I mean, those did exist for an actual purpose. By forcing the exhaust gases away from the rear bumper, you wouldn't have to polish the chrome weekly to prevent it from bubbling over. Still a bit contrived though.
@@michaellorah9051 That was the Board of Directors. By the time Egbert became Studebaker's CEO in 1961, Packard was already three years out of production. Poor man, tried his best to save Studebaker from ruin too, but was fighting a losing battle all along. He wouldn't even live to see the 70s.
When I saw the thumbnail I immediately thought of the Soviet GAZ chaika, same year, same black and chrome, and made to carry kgb officers and minor politicians.
My dad was a member of the Studebaker club. They were the only old car guys that would let me drive their cars as a teen. One of them owned a Sherman tank. The guy let me drive his tank when I was 17 yo! Meanwhile the Chevy guys would freak out if I stood too close to their car.
I mean, what are you gonna do to the tank? It's too slow to wrap around a phone pole, and the phone pole would lose. As long as the owner has scouted the area for mud, ditches and landmines I cannot imagine how you could really fuck up with supervision haha. Plus the speed and steering is modulated with a lever so no chance of whiskey throttle if you panic lol.
Chevy Guys have always been nozzles In my home state of Florida you can legally register a Sherman with the DMV, throw on a conversion kit for the treads and use it as a daily if you feel like it
my experience with the club was similar. I'm not sure how many of them are still around from when I was in it ~17 years ago. I'd love to find that vibe again somewhere.
My wife's grandfather bought one of these brand new, his wife drove it once, didn't like it so he disassembled the entire car and put the parts into boxes in his shed. It's still there. He's still a really weird guy.
@@calebm9000how could they be a younger couple if their grandfather bought one of these" brand new " this was like over 60+years ago. So yeah he'd be anywhere from 80& up
That may have been the best intro to a car review video, maybe ever. Then again, considering RCR has been pumping out classic intros for many years now, only the likes Doug Demuro can hold a candle. But Doug's content, approach, and delivery are very different so there's not much nuance in comparison. Anyway, keep doing what you do Mr. Regular and I'll keep watching. BTW, now it makes sense why you said "hot dicks" so many times in the MK IV Supra video. Lol
I was trying to remember which episode that was in. It was like minutes long. I shared the video with some friends and time stamped it telling them there was some sort of useful information they needed to hear.
In case a ton of people haven’t already said, a 170 6-cylinder weighs about 450(ish) pounds and an SBC averages something like 575, so it’s not THAT much heavier. A Studebaker 259/289 V8 weighs over 700 pounds so those had to carry a bit more around…
That said, the Stude 289 was a real juggernaut of an engine. These things in R3 trim dominated the Bonneville Salt Flats for the rest of the decade. 600 HP!
no, he came out in the sera review(or if you follow the second channel or the podcast, around a year before the sera review first on the podcast, then on a roast to point out trying to pose with your car won't work on him), this is just a disclaimer to point out he's allowed to make these jokes
@@dodecahedron1 watched the Sera video again because I know exactly which part you were talking about. It's not a direct outing. He mentions the closet but then kinda deflects to where it sounds like he's talking about other kids he went to school with. I thought he was talking about himself in that video, turns out he was. Good on him for outright saying it. Anyone who thinks less of him is a dolt.
@@TehDrewsus genuinely can't imagine watching the Sera video and thinking he was talking about someone else. It was such a deep, sensitive, heartfelt story about being in the closet. He literally says "the closet was not fun" when talking about the past in the first person. He talks about having to pass as straight for his own physical safety. How would the story not be about himself lmao
What's so amazing is that the company behind this also made the Avanti, which was a wild luxury car with a supercharged 289. Interestingly enough the Avanti outlived Studebaker by a long time. The last Avanti was made in 2006!
The last Avantis weren't really Avantis, they were Mustangs with an Avanti-ish body kit. If I could have any 60s car, it would be a round headlight cover Avanti. Such a beautiful design with the engineering to back it up.
@@bwofficial1776 yeabit was a different company by then. In the 60s the molds were bought by these guys who owned a Studebaker dealership. By the end I don't know who had it.
@@jasonyoung5628 altman and newman from 1965 to 1982, stephen blake from there to 1986 when they had their first bankruptcy, then their assets were bought by michael kelly who restarted the company, then from 1987 to 1991 it was owned by john cefaro, then from 1999 onwards michael kelly again until he was arrested in december 2006 for running a ponzi scheme
Seeing as how my first car was a '62 GT Hawk IN 2017, I'm more than down for this. Studebaker really doesn't get enough love. On another note, the Lark is easily the most efficient car in terms of interior vs. exterior space usage I've seen. A clean, restrained design on European levels that late 50s-early 60s America just didn't have a whole lot of.
@@chrisxa1222 I see a lot of similarities in the Corvair and the earlier Renault Dauphine. Though the Corvair, admittedly, had enough power to get out of its own way, which the Dauphine lacked. Of course you can trace the air cooled, rear engined layout back to at least pre-war Tatras.
I miss Studebaker. My grandfather was an engineer at Studebaker for years, and while he loved his small European imports, there was always a new Studebaker in the garage. We have pictures of each model he ever had. Studebaker was South Bend, as much as Notre Dame football is each Saturday. When they went under, I don't think South Bend fully recovered. The museum has been redone and is a must visit for any automobile historian. Part of the factory has been converted into offices and I believe the printing press for The South Bend Tribune newspaper. The Studebaker mansion near downtown South Bend is open as a museum, restaurant, event center, and even has escape rooms. The place has to be seen to be believed - very impressive place. On a recent trip up there to visit some family, we went to the graves of some long deceased family members buried near another South Bend legend, Knute Rockne. Parked by the graves was a stunning, restored Studebaker Silver Hawk. The owner let me take some pictures because I wanted to capture how beautiful that car really was. But like everyone having their eternal rest at where I was taking these pictures, Studebaker unfortunately is long gone, and all we have left of this wonderful era of stylish cars are those who take the time, money, and energy to keep them beautiful and running.
My Uncle often bought from the independents. AMC in the 70's - a Pacer, a Wagoneer, and a Concord, but I found an old picture of him with his family in front of a Lark. I think the independents attracted independent people.
Indeed. My grandfather was a line worker at Studebaker from 1917 to 1957. Growing up in Elkhart, we used to go over to the museum when it was in the Century Center, and then when it moved to the warehouse, and then again when they moved to the new building.
