Now that I sold the X1/9.....

M

Mark Plaia

True Classic
Per Tony's request, here are a couple of shots of the Studebaker that we are looking at.
cdcw6bqewkkgrhqyokose0f.jpg
cdcw6hqwkkgrhqqoknuez1d.jpg

This is a V8 Lark with a 3 speed overdrive and dual exhausts. We will be looking at it within a couple of weeks.

And, don't fret gang, I will be back in another X1/9 before you know it.

Ciao,
 
Wait a damn minute here...

Those appear to be Rally Wheels with Utility (Cop) Hubcaps usually found on sleeper Chevrolets... and I may be old and senile... but I don't EVER remember seeing any kinda V-8 in a stock '69 Lark. Especially a 4-door sedan...

Something is stinky here...

And Mark... I gotta say... and I know your history a bit... but man, you really GOTTA LOVE STUDEBAKERS to get your arms around this "styling".

Compared to your former X... and I'm still in tears over the sale of that as I dunno if there can ever be another that can EQUAL or EXCEED that one... I just can't figure what yur up to? This thing must have some kinda R-3 Avanti engine in it on Nitrous er sumthun'... and you must be wantin' to fool the multitudes with it...

And don't tell me it has a SINGLE exhaust pipe too... C'mon for the Lord's sake... pop the hood and let us see! Geez!

HAHAHAHAHA!
 
The green car.

Mark, whoever got the green car got a great piece, that's for sure. I'm sure the next one will be even more interesting. So what's the plan for the next purist X in your posession, if you don't mind giving us a hint and something interesting to follow here.
 
Hey, Tony!.....

Not Chevy wheels! Ya need to change wheels to clear disc brakes. :wink2:

And yeah, it does have dual exhausts......and finned aluminum valve covers that say STUDEBAKER :thumbsup:

And lots of room inside for traveling. I will be on your doorstep before you know it. Be prepared! :p

And as far as ultimate X1/9s go, there are several around. Think about Eric Armstrong's orange '74 with Uno Turbo motor and chrome bumpers, or the sweetheart that Bernice is building, or any of a number of other great cars by Forum participants. Plus, wait till you see Chris Obert's version of the ultimate X1/9 concept! That one will blow your socks off. We are gathering parts and pieces now.


Ciao,
 
Hi Duane....

Steve Lawson bought the green X, so it will still be around the Forum. And still around my neighborhood, since he lives only 15 miles away.

Ciao,
 
Mark,

Will this Lark be following you home? When does this project begin?

South Bend, Indiana once was a serious industrial center and car building state.. before Detroit.


Bernice
 
!

If you want unique styling and room for the kids, how 'bout an AMC Pacer? My neighbor has one with a V-8 and four speed. Drive it, or just use it to collect solar energy with it's big windows.
 
Looks like a great project. Very nice starting point.

Studes have been one of my favorite cars since I was a kid. I missed out on my grandfathers '54 Studebaker Commander Regal Starlight Coupe when he died years ago.

Looking forward to seeing where this goes.
 
I'm really excited!

I've wanted a '74 for a while, and BOY do I have a great example now. :thumbsup:

I'm talking with my younger son about purchasing my very customized black '81. That would be a great thing, not only would it keep it in the family but he also has a close history with the car.

We'll still work together on fixing up the white '77 I gave him for Christmas. A great father-son project.

Mark Plaia said:
Steve Lawson bought the green X, so it will still be around the Forum. And still around my neighborhood, since he lives only 15 miles away.

Ciao,
Click to expand...
 
Ya know, Eddie....

Gremlins and Pacers were actually pretty successful Sedan class racers. Fairly rudimentary, live axle suspension, but they were up against cars that only had around 2.0 to 2.5 liter 4 cylinder motors with their 4.2 liter (258 cu. in.) six cylinder motors. The old saying is, "Nothing beats cubic inches."

Ciao,
 
Studebaker

Cool car I have a 51 bullet nose convertable that i need to restore. Real long story on that one. I also have A 1923 Chandler 2 door coupe with wooden wheels and all, sitting in the barn up north. You know how that goes. I have pic's PM me if your interested I can never get them to post on here.

Also does anyone know about Chandler out there? Can't find hardly anything on them.
 
WHOOOOA! I may be onto something, huh!

!!!

Mark Plaia said:
Not Chevy wheels! Ya need to change wheels to clear disc brakes. :wink2:

And yeah, it does have dual exhausts......and finned aluminum valve covers that say STUDEBAKER :thumbsup:

(SAY Studebaker... maybe on a SBC or BBC mill?)

And lots of room inside for traveling. I will be on your doorstep before you know it. Be prepared! :p

(MY doorstep??? Please call ahead... I don't wanna miss this!)

