It is easy for potential buyers to fork out many thousands of dollars on a project car, and still be faced with a mountain of tasks before that vehicle even runs or drives. This 1962 Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawk has appeared out of the ether like a breath of fresh air. There’s no denying that whipping this classic into shape is going to take a lot of time and effort, but you will struggle to find a project car that is complete and features a healthy V8 under the hood for the price. Located in Marshfield, Missouri, you will find the Hawk listed for sale here on Craigslist. The sale price has been set at a jaw-dropping $1,900, although the owner might entertain possible offers or trades. All of that has to make this one look pretty tempting. Once again, I need to send a huge thank you to our eagle-eyed Barn Finder Gunter K for spotting this beauty for us.
There’s no point sugar-coating this because this Hawk is going to require some work if it is to present at its best once again. The Silver paint is looking tired, but that’s the least of this car’s problems. It has rust, and there’s plenty of it visible in the supplied photos. It has impacted many of the Studebaker’s lower extremities, as well as panels like the trunk lid. From a positive perspective, I think that most of these problems could be addressed with patches if the buyer is willing to show a bit of patience. The owner admits that there is also rust in the floors, but it isn’t clear how extensive this is. The good news is that it is possible to buy a set of replacement front floors for under $500, so this might address the worst of those woes. Another positive to take from this classic is that it does appear to be complete. Some of the external trim might require restoration, but I can’t spot anything that has deteriorated beyond the point of no return.
Powering the Hawk is a 289ci V8 that is backed by the Flight-O-Matic transmission. This V8 should be capable of producing 210hp, which is a respectable figure for moving a car that tips the scales at 3,285lbs. This wasn’t a muscle car by any means, but the gearing combination employed by Studebaker made these a long-legged cruiser that was still capable of touching 120mph. The owner has spent some energy and money under the hood of this classic, and it is the buyer who is set to reap the benefits. He has recently fitted a new battery, new plugs, wires, coil, fuel filter, thermostat, and a fan belt. The fuel tank has been cleaned and reinstalled, and that 289 now kicks into life and runs nicely. He has also installed a new master cylinder and lines, although the brakes don’t function. It seems that some replacement wheel cylinders will need to go on the shopping list, but with those fitted, this classic will be getting close to being mechanically roadworthy.
Given how tired the Hawk’s exterior is looking, the interior rates as a pleasant surprise. It isn’t factory-fresh, but it does appear to be serviceable. There are no major rips or splits in the seats, and while there are a few wrinkled spots, I believe that these could be stretched back into shape. The material on the seats isn’t original, but that’s no great surprise. The vinyl that Studebaker chose for the 1962 Hawk was renowned for its poor quality and would split if you so much as looked at it the wrong way. The company rectified this problem for the following year, but this problem did the Hawk’s reputation some substantial damage. The remaining upholstered surfaces look okay, but the carpet has seen better days. If the buyer is seeking to refresh the interior, replacement seat covers and carpet can be bought as a set. They will lighten the wallet to the tune of around $1,500, but they would make a significant difference to the overall presentation. The gauges are crisp and clear, although the fascia shows some significant deterioration. Some of the plated components have bubbles, but they look like a restorable proposition. There have been no aftermarket additions, and the dash still features its factory AM radio.
It is often said that we get what we pay for, and anyone who spends $1,900 on a project car can be sure that they won’t be scoring a pristine vehicle. However, finding a car in that price range that is complete, features a healthy V8 under the hood, and is close to a mechanically roadworthy state, is a rarity. It is probably more of a rarity than the 1963 GT Hawk was when it was new. By the time this car rolled off the line, Studebaker was balanced precariously on the brink of bankruptcy, and they had no money to throw at the Hawk’s development. That they were able to make so many significant cosmetic changes to the styling of the car that started life as the Golden Hawk is an achievement that deserved recognition and sales success. Sadly, neither of these things came the company’s way, and they only managed to sell 9,335 examples of the Gran Turismo Hawk during the 1962 model year. Today, these classics remain largely forgotten, and various sources agree that there are probably only around 900 left in existence. That rarity doesn’t equate to high values, because when nice examples come onto the market, they struggle to reach beyond $15,000. If a buyer paid the full price for this project car, that would leave them around $13,000 in the bank to perform this restoration before it became an automotive black hole. If they are willing and able to do most of the work themselves, there’s a good chance that they could stay below that figure. However, with the increasing rarity of these classics, I wouldn’t blame them if they crept slightly over budget to get this one right. They are a rare breed, and I think that this one deserves saving. Don’t you?
Great write-up Adam. Indeed, in these insane times of rust buckets selling at premium prices, this car surely seems underpriced.
It is strange, too, that a nice one would only sell for 15K, considering the seeming hyper-inflation occurring in the classic car milieu these days.
Think you are looking at a huge rust repair bill on this one. A little bit of rust showing everywhere is not a good sign, especially when it’s also on the grill. A “pay me to remove it” car of the highest order.
What’s with all these goofy aftermarket air cleaners? Especially little ones like this example.
Aftermarket manufacturers would sell anything, not worrying about sticky little details like restricting the engine airflow. This little air cleaner is the equivalent of closing the choke halfway. The alternative (no air cleaner), is a lot worse though.
My 22 horsepower lawn tractor has a bigger air filter than that.
What a loss it would be if this GT couldn’t be put back on the road.
All (?) of the replacement parts needed ($$$) are available through
the strong support systems for Studebakers. Studebaker engineers and
the Brooks Stephens Design Team redesigned the Hawk line with the Gran
Turismo (1962-64) but, alas, Studebaker, for mostly financial reasons, ran
out of gas after less than 2,000 GT’s were produced for 1964.
And speaking of parts…, even if this ’62 GT were, gulp, parted out I think the $1900 price could be doubled thru mechanical, interior, and trim pieces alone.
I will take all the nice ones for 15k you can find. this will not be cheap when you are done. The first thing to do if you buy this is to join the Studebaker Drivers Club if you are not a member. You will find most of what you need plus a lot of support.
Alit of Missouri cars today, several appear to be same owner
This car has been for sale for several months. Having owned a couple 53s years ago I wouldn’t touch this with a 10 foot pole. Rust, rust and more rust.
These were all known to be some of the hottest cars in our town back in the good days of America.
Its a lot of car for 1900. But there’s an awful lot of car missing, and I bet a lot of it is structural too. Floor pans are the least of its problems. Sad.