Some cars feature fairly generic styling that blends into the scenery like an automotive chameleon. No such criticism could be leveled at this 1961 Studebaker Hawk. Its distinctive fins and side profile are instantly recognizable, so you won’t mistake it for a vehicle from another marque. This gem is an extremely tidy, driver-grade vehicle featuring an excellent interior and a sweet V8 under the hood. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Curvette for spotting the Hawk listed here on Craigslist in The Dalles, Oregon. You could fly in and drive it home after handing the seller $19,500.
With the Golden Hawk and the Packard Hawk both disappearing at the end of 1958, the Silver Hawk was effectively the last man standing in 1959. With no reason to differentiate it from others in the same series, the company rebranded it as the Hawk in 1960. It would carry the same model designation in 1961 before being replaced by the GT Hawk in 1962. This final-year example is a driver-grade classic that has been the seller’s prized possession for over thirty years. They don’t portray it as a pristine vehicle or a trailer queen, using the car as its creators intended. The Blue Metallic shade gracing its panels doesn’t appear on that year’s color charts, suggesting a comprehensive change at some point. It presents nicely, with no major cosmetic shortcomings. The paint shines nicely, the panels are as straight as an arrow, and rust isn’t a problem. The trim and glass look excellent, and although the wheel combination isn’t original, the seller includes the factory wheel covers in the sale.
The 1961 Hawk wasn’t the most powerful car on the planet, but it still provided very respectable performance. This Hawk’s 289ci V8 should send approximately 225hp and 305 ft/lbs of torque to the rear wheels via an overdrive manual transmission. It doesn’t have power steering or power brakes, but the seller upgraded the latter with front discs. The V8 exhales through a dual exhaust, so it should sound pretty sweet. The engine bay presentation is impressive, and it doesn’t flatter to deceive. The seller confirms that this Studebaker runs and drives well, with no mechanical maladies or issues.
Trimmed in a striking combination of Blue cloth and vinyl, the Hawk’s interior is as tidy as its exterior. The cloth on the front seats exhibits slight wear, but I can’t spot any evidence that holes will be a problem in the future. The carpet looks excellent, and the machine-turned dash fascia is spotless. It lacks any factory options, and the seller upgraded the original radio to a radio/cassette player. As with the exterior, it isn’t pristine, but the interior is comfortably acceptable for a driver-grade classic.
It is fair to say that by the time this Studebaker Hawk rolled off the line in 1961, its styling was dated. Fins were rapidly disappearing, but the harsh reality was that, with the company balanced on the edge of financial oblivion, it didn’t have the budget for a significant restyle. Studebaker seriously considered discontinuing Hawk production entirely at the end of 1959, focusing its energy and manufacturing capacity on the Lark. It plowed on, but dated styling, compared with similar offerings from the “Big Three,” meant sales declined. Only 3,929 examples left showroom floors in 1961 before the GT Hawk’s release for the 1962 model year. Natural attrition means that number has dropped significantly, although rarity doesn’t always translate into a stratospheric market value or strong long-term investment potential. The seller’s price is realistic for a car of this caliber, but is that enough for you to consider pursuing this Hawk further?
This one looks very nicely done. Inside and out. And it’s one you can drive and enjoy. It appears from the photos that they did a nice job on the paint and bodywork ( looking from my phone screen). I’d be very happy to own it. Thanks Curvette, and Adam.
Agree…..if your in the market for a Studie – this is a nice one…..make an offer !
Beautiful car. I had a friend who had a black ’53 or ’54. Had a 350 sbc w/ 5 spd. He passed on, but left me with good memories. Took me to a car show when I was young in it.
Nice car, nice color. Same as what I put on my ’53 coupe. Was pea green but couldn’t handle that on a street rod.
the photos show well and agree it looks great in blue and nice upholstery. The Hawk series’ were awesome cars but the pre-57 version without the tail fins were (and still are) the best looking. The 62-64 Gran Turismo brought back the clean look of the rear panels, one of my favorite cars of all time. This one is just up-river about two hours from me so going to look the other way for a couple days, otherwise I might be uncontrollably tempted to go get it. Nice car, thanks for showing.
This 289 is not related to the Ford of the same displacement.
Just a beautiful driver. (The only way that I would have a car. No trailer queens for me unless driven on the race track. ) And the price? A little high for a Studebaker, because they are less sought after. But in the area of affordability. I like it alot! Manual transmission and overdrive make this a great trip car!
In about 2003 we (the family) were vacationing on the southern Origon coast. We were headed back to the campground from a day of fun and we were stopped because of road construction. In front of me there were 3 Studebakers also stuck in traffic. It appeared that it was going to be awhile so I got out to look at the cars. The one in front of me was a Hawk convertible! I talked to the owner/driver mentioning that it looked great and that I had never seen a Hawk (I don’t remember what year or designation)
convertible before. He said “you will never see another as I custom built this one! ‘ It was art on wheels! Not only a beautifully designed car, but a beautifully designed and executed modification. I was really impressed!
These cars are flat out COOL!!
My friend just picked up a ‘59 super hawk for 8 k and it’s only got 56,000 on it almost same car without the Caddy fins !
If only I had the extra $20k laying around. Seems entirely fair, this is a nice example. I’ve always had a slightly more than passing interest in Studebaker, having been brought home from the hospital as a fresh-born baby in my Dad’s 1963 Lark 2dr. Side note: he stopped along the way home and bought a few piglets from one of the other farmers. Quite the coincidence, as I tend to be somewhat porky myself. One of my English teachers in high school was a decendent of the Studebaker family.