I’ve always felt more comfortable driving old cars, but I’ll never use one as a daily driver because I refuse to knowingly send an old car to its demise by subjecting it to four straight months of daily road salt ingestion sessions. Not everyone is “lucky” enough to live in a salt state, however, and if you’re of my mind, maybe this mostly solid 1962 Studebaker Lark Sedan is your idea of an alternative to a ho-hum modern commuter. It’s up for auction on eBay in Mount Airy, Maryland, with a “Buy It Now” option of $5,500.
Fuel mileage might be a concern for those with a longer commute (not that it will be any worse than a modern full-size pickup), but you’ll have to appreciate the torquey Studebaker V8, which in the 259-cubic-inch variant shown here produces 180 horsepower with a two-barrel and 195 horsepower with a four-barrel (torque ratings are 260 and 265 lb-ft, respectively). The seller doesn’t mention which of the two this Lark has, but it does have a new fuel system (including fuel sender), new radiator, new water pump, new hoses, and a fresh tune up. It also has had a fresh spritz of paint if the oil filter and oil filler neck are any indication.
However, I do like truth in advertising, and this seller includes “the not-so-good.” It’s missing its sun visors and the door panels need to be redone; the wipers work sporadically; the power steering system leaks; and the rear windows won’t roll down. Additionally, the paint looks better in pictures than it does in real life, and it’s been “clear-coated to preserve” it.
Things that aren’t mentioned? It seems to have a crack in the dash pad and the weatherstripping is hanging on by a thread, almost literally. However, the upholstery is new, front and rear, and it looks like a good job was done.
Another benefit of daily driving a 1962 model, at least if you’re interested in Cold War history, is this AM radio with those terrifying little CONELRAD triangles at 640 and 1240 on the dial. I also like that the bright radio surround predicted the grille of the 1964 model.
One more item on the “not-so-good” news list: the driver’s front floor has been patched in a typical backyard-afternoon manner. But if you’re being realistic with yourself about buying any old car in the four-digit price range, you know that some not-up-to-restoration-standard stuff has been done. The rest of the undercarriage pictures look great.
So does the trunk; this is a pretty solid old Studebaker.
And the fact that it has some bumps and bruises makes it an even better potential daily driver, at least for three seasons of the year. It has a new set of tires, so aside from the short “to-do” list, which can be done at the new owner’s leisure, it seems like it’s good to drive. Who’s with me?
Related Reading
On The Go Outtake: 1962 Studebaker Lark – Stranger In A Strange Land (by Paul N)
CC Project: 1963 Studebaker Lark – Assessment and Investigation (by David Saunders)
1965 Studebaker Daytona: Is It Painted Special Order “Flamingo” Pink? Probably Not (by me)
What a cool little car! I’d rather have a 63 Cruiser with the long wheelbase and the new dashboard, but this would be a lot of fun.
Likewise. The ’63 gained not only a new dash, but also a complete revised center section with a flatter windshield with modern parallel wipers, thinner window frames, no fully exposed B pillar, and reshaped C pillar and rear glass, along with straighter trim. A much better-looking, more modern-looking car despite reusing the ’62 front and rear fenders.
I love old cars. I really enjoy the history of old cars, and I drive two classics pretty regularly. That said, I would never daily an old car. I like the comfort and convivence of modern vehicles, and I very much dislike being stranded in traffic. A sixty year old Studebaker is much more likely to stall on a bridge than a 2018 VW Golf.
However, the biggest reason I don’t drive old cars on a daily basis is safety. In November of 2023 I was T-boned pretty badly, in the left front. The car took most of the impact, leaving me pretty much unscathed. There is no way a sixty year old car is going to be as safe in an accident than a modern car.
Hoo boy – I am kind of glad that the one you found to share with us is probably my least favorite Stude of the 60’s (and just barely ahead of the 58 in my hierarchy). That 62 short wheelbase sedan is one of the dumpiest-looking cars ever built. At least it has the V8 and not the OHV 6, which tends to hammer the already shaky value on a car like this.
I thought all Studebaker 4-door sedans moved to the long wheelbase for 1962 – but this one sure does look like the short version with a single-piece rear door glass. What gives? I’ve always read that in 1961 the Cruiser and Econ-o-Miler taxicabs had the four-inch-stretched wheelbase, other Lark sedans were on the shorter wheelbase, but all ’62-66 sedans and wagons were LWB.
This is a 1961 Lark posted on here by Paul, and I’d say it looks shorter than the 1962 Lark.
This ’61 is a short wheelbase model, with a 1961-only rear door and rear window shape. However, much of the ’62’s extra length was from increased rear overhang and a longer trunk, which was fitted to both SWB and LWB Larks. The grille of the ’62-63 also jutted out about 2 inches forward from the ’59-61 design, adding some additional front overhang as well.
Unless my communte were a matter of blocks, which at times it has been, I would not commute in such an old car. My long commutes have involved conjested high speed roads, and my wife was lucky to escape serious injury in a bad communting collision a few years ago – her car was totaled – the many airbags saved her.
It’s hard to get excited about these low trim Studes – the surprising quality of the higher end interiors can make these otherwise dumpy looking cars endearing.
What a bad commute looks like…….the photo does not do it justice, the car spun around and landed straddled over a median.
A nice old survivor .
As I live in the Desert, I can drive a vintage vehicle daily as long as I keep after the maintenance .
I bet this one is fun to drive wit the V8 .
-Nate
I’m with you. A nice cool weather, sunny day daily driver. I’d add shoulder belts or convert to a single belt setup. I might even add a Classic Air a/c unit. Aside from collision safety, the only other drawback is the complete and total lack of respect for cars of this vintage on the road. Nothing pisses off another driver more than a slow poke, even in the right lane.