I understood her gratitude to that car for giving its all to keep us safe.

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• AG

  @agrippa1234 · 5 years ago

  I, as a retired History teacher, enjoy your efforts to credit an unknown person who did a proper job of dropping in the small block.  It's their legacy, as for anyone who has made/created something that remains used/maintained.  Well done......

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• KE

  @KentTeffeteller · 11 months ago

  This 1960 Lark VIII originally had a 259 V8 engine. Coupled with a Borg/Warner Automatic transmission. (you had to buy the V8 engine to get an Automatic Transmission). I came home from the hospital in Mom's then 1962 Lark wagon. Same drivetrain this came with stock (face lift year). These cars like the Ramblers of the era were very ahead of their time.

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• DO

  @donhathaway3234 · 11 months ago

  Studebaker made some of the best looking pickups back in the day!

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• TO

  @tomnekuda3818 · 4 years ago

  My aunt had this exact car.  My cousin and I got a kick out of it and called it her old "Studbreaker" but she drove all over the U.S. in it and it never failed her.  This is a beautiful swap.

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• KU

  @KungFooGrip · 5 years ago

  One of the marks of a craftsman is being able to appreciate the good work of a fellow craftsman. Whoever did that swap did a nice job, and thats a beautiful car overall.

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• BO

  @bobcaller · 5 years ago

  The circular indentations for drinks on the glove box door brings back memories. But unlike today where we have drink holders for water, soda or coffee, these were designed for drive in restaruant drinks or milkshakes while parked. I remember most cars had them.  Fountain drinks were probably 12 to 16 oz at maximum. Not 5 gallon drums like now lol.

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• TO

  @tombob671 · 5 years ago (edited)

  I am 74 and these cars were solid dependable transportation they were great bang for buck

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• OH

  @oh8wingman · 4 years ago (edited)

  Back in the late 60's I worked on a Lark that the owner said was running rough and hard starting. We checked the compression on it and two of the six cylinders were around 90 while the others were about 120. We pulled the head which was easy as it was still a flathead six. What we found was unbelievable. Two of the intake valves had broken off and were acting as poppet valves with the suction from the intake opening them and the compression forcing them closed. The block was unfortunately unsalvageable so we had to replace the motor with a used engine that we rebuilt. It proved to me that you can never kill a flathead six completely............

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• MA

  @MarshallLoveday · 4 years ago

  The Lark 'VIII' had the 259 cubic-inch V8 in it, originally. One thing to note on these - You noted that the car seemed to have a 1950's vibe to it. This was mostly because the main body structure, housing the passenger compartment, was carried over from the previous Studebaker sedan models. Even the doors were the same stampings. They simply engineered completely new front and rear clips for the body, with more modern and compact styling.

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• SE

  @segofla · 5 years ago

  The VIII meant it had the 259 180 hp V8, whereas the VI had the 90 hp L head 6

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• PD

  @Pdraver333 · 5 years ago

  A few years later, after Studebaker closed the South Bend plant they continued to make cars in Canada using Chevy engines. Just might have made that engine swap a little easier.

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