@@Vaino_Hotti that's it! I was trying to form words in my head for what this car resembles. Honestly resembles an old Soviet economy car like a Gaz. Like a rejected Volga design
I genuinely like the owners take on this car. It's rather an oddball, unique and that's the appeal. With proper brakes, a warmed over motor, mild cam etc. Keep the hubcaps and find yourself a set of wider steelies to accommodate a lil more meat and you've got yourself a riot on your hands. Love it.
Awesome video Mr. Regular. This one hit home. My dad was an electrical design engineer for GE Aerospace, pocket protector and all. In 1962 he bought a green Studebaker Lark. In 1965 I was fortunate enough to have my first ride in the car on the way home from the hospital. I have many fond memories of riding in the Lark. When I was 4 I would stand on the front seat and push my head on the ceiling while my mother whipped around corners. I think we had seat belts but they were tucked in the seats. Great memories camping with the Lark. Around 100k miles my dad rebuilt the engine. Eventually, around 1972 my dad brought the Lark to the Studebaker bone yard. Some guy in Oriskany, NY collected old Studebakers. I'll never forget waiting for dad to get out of work in the summer of 1969 and I slammed the passenger door on my thumb... I could go on but I'm still put off knowing that dad replaced the Studebaker with a Mercury Comet wagon and a Volkswagen Square Back. I still remember getting scolded for braking that hatch on the Volkswagen...twice.
@@jakekaywell5972 That seriously looks like somebody tried to kitbash a '60s compact, a '90s compact, and a circa-1980 BMW and used the most ill-fitting parts of each one.
@@jakekaywell5972 Never heard of the Panhard 24 until now. OK it's 2 am and that's a K-mart knockoff DS and with that I've had enough interneting for today.
@@kz1000ps I mean, you likely wouldn't. It was the last gasp of a little-known French company even back then. Like Studebaker, they were hugely important in ways that elude most folks. For instance, they developed the epynomynous Panhard rod that practically every car uses today among other things.
@@stevethepocket I know, but it somehow works. The engineering is even more insane though. Would you like your engine mounts to also be your exhaust? Well, you've got it now pally!
From this GT Hawk owner, that's accurate as hell. All the praise I really get are from older dudes. Folks in my age range are curious but don't really have that deep-seated passion they have for other cars. March of time I guess.
@@nivlacyevips N O I C E . I'm a Gen Z though, so I'm even more of an atypical Studebaker owner in 2022. Mine is a '62 model, number 3295 out of a total of 9335 made that year. Its got the T10 4-speed manual, Twin Traction lsd, and factory air conditioning, but NO POWER STEERING OR POWER BRAKES. The first owner was a woman too. She must have been something to order that car that way back then. Color combination is the factory green exterior with an aqua interior, for maximum early 60s funkitude. I try to keep her maintained as best I can, but even most mechanical parts have dried up these days from the original '66 parts store. This is one of those cars you just don't change. You just experience it for what it is.
Ah, I love it. I drew so many parallels with Hudson, who went through a lot of the same things just a few years prior. They couldn't afford to retool, restyle, re-engineer more than once post-war. They dabbled in building an economy car hoping that would put them back on top. But sales kept slumping until they had to engage in the merger you mentioned. Would love to get together with you guys to get my 1953 Hudson Hornet reviewed sometime so more folks can enjoy the Hudson story. Love the show guys.
Studebaker Lark, good memories. My grandad owned a Chilean-made one, 4 cyl. Got stolen at some point and found in a corner a block and a half down, with the rear window with the message “Fix it” painted in white.
Once again, a really great episode. I forget how many years I have been watching you and Roman but I have to say you keep it fresh and entertaining. Thank you for being here. You bring humor to those who’s lives seem worthless.
I had a 60 foru door that was powder blue. It had a 259 V8 with a 3 speed column shifted manual. The gears jammed all the time but it had overdrive that was fun. WOW , thaat one needs new king pins , look at the passenger tire lean on turns ! They were known for worn front end parts.
South Bender here. My grandfather worked at Studebaker as a manager for the auto paint department. He swore up and down that the reason that Studebaker collapsed was because the execs kept giving everyone raises. Eventually the labor costs were just too high and there was no R&D budget. Good video as always.
Mr Regular, have you been working out ? You look in shape! Happy to hear what I heared in the beginning of this video. It changes nothing, it even makes you more interesting. A talented writer, and a fresh eye in what you do. Thank you.
"Studebaker was for weirdos" -- is kind of right! My dad was not a weirdo (that probably fits me) but he was for sure an iconoclast and you could see it in the cars we had including a few Studebakers. Great episode!!!
My grandfather says his Studebaker was the best car he ever owned. He also drove a Renault 10 to his job at Chrysler in Delaware so the oddballness checks out.
Honestly you coming out just adds a lot of inclusiveness to this community. I still think your community is detached from the regular car community by just being ironically more mature than the usual. Congrats. We will welcome you with open arms
Congratulations on coming out, doesn't change a damn thing but if it makes you feel better I'm happy for you. Content is great and I'll keep watching if you keep making it.
The most shocking thing for me about this video is that 1960 was 62 years ago….funny how the twin bonanza doesn’t look too dated, compared to the car at least.
To my distant Australian eye, it looks like Studebaker was trying to capture the Euro look and proportions of that era; think Ford Zephyr, Taunus, Zodiac, Opel Rekord, Olympia, Wollsley 28/80, Rover P4. Yes it was automotive austerity but a gallant effort nonetheless.
@@farnarkleboy yeah they were the only V8 car available locally in any appreciable numbers until the XR Falcon GT came along. They used to race the Lark V8s (the police spec you mentioned I believe) at Bathurst, they blitzed the field for about 2 laps then the brakes went Chernobyl on them.... and the Mini Coopers and Cortinas left them in the dust.
Alright, Mr. Regular. Where is your airplane channel? I need this. With 857k subscribers, I bet you have a decent pilot base for "regular" airplane reviews. We get videos, they get to show off their airplanes, you get to fly aircraft you otherwise wouldn't get the chance. Win. Win. Win.
I briefly owned my dad's '61 Champ pickup after he passed away until I found someone who could restore and appreciate it. But, other than that, I've never owned a Studebaker. I am a Studebaker, 1957 model, still running okay. I enjoyed the video of the Lark. It would be a fun car to own, but my daily driver is a '92 Volvo 240, which is kind of Lark-esque style wise, but has modern amenities like AC, an air bag, fuel injection, ABS disc brakes, electric windows, AND A STEREO! 😂 I remember your review of the 240 from a few years ago, "The car that won the Cold War."
