1959 Studebaker Lark VIII
Resourceful engineering gave the 1959 Lark its full-sized interior despite compact exterior dimensions.
Studebaker’s president Harold E. Churchill and his engineering team carved the car from the existing 1953-58 sedan shell, retaining its center body section while trimming nearly 29 inches of overall length by shortening the wheelbase (from 120.5 to 108.5 inches) and reducing the front and rear overhangs.
The result beat Ford’s Falcon and the Chevrolet Corvair to market by almost a year.
Offered as a two-door sedan, four-door sedan, pillarless hardtop, or two-door wagon, the Lark came in Deluxe and Regal trim.
The VI designation identified models powered by Studebaker’s 170-cubic-inch inline-six, while the VIII badge signified the 259-cubic-inch overhead-valve V-8, rated at 180 horsepower with a two-barrel carburetor or 195 horsepower when fitted with the optional Carter WCFB four-barrel and dual exhausts.
Sales jumped from 44,852 units in 1958 to 131,863 for the 1959 model year, giving the struggling South Bend manufacturer a vital reprieve.
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