My wife and I stopped off in Hannibal, MO for a bite to eat on our way back from the Grand Canyon earlier this week, and afterwards decided to take a walk down to the Mighty Mississippi River, hand-dipped ice cream cones in hand. On the way, we passed this open garage with a pair of late 1950s (?) Studebakers airing their backsides. A closer peek revealed four more Studebakers parked further inside, but construction fencing around a sidewalk repair project prevented getting any better photos.
We obviously have a Lark and an E-Series pickup in view, but without better photos, my Studebaker-fu isn’t sufficient to pin down the exact model year for either of these, so help me out in the comments.
Related Reading:
1959 Studebaker Lark VIII Regal Hardtop Coupe – Studebaker’s Last Hurrah
1959 Studebaker 3/4 ton Pickup – A Hoosier in King Twain’s Court
Nice .
I don’t know Studebaker well but that L:ark looks like early 1960’s to me .
-Nate
Does the black bumper sticker on the Lark say “BAIL OUT STUDEBAKER” — or am I just imagining things? If so, I like these folks’ sense of humor.
That’s what it says! And I agree!! ??
“BAIL OUT STUDEBAKER”
Actually, Studebaker was bailed out, in 56.
Yep! I wish I had been able to get a closer shot…
Awesome sticker! I need a garage like that.
Are we going to get a Canyonside Classic soon?
Stay tuned!
It does. I’ve seen a few versions of that. Also, someone is trying to bring the brand back. Not sure how close to reality it is.
Ed, that is the very Studebaker pickup you linked to above! I’ve seen that pickup in Hannibal many, many times. The guy who owns it also owns the Crosley I wrote up as well as a few Packards. His only concession to “contemporary” cars is a 1986ish Buick Grand National.
He owns several buildings in the downtown area where he stores his cars. I’d love to poke through there and see what all he has.
And, if you ate at the microbrewery about two doors down, that is the old Chrysler dealer.
Didn’t you write that pickup up a few years back?
Found it! https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-american/curbside-classic-1959-studebaker-34-ton-pickup-a-hoosier-in-king-twains-court/
That’s the one!
Just had a nice 59 pickup pass me on Highway 24 one hour ago. Very nice in a two tone white over dark green with chrome bumpers.
The perfect garage! 🙂
I’m going to call 1960 on the Lark, though 1959 is possible.
I’m going to call 1960 on the Lark, though 1959 is possible.
Statistically, as there were more 59s sold, the probabilities are slightly better than it’s a 59, but your guess is as good as mine.
My guess was based on the color. That dark “Williamsburg Green” (that this car seems to be) was a 1960-only color that was not that commonly seen.
One from the web.
My guess was based on the color. That dark “Williamsburg Green”
Think you are right. I had not thought of looking up the colors. The only greens offered on passenger cars in 59 were lighter.
http://paintref.com/cgi-bin/colorcodedisplay.cgi?manuf=Studebaker&con=my&year=1960&page=1&rows=50
My neighbour’s 55 pickup.
This is my favorite face on these trucks, and used for the shortest time of any of them during the long life of this style.
It’s by far my favourite Studebaker. And this one is mint – 6 cylinder with OD and he’s asking $15K if anyone is looking!
And my neighbour’s other four Studebakers in his collection.
Here’s the Hawk from a better angle
I never realized the Hawk had that roofline available. That’s a sharp looking coupe!
As long as we are in a Studebaker truck sort of mood, ran into this beauty at the Gilmore’s truck show today.
When I was forced to attend Sunday school back in the ’70s we sometimes went on these mini weekend retreats to other parishes. We would be transported in an old Studebaker bus that looked like it had been brush painted with dark green chalkboard paint. It was one of the ugliest buses I had ever seen. What I remember most about that old Studebaker bus were the huge plumes of blue smoke that poured out from its tailpipe and how the smelly exhaust used to waft inside the bus. I can’t believe that bus was allowed to be in service being the health hazard it was.
With the expressed ‘reflector’ octagon, those are 1960 Lark taillights. ’59s were smooth, ’61 had chrome applied to the horizontal surround.
Eisenhower engineered a bailout of Studebaker-Packard in 1956 to ensure his re-election through the ‘purchase’ of various assets by Wright Aeronautical. You know, the guys who bet big on the next-generation of piston-powered military aircraft engines after the war, thinking those turbo-fan jets were just a post-war fad.
Well, I guess it helped the company stay in the biz ’til ’66.