Wait did Mr. Regular just come out of the closet? Congrats! Is that what we say? Good job? Whatever. We're happy for you. This explains some of the humor maybe. Keep up the good work!
He's strongly hinted at it before, and some in the comments say he's been open about it on his second channel, but I think this is the first he's outright said it on the main channel.
I think those things are cool, I have seen so some nostalgia drag cars from the Paxton era with the supercharged V8 and Borg Warner T-10 and they are rockets. Nilvac 57 "LS Calvin" has one with a turbo Atlas 4.2L "Ameriberra" I6 and that is really fast and extremely cool. I like the owner's style, very neat and it seems like it would be fun, even if it makes less than 200hp to the tires and 4bbl 350 always has nice induction sound with a relatively quiet exhaust. It's a light enough car it still probably runs along very well with that much torque and throttle response.
The Lark was closer to a chevy nova than a Corvair. I had a nova and it is extremely similar to the lark,,,,,even the dashboard design. Actually the Lark Wagon with the sliding rear roof was pretty nice,
you have to love that entirely deadpan "attention K-Mart shoppers there's been a diarrhea spill on isles four through seven" tone announcement of being allowed to make jokes at his own sexuality.
@@JL-sm6cg its also the tone that knows that HE is going to have to clean it up, because the janitor doesn't do the floors until next Thursday and Charlene has an arm brace from the repetitive scanning and crunchy back syndrome so you're not making HER bend over and clean this up.
having that aftermarket availability for repairs or just parts in general is such a crucial thing for driving and maintaining old cars, and is precisely why I decided to stop screwing around with dodges and cut my losses and got an Impala instead. GM and especially chevy just used every part for so god damn long and crapped out so much volume that 50 years from now you will still probably be able to get NOS SBC parts, or a dome light for a 66 chevelle. dodge stuff for performance parts and for the more popular cars is around, but when you need to get stuff for say an A body and all you can do is look around junkyards or pray whatever you need is on marketplace or craigslist it gets to be a real pain in the ass
I bought my first car, a 1960 Studebaker Lark with 40,000 miles, in 1965 when I was in high school. I paid $225 and drove it all the way thru college. I LOVED that car. Lots of power, easy on gas, roomy. The four doors allowed my then girlfriend to load her stand up bass into the back seat (with the window down!) when our little band had a gig. Her dad told me he had decided the first time he met me that, since I was driving a reliable Studebaker and not some suped-up rod or rusty old hulk, I was probably OK for his daughter! In the 90s I bought a 1961 Lark VIII Regal Cruiser (rare but real), 61V-Y6, with low miles and kept it until a good friend bought it for his collection of rare Larks (see rear cover "Turning Wheels" Vol 26 #6). By the way, my high school Lark had a camper option which allowed the front seat back to drop down making the entire interior a sleeping space. (So much for her dad's evaluation). Folks try to apply todays automotive standards to these old vehicles, but they really just reflex the times. Come to think of it - so do I ! MB
As a bisexual man who came out at this time last year, i have huge respect for other guys who come out. It was massively stressful for a month but i regret nothing. So happy that i can be honest with myself and others. Except i dont tell my blue collar coworkers because i would rather have them be comfortbale around me at all times. High five to you Mr. Regular!
@@stoneylonesome4062 If I could have any 60s car, that right there is at the top of my list. They still look like nothing else and the engineering was ahead of its time.
@@gamerfallout Great job on the Lark. You have every reason to be proud of this GSA special. From this fellow fairly-young 60s Stude owner, keep on 'a-rollin!
Mr. Regular's take on toxic masculinity from the 50s is iconic. His take on the Olds 88 was a flawless look into the troubled world of executives from the Boomer Era
In Hawaii not many of these cars were sold. There were a few in rural California where I grew up. A lot more independents were sold there than other places. Willy Loman drove a Studebaker. They were seen as "Farmer's cars" that were not Fords.
Many years ago I had a neighbor adjoining some acreage I owned who had a '61 Lark with a three-on-the-tree. He asked me if I could adjust the clutch for him which I gladly did. He also showed me around the rest of the car, and both of us were thoroughly impressed on how solidly built it was frame-wise.
Mr Regular. I just idled my way out of the closet. You laid rubber! Look for RUclips Studebaker ads with Zsa Zsa Gabor trying to make the 1963 Lark look like a glamorous European car. She does, too. Love the channel.
“Lark, MIRRORRR, for looking for *FRIENDS* of *DOROTHYYY”* 💀 and honey tea boots some of us already done knew this but i’m glad the masses are now aware ❤️
At the Auburn, Dusenburg, Cord Museum in Auburn Indiana, in amongst the priceless Duseys and Cord 810's and exotic sports cars and Jay Leno's name on the wall sits a tribute to the Lark, complete with a video loop of the V8 models hauling ass on test tracks and marking up impressive stats for the day. If you were a performance driver in 1960 looking to go stealth, you WANTED one of these. I'm still smirking over the tissue dispenser gag. Keep on being you.
I wish Studebaker was still around. Looking at this car, I can say...it fits me. It's not my first choice, but if I in 1960 were in the market...the Lark...would appeal to me. It would call out from a distance, and I would stare at it, it stare at me. I'd find myself drawn to the lack of flash, but really nice styling. The interior looks nice and stately without being over the top or extravagant. The black paint on chrome is beautiful and timeless. Studebaker in my eyes would have probably flourished in the 1970's when small cars were all the rage in the oil crisis. Studebaker making small cars may not have worked in the 60's and before, but would have killed in the 1970's with the right approach. I dunno, I really think a modern day Studebaker would be like how Scion was. Cars that are very practical, pretty nice, but not so overly. Affordable, but not demeaning due to a lack of value. I think all cars though if regulations were looser, we'd see such a renaissance of the automotive industry. Unfortunately, in this day and age, most cars feel very similar and the enthusiasm is dull. In a way with how it actually is, maybe Studebaker not being present means we can enjoy what it was, without pollution, as today they'd likely just be another American generic car brand, pumping the same SUV as they have been. We can remember them with rose tinted glasses, by our memory or understanding of the past. Because while I would love to see the underdog unique American car brand succeed, I don't think that's the real story we would have had. So I'll look on to the car I would have thought about owning had I lived in 1960, and wonder truly what cars could have been.
