1962 Studebaker Lark "Daytona" Convertible

1962 STUDEBAKER LARK DAYTONA SUPERCHARGED CONVERTIBLE. #62V3808. (Stock #4310.) Studebaker introduced the very interesting new mid-sized Lark in 1959, designed by the distinguished designer, Brooks Stevens. In 1962, the car received more than just a face-lift with its new impressive Mercedes-Benz-looking grill, quad headlamps and a redesigned rear. Although most were equipped with the standard 6-cylinder engine, the 289 cubic inch V-8 was available and a further high-performance option offered the 4-barrel carburetor and dual exhaust, producing 225 horsepower and 305 foot pounds of torque. With this package, you could also order a 3.73 “twin traction” rear axle, heavy duty shock absorbers and a 4-speed floor shift manual transmission with twin front bucket seats. Interestingly, the engine specifications were the same as offered in the Mustang GT package arriving on the scene 3 years later. Our car was the highest trim level “Daytona” ordered with all of those high-performance options as well as power steering, power brakes and power convertible top. With those performance options, the car was capable of a very respectable 0-60 mile-per-hour time of 7.3 seconds and a top speed of 132 mph. In 1963, a few months following the build of this car, the Daytona performance package was enhanced to include a Paxton “SN-60” supercharger. This car has been retrofitted with that exact package so it is now as breathtaking under the hood as it is outside, inside and underneath. Ordered in beautiful "Blaze Red” with a 2-tone red and white bucket seat interior, our car was also ordered with factory undercoating. All of this is confirmed by the accompanying factory build sheet. The car was sold new in Hollywood, California and spent most of its life in California prior to having a fabulous body-off-chassis restoration in Arizona and being purchased by a collector in Bucks County, PA. The car is accompanied by its original owner’s manual, the factory “1962 Studebaker Fact Book,” the car’s original showroom brochure, the accessories booklet, a Studebaker Dealership 3-ring binder of facts and features and several other pertinent volumes. Odometer: 19,848. SOLD!