We’ve looked at some weird stuff this week, and for once, it wasn’t all my fault. But it only feels right to finish off the week on an even weirder note. So today for your consideration, I present a pink car from Indiana and a rare 4×4 from Austria.
Yesterday’s cars were a lot more ordinary, just a couple of old Ford Escorts. We had one stickshift wagon and one automatic ZX2 coupe. The wagon’s practicality won the day, and more of you wanted to swap the ZX2’s engine into the wagon than to drive the ZX2 as-is.
The idea of a Zetec-powered Escort wagon does sound like a lot of fun, but I am not the type to bother with engine swaps, as entertaining as it is to think about. I’d happily drive that wagon with the engine it has, however, after sorting out the check-engine light issues.
Long before I started writing this column, I loved window-shopping for cars on Craigslist, especially on the West Coast. Craigslist in Southern California is a gold mine for unusual cars, so whenever I need to find cars in a hurry, that’s where I head. And even now, in the dead of winter, it did not disappoint. Check out what I found.
1959 Studebaker Lark VI – $3,874
Engine/drivetrain: 170 cubic inch flathead inline 6, three-speed manual, RWD
Location: North Hollywood, CA
Odometer reading: 79,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
American cars in the late 1950s were growing to truly gargantuan proportions, and getting more chrome-laden by the year. But a new wave of imported cars, led by Volkswagen, proved there was a market for smaller, simpler cars. Newly minted American Motors had a hit with its Rambler, and Studebaker quickly followed suit with this car, the Lark. Studebaker cleverly designed the Lark around the center section of its full-size models, which saved development costs and made for a nice, roomy small car.
Two versions of the Lark were available: the Lark VI and the Lark VIII, named for the engines installed. This Lark VI has a flathead inline six and a classic “three on the tree” manual transmission. It runs and drives well, according to the seller, and has a new battery.
It also has new seat upholstery, and it looks like the door panels were redone as well. There’s not a lot to the interior of cars this age, which is kind of refreshing compared to modern cars, but I would suggest at least adding seat belts. It’d probably still be a deathtrap in a crash, but every little bit helps.
Outside, it’s, well, pink. Pastel colors were big in the late ’50s, and it seems like pink was actually pretty common. The Lark wears it well, and apart from a couple of rust spots in the bottoms of the front fenders and doors, it’s in good shape. I like the fact that the Lark only has a little bit of chrome; as much as I like the Virgil Exner-designed Chryslers of the era, they do go a bit overboard on the chrome.
1972 Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer 710M – $4,000
Engine/drivetrain: Air-cooled 2.5-liter OHV inline 4, five-speed manual, 4WD
Location: Hesperia, CA
Odometer reading: 250,000 kilometers
Operational status: Hasn’t run in a few years
I’m willing to bet this is a new one for at least some of you. I know I only discovered the Pinzgauer about fifteen years ago, when someone built an RC version of one. The Pinzgauer is Austrian firm Steyr-Puch’s take on a small, all-terrain-capable 4×4, and unlike so many similar vehicles, it has absolutely nothing in common with a World War II Jeep. Instead of straight axles on leaf springs, it has four-wheel independent suspension, portal axles, and full-time 4WD with locking differentials.
Powering the Pinzgauer is a specially-designed 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. It’s designed to be tough, easy to fix, and able to run on absolute crap fuel – perfect for use in remote places. It powers all four wheels through a five-speed gearbox and a dual-range transfer case. It has independent swing-axle suspension on all four corners, with portal axles for additional ground clearance. It’s a really cool setup. This one hasn’t run in a few years, since its owner passed away, but these things have enough of a following that getting what you need to revive it shouldn’t be a problem.
The Pinzgauer was designed as a military vehicle, so don’t expect much in the way of creature comforts. It does, however, have a satisfying number of knobs, buttons, and levers. I think I know what some of them do: if I’m not mistaken, the yellow levers are the diff locks, and the green one is likely the two-speed transfer case. Apart from that, you’d have to try them to see what they do.
Pinzgauers were available in a bunch of different body styles; this one is an open-top truck with a soft canvas roof and inward-facing bench seats in the back. It’s a little banged-up and rusty, but a vehicle like this would look funny all shiny and pristine.
Nobody in their right mind is actually cross-shopping these two, but when has that ever stopped us? And besides, I think they’re both cool. But it’s not up to me. Which one would you rather have?
0.o
Well, I guess my wife would agree with you on that sentiment. I’d definitely be on the “both” vote for this pair with those prices. I discovered the world ‘o Pinz years ago while randomly derping around an earlier internet. My third favorite truck after the Corvair Rampside and Hudson Terraplane. And the Studebaker is good fun – my daughter would love to use that as a school-cruiser anytime her C4 is needing attention.
I’ll get the Puke running and find a use for it on the farm…or just have some fun with it.
We really are a bunch of weirdos on this site. You give us an option of a couple of admittedly overpriced but generally reliable old station wagons and everyone wants a neither vote option. Today we are offered a rusty Silly Putty colored Lark and a beat to hell Pinzgauer with 150k+ miles that hasn’t run in years and everyone is clamoring for a both vote.