Before you make fun of a '53 Studebaker, compare their '53 Coupe with a typical 53 Chevy or '53 Ford. Or even better compare it to a 58 Mercury or '58 Buick. Designed by Raymond Lowey, the '53 Studebaker coupe was way ahead of its' time, and looked more like an early '60s or European car. After the excesses of Detroit in the late '50s, the Larks were also ahead of their time, and a big seller when they first came out in '59 A downsized body with a roomy interior, and optional V8 power - which wasn't available on the Corvairs, early Falcons or Valiants. The '53 Studebaker coupe continued on through the early '60s as the very attractive Hawk, but they simply ran out of money.
I lost it at the "exhaust deflector." Designed to do jackshit. Mr. Regular never disappoints.
I mean, those did exist for an actual purpose. By forcing the exhaust gases away from the rear bumper, you wouldn't have to polish the chrome weekly to prevent it from bubbling over. Still a bit contrived though.
Thanks!
@@RegularCars your a homosexual bru for real?
@@SeekYHWHsface dude. Uncool.
Congrats to Mr. Regular for coming out in the most mature and dignified way possible.
bro he's been out (in reviews) since the Manual Sera
@@reyaswilfred2228 Huh, I didn't know that. Neat-o. That said, that Lark will now go out of its way to kill him now, Christine-style.
You’re a little late to that party he’s been out for a while now
There’s been hints at it for years. All that ass play and hot dicks shit wasn’t doing the mystery any favours
Is he actually? I really can not tell.
man, im just happy Mr. Regular is comfortable with who he is, at last
❤❤❤
@@RegularCars very handsome
respect the honesty, it's not easy 🏳️🌈
He is funny and knows his stuff. I don't care who he or anybody chooses to love as long as is consensual.
I couldn't tell if he was joking at first so i came to the comments and I'm so happy for him😊
I'd absolutely love to travel back in time and force Studebaker execs to watch this intro
How to kill an entire boardroom without firing a single shot.
What did Sherwood Egbert do to you?
@@jakekaywell5972 he killed Packard. Thats what he did.
@@michaellorah9051 That was the Board of Directors. By the time Egbert became Studebaker's CEO in 1961, Packard was already three years out of production. Poor man, tried his best to save Studebaker from ruin too, but was fighting a losing battle all along. He wouldn't even live to see the 70s.
Pronounced Saabacker
This looks like the kind of car a sleeper KGB agent would drive in America to try blending in.
🤫
lmao true
I guess you never saw "The Americans" Those agents drove a new Z28 Camaro and a late model Delta 88 Oldsmobile.
When I saw the thumbnail I immediately thought of the Soviet GAZ chaika, same year, same black and chrome, and made to carry kgb officers and minor politicians.
"same mirror with more bullshit" ... Exactly how I describe any mirror with a compass and temp sensor in it love it 😂
Totally
You reminded me that early '80s Cadillacs had a thermometer in the driver's side rear view mirror stalk.
@@Sonny_McMacsson Buicks too!
The exception: mirror defrosters
Don’t shoot your eye out.
“Your wife is already used to a compact size” is a quote and insult I will now and forever use
My dad was a member of the Studebaker club. They were the only old car guys that would let me drive their cars as a teen. One of them owned a Sherman tank. The guy let me drive his tank when I was 17 yo! Meanwhile the Chevy guys would freak out if I stood too close to their car.
Makes sense, the SDC is always desperate for new members to fill the ranks. That and they're just nice folks. Full of that Midwestern OPE spirit.
I mean, what are you gonna do to the tank? It's too slow to wrap around a phone pole, and the phone pole would lose. As long as the owner has scouted the area for mud, ditches and landmines I cannot imagine how you could really fuck up with supervision haha.
Plus the speed and steering is modulated with a lever so no chance of whiskey throttle if you panic lol.
@@rolanddeschain6265 What if the kid goes nuts and decides to go on a rampage?
Chevy Guys have always been nozzles
In my home state of Florida you can legally register a Sherman with the DMV, throw on a conversion kit for the treads and use it as a daily if you feel like it
my experience with the club was similar. I'm not sure how many of them are still around from when I was in it ~17 years ago. I'd love to find that vibe again somewhere.
My wife's grandfather bought one of these brand new, his wife drove it once, didn't like it so he disassembled the entire car and put the parts into boxes in his shed. It's still there.
He's still a really weird guy.
Your wife’s grandfather is still alive? That’s impressive
....why? They could be a younger couple
@@calebm9000how could they be a younger couple if their grandfather bought one of these" brand new " this was like over 60+years ago. So yeah he'd be anywhere from 80& up
That may have been the best intro to a car review video, maybe ever. Then again, considering RCR has been pumping out classic intros for many years now, only the likes Doug Demuro can hold a candle. But Doug's content, approach, and delivery are very different so there's not much nuance in comparison. Anyway, keep doing what you do Mr. Regular and I'll keep watching.
BTW, now it makes sense why you said "hot dicks" so many times in the MK IV Supra video. Lol
Ohhhh....
Thanks, that makes me feel happy
I was trying to remember which episode that was in. It was like minutes long.
I shared the video with some friends and time stamped it telling them there was some sort of useful information they needed to hear.
Doug is a beta/bottom or what some would call B.B. 🙊
what the fuck are you smoking
I don't care who Mr. Regular sleeps with as long as I get my morphine.
sus
HAAA!👍
same
Deep lore
This *WHOLE* sentence.
In case a ton of people haven’t already said, a 170 6-cylinder weighs about 450(ish) pounds and an SBC averages something like 575, so it’s not THAT much heavier. A Studebaker 259/289 V8 weighs over 700 pounds so those had to carry a bit more around…
😱 I always forget that everything used to be cast iron
To stuff a Chevy engine in one of these cars requires some buggery-fuckery with the steering crosslink, it is little wonder it drives "sketchy".
That said, the Stude 289 was a real juggernaut of an engine. These things in R3 trim dominated the Bonneville Salt Flats for the rest of the decade. 600 HP!
studebaker V8s have a lot of nickel in them making them tough but heavier.
I like how people ask him if it’s a Soviet era car, I definitely see it. Tbh my first thought was the car from Gattaca.
The owner should have told those on lookers "It is American Saab" aka Studmaker.
lots of cool classics in Gattaca, love the police Rover P6s.
@@dcanmore Also the Studebaker Avanti.
