1961 Studebaker Lark Deluxe two-door Sedan

1961 Studebaker Lark Deluxe two-door Sedan• Final model year of the first-generation models• Riviera Blue exterior (code P-6112) and blue and white interior• 170 CID Skybolt straight six-cylinder engine (VIN code S)• Three-speed manual transmission• Rear fender skirts• Whitewall tires• Documentation includes original owner’s manual In its waning years, Studebaker launched the Lark, its compact offering. We’re happy to present this little adorable Blue 1961 Lark Deluxe two-door sedan, the final model year for the car’s first generation.Made in Studebaker’s South Bend, Indiana factory and wearing Riviera Blue (code P-6112), the car’s paint and trim are in overall excellent shape, with only the most minor of blemishes visible at close range but there is some orange peel found on the passenger side at the beltline. The car’s bodywork is straight, its chrome bumpers look great and the engine bay is extremely tidy. This independent rolls on American Classic wide whitewall tires, size 205/75R15 at every corner. Each one is mounted on a steel wheels, topped by a full factory wheel cover. The tires and wheels are all in very good order. Under the hood of the Lark is a 170 CID inline six-cylinder engine, dubbed the “Skybolt.” For 1961, it received an overhead valvetrain instead of the older L-head set-up. This netted the car a 22-horsepower increase and slashed four seconds from its 0-60 time, according to period road tests. Connected to this motor is a three-speed manual transmission Inside, the white bench seats look great, as does the contrasting blue carpet. The white headliner adds contrast, as does the two-spoke steering wheel done up in body color. The inner door panels and Riviera Blue and white metal instrument panel are all in very good order, as is the column-mounted shift lever but the fuel gauge operates but fluctuates. Completing the interior is a factory AM radio but is inoperable.Although the styling was modified, engineering enhancements were the big news for 1961, as the Larks received a performance boost. Studebaker advertised as “the compact with Performability.” The bigger news, as far as the general public was concerned, involved the six-cylinder engine.Studebaker's engineers had long known that their little flathead mill, which dated in its basic form to 1939, was falling farther and farther behind the competition in both power and fuel economy. Lacking the budget to design a completely new engine, the engineering staff converted the 170 CID engine to overhead valves while retaining much of the basic design. The “new” six, which offered the same displacement as before, went from 90 to 112 horsepower. The redesigned motor, known as the “Skybolt Six,” was marketed by Studebaker extensively in 1961. Other engineering improvements that modernized the 1961 Larks included the introduction of cowl ventilation, suspended brake and clutch pedals (accompanied by a firewall-mounted brake master cylinder) and revamped steering systems. Nineteen sixty-one marked a busy year for the U.S. auto industry. Everyone was still becoming used to selling, seeing and owning more than one class of domestic vehicles. Until the late ‘50s, full-size, with very few exceptions, was the only size. As imports like Volkswagen’s Beetle began making serious inroads into America, and Nash’s Rambler began climbing the sales charts between 1957 and 1960, Detroit realized this wasn’t a fad.The Lark had to fly through a lot of compact competition in 1961 – Chevrolet’s Corvair 700, Buick’s Special, Dodge’s Lancer 170, Ford’s Falcon 170, Mercury’s Comet, Oldsmobile’s F-85, Plymouth’s Valiant V200, Pontiac’s Tempest and Rambler’s American Deluxe. Documentation include the original owner’s manual. Looking for a clean and solid car that runs and drives great, while looking different than most early 1960s cars? You should stop by MotoeXotica Classic Cars to check out this Lark today!VIN: 61S26278 This car is currently located at our facility in St. Louis, Missouri. Current mileage on the odometer shows 63,246 miles. It is sold as is, where is, on a clean and clear, mileage exempt title.GET OUT AND DRIVE!!!
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