A Stude and a Valiant parked back to back make for quite the shot and CJcars naturally couldn’t resist uploading this to the cohort. The Lark has a cool roofline, in my opinion, and a greater rarity factor, but I’d have to go for the Valiant as my choice for a drivable classic. Which would you choose?
CC Outtake: Ducks In A Row
– Posted on May 6, 2015
Any A Body MoPar over anything Studie ever made and yes , I do like Studebakers .
-Nate
I too would go for the Mopar mover. The Slant Six and Torqueflite are likely to be more serviceable and have more parts available to keep it going.
Yup, although that is a great pairing put me in for the Valiant too.
Leaning Tower of Power for the win!!
I thought was going to be 2CVs when I clicked on it
I bought a used ’63 Valiant 2 Dr Hardtop in 1966 and drove it for 14 years. Comfortable with the “bucket” seats, 225 with pushbuttons, fairly economical, adequate performance and handling, reliable. I loved it. My heart still jumps a bit when I see one.
I have to choose? You might as well cut my heart out. 🙁
If the Lark is a V8 (especially stick with OD) it would be a tough call for me. But the Valiant is a hardtop. But the Stude is black, not beige. But the Valiant . . . . Agggggghhhhh, I can’t do this. OK, how much for each? Maybe that will do it.
It is interesting how different those cars look with their different wheel sizes. Those 15 inchers on the Stude look positively huge, while those tiny 13 inchers on the Valiant look puny. I wonder how both would look with the same tire/wheel size.
IIRC our Aussie Valiants got 14s. Ground clearance was important back then.
Yep.. the Valiant is the reasonable choice for a daily driver… but what the heck?!?!!?!
A small block Chevy can fit in between of the fenders of almost anything…
Which is fast becoming the anthem of death for the antique car hobby.
So true, Syke.
Seconded. I can kind of get why you might want to do that with something troublesome like a Jaguar, but why you would want to replace two of the worlds toughest, most durable engines with a SBC is a failure of the imagination. Good grief, bolt a supercharger onto that Stude V8 and have some fun, if that’s your thing.
Even Studebaker put SBCs between the fenders of Studebakers.
Touche!
I just knew somebody was going to say that!
As did Checker!
You know what car a small block Chevy looks good in? A Chevy!
Well I rather have a 1970-1972 Dart so I will pass on the Valiant and take the Studebaker.
My driver training was taken on a similar Valiant, although green. My dad drove a ’59 Lark 259 3 speed stick. Even though the Valiant would be far more dependable, I would much rather have the Stude!
For purely a “drivable classic” I’d go with the Lark. For frequent or daily driver duties, I’d switch allegiance to the Valiant.
I’d take the Valiant but you knew that.
No question for me; it would be the Valiant. The Studebaker has no appeal whatsoever for me. Visually, it has negative appeal. When they were new they had negative appeal for me. While the Valiant looks frumpier than the first-generation Valiants, I suspect that it was a far better car.
I’m in Tucson too, Dave. The Valiant was originally sold in Phoenix from Town and Country Chrysler Plymouth. Made it’s way to Yuma where it was purchased in 1980 and lived in LA for 30 years before coming back to AZ. It’s white with a red interior and the 64 Valiant chrome rockets on the rear fenders I added about 1982.
It’s been a great car and has the size and interior room I have sought out in all my cars over the past three decades. And the simplicity, as well.
Love this vintage Valiant, especially the coupe. Often fantasized about updating one, warming up the /6 and adding a T5 five-speed behind it, which is really what they need/want.
I’ve owned a 63 Valiant Signet two door hardtop for over 30 years. Still acceptable to drive daily. 3 speed manual and essentially came from the factory with nothing else but a heater radio and probably white walls. Started with a 170 and got a 225 in 1988.
After all this time, I wouldn’t mind a Lark. It also has body on frame as opposed to unit construction, if that means anything to the driving experience or fantasy choice.
Two of my favorite cars. But the Valiant still looks modern. I still dream of a 60 Comet though.
For me, too…the Valiant.
But what’s remarkable is that both of these have owners who know what they have and appreciate them, shiny paint and all.
So it is obvious there’s a Stude-lover out there!
Nothing against the Stude, but it’s the Valiant for me, please.
I’m sorta leaning towards the Stude, If the Valiant was a first generation this would be even tougher!
