Studebaker always employed unique and interesting styling on their cars, and thanks is owed to Raymond Loewy for the Hawk. Born and raised in California, no harsh elements have ever reached this ’56. Having only two owners since new, the first owner had this Stude’ for 53 years. Clearly well taken care of and ready to drive, this golden Hawk is currently up for bid at $7,188 with the reserve not met, or for an astonishing buy it now price of $24,500. Take a look at it here on ebay out of Mission Viejo, California.
Under the hood is an extremely clean engine and bay. There is a great deal of factory paint present on the 352 engine, and in the bay itself. Thought to have covered 105,000 miles in its lifetime, it would seem this Hawk is a solid driver and needs little to be enjoyed. There are a few “creative” fixes done to this car that I am not exactly thrilled about. The windshield washer bottle is literally a soda bottle fitted to the driver side of the engine compartment. Also there was apparently an issue with the horn button, or its wiring, so a new button has been fashioned to the lower portion of the steering column. Both of these issues are minor and could certainly be remedied, but it makes me wonder what else could have been repaired in this manner?
The beautifully engine turned dash is always a treat in these Hawks, and the interior of this car is beautiful. Covered in a steering wheel wrap, the rim of the wheel may suffer some minor damage or perhaps even a few cracks like so many vintage wheels like to do. The horn button suffers from some minor cracking, but as whole, the steering wheel presents nicely enough for an original condition driver as does the rest of the interior. Thankfully there is little else in the interior that reflects any signs of aging.
Have you ever seen a car as shiny as this Studebaker? It would almost seem like this Golden Hawk is a mirror out on a bright summers day with brilliance and light reflecting every which way. Although the paint is gorgeous, a repaint occurred at some point in the 1980’s. The seller mentions that the paint has aged well, but does have some minor touch up areas. There is no rust or damage in sight, but the driver door looks to have some minor alignment concerns. The only immediate needs for this Studebaker would be new tires as the current ones are a bit old. With a crisp and clean appearance, what do you think this Hawk will sell for?
The windshield washer bottle is in fact a factory glass bottle and not a soda bottle. It’s reminiscent of the same type of item that GM used about the same time frame.
A step up from the same-era bag!
Yep….I have 3 or 4 in the garage. I don’t remember any beverage that came in a triangular shaped bottle and trust me….
I’ve had a lot of bottles :)
There’s some brand of mid-range Scots whisky that comes in a triangle bottle. I “canna” remember which.
Sure would make a statement rolling into the country club with this baby. And finally, no supercharger. Probably one of the nicest Hawks I’ve seen. This was clearly somebody’s baby, and it shows.
Howard,
The 56 did not have a supercharger only 57 and 58
The supercharger first came on the 57 Golden Hawks on the 289 cid engine . The 1956 Golden Hawks had a Packard 352 CID with a single 4 bbl or 2 4bbl carburetors 😎
I’m pretty sure the black, ’54 (?) with the white/cream “coves”, which was on BF or B-a-T a few months ago, had the factory blower on the 289.
Could that not have been original to a ’53 G. Hawk?
Thanks.
Thanks Jim, don’t get me wrong, the supercharger was a heck of an option. It’s just, it seemed, for a while, every Hawk that came along HAD to have the “puffer”, when, I don’t know about you, but I don’t drive on dragstrips all day, and it’s really not needed. There is so much more to this car than just the supercharger. Watch out for that guillotine hood! :)
get rid of those red heater hoses too, other than that it’s a beautiful car
Red heater hoses were what they came out with.
Beautiful but more than I would want to pay since I’ve never really thought of buying a Studebaker. Only a lottery will make me happy. A huge garage with this one inside!
Did anybody else notice in the ebay ad that the owner states it has a 400 turbo-hydramatic transmission…do you think it’s a transplant or did these cars have the first ever turbo 400’s?
Nope, Turbo 400 came out around ’64 in Cads and Buicks. :-) Terry J
I do like it as-is,but:
Buy it for 7k…bag it to a 2 inch drop…fat rims / tires…lose the trim…shave the handles…custom taper front & rear bumpers…interior work…sound. Done.
I can’t be stopped…BWAHAHAHAHA!
The first year Starlight coupes look best IMHO rodded. Subsequent years look a bit contrived with design flourishes…especially the Stude-Packards. Very nice car to keep original.
A guy in my home town took the front end clip off one of these and cut it up into a dirt track car. Broke my young heart. I bought the front clip and installed it on my 54 Lowey coup. I still want one.
Ric,
I like the 54 better. My first car was a 53 coupe. I also had a 54 coupe a 57 Golden Hawk and a 64 GT.
Man, Loewy was either a genius or a maniac. Or both?
Both
Pull off the lower “door ding” strip and put on a set of 5 spokes and blackwalls.
Oh, and pull off the curb feeler.
The Lowey coupes are about the finest design of the 50’s. Virgil Exner penned a drawing that foretold of these cars.
That is a really really nice car. Wish it was in my area, I’d be over to look at it right quick.
My dad had a Golden Hawk – not sure the year – but said he was teased because it was a Studebaker, until he accelerated. Said it was one of the fastest cars he ever had.
My dream car (dream car is solid black) Styling way advanced for 1956. If this car checks out as good as it shows, IMO its a great deal.Wish I could own this but I’m already buried in an old car.
It seems that Studebaker really had to struggle to make cars that were not striking, different, and that aged well, as this one has, stylistically, and literally. Even their cheaper, smaller cars (i.e., the Lark) have some nice lines to them, IMO, possibly depending upon the year(s).
Peter I agree. They were maybe too different for post war America where people were buying cars and houses like crazy that were much the same in basic style. My next old car may be a Lark Convertible.
On and On,
Thank you, and Bravo!
And you won’t see multiples of your same model, at the car shows, very often, I’ll bet.
Studebaker was NOT struggling to make cars, just struggling to sell them. competition was murder back then.
Windshield washer accessories came as a bag, hanging from two hooks on the battery holder, imprinted with STUDEBAKER, or simply with the Lazy S.
The bottle was for refill with purified water/additives in winterday