Between 1956 and 1964, Studebaker built several cars with the word “Hawk” in the name. The last was the Gran Turismo Hawk or GT Hawk. It was more formal looking than its predecessors, with styling cues that resembled both the Mercedes Benz and then-current Ford Thunderbird. Like the Avanti that followed it a year later (1963), the GT was not enough to prevent Studebaker from disappearing as a part of the U.S. auto manufacturing landscape. This ’62 edition is said to have once been owned by crooner Bobby Darin and actress Sandra Dee, but documentation is lacking on that subject. But it still looks like a decent car waiting to be restored in Riverside, California. It’s available here on eBay where the bidding is at just $2,650 but the Buy It Now price is $11,000.
In 2½ production years, the GT Hawk saw less than 16,000 copies built before Studebaker quit building cars in South Bend, Indiana around Christmas 1963. Some auto production continued in Canada into 1966, but that didn’t include either the Hawk or Avanti models. The 1962 GT Hawks are the most plentiful at more than half of total output. Until the seller acquired the car recently, it had lived its entire life in Palm Springs, California with the last 25 under the carport featured in one of the photos.
I don’t know if having a car previously owned by a celebrity adds anything to its value, but it certainly makes for a more interesting story. Supposedly, Bobby and Sandra bought the car new, but they divorced in 1967 and it may have gone with the house in their parting of ways. More recently, it was part of an estate liquidation and that’s how the seller took possession. Unfortunately, none of the paperwork associated with Bobby or Sandra has survived, so if you wanted to find out if this legend is true, you’d have to research the Studebaker with California DMV headquarters in Sacramento.
The seller is a dealer, and he/she has receipts totaling $6,500 which is what it took to get the car back on the road. The work included new brakes, a tune-up, battery, water pump, hoses and belts, radiator, flush of the fuel system, rebuilding the carburetor, and a lot more. This work was done in Long Beach and the seller drove it an hour to get it home without any further issues.
When it was new, this Studebaker was finished in dark blue paint and that was changed to Baby Blue sometime later. It looks okay, but there are a few rust bubbles and dings, so a restoration of the body is likely in order. The interior is okay except for the carpeting and some upholstery trim. The V8 runs well but smokes a little, and this car has air conditioning, which may or may not be factory. The seller doesn’t have the time or inclination to do any further work on this GT Hawk, so someone else gets the opportunity to get this “Mack the Knife” mobile back in circulation.
“Oh, the line forms on the right, babe….” Great song, #1 hit for Bobby Darin. Most people today would say “Bobby who?”, so I don’t think the Darin connection, if proven, would add much value to the car.
I think Bobby Darrin would have sprung for the supercharger. Do not believe this was his.
Could only get A/C or a Supercharger – not both. Perhaps Sandra Dee made the call! :-)
No supercharger in 62
Bobby Darin( whistles), izatso? Sandra Dee,,born Alexandra Zuck, meh, Bobby Darin wrote “Dream Lover” after meeting her, I read. The Hawk was a pretty prestigious car to have, I suppose Hollywood stars would drive one. Like all these alleged “celebrity” cars, there are hundreds of people with that name, and with no proof, I doubt it adds much either. “Lost all paperwork”,,classic. The “Jon Voight” car comes to mind, hey George, who was an idiot, bought the story.
Like these a lot. My big worry would be the registration. Doesn’t say it is up to date and that could lead to some very high fees.
A very classy looking car
Never figured Bobby Darin for a Studey man.
I can see Bobby Darrin in maybe a `62 Vette, or a Cadillac cvt. but not a Studebaker. NOBODY in Hollywierd then drove Studebakers. And with no documentation, it’s just another GT Hawk.
The Will Fox? If so, welcome aboard, pal, not sure I’ve seen you here before. Don’t expect “OM” courtesy here, it’s basically unmoderated, unless the “filters” catch a swear word. Can’t let the lunkheads get to you, like they get to me.
I think Bobby Darrin promoted some custom car for a while that looked a lot like Homer Simpsons car. I agree, a Studebaker just didn’t have the glitz of a Rolls, maybe their gardener used this car. They did have a son, Dodd Darrin, I read( never heard of him) ,,maybe it was the kids car. That I could see.
Might have been owned by Abe Lincoln too, just can’t prove it…
‘cannot tell a lie. It was George Washington…
At least one Hollywood legend did personally own and drive a Studebaker – Aunt Bee drove a 1966 Studebaker Daytona Sport Coupe.
And Wilbur Post drove Studebakers for three of the six seasons of the Mister Ed show.
Who, in his right mind, cares about these Hollywood weirdos? What did they know about cars and exactly what good did any of them ever do to anybody? They are supporters of the most degenerate life styles ever to have infected mother earth. Generally, they out-ratted the rat pack.
Not sure how valuable a tool the Bobby Darrin reference is in selling this car, considering that most of his fans are now beyond driving age.
Hey you, get off my lawn, dag nabit,,
Who would spend $6,500 to get a $5,000 car on the road?
provenance never mattered to me. I’d seek out its clone for less $ & B very happy (“Xxx owned this penny, gun, car. It’s worth xx$ more.”) Not 2 me, U pay it…
Now ‘paper work’ (ephemera) that’s different (Letter composed by, signed by, written by…). But I have no interest, excitement w/those anyway.
Like to see this w/white interior – I think it’s in that brilliant ’50s tropical turquoise (the greenbrier beside should not B, a nice forest green).
Maybe Bobby Darren ?
“Oh, the Hawk bites with its beak, dear…”
Gerard Frederick: Annette Funicello (rest her soul) could have degenerated me any way she wanted!
The under dash A/C unit is not original. Thru 1964 the Studebaker unit had 4 round vents. In 1965 & 66 the factory unit looked more like this square vent version, but the Studebaker unit had the 2 control knobs located between the 2 vents, not below them.
I can’t imagine Darin buying a baby blue GT Hawk for either his or his wife’s use, as when it came to automobiles he always liked very flamboyant automobiles. Case in point was his purchase of the DiDia 150. If you’ve never heard of it, check out this link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DiDia_150
Perhaps “Mack The Knife” was once heard on this car’s radio…
More useless and off topic info– Otis the drunk on the Andy Griffith show had a 32 ford roadster…..oh baby….
Cheers
GPC
Auction closed, no longer available.
“engine smokes” – not the only Studebaker to suffer this malady. You hardly ever see a non-diesel car that smokes today, back in 1960 many did, rings were worn, and we just put oil in and drove, a lot cheaper than rebuilding the engine and no pollution control issues. And the air was a lot worse, both from
Boston to Virginia, and LA to San Diego – flying in it was very obvious, and not so today.
Most people couldn’t tell you what a “draft-tube” was, and I think oil quality has helped some. It wasn’t so much the burning of oil, but the leaking. Those “oil strips” in the center of the lanes were pure STP. Today, leaking oil is against the law, at least in trucking.
Fuel injection virtually eliminated the flushing of the oil off the cylinder walls caused by the choke at start-up with carbed (I don’t know how to spell carburetor) engines. Thus the engines no longer suffered ring wear and the resulting blue smoke so prevelent back in the day.