If it said ГАЗ on it, I wouldn't even blink an eye
I like that you’re including interviews with the owners. It’s nice to see where I am on the Weirdo Scale.
The Studebaker Lark screams fictional video game car to me. It's hard to believe it's real
Like a car from LA Noire.
@@tomgnyc More like the Fallout series. LA Noire's cars are all real-life models from real-life companies. Also about a decade too new.
It looks straight out of a Mafia game.
@@andrewduong2740 Mafia II specifically, we don't talk about 3
@@andrewduong2740Every car from the first two Mafias were based off real cars. They made them as close as they could without getting sued.
Mr.Regular you can make any kind of jokes you want 😂
@@FlameOnTheBeat that's not a joke that's a word
@@Bk-yd8yl If a word isn't a joke, then explain *A M O G U S*
@@Bk-yd8yl amogus
@@misorodzinak8829 I laugh, but I also owned one, so I cry
@@misorodzinak8829 Honestly, that's the worse N word.
Did Mr Regular just come out?
Proud of you man.
no, he came out in the sera review(or if you follow the second channel or the podcast, around a year before the sera review first on the podcast, then on a roast to point out trying to pose with your car won't work on him), this is just a disclaimer to point out he's allowed to make these jokes
Not that he doesn’t disregard descriptions of attractive females like Russia disregards sovereignty..
@@dodecahedron1 watched the Sera video again because I know exactly which part you were talking about.
It's not a direct outing. He mentions the closet but then kinda deflects to where it sounds like he's talking about other kids he went to school with.
I thought he was talking about himself in that video, turns out he was.
Good on him for outright saying it. Anyone who thinks less of him is a dolt.
@@TehDrewsus genuinely can't imagine watching the Sera video and thinking he was talking about someone else. It was such a deep, sensitive, heartfelt story about being in the closet. He literally says "the closet was not fun" when talking about the past in the first person. He talks about having to pass as straight for his own physical safety. How would the story not be about himself lmao
@@jessie1078 chill bro 😂
What's so amazing is that the company behind this also made the Avanti, which was a wild luxury car with a supercharged 289. Interestingly enough the Avanti outlived Studebaker by a long time. The last Avanti was made in 2006!
The last Avantis weren't really Avantis, they were Mustangs with an Avanti-ish body kit. If I could have any 60s car, it would be a round headlight cover Avanti. Such a beautiful design with the engineering to back it up.
@@bwofficial1776 yeabit was a different company by then. In the 60s the molds were bought by these guys who owned a Studebaker dealership. By the end I don't know who had it.
I worked on an Avanti in the early 2000s! It was pretty rad!
saw an avanti as a young child, and have fallen in love with them ever since. what i would give to own one
@@jasonyoung5628 altman and newman from 1965 to 1982, stephen blake from there to 1986 when they had their first bankruptcy, then their assets were bought by michael kelly who restarted the company, then from 1987 to 1991 it was owned by john cefaro, then from 1999 onwards michael kelly again until he was arrested in december 2006 for running a ponzi scheme
Seeing as how my first car was a '62 GT Hawk IN 2017, I'm more than down for this. Studebaker really doesn't get enough love. On another note, the Lark is easily the most efficient car in terms of interior vs. exterior space usage I've seen. A clean, restrained design on European levels that late 50s-early 60s America just didn't have a whole lot of.
Studebaker got a jump in 59, but by 60 Chevy had the Corvair, probably the most European influenced car ever designed in America.
And probably didn´t understand
@@seed_drill7135 Actually, the Corvair INFLUENCED several European cars ITSELF.
@@seed_drill7135 actually most 60s European cars are corvair copies
@@chrisxa1222 I see a lot of similarities in the Corvair and the earlier Renault Dauphine. Though the Corvair, admittedly, had enough power to get out of its own way, which the Dauphine lacked. Of course you can trace the air cooled, rear engined layout back to at least pre-war Tatras.
I miss Studebaker. My grandfather was an engineer at Studebaker for years, and while he loved his small European imports, there was always a new Studebaker in the garage. We have pictures of each model he ever had. Studebaker was South Bend, as much as Notre Dame football is each Saturday. When they went under, I don't think South Bend fully recovered. The museum has been redone and is a must visit for any automobile historian. Part of the factory has been converted into offices and I believe the printing press for The South Bend Tribune newspaper. The Studebaker mansion near downtown South Bend is open as a museum, restaurant, event center, and even has escape rooms. The place has to be seen to be believed - very impressive place.
On a recent trip up there to visit some family, we went to the graves of some long deceased family members buried near another South Bend legend, Knute Rockne. Parked by the graves was a stunning, restored Studebaker Silver Hawk. The owner let me take some pictures because I wanted to capture how beautiful that car really was. But like everyone having their eternal rest at where I was taking these pictures, Studebaker unfortunately is long gone, and all we have left of this wonderful era of stylish cars are those who take the time, money, and energy to keep them beautiful and running.
Fellow South Bender!!!
My Uncle often bought from the independents. AMC in the 70's - a Pacer, a Wagoneer, and a Concord, but I found an old picture of him with his family in front of a Lark. I think the independents attracted independent people.
Indeed. My grandfather was a line worker at Studebaker from 1917 to 1957. Growing up in Elkhart, we used to go over to the museum when it was in the Century Center, and then when it moved to the warehouse, and then again when they moved to the new building.
I remember being fascinated by the weirdness of Studebakers as a kid.
Good memories.
Are you born in 1952 or something
Honestly I really like the looks of it for some reason. It's classy.
It's a clean, restrained American design in an era when American car designs were as far removed from classiness as humanly possible.
The grill kinda looks like it was put onto modern 300s
To me it looks a bit Soviet...
@@Vaino_Hotti that's it! I was trying to form words in my head for what this car resembles. Honestly resembles an old Soviet economy car like a Gaz. Like a rejected Volga design
@@Bready3000 More like stripped Mercedes 190 sedan for me.
I hope this bit of letting the owners geek out about their vehicles at the end becomes a regular thing. Their enthusiasm was great.
It is not the first time it's been done on the channel by any stretch
@@victorkreig6089 Yeah, but it's far from regular.
As long as the owner is knowledgeable not that LS430 guy who didn't know anything about it
I've had the pleasure to ride in a beechcraft bonanza, and yeah it's the Chris Craft of flying for sure
I genuinely like the owners take on this car. It's rather an oddball, unique and that's the appeal. With proper brakes, a warmed over motor, mild cam etc. Keep the hubcaps and find yourself a set of wider steelies to accommodate a lil more meat and you've got yourself a riot on your hands. Love it.
