The car I saw near Gabrielle Brothers in Wickliffe looks an awful lot like a Studebaker Lark. But is it? It has the word Lark on the front fender and a V8 emblem on the trunk. It must be a Lark, right? Well … wait just a minute. Let’s think this through. It could also be an upscale Cruiser … maybe?
- The windshield is flat instead of wraparound. Wikipedia says, “For 1963, Stevens again restyled the Lark. The dated wrap-around windshield was eliminated and the entire “greenhouse” was lightened via the use of thinner door and roof pillars.” So, this is definitely a 1963.
- Certain upscale editions of the Lark had a longer wheel base and an extra pane of glass in the rear doors. The Cruiser had hinged rear door window vents. While this car has the extra glass, it doesn’t seem to have hinged panes in the door. So, this probably isn’t a Cruiser.
- The word Lark is inscribed on the front fender. Wikipedia says they removed this designation from the Cruiser models in 1963 to make the car seem more upscale. So, it’s definitely not a Cruiser.
- Note the chrome trim along the side of the vehicle. “Regals were simple badged as a “Lark” and received a thin stainless steel trim piece that extended from the tip of the front fender to the end of the rear fender.” This is the final clue.
I think that Mystery Car 110 is a 1963 Studebaker Lark Regal. The clues seem to point that way but if not I guess I’ll just have to find that car’s owner and ask him for myself.
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- Picture Review of the Studebaker (oldcarandtruckpictures.com)
- Studebaker 1963 Range (Ritz Site)
- Studebaker Lark (Wikipedia)
- The 1962 and 1963 Studebaker Lark (How Stuff Works)