A Golden Hawk painted gold – how appropriate! This seller is pruning his collection, so he’s sent the Hawk to the auction block. Wearing an older restoration, the car is still nice enough to pull a trophy at local shows. It’s on the rare side, too. Studebaker made 9305 examples from 1956 to 1958. The Golden Hawk emerged from Raymond Loewy’s studio, penned by Robert Bourke. It was an amplification of Loewy’s sleek hardtop design launched in 1953 called the Starliner and the pinnacle of the Hawk line. Landing in the midst of financial troubles at the mothership, the Golden Hawk wasn’t enough to save Studebaker, like the Lark wasn’t sufficient, and the Avanti wasn’t enough. However, we can’t let Studebaker’s eventual demise distract from the Golden Hawk’s virtues.
With hopes pinned on the styling of the Hawk series, Studebaker knew it had to pull out all the stops for its flagship offering. So into the 1956 engine bay went Packard’s big lump, a 352 cu. in. OHV V8 good for 275 hp and a prodigious 380 ft-lbs of torque at 2800 rpm. But finances – not what was best for the development of the Hawk – forced Studebaker’s hand for 1957, and the Packard engine was replaced with Studebaker’s 289 cu. in. V8. The V8 wore a McCullough supercharger inhaling through a two-barrel Stromberg to maintain the car’s horsepower rating. The 289 was just as heavy as Packard’s mill, so handling remained less than nimble. Two gearboxes were available – a Borg Warner three-speed overdrive manual or Packard’s “Ultramatic.” This seller notes that the original automatic has been replaced with a four-speed manual. The radiator has been re-cored, it has a rebuilt starter, and the battery is fresh. The bias-ply tires are on the aged side and should be replaced. The condition of this engine bay is a credit to the original restorer and the seller’s custodianship.
The Golden Hawk was competing with the Thunderbird by the time this car hit the road, and at least in the cabin, the two cars were comparatively equal. Studebaker’s optional leather bench seating, machine-turned dash, and brightwork were on target for the times, though subsequently, Studebaker fell behind trend. The seller reports that the windows are reluctant to rise and the fuel gauge doesn’t read correctly. Other than that, all the gauges work.
The paint is in good shape, but rust has turned up in one lower front fender and topside, near the antenna. The chrome is near-perfect inside and out. This view displays the pronounced fins of the ’57 and later cars. These were made of steel, unlike the fiberglass fins of the ’56. This car is located in Frederick, Maryland, and interested buyers can see it listed here on eBay where the seller is still looking for $30,000 to start the bidding. The buy-it-now price is $39,000. While this example is not perfect, it’s reasonably priced given its condition. Mecum sold a similar ’57 just a few months ago for $93,000. Have you ever owned or driven a Golden Hawk? Do tell – we want to know what you thought of the car.
Already pulled from ebay.
Actually, Studebaker used up all the Packard 352 engines that came with the acquisition of that motor company, which Studebaker promptly plundered. Stude never produced the 352 itself. Anyway, seeing as how this car has rust that is blooming, their opening bid price , let alone their asking price, is too high.