Hooniverse Weekend Edition – Three Relatively Inexpensive Special Interest Cars
Welcome to another Hooniverse Weekend. Throughout the week, I have been highlighting vehicles that are currently for sale at Kevco Classic Car Sales in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. So this weekend will be a series of showdowns featuring their entire inventory, and I thought I would start with these three relatively inexpensive Special Interest Cars, a 1953 Plymouth Cranbrook, a 1959 Studebaker Lark, and a 1963 Corvair 700.
Let’s start with the 1953 Plymouth. According to the dealer:
A Rare 1953 Plymouth Cranbrook Club Coupe, and according to period advertising this was “The Most Truly Balanced Car Ever Built”. This was specifically ordered in Cortez Gray with a Brunswick Blue roof. The car is powered by a 217CID 100HP Flathead Six, with a 3-speed overdrive transmission. The car was originally purchased from Van’s Motors of Luverne, MN in the fall of 1953. It was garaged and cared for for 15 years with the first owner, and then traded at Reirdan Chrysler Plymouth in Sioux Falls in June of 1968, and was owned and driven until recently. Last titled in 1975 here in South Dakota (“75″ License Plates still on the car) and lightly driven for the last 36 years. Drives excellent, and is a very solid Automobile.
Mileage shown 16,240 miles, and the seller is not clear as if that’s 16,000 or 116,000, but look at this car. It is clean, simple, and a very quirky collectible. Asking price for this little Plymouth is $10,800, and for an almost 60 year old car, that’s cheap. Take a look at the listing here, and see if this Plymouth would belong in your garage.
Our next car is a 1959 Studebaker Lark Commander, and it was one of the first successful “Compact” cars introduced by a domestic car maker, well after American Motors re-introduced their Rambler American the year before. According to the dealer:
1959 Studebaker Champion Lark VI 2dr. Finished in “Tahiti Coral” w/ tan cloth interior. The car is powered by a 170 c.i. I-6 , backed up by an automatic transmission. Som of the options in this car is a factory AM radio, and factory heater (remember, heaters were still optional back then). The tires are good, newer paint and interior. This is a Solid Car, just serviced and ready to enjoy. Runs and drives great!
This car shows 78,500 Miles, which sounds accurate, but these cars are all exempt from mileage disclosures anyway. This is another clean, simple, and another quirky collectible, and the asking price is $8,975, which seems reasonable. Take a look at the listing here, and tell me if this Studebaker is adorable enough to make its way to your heart, or your parking spot.
If I have a confession to make, this is my personal favorite of the three. This is a 1963 Corvair 700 Sedan, which was the mid-level trim package of the line (The 500 was the base, and the Monza was the top spec). 1963 would be the most successful sales year for the Corvair lineup, but many of the models would soon be eliminated because it was still noncompetitive with the Ford Falcon, the redesigned Plymouth Valiant, and the newly introduced Chevy II. According to the dealer:
This 1963 Chevrolet Corvair Model 700 4 Dr. Sedan is truly a rare find. A Very solid car, especially for it’s year. It has been always dry stored when not driven. Just completely gone through…new brakes, new exhaust, new tires, new battery and all fluids just serviced and filters as well. Showing just 49,884 original miles, very believeable in this excellent condition. A 2 owner vehicle last owned in Clear Lake, SD. Purchased at an “estate sale” from the last family who owned the vehicle ove 34 years! The car runs and drives excellent, good strong compression engine and trasmission shifts very well.
With just under 50,000 miles, and with all the servicing just done, the asking price of just $3,975 makes this car a steal, and is one of those times in which it makes me want to check the old bank account to see if there’s anything available. Take a look at the listing here, and tell me if you feel the same.
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All three cars are very nice, but none really excite me. Of the three, I'd choose the Corvair.
Hey, there's my Mom's old Lark! Except, hers was a dark gray if I remember correctly. I was just a little kid. She really liked that little car, though. If I had the dough, I'd get this one for her and be Number One Son. Personally, though, I like the Plymouth. Big, slow, and comfy. And, those Chrysler flathead sixes are bulletproof. They were used for years, up until the Seventies, I think, in certain applications.
Edit: I just found an informative page on these engines, they were used up until 1968 in the Power Wagon, according to this: http://www.allpar.com/mopar/flat.html
The Corvair would be my choice between the three regardless, but the sub-$4k price point just seals the deal. No, I won't be buying it, but one would be hard pressed to find a more interesting car cheaper.
Jim, you sure know how to sell a fellow on a Corvair! I was all set to say Cranbrook, based on age and condition and stick shift and uniqueness, all despite the price. Then I see that Corvair, and even though it is an automatic, that is a pretty nice price for sure an original car. It would be the best value here, and wins my vote!
<img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7157/6698603867_b69cd34096_b.jpg" width="500">
Chrysler cars were still over-engineered and built like tanks in 1953. The Plymouth is going to be slow but it's also going to run forever. First-gen non-Monza Corvairs don't interest me much and the '59-'62 Lark might be the dullest and most-unsexy Studebaker ever.
They also have a TR7, a '74 Land Cruiser, and a '66 caddy convertible, all under $10k.
I think I'd go for the Caddy. A convertible with a 7 liter v8. What more do you need to know ?
Image won't embed, but here's a link:
http://www.frankmanmotors.com/show.aspx?vid=18164…
I'd go for the Plymouth. Three on the tree!
The Corvair. A midlevel first-gen sedan with Powerglide is about as unappealing as possible, but its too ridiculously cheap to pass up.
I'd be all over that Lark if not for the color… so I'll take the Plymouth.
Further evidence that Corvairs are THE most affordable collector cars around! But I already have one, so I'll take the Lark. Love the color and the hardtop coupes are not seen all that often; many Lark buyers went for the sensible sedan.
How do you like your Corvair? Any high maintenance? Do the hubcaps and chrome rings look stock for this Corvair? I am thinking on purchasing it. Thank you!
Gary, There shouldn't be anything that requires a lot of maintenance. Keep the Powerglide Fluid Level up, and the transmission will perform flawlessly. The Braking System is adequate for the power of the car. The Parking Brake is the one thing that seems to go on these cars, so carry around a couple of wooden chock blocks if you are going to park on an incline.
The Hub Caps are factory, and the trim rings were a dealer accessory. Most of the 700 and Monza models came with full wheelcovers. If you purchase it, fill up the car with 93 octane, and make sure you add in a lead additive every once in a while. They are fun if you don't expect outright performance.
If you do buy it, write us about your purchase. We would love to do a feature on it.
Wow, that's the first Corvair I've seen with the small hub caps (usually seen on 500s, and Chevy IIs) and trim rings.
The innovative and smart looking Corvair, the other two just don't tickle my fancy.
There are two people that are on the wrong website….