Make mine a Valiant,Dad had an Aussie 66 and a 68 Dart.Ultra reliable,good looking and they didn’t cost a fortune to run
I spent a lot of time in a Valiant of that vintage when I was a kid. My aunt had one. It had a distinctive sound to its starter and engine, and the automatic transmission shifted confidently with briskness. Good car for her as she mostly just drove in the small town where she lived. When she and my uncle took a trip, well, that was a different matter; he fired up the New Yorker with the 413 and hit the road.
Because the ’71 valiant I tried doesn’t have AC, neither the power brake, I chose the ’78 volare coming with both, as it would be easier for me to drive ( even with power brake, driving for two hours is still tiring enough to make me push throttle using left foot )
I think a valiant brougham with better options would be easier for modern traffic
I once owned a 69 Valiant Signet, so I’d lean towards the Valiant. But saying that, Valiants now strike me as being a bit of a “nerdmobile”, the auto equivalent of a pocket protector.
My favorite Valiants? Would love to own a 66 Signet, a 65 or 66 wagon, a Duster 340 (were they called Valiant Dusters?) or a Valiant Brougham….2 door or 4 door, doesn’t matter. ALL with an automatic transmission.
I the Studebaker is a Lark VIII, then I’ll take it. Warm it up to R-3 specs & have some fun. But then again I’m biased & drive a ’55 Champion.
For a ‘special-occasions’ car, I’d take the Stude.
Not so sure if it was to be my daily driver – but then I don’t drive so much these days so what the heck! Stude wins.
I’d have to go with the Valient. I like the clean styling of the two door body. I drove my Dad’s 1960 Dodge Seneca with the slant six and three on the tree. Not fast but cool sounding. I would like to have that old Seneca now!
Well first I misspelled Valiant. Then I checked and found that the old Seneca was a 1961. Actually quite a difference in appearance. See if I can post a pic.
I had one of these , IIRC it was badged ” Phoenix ” ~ nice (BIG) car but it caught fire under the dash whilst parked .
-Nate
This was the 1960-61 Dodge Dart, a car with Dodge sheetmetal but built on the shorter Plymouth wheelbase. It was introduced to compensate Dodge dealers for loss of their Plymouth franchises effective with the 1960 model year (before that time, virtually all Dodge dealers had also sold Plymouths). There were three trim levels: Seneca, Pioneer, and Phoenix, which corresponded to the three fullsize Plymouth models. In some overseas markets where there were trademark issues with the name Dart, the trim levels were used as distinct model names. Following the 1962 downsizing of the fullsize Dodges and Plymouths, the Dart name would move to the A-body in 1963.
Definitely the Valiant, for the slant 6 and the unibody construction.
You guys in Tucson might know of the folks that had a bunch of Dodge Darts over the years as well as the black and white 62 Valiant which had a HP 225 and a 4 speed trans.
They currently drive a 65 Barracuda 225. Stop and say ‘Hi’ some time. The Barracuda was originally my mothers car from new.
On the question at hand, I’d take the ——- You all know.
I’m keeping my eyes open for that. Tucson is an old car watcher’s heaven, not only on the weekend but all week long.
!
How’d I miss this discussion yesterday? I guess I’m too late.
Short answer then — I’ve had both at the same time. Right now, tho’, I have a Valiant Convert and an Avanti. And a Starlight Coupe (just to complete the picture).
I’d prefer to keep having both at the same time. But when you get a bug to change things up… you do.
There is no answer to anyone’s question of ‘why’ I do this.
For driveabilty , the MoPar wins hands down , always did .
if you’re just looking for a cool old car , choose the one you like the looks of .
The A body MoPars are dead simple to make into serious road burners , swap in the heavier torsion bars from a station wagon and the engine / tranny combo you prefer , add some AC , PB , PS as you like and you’re golden .
My self , I lust after a ’64 / ’65 Barracuda with massaged aluminum slant six…….
Good looking and in the twisty bits would surprise most other Hot Rods / Sports Cars .
-Nate
Based purely on looks, the Studebaker wins.
And I’m of the opposite opinion on looks. Maybe I will always think of the Lark as an “old folks” car because my grandfather had a dull brown one. There is something antiquated about it compared to the A-body MoPar.
I’d go for the Stude if just for the novelty and more formal appearance.