Alas, I have no current use for the Pinzi. Though there is one that parks on the street and/or driveway not too far from where I live and it gets around, I’m sure it’s fun!
So Lark it is! Tempted by another’s suggestion to make it two tone.
That Lark is awesome. Fix the rust, do a partial respray in cream (or black) below the trim line to tone down the pink and you’re good to go.
BOTH BOTH BOTH
I’m not interested in military cosplay. Plus the Lark runs and that other thing doesn’t. And I prefer the pink colour over drab primer grey.
So the Lark easily gets my vote.
Pinzgauer. When the wife asks WTH? I’ll tell her it wasn’t a lark.
Studebaker, because it is a better fit for my actual needs. I hope it does better on the freeway than a stock 1584cc VW Bug.
I missed the last few votes due to circumstances beyond my control (I don’t know where the week went to be honest). Regardless, I’ve actually ridden in a Studebaker Lark, which was owned by a tall employer of mine who had an Oscar (back when compositing still fell under the umbrella term ‘opticals’). IIRC it was HUGE inside… like a Checker Marathon or Citroën Traction Avant. Though I don’t see them on this pink Lark, I also remember his had little light-up plexiglass ‘fins’ on the leading edges of the front fenders… whether these were running lights or turn signals I don’t know.
I liked it (and Studebakers in general, though my personal experience with them is limited) and I am definitely NOT afraid of pink (I’d like to have a pink car, but need to have green, orange, purple, and yellow ones first) but I chose the Pinzgauer not only because it’s a Pinzgauer, but also because I’d love to have an excuse to say ‘Pinzgauer’ much more often than I currently do. The Lark would be far more practical for daily use (the only kind of use I have these days) …that’s a given.
Not sure who’d help me fix either of these if they were mine here in LA, but there must be somebody, right? All my decent, fairly priced mechanics over the years have retired, and now it’s hard to get even a Volvo or Mazda worked on without a big bill. 🙁
I first learned of the Pinz as a little boy reading Cars and Trucks and Things That Go! I was then reminded of them when reading that book to my son. Had to vote for it.
I went on a brewery tour bachelor party in the back of a Pinzgauer years ago.
Pinzgauer all day long- so much so that if I lived remotely close to it I would be on my way. It won’t take much to get it operating again (there’s only so many things to go wrong on these). The closest one to where I live is currently asking 11K.
The Pinzgauer is very cool, and I’d vote for it, but the Lark is probably the better deal today. That’s a pretty nice classic for the price.
This is a “both” kind of day for me, but I went with the Lark. I am an off-road guy, and love the Pinz, but I also love the Lark and could see using it more than the Pinz. If I had land and a shop, I’d be happy to walk out of my house and see both in my driveway.
I like the Pinzgauer but have no real use for a hardcore off-roader. Besides, I can’t resist a good Studebaker so it’s the Lark for me today.
Like others have said, tough call as I like them both. This Pinz is more palatable than the one just posted on NP/ND on the other automotive site for $25k. But ultimately I went Lark as if I was getting a Pinz, I’d want the enclosed version.
I really like the Studebaker, and Larks are supposed to be pretty decent to drive, good handling and steering feel, but I have sort of a personal hangup about rust, I really don’t mess with it.
Same issue David had selling the J10, if I’m going to SoCal for a car I’m not buying rust.
The two older cars I have now came out of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, but were always gently treated, grated, and kept out of winter road salt for decades and decades. I will always be fine paying a premium for that sort of car, with what paint and body work costs these days. If you can’t afford a good example of something, then you really can’t afford a bad example, so just hold off and keep saving money until you can get a good one, a classic car isn’t an essential, emergency purchase
Just the other day I was saying “I’ll take this Studebaker, but I’d rather have a Lark.” I like the color, it’s not pink, more of a peach that seems of the period.
If I ever get a Kubelwagen, I’ll have to paint it “desert peach” though.
Thing in Clementine Orange.
Another Donna Barr fan?
I’ve always identified with poor Udo.
I’m in for the Lark. I do not live in a climate that suits the Pinzgauer, and the Lark will be easier to store for the winter.
Add in some rockin tunes, roll down the windows, hang my arm out the door and cruise down the right lane.
Not to taut the other site but they did a pinzgauer yesterday for 25k (way over priced!) anyhow I low key like the larks, but yes a fresh repaint is in it’s future, yuck
Funny, I was browsing Craigslist last night and came across that Lark. I didn’t think much of it, mostly because of the color. I don’t have any use whatsoever for the Pinzgauer, though, so the Lark wins. Heck, it’s in good shape and would be fun to drive around just to see how people react to it.
I’ve ridden in a couple Pinzgauers, up very steep and bumpy terrain to the top of a couple of ziplines. They are incredible. But the last time I did a zipline we rode in a Kawasaki side-by-side, and the ride was a lot smoother.
I like Studebakers, but I just can’t deal with that weird, fleshy pink. If it was bright Barbie pink, or maybe salmon, I could handle it. But that colour just turns my stomach and makes me want to reach for the Pepto-Bismol.
Pinzgauer is just cool.
The Pinz is neat but I really don’t know what I’d do with it. The Lark’s a little more usable lol. And it’s pretty neat.