On August 11, the Studebaker National Museum in South Bend, Indiana, hosts its inaugural Concours d’Elegance at Copshaholm, the museum’s next-door neighbor: the 19th century, 38-room Romanesque Queen Anne home built by the president of the Oliver Chilled Plow Works.
If you want to attend the inaugural event, and you want an affordable but appropriate vehicle for the drive, you might consider the Pick of the Day, a 1964 Studebaker Lark Cruiser 4-door sedan being advertised on ClassicCars.com by a collector car dealership in Ham Lake, Minnesota.
“A very nice and clean 1964 Studebaker Lark Cruiser 4 door that drives like it was when it was new!” the dealer promises.
“Original 289 (V8) 210-horse 2 barrel, Borg Warner 3 speed (manual) transmission w/ overdrive shifts flawlessly.
“Correct dealer add-on A/C blows cold.
“The owner had lots of stuff done to make it run and drive so nice.”
For the 1964 model year, Studebaker de-emphasized the Lark nameplate in preference to several versions of the car — Challenger, Commander, Daytona and Cruiser, as well as a very few Taxi and Heavy-Duty versions. According to the Standard Catalog of American Cars, only 5,023 of the 4-door Cruisers were produced.
The ad notes that the car originally was sold in North Dakota, resided at some point in Virginia, and that everything from the window sticker to receipts come with the car.
The odometer shows 114,000 miles. The asking price is $13,900.
With the car’s rarity, who knows — you might show up and be ushered right onto the concours show field.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
Pick of the day ???? Slim pickings? I was a teenager when the new Studebaker hit the street , I wouldn’t drive it then , I won’t drive it now !! I drove a 53 Ford coupe , three two barrel Hollys with progressive linkage 312 T bird motor , two tone paint , crager 14” mags, glass pack or Hollywood mufflers ,… and , of course all jacked up in the back , slammed in the front !!
I was 😎 cool ….. it’s small wonder Studebaker went broke , we wouldn’t be caught dead or alive in anything with a Studebaker name on it !!!
However, if it was a 53 stud. Coupe , with Olds motor and no hood , maybe !! No wonder they went broke 😊😊😊
Allan, you must have been one of the cool guys. I guess I wasn’t because I’ve always loved Studebakers, though never owned one. I remember going to the local dealer and drooling over the Avanti and I still do when I see one. The Cruiser was much better looking and appointed than any other 1964.
Dear Allan Lloyd: Just so you know, the easiest disqualifier for being "cool" is saying "I was cool". That OK with you? It’s true. Like saying "I’m a genius!". Easiest way to disprove that.
I also don’t think your family disdain for the marque had anything to do with Studebaker’s demise. It was just a bit more complicated than that.
I’m sure your shoebox Ford was the coolest thing going, especially, well, to you. To the kids driving new cars in 1964, it was just another old car. And by the way, that’s "Cragar" wheels.
I do remember a 61 Lark 327 that made a 59 chevy 348 sneek around back streets to avoid getting caught at the same red lights
i owned a 1960 lark with the v8 engine it could use plenty of gas and had no power to speak of.i got rid of it as soon as i could and never bought another one.
jim
I will be attending the Concours not showing a Studebaker but a 1958 Meadows FriskySport.
I love Studebakers, they are a major reason we won WWII. Remember the heavy duty trucks Studebaker made that went to our then Russian allies to quash the Nazi drive into Russia. It worked, the Studebaker,s were durable work horses. It,s good to compare an apple to an apple. I used my Champ two days ago to pull a Mustang out of monsoon flooded wash, the super low 1st gear through the 259 cu in V8 hardly noticed there was anything at the end of the strap. The kid was grateful, his Ford wasn,t even scratched. I did tell him to slow down when the monsoon brings the road oils to the surface. I did similar things when I was a teenager, as long as we walk away and learn from our mistakes it,s a win.
Attending a concours d’elegance with this car? Don’t forget your jeans, your t shirt and your capp. No need to take a bath.