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. [poll id=”94″]