Studebaker had a lot of faith in the series of Hawk cars they fielded between 1956-64. There were several iterations on the Raymond Lowey-styled, Champion-based automobiles, such as the Sky Hawk, Silver Hawk, Power Hawk, Flight Hawk, Golