Re: New Chrysler Corp. commercial

[Bill Watson <wwatson6@xxxxxxx>]

The Golden Hawk was a full-size car - it was on a 120.5" wheelbase.

But the 1963 Lark and Avanti 2-door models were on a 109" wheelbase, with
the 4-door Lark models on a 113" wheelbase.   (The GTO was 115")

The Avanti came with Studebaker's 289-V8 in 1963 and added a 305-cid V8 for
1964.  To really boost the power, they offered a choice of 4-bbl (R1 -
240-bhp) and supercharged 4-bbl (R2 - 289-bhp) engines.   In mid-1963
Studebaker offered the 'Super" Lark - basically a Lark with an Avanti
engine, a choice of 4-speed or Powershift auto transmission (both floor
shift) , bucket seats, front seat belts (made starndard on all models about
the same time), carpeting, 160-mph speedo, tachometer, Twin Traction (Sure
Grip in Moparese), front disc brakes, 4-ply tires, heavy duty springs and
shocks, rear radius rods and front stablizer bar.   The cars even offered a
special exterior colour - Super Red Metallic, although all other 1963
colours were available..  The sales codes were 46 for the High Performance
Package (R-1 engine) and 46A for the Supercharged High Performance Package
(R-2).  Production came to 33 R1 Super Larks and 53 R2 versions.. All Regal,
Custom, Daytona and Cruiser models could be ordered with the Super package -
2-door sedan (58), 4-door sedan (6), 2-door hardtop (14), 2-door convertible
(6) and even the Wagonaire (2).

The High Performance Package (code 46) was $491.70 on the Cruiser sedan and
$521.70 on all other models.  The Supercharged High Performance Package
(code 46A) went for $731.70 for the Cruiser and $701.70 for the rest.   The
cheapest model, the Regal 2-door sedan, started at $2,190 for the V8 model
(259-cid) while the Cruiser sedan started at $2,595.   To compare, the 1963
Dodge 330 2-door sedan with 318-cid V8 engine started at $2,352.

Studebaker offered R1 (289-cid 240-bhp), R2 (supercharged 289-cid, 289-bhp),
R3 (supercharged, 4-bbl 305-cid, 335-bhp @ 5360 rpm or 400-bhp @ 6000 rpm)
and R4 (2, 4-bbl 305-cid, 280-bhp) engines in 1964, calling it the Super
Performance Package.  They were available on Commader, Daytona and Cruiser
models and although not sold as 'Super Lark', the name was commonly used by
the media and public.  The package was similar to 1963 but added flanged
rear axles (Studebaker used tapered rear axles as Chrysler did) and a
transistor ignition system.  Prices were a little higher, starting at
$491.70 for the R1 package on the Cruiser ($2,595 base) to $1,587.70 for the
R3 package on the Commander V8 (2-door at $2,190 base).

Production of the Super Performance Package models came to an end when the
South Bend plant closed in December, 1963.  They were never built in
Canada..

The GTO was nothing new, no matter how you look at it.  Chrysler's Max-Wedge
Pymouth models of 1962 and 1963 (and the 1962 Dodge Dart) were intermediate
sized cars that did exactly what the GTO claimed to do  - put lots of power
and handling in a sensibly sized and priced package.

So GM and Pontiac may have been the first to push their cars as 'muscle
cars',  but they were far from first with muscle cars.

Bill
Vancouver, BC






----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dan McCormack" <mcwheels@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <1962to1965mopars@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, August 15, 2007 5:54 AM
Subject: RE: New Chrysler Corp. commercial


>
> Well I agree Jim that the GTO is usually given the credit for starting
> the muscle car craze of the 60's but they were not the first to stuff a
> big engine in a mid size light weight body. I have to give credit for
> that to the Studebaker Golden Hawk with it's Packard engine. And since
> 62 Dodges and Plymouths are mid size cars Chrysler was doing it before
> Pontiac. So Yes Pontiac started the muscle car craze but they didn't
> invent the muscle car. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this
> one. How about the fact that the Mustang is given credit for starting
> the pony car craze but the Plymouth Barracuda was on the market first.
>
> Dan (I'll have a large with double cheese LOL)
>
>
> Jim Ozolins wrote:
> >
> > Yes, the word "precursor" is very important there.
> >
> > I won't argue that these high-powered cars weren't "muscular," but these
> > precursors did not kick off the Muscle Car phenomenon of the 60's.
> > That's
> > what I'm using as a definition of a Muscle Car. Not just power to weight
> >
> > ratio.
> >
> > That's where I have to call B.S. when Chrysler claims to have invented
> > the
> > musclecar.
> > Chrysler, Ford, and the rest of GM had to catch up to Pontiac after the
> > introduction of the GTO.
> > Only Pontiac had the foresight and the guts to take the risk, and once
> > it
> > proved popular, and profitable, did the others climb on board.
> >
> >
> > Jim O. (I invented the Pepperoni Pizza.)
>


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