The Gran Turismo (or GT) Hawk was the final iteration of the Hawk series of automobiles that dated to 1956 (and even further including the Starliner it was based upon). GT Hawks were built for three model years (1962-64), but production was discontinued as of December 1963 when Studebaker closed its U.S. manufacturing plant. The seller has owned this 1963 GT Hawk for 15 years and doesn’t have the interest now to do a restoration so another party will have that opportunity. Located in Bennett, Colorado, this survivor is available here on craigslist for $14,500. Hats off to T.J. for another great find!
Studebaker decided to move the Hawk upstream after the 1961 models sold poorly. The tailfins were shorn in favor of a more squared-off rear-end, the roofline looked like something from a Ford Thunderbird, and the raised front grille emulated that of a Mercedes-Benz. It would be Studebaker’s most luxurious car until the Avanti joined the line-up the following year. Production numbers of the GT Hawk were a bit better than its predecessor at 9,335 copies in 1962, 4,634 in 1963, and just 1,767 in 1964 before the GT Hawk failed to make a move to Studebaker’s Hamilton, Ontario plant.
According to the seller, this GT Hawk hasn’t been on the road for nearly 50 years, explaining the somewhat low odometer reading of 64,000 miles. It sat in a basement for many years before the seller bought it around 2007. Although it does run and looks in okay shape overall, the seller doesn’t use it as he won’t drive a car without full insurance coverage (?). The Studebaker will continue to sit if the seller keeps it, so he/she has decided to let it go.
We’re told it has a 259 Packard V8 with a 2-barrel carburetor. That doesn’t quite jive as the GT Hawk came with a 289 V8 and Packard motors had been dropped in the mid-1950s after the merger of the two companies. But it does have an automatic transmission and, apparently, the car moves around well enough for “someone to drive it off.” Except for the roof, the paint is passable. The paint on the top is flaking off, perhaps having been previously covered by vinyl. Except for faded carpeting, the interior looks quite acceptable. Perhaps it won’t take a lot to get this ready for the occasional outing to Cars & Coffee.
Russ good write up, only problem is that was or is what is left of a vinyl roof by what I see. Otherwise good write up of a brand that had some great looking cars and design just outdated chassis and engines. They had nothing left for development and resources were drying up.
Park a ’53 coupe next to it you will easily see what a mess they made of one of the best looking cars of he era.
Sure would like to have the edit feature in the mornings when I’m trying to wake up and get enough coffee in me to quit leaving letters out of words like I did the “t” in the word “the”.
I have one of each: A ’54 and a ’63. Parked side by side I see two gorgeous cars. I get more attention on the road in my black GT than I do with my ’54.
This poor GT is a mixture of a ’62 front end on a ’64 GT, not a ’63. The engine would be a Studie 289, not a Packard 259 (352?). Need some frame photos to see if it is worth the time to go forward on a resto.
I agree on the engine and frame. Packard did not build a 259 cid V8. Did someone replace the Hawk’s 289 cid with a Lark 259 cid ? The front clip mismatch raises the question of accident damage. Yes, a buyer needs to inspect the undercarriage.
The interior appears to be a ’64 or late ’63. The ’62 and early ’63 dash has a bright metal grill overlay to the right of the instrument panel. A dealer installed metal plaque could be had with the original buyer’s name engraved on it.
Later 63’s and the 64 had faux woodgrain replacing the bright work. Also, the ’62 had horizontal pleated vinyl upholstery whereas the ’63 and ’64 Hawks changed the upholstery material to a much better Naugahyde with the pleats running vertically.
I was the original owner of a 1963 Hawk s/n 63V-4868 R-1. I added a pair of Lucas SLR576/SFT576 long range & fog aux. lights to the front bumper guards and replaced the console ashtray with toggle switches for the Lucas
lights. I removed and saved the lights (also the owner’s plaque) when I sold the car in the early 1970’s. BTW, my Hawk literally ate mufflers and tailpipes. The factory tailpipes would delaminate and flake off in layers. I finally replaced them with an aftermarket system with a lifetime warranty.
You can usually identify the engine by the serial number. 259 starts with a “V” and 289 starts with “P” The number is stamped at the front of the block forward of the tappet cover near the driver’s side head
The trunk lid is a ’64 and the front side grills look like they are from a ’62. I don’t think that center badge on the grill is right for a ’63.
If this is the most original Studebaker that the seller owns, what do his Frankenbakers look like?
It does look like a miss-match of parts, the grill and trunk lid look like a ’64, the openings next to the grill are a ’62 The wood grain glove box is a ’63 and it has an alternator that first showed up in ’63. Being a Hawk owner and watching their value hardly rise over the years, I’m guessing you’d be lucky to get 3K for this car
I’m betting the serial number indicates this is a 1964 GT Hawk. It has the ’64 decklid, the chrome trim strip for the half vinyl roof, the black instrument panel, and many more pieces that suggest it’s a ’64 model. I suspect the ’62 side grills were added at sometime in the past.
However I find it interesting that over the years of collecting/servicing Studebakers, I’ve seen multiple examples of ’64 GT Hawks with the 1962 side grills, and one owner who bought his silver ’64 GT Hawk as a used car in 1965 said his car, with the early side grills, was this way because the factory ran out of the 1964 parts.
I’ve not heard this from other sources, but that sounds plausible if they were nearing the end of the South Bend facility’s run of Hawks, and didn’t want to place another order for the ’64 grills, lamps, and inserts. In the 1970s I bought out quite a few remaining Studebaker dealership NOS parts inventories, and while I ended up with numerous GT Hawk side grills, none were for the 1964 cars.
I would love to hear from other Studebaker guys who are familiar with the late GT Hawks, as to what they think about this possibility.
If I wasn’t too old and was still looking for cars to buy instead of selling off what I’ve got, I would love to add this to the collection, fix the front fender rust, Add ’64 Studebaker A/C, original power disc brakes & tachometer, and put the original vinyl roof back on.
I have a 62 GT Hawk in the garage – a legit barn find (got pictures of the barn in Wisconsin) after 33 years hibernating-
in about the same condition with about the same mileage. It is a lot of fun and always garners comments and well wishes
The particular combo featured looks just fine, but is an amalgam – whether from the factory as parts ran out on the line or through replacement as crashes took their toll.
The trunk lid is rare.
some call the same policy w/ford ‘the empty box’ manufacturing process. The experts can tell us. Probably few others know, can spot non-yr parts. If they fit and one can source them I say ” Gofurid ! “. Anyway we can get these historic examples represented to the public is OK w/me. AND…
“Yes” they must B clear – it is not concourse correct, which are not ‘correct’ (simply a location on vehicle and yr statement) but I’d drive em. In fact it’s a more affordable rig for me (to bring 2 nxt level). I’d take a trip to see one. Also, “Yes” I’d rather see a gen than altern, cloth covered wires than modern, etc. But that can be accomplished by the next owner or when finances are available.
Let’s “bring em back” & have in daily drive condition!
wHat r U tlking a-bout ??
Have to see the vin to know what it is.At least 3 different years of sheetmetal. A many year Studebaker Club member, this very much inflated price. These cars not that hard to find either. 4k would be a dream price