Even back in the day, Studebakers were sleepers. Studebaker put some hot engines into their cars.
Awesome video Mr. Regular. This one hit home. My dad was an electrical design engineer for GE Aerospace, pocket protector and all. In 1962 he bought a green Studebaker Lark. In 1965 I was fortunate enough to have my first ride in the car on the way home from the hospital. I have many fond memories of riding in the Lark. When I was 4 I would stand on the front seat and push my head on the ceiling while my mother whipped around corners. I think we had seat belts but they were tucked in the seats. Great memories camping with the Lark. Around 100k miles my dad rebuilt the engine. Eventually, around 1972 my dad brought the Lark to the Studebaker bone yard. Some guy in Oriskany, NY collected old Studebakers. I'll never forget waiting for dad to get out of work in the summer of 1969 and I slammed the passenger door on my thumb... I could go on but I'm still put off knowing that dad replaced the Studebaker with a Mercury Comet wagon and a Volkswagen Square Back. I still remember getting scolded for braking that hatch on the Volkswagen...twice.
This car looks like it was only existing in The Iron Giant universe
This and the Panhard 24 are tied on the 60s compact funk-o-meter.
@@jakekaywell5972 That seriously looks like somebody tried to kitbash a '60s compact, a '90s compact, and a circa-1980 BMW and used the most ill-fitting parts of each one.
@@jakekaywell5972 Never heard of the Panhard 24 until now. OK it's 2 am and that's a K-mart knockoff DS and with that I've had enough interneting for today.
@@kz1000ps I mean, you likely wouldn't. It was the last gasp of a little-known French company even back then. Like Studebaker, they were hugely important in ways that elude most folks. For instance, they developed the epynomynous Panhard rod that practically every car uses today among other things.
@@stevethepocket I know, but it somehow works. The engineering is even more insane though. Would you like your engine mounts to also be your exhaust? Well, you've got it now pally!
Petition to get an intro like that for all old car manuals:
The review we didn’t need but needed at midnight ❤
Oh Studebaker, you’re the fun alcoholic uncle that passed away long ago and only the older cousins remember…
From this GT Hawk owner, that's accurate as hell. All the praise I really get are from older dudes. Folks in my age range are curious but don't really have that deep-seated passion they have for other cars. March of time I guess.
@@jakekaywell5972 My mom owns a 63 Gran Turismo Hawk, 289 4 speed. I keep it maintained. Let’s go millennial Studebaker boys
@@nivlacyevips N O I C E . I'm a Gen Z though, so I'm even more of an atypical Studebaker owner in 2022. Mine is a '62 model, number 3295 out of a total of 9335 made that year. Its got the T10 4-speed manual, Twin Traction lsd, and factory air conditioning, but NO POWER STEERING OR POWER BRAKES. The first owner was a woman too. She must have been something to order that car that way back then. Color combination is the factory green exterior with an aqua interior, for maximum early 60s funkitude. I try to keep her maintained as best I can, but even most mechanical parts have dried up these days from the original '66 parts store. This is one of those cars you just don't change. You just experience it for what it is.
I was here wondering how long it would take Mr. Regular to get out of that character and boy was I not disappointed 😂
I love his bits most of the time but I had to skip this one lol. That voice is so damn harsh and it goes on FOREVER.
Ah, I love it. I drew so many parallels with Hudson, who went through a lot of the same things just a few years prior. They couldn't afford to retool, restyle, re-engineer more than once post-war. They dabbled in building an economy car hoping that would put them back on top. But sales kept slumping until they had to engage in the merger you mentioned. Would love to get together with you guys to get my 1953 Hudson Hornet reviewed sometime so more folks can enjoy the Hudson story. Love the show guys.
Nice! I own a 53 Hornet as well Club Coupe. Hudson had even harder time update styling considering the monobuilt construction.
@@willgeary6086 Yes! The stepdown platform was so successful until it proved difficult to facelift dated bodies!
@@53hornet Yup! Though 54 was a valiant effort considering the millions they spent on the Jet.
@@willgeary6086 Poor Jet, probably 20 years too early.
Studebaker Lark, good memories. My grandad owned a Chilean-made one, 4 cyl. Got stolen at some point and found in a corner a block and a half down, with the rear window with the message “Fix it” painted in white.
The intro alone is everything that makes a regular car review better than any other 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Once again, a really great episode. I forget how many years I have been watching you and Roman but I have to say you keep it fresh and entertaining. Thank you for being here. You bring humor to those who’s lives seem worthless.
@@crispindry2815 You seem like a fucking tool, especially in context of the comment you're replying to. Get a life you twat.
At 0:18, Mr. R started to sound like the VOX announcement system from Half Life.
I had a 60 foru door that was powder blue. It had a 259 V8 with a 3 speed column shifted manual. The gears jammed all the time but it had overdrive that was fun. WOW , thaat one needs new king pins , look at the passenger tire lean on turns ! They were known for worn front end parts.
South Bender here. My grandfather worked at Studebaker as a manager for the auto paint department. He swore up and down that the reason that Studebaker collapsed was because the execs kept giving everyone raises. Eventually the labor costs were just too high and there was no R&D budget. Good video as always.
Perfect timing, I was just about to go to bed and now I have something nice to watch.
"If you don’t think the front end of a Studebaker is sexy, you better check your pulse." - Mikse Wolf
I know they upload every monday but i didnt think it would be this early its literally 12 am
Mr Regular, have you been working out ? You look in shape! Happy to hear what I heared in the beginning of this video. It changes nothing, it even makes you more interesting. A talented writer, and a fresh eye in what you do. Thank you.
"Studebaker was for weirdos" -- is kind of right! My dad was not a weirdo (that probably fits me) but he was for sure an iconoclast and you could see it in the cars we had including a few Studebakers. Great episode!!!
My grandfather says his Studebaker was the best car he ever owned. He also drove a Renault 10 to his job at Chrysler in Delaware so the oddballness checks out.
Honestly you coming out just adds a lot of inclusiveness to this community. I still think your community is detached from the regular car community by just being ironically more mature than the usual. Congrats. We will welcome you with open arms
how dare you accuse me of bein mature
Congratulations on coming out, doesn't change a damn thing but if it makes you feel better I'm happy for you. Content is great and I'll keep watching if you keep making it.
I learned three on the tree in a 61 lark. What I liked most of it was it was a small car but drive like a boat of the same era.