 And as far as ultimate X1/9s go, there are several around. Think about Eric Armstrong's orange '74 with Uno Turbo motor and chrome bumpers, or the sweetheart that Bernice is building, or any of a number of other great cars by Forum participants. Plus, wait till you see Chris Obert's version of the ultimate X1/9 concept! That one will blow your socks off. We are gathering parts and pieces now.

Yes and no, Mark... as one other member here put it, yours was UNIQUE, and there will NEVER be another like it. Steve is a lucky man.

Looking forward to seeing you and seeing MORE!

HA!

Ciao,
Click to expand...
 
styling

you really GOTTA LOVE STUDEBAKERS to get your arms around this "styling".
Click to expand...
At least this car actually has "styling". I think it has a heck of a lot more character than almost any modern car. Aerodynamics and safety considerations have diffused out the differences between most cars today. I could spend days looking over the most common set of cars from 50 years ago. Chyrslers, Peugeots, Fiats,..., each one was distinct and had it's own style. I believe the car market backs me up in stating that the era of the (USA) collectable car ended when safety bumpers were mandated (1975?).
 
eflexter said:
If you want unique styling and room for the kids, how 'bout an AMC Pacer? My neighbor has one with a V-8 and four speed. Drive it, or just use it to collect solar energy with it's big windows.
Click to expand...

A Pacer or Gremlin with a V8 can be a pretty potent package! And with a stick no less! Those are pretty small cars really. I witnessed a Gremlin with 304 in it DESTROY a trans-am in a stoplight street race one night... hilarious.
 
Now c'mon... most every other Stude except...

... for maybe a Lark was a bit more aero that this car.

At least the Lark stayed true to its origins of a BRICK!

HA!

Hey... I'm almost 100% sure its not just that fact its a Stude that Mark loves... there has gotta be something under the hood and in that chassis that he's wild about!
 
Avanti

One of my all time favourite cars is the Studebaker Avanti. There is a beautiful red one for sale here for $55,000. Way ahead of its time in the styling department. They are quite rare in Australia. My next favourite is the Hawk. There are quite a few of these rolling around Adelaide. My mate had a black V8 Hawk when we were in high school. What an amazing car it was, complete with the stainless steel dash.
 
Ultimate Sleeper....

Back in 1968, we lived in half a duplex. The other half owned by a mechanic/garage owner who was a Studebaker fan. He had a very stock looking Lark....with an Avanti engine, complete with Paxton blower! Said he wouldn't think of changing the appearance one bit, as he loved winning his sucker drags...This was in Grand Haven, Michigan.

Brian, "in da UP"
 
This what I'm thinking here also!

Back in 1967 my cousin (Joey B.) bought his father's 1955 Dodge-something-or-other while I was away at Boot Camp. It was a PINK 2-door with a flathead six, three on the tree and an overdrive trans... stock 4.11-er-sumthun' rearend.

As a young carpenter apprentice, this was OK for him but then he somehow caught the speed itch and purchased a BASKET CASE, 361 SMALL BLOCK HEMI!

It was called a RED RAM V8 if I remember correctly... and once assembled... bolted right up in place with the SAME mounts to the 3 speed trans. It had some kind of 3/4 race Isky cam with SOLID lifters and had to have a beautiful set of custom 4 into one headers made for $160 bucks! (A lot of money back then...) He then went and ORDERED a Tri-Power Offy intake for it with 3 stud bolts and bought three Rochester 2 barrels with 4 stud bases. Realizing his mistake sometime later as he could not return the intake and Stromberg 3 stud carbs were rare even then... he found some rather tall 3 stud to 4 stud adapters and mounted the carbs! Without air cleaners the carbs just cleared when the hood was closed... and what a RIDE!

I went back to training in San Diego and would come home weekends to find him first replacing the rear end and then again the trans... and he learned NOT to do HARD launches after that. HA! We would cruise the INFAMOUS Van Nuys Blvd. looking for fun... Oh, and the wheels were PINK but had the full STOCK wheel covers and blackwall tires. Looked like Grandma's car... The ONLY giveaway was that Joey B. had someone paint in Script along the LF fender behind the wheel... "CAPTAIN AMERICA!"

One time on a widened stretch heading northbound on Van Nuys at Burbank, we pulled up in between two first gen RED Camaros... as we rumbled in between, these guys are looking all around for what is making all that noise and I'm laughing hysterically as the light turns GREEN! The Camaros stand on it and Joey B. launches easily and then we SCREAM past them both and leave them in the proverbial dust! We must've been waiting for them a full 20 seconds when they finally arrive at the next light hanging out of their cars yelling at us "What have you got in that thing???"

And Joey yells back... "I can't tell you...." as we head off again I hear one of them say... "It gotta be a HEMI!"

What FUN!
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top