Peekskill, New York is where you’ll find this former California-resident 1967 (as advertised, but see below for the proper model year) Studebaker Hawk, sleuthed out for us by tipster TJ and available here on craigslist. It’s what looks like a relative bargain at $11,900, given what classics are going for right now.
This car isn’t perfect. I’m just guessing, but I doubt the plush velour-looking seat inserts are factory. The rest of the interior, for one thing, doesn’t match their new-ish look. Plan on a carpet and seat skins set, if those are available. The exterior, likewise, shows some wear. Is that paint original? Is the patina something you’d be happy driving with? The body style puts the Ford Thunderbird of the same ere in mind. How do you like the formal roofline? How about that little doo-dad ornament under the gas filler door? The “Gran Tourismo” lettering? The GT was available from 1962-64 as the final iteration of the Hawk series, which had run since 1956. All of this appeals to me, and the price of the car seems like a good starting point for negotiation.
But what’s up with the 1967 designation? That’s not the only mystery here. The car has a California blue plate license tag from the early 1980s, so it must have been off the road for a while back in that era, or it would have an original 1960s black plate. Further, I couldn’t find a 1967 Studebaker on the internet. Was this some kind of continuation car? I hope the answer is not too obviously staring me in the face. Probably the best thing to do is take the current owner’s suggestion and “Call for more information!” (Pause.) I did that, and it turns out that this is a 1964, which might be obvious to anyone who knows the marque but will make it hard to research for the casual Studebaker observer.
At 59,000 miles, the car is hardly worn out mechanically, but there’s no claim made in the ad as to its fitness for road use, and you should assume a recommissioning is in order for all rubber components as well as gaskets, tune-up parts, fuel system, and cooling system. The fuel tank and radiator will probably need to be replaced. The current owner did say to me that the car could be driven and that it doesn’t leak. There are, I further found out, some cracks in the paint, but it was confirmed that the car has no rust. There’s also no history available with the car, so you’re on your own to fill in the gaps of what’s gone on in the nearly 60 years this one’s been roaming the roads. If you’re a bit of a gambler and want to create your own history with a stylish GT coupe, here’s your chance.
Certainly a better looking car compared to the later models with all the fins etc. Car looks good for it’s age and the asking price doesn’t seem too out of line.
Fins came earlier, on the Golden Hawk, etc. Late 1950s-early 1960s.
The floor (automatic) gear selector looks to be out of a 1970s Ford. Since the quadrant in the early 1960s would have been PND2LR, not PRND2R, that leads to questions about the transmission, as well.
And, for that matter, the engine. I don’t think either a Ford or THC transmission was ever mated to a Studebaker engine. And as for a engine? In Hamilton, once they ran out of Studebaker engines (following the closing of the South Bend foundry, a year after the assembly line) the Hamilton engineering department (and his assistant) trial-fitted various crate engines into the Lark chassis. Ford engines would have required significant chassis reworking; but GM-McKinnon engines went right in.
So…what’s the deal? Why the later gear selector? Does the quadrant work as indicated, or is R actually N on the transmission? Is it a Warner Gear transmission, or a Cruise-O-Matic, or THC? What breed are the horses under there?
I thought it looked like a Mustang floor shifter. The Studebaker used borg warner auto trans which were very similar to ford’s FMX trans. Sure would like to see the engine compartment?
The Stude tranny was their own design, and it predates the Cruise-o-matic. Ford tired to get ’em to license the tranny to them, but Stude refused…so Ford went to Warner (I think!) and had ’em change the design just enough so it didn’t infringe on the Stude patents. Presto, Flash-O-Matic became Cruise-O-Matic. Lots of parts are common between the two. The floor shifter looks very similar, but Stude has button on top of the knob instead of a T arrangement like the Ford. Might be interchangeable.
Stude parts are amazingly available, with a few exceptions. One being heater cores for 62-63, which are mounted under the passenger seat. In 64 they put ’em on firewall where just about everybody else did.
I’ve got 1 & 1/2 ( One plus a parts car) 63 GT Hawks. Waiting 2 yrs for my new interior being made by Southeast Studebaker in Knoxville
Studebaker’s Automatic Drive was designed by Borq Warner. It was available as models DG150, DG200, DG250 from 1950 to 1954. Studebaker paid BW to develop the transmission but, after 1954 the continued expense was to much. 1955 and later models all used Borq Warner automatics, that were similar to the BW designed Ford O Matic.
According to Ate Up With Motor (IIRC) the Borg-Warner transmission saga forked somewhere in the 1950s. The Borg-Warner unit of the company came up with an automatic transmission, that Ford, late to the game, essentially bought, first finished copies and then the design and all rights to. That became the Ford-O-Matic, later extensively revised into the Cruise-O-Matic.
