Studebaker was known for getting as much mileage as possible out of a concept. For example, there was the Hawk series of automobiles produced from 1956 to 1964. There were no fewer than eight iterations, plus the Starliner that inspired it. The seller has a 1957 Golden Hawk project plus two parts cars, though one of the donor vehicles looks to be in better physical shape. Located in Stanwood, Washington, you can have all three for $6,000 here on craigslist.
It appears as though the seller rescued a 1957 Studebaker Golden Hawk that was in danger of rusting away. And the primered roller in the photos may be a 1956 Sky Hawk, which was also a hardtop, but it had no rear tailfins while the Golden Hawk took full advantage of them. The 1957 Golden Hawk used a 289 cubic inch Studebaker V8 with a supercharger because the 352 Packard engines employed in the ‘56s were no longer in production. We’re not sure what the third car the seller refers to may be, as the photos don’t tell the story in chronological order.
Most Studebakers never saw the production numbers of the main competition in Detroit. The 1957 Golden Hawk had 4,356 examples roll off the assembly line, so the survival rate today puts one in rare territory. One of the pics shows the 289 being extracted from the Golden Hawk, so we assume it’s still part of the package and probably needs to be rebuilt. The seller is disposing of this trio due to declining health.
Assuming restoring the Golden Hawk instead of the Sky Hawk is still the goal, the buyer will have his or her work cut out for them. Because the rear sheet metal is different, what parts will you be able to successfully move from one car to the other? The seller describes this ensemble as a “frame-off project car with two parts cars.” Rust is prevalent in one case but maybe non-existent with another. Spare parts are included when you come with multiple trailers to haul your acquisitions away. BTW, a nod goes to “Curvette” for another vintage tip!
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