I love getting to hear the owners story on how they got the cars they did and why
I just want you to know, the voice in the intro is about two degrees and a _"NYAAAAAAAH, HE-MAN!"_ away from Skeletor.
Skeletor works as a Trans-Atlantic radio announcer to financially support his dastardly schemes confirmed.
The most shocking thing for me about this video is that 1960 was 62 years ago….funny how the twin bonanza doesn’t look too dated, compared to the car at least.
Mr. Regular is a STUD-ebaker!
I'll see myself out...
(This a great car, BTW. I love the styling).
Fozzie's joke about "a bear in his natural habitat; a Studebaker" hits different after this video...
Just a tip for driving a manuel brake system: Use your left foot.
Use both!
To my distant Australian eye, it looks like Studebaker was trying to capture the Euro look and proportions of that era; think Ford Zephyr, Taunus, Zodiac, Opel Rekord, Olympia, Wollsley 28/80, Rover P4. Yes it was automotive austerity but a gallant effort nonetheless.
Victoria Police had V8 Larks as pursuit cars in the early 1960's , apparently they were very fast for the time
@@farnarkleboy yeah they were the only V8 car available locally in any appreciable numbers until the XR Falcon GT came along. They used to race the Lark V8s (the police spec you mentioned I believe) at Bathurst, they blitzed the field for about 2 laps then the brakes went Chernobyl on them.... and the Mini Coopers and Cortinas left them in the dust.
Happy to hear you come out RUclips! Mazeltov!
We love you Mr. Reg regardless of orientation. Keep putting out the best car content on all of RUclips man. Peace.
Alright, Mr. Regular. Where is your airplane channel? I need this. With 857k subscribers, I bet you have a decent pilot base for "regular" airplane reviews. We get videos, they get to show off their airplanes, you get to fly aircraft you otherwise wouldn't get the chance. Win. Win. Win.
I must admit it does look very classic British, like a '60s Wolseley or Rover.
“Now that I drive it more, it really is me” -when you know you picked the right car for you and no one else, much props
1951 Studebaker Champion is my dream car
I briefly owned my dad's '61 Champ pickup after he passed away until I found someone who could restore and appreciate it. But, other than that, I've never owned a Studebaker. I am a Studebaker, 1957 model, still running okay. I enjoyed the video of the Lark. It would be a fun car to own, but my daily driver is a '92 Volvo 240, which is kind of Lark-esque style wise, but has modern amenities like AC, an air bag, fuel injection, ABS disc brakes, electric windows, AND A STEREO! 😂 I remember your review of the 240 from a few years ago, "The car that won the Cold War."
Wait did Mr. Regular just come out of the closet? Congrats! Is that what we say? Good job? Whatever. We're happy for you. This explains some of the humor maybe. Keep up the good work!
He's strongly hinted at it before, and some in the comments say he's been open about it on his second channel, but I think this is the first he's outright said it on the main channel.
We say no one cares. It isn't 1995.
@@broman260 believe me, there are always assholes
who care. I wish there were not.
best RCR video to date.
No surprise, since its a Studebaker Lark. RCR and the Lark were made for each other.
I think those things are cool, I have seen so some nostalgia drag cars from the Paxton era with the supercharged V8 and Borg Warner T-10 and they are rockets. Nilvac 57 "LS Calvin" has one with a turbo Atlas 4.2L "Ameriberra" I6 and that is really fast and extremely cool. I like the owner's style, very neat and it seems like it would be fun, even if it makes less than 200hp to the tires and 4bbl 350 always has nice induction sound with a relatively quiet exhaust. It's a light enough car it still probably runs along very well with that much torque and throttle response.
The Lark was closer to a chevy nova than a Corvair. I had a nova and it is extremely similar to the lark,,,,,even the dashboard design. Actually the Lark Wagon with the sliding rear roof was pretty nice,
It's weird. I like it. The owner seems cool!
Wasnt sure what was happening in that intro for a bit, but Im happy for you, Mr. R. Takes guts, even today. Hats off to you, bud.
you have to love that entirely deadpan "attention K-Mart shoppers there's been a diarrhea spill on isles four through seven" tone announcement of being allowed to make jokes at his own sexuality.
Now there's an image I can't get out of my head. lol
@@JL-sm6cg its also the tone that knows that HE is going to have to clean it up, because the janitor doesn't do the floors until next Thursday and Charlene has an arm brace from the repetitive scanning and crunchy back syndrome so you're not making HER bend over and clean this up.
@@incompetentdiplomat3716 Excellent stuff. The people who bought Lark VIs new were one of three things: design people, cheapskates, or fleet owners.
having that aftermarket availability for repairs or just parts in general is such a crucial thing for driving and maintaining old cars, and is precisely why I decided to stop screwing around with dodges and cut my losses and got an Impala instead. GM and especially chevy just used every part for so god damn long and crapped out so much volume that 50 years from now you will still probably be able to get NOS SBC parts, or a dome light for a 66 chevelle. dodge stuff for performance parts and for the more popular cars is around, but when you need to get stuff for say an A body and all you can do is look around junkyards or pray whatever you need is on marketplace or craigslist it gets to be a real pain in the ass
Am I remembering wrong or didn't Mr. Regular come out on Twitter earlier this year / last year? Either way, congrats!
months ago yes
The "Friends of Dorthy" comment had me rolling.
Honestly every video can be Mr. Regular "reading" car manuals and I would be a happy man.
Thank you, Mr. Regular. I love your content and respect you so much. You coming out has really made me feel better about who I am as well.
I kind of like the proportions. The side view gives me a little BMW 2002 vibe.
I bought my first car, a 1960 Studebaker Lark with 40,000 miles, in 1965 when I was in high school. I paid $225 and drove it all the way thru college. I LOVED that car. Lots of power, easy on gas, roomy.
The four doors allowed my then girlfriend to load her stand up bass into the back seat (with the window down!) when our little band had a gig. Her dad told me he had decided the first time he met me that, since I was driving a reliable Studebaker and not some suped-up rod or rusty old hulk, I was probably OK for his daughter!
In the 90s I bought a 1961 Lark VIII Regal Cruiser (rare but real), 61V-Y6, with low miles and kept it until a good friend bought it for his collection of rare Larks (see rear cover "Turning Wheels" Vol 26 #6).
By the way, my high school Lark had a camper option which allowed the front seat back to drop down making the entire interior a sleeping space. (So much for her dad's evaluation).