The Warner Gear unit was making a different automatic transmission. It was sold to Rambler and I thought, Studebaker. It was not an especially successful unit – the Warner Gear unit later was used in AM General postal jeeps (after AMC took over Kaiser), and the P.O. mechanics derided it with the name Mickey-Mouse. My mother’s 1962 Rambler had it, as well – and yes, it gave trouble.
But there were two separate designs coming out of the Borg-Warner company, there. One went into Fords, and the other…was reserved for unfortunate low-volume makers on the edges of the market.
The automatic shifter is from Studebaker, it was basically the same as on the Avanti, without the console around it. The shifter was available on any 1963 or 1964 Studebaker car, providing it was ordered with the right selection of options like bucket seats and the larger HP engines.
I’ve sent a message to the owner asking them what kind of engine is under the hood, and will publish the answers. My guess, as the car has the Sport Shifter, factory Tachometer, and dual exhausts, it probably has a 4 barrel carb, and may have the R-1 Avanti engine.
Now I like this one…. no huge fins on it.
This IS a ‘later model’, last of the line, really. Fins came before (Golden Hawk, Silver Hawk era).
Correct. Change in the top didn’t sink in.
decent price on a GT Hawk, however description and photos leave me in the cold. Nothing about engine/transmission, no history (back story) nothing documenting the mileage. etc. etc. The interior is not accurate, should be vinyl or leather. I don’t recall a GT Hawk having an automatic floor shift, everyone I have seen is on the column, and a Borg-Warner automatic. I would guess, since I’m not sure on the Canadian built Studebakers with the 283 motor they would have the Powerglide automatic, if not a standard shift. Just my thoughts.
There were no Canadian-built Hawks.
The Lark-derived Hamilton Studebaker, IIRC, used Warner Gear automatics – same as South-Bend Studebakers did. (I’m going by memory here; never worked on one).
The PowerGlide transmission was considered obsolete even then. Kaiser-Jeep made a big deal of offering TurboHydraMatic transmissions in their J-series rigs, rather than the PowerGlide Chevrolet offered in C-series pickups and Suburbans.
GTs could be had with Studebaker’s Powershift automatic, which had a floor shifter.
Floor shift in 1964 hawk shown in pixs
These cars were made in US and then Canadian for same year. The model roofline design matches article for 64
“ For ’64, there were some noticeable design updates for the GT Hawk, including a new, smooth deck lid and slightly restyled imitation side grilles. On the roof, a new “Sports Roof” half-covered vinyl top in either black or white debuted for a $65 upcharge. The grille was updated again, too, this time featuring a Hawk emblem in the center and a Circle-S badge on top. Inside, there was a new painted-dot headliner and silver threaded upholstery with a more prominent instrument cluster.”
https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/.amp/features/car-of-the-week-1964-studebaker-gt-hawk
Nice looking car…
License plate color can be deceiving. California DMV has always been willing to let the car owner get a new pair of plates for a $12 fee. Sometimes we’d do it just to get a new plate; old one bent, dirty, too many annual stickers on it, maybe lost the front plate then got ticketed for not having one.
The Hawks were good looking until they added that horrible T-Bird roof, which was a fad at the time.
Love the car, seems like a fair price but I would like the questions raised above cleared up first. Sounds crazy, but I wonder if anybody put a Packard V8 in one of these? Imagine how that would look in that engine bay!
Ah! The good old days, bought a one-owner’64 Hawk from the original owner in the late 80’s for $275.00. Only needed back bumper re chromed. Living in central California then. Great car, have owned many Studebakers.
Packard V8? 1956 Golden Hawk.
truth? I think it surpassed many europeans it seemed to compete against. The different usa engineering alone. Style is personal but I still say “Up there w/some, surpassed many”. I’d daily, every day…
Would love to have it, but not enough information for the price; even after the author spoke with the owner.
I bought a ’63 Hawk 289 ci. w/4 bbl., PS and Borg Warner 3 speed A/T off the showroom floor. Great cruiser for long haul road trips with decent mpg. Better handling than many of it’s early 60’s U.S. rivals but, as Road & Track cautioned, “don’t try to follow a well driven Giulietta into a decreasing radius turn”. Lucas long range and fog lamps were added for night driving on twisty roads. The lights complimented the Euro grill. From day one, my Hawk ate it’s mufflers and tailpipes. Finally went to a muffler shop that gave a lifetime warranty. The owner hated to see me drive up. After two years, the Hawk went to another family member who kept it for another seven years. I wish I had the garage space for this one.
I just got off the phone with the owner. I asked him if the air cleaner and valve covers were painted or Chromed. They are Chromed, and this generally means it’s equipped with the Avanti R-1 engine, especially as the car has dual exhausts, Power shift, and tachometer.
He also says this car is a southern California vehicle and has never had any rust. Studebaker collectors know very well that rust-free Studebakers, especially Hawks, are hard to find. I hope someone gets this car, as it’s quite rare. The owner put his phone number in the ad, and he welcomes people to call.