Folks try to apply todays automotive standards to these old vehicles, but they really just reflex the times. Come to think of it - so do I !
MB
Whoa, an RCR episode this early. Wingadingadingading!
As a bisexual man who came out at this time last year, i have huge respect for other guys who come out. It was massively stressful for a month but i regret nothing. So happy that i can be honest with myself and others. Except i dont tell my blue collar coworkers because i would rather have them be comfortbale around me at all times. High five to you Mr. Regular!
Good job on being yourself
Every day we're getting closer to an Avanti video
Round Headlight Avanti with Paxton supercharger is one of the coolest, forgotten American grand tourers.
*LOEWY HON-HONS FROM THE GRAVE*
@@stoneylonesome4062 If I could have any 60s car, that right there is at the top of my list. They still look like nothing else and the engineering was ahead of its time.
My closeted humanities teacher in high school constantly talked about an Avanti being his dream car
good for you man
I've been a fan for years, I am glad that you are comfortable with yourself
I'm so happy for Mr Regular for coming out! :)
An older woman who was a freind of my moms had Lark back in the 70's I remeber riding in it a few times when I was a kid. Good memories. Thanks RCR!
"We gotta start braking now don't we" "politics is my hobby "
I'd like to hear the rest of that conversation lol
We were making fun of people who make politics their hobby. I definitely don’t make politics my persona haha.
@@gamerfallout Lol that's funny, Mr Regular sounds like a chill guy to talk to
@@gamerfallout Great job on the Lark. You have every reason to be proud of this GSA special. From this fellow fairly-young 60s Stude owner, keep on 'a-rollin!
Mr. Regular's take on toxic masculinity from the 50s is iconic. His take on the Olds 88 was a flawless look into the troubled world of executives from the Boomer Era
"toxic masculinity"
Can't you look at anything at all without injecting your abhorrent worldview into it?
Midnight upload? New time or did someone hit the wrong button?
Either way I'm not complaining.
In Hawaii not many of these cars were sold. There were a few in rural California where I grew up. A lot more independents were sold there than other places. Willy Loman drove a Studebaker. They were seen as "Farmer's cars" that were not Fords.
Studebaker Lark:
Your Grandpa's Mitsubishi Mirage...
All I think of is my dear old grandmother with her homemade crumb cake on the back seat floor on the way to church & coffee & cake after the service.
Mr regular is part of the alphabet mafia.... I love him even more now
I watched the whole thing and didn’t see his grand brave coming out moment. Where was it?
@@roddydykes7053 2:07
He's too good for them!
Many years ago I had a neighbor adjoining some acreage I owned who had a '61 Lark with a three-on-the-tree. He asked me if I could adjust the clutch for him which I gladly did. He also showed me around the rest of the car, and both of us were thoroughly impressed on how solidly built it was frame-wise.
Oh yeah! I learned to drive in a lark.... In the 90s!!
Mr Regular. I just idled my way out of the closet. You laid rubber! Look for RUclips Studebaker ads with Zsa Zsa Gabor trying to make the 1963 Lark look like a glamorous European car. She does, too. Love the channel.
@RegularCars【 𝟒𝟒𝟑 】𝟓𝟖𝟒-𝟔𝟒𝟎𝟏
What inventory is that? Sorry, I don’t check my email often. The Nissan Altima was a fantastic episode.
4:16 Twin Bonanza’s are badass, progenitor of the King Air. Super rare nowadays. I got a visitor of one at work not too recently.
Believe it or not it's also responsible for the Metro
@@rileyk99 Metro is one of my favorite civilian planes lol. Good genes
I think they're may be a message in this video somewhere
Jokes aside, Glad Mr regular is happy and confident in who he is
Finally a Studebaker!!!
“Lark, MIRRORRR, for looking for *FRIENDS* of *DOROTHYYY”* 💀 and honey tea boots some of us already done knew this but i’m glad the masses are now aware ❤️
Bro that windscreen washer joke caught me off guard
At the Auburn, Dusenburg, Cord Museum in Auburn Indiana, in amongst the priceless Duseys and Cord 810's and exotic sports cars and Jay Leno's name on the wall sits a tribute to the Lark, complete with a video loop of the V8 models hauling ass on test tracks and marking up impressive stats for the day. If you were a performance driver in 1960 looking to go stealth, you WANTED one of these. I'm still smirking over the tissue dispenser gag. Keep on being you.
End of the video really ties in with the start
Great video as always mr regular
I wish Studebaker was still around. Looking at this car, I can say...it fits me. It's not my first choice, but if I in 1960 were in the market...the Lark...would appeal to me. It would call out from a distance, and I would stare at it, it stare at me. I'd find myself drawn to the lack of flash, but really nice styling. The interior looks nice and stately without being over the top or extravagant. The black paint on chrome is beautiful and timeless. Studebaker in my eyes would have probably flourished in the 1970's when small cars were all the rage in the oil crisis. Studebaker making small cars may not have worked in the 60's and before, but would have killed in the 1970's with the right approach. I dunno, I really think a modern day Studebaker would be like how Scion was. Cars that are very practical, pretty nice, but not so overly. Affordable, but not demeaning due to a lack of value. I think all cars though if regulations were looser, we'd see such a renaissance of the automotive industry. Unfortunately, in this day and age, most cars feel very similar and the enthusiasm is dull. In a way with how it actually is, maybe Studebaker not being present means we can enjoy what it was, without pollution, as today they'd likely just be another American generic car brand, pumping the same SUV as they have been. We can remember them with rose tinted glasses, by our memory or understanding of the past. Because while I would love to see the underdog unique American car brand succeed, I don't think that's the real story we would have had. So I'll look on to the car I would have thought about owning had I lived in 1960, and wonder truly what cars could have been.
MID NIGHT RCR WOOOO!
Before you make fun of a '53 Studebaker, compare their '53 Coupe with a typical 53 Chevy or '53 Ford. Or even better compare it to a 58 Mercury or '58 Buick. Designed by Raymond Lowey, the '53 Studebaker coupe was way ahead of its' time, and looked more like an early '60s or European car. After the excesses of Detroit in the late '50s, the Larks were also ahead of their time, and a big seller when they first came out in '59 A downsized body with a roomy interior, and optional V8 power - which wasn't available on the Corvairs, early Falcons or Valiants. The '53 Studebaker coupe continued on through the early '60s as the very attractive Hawk, but they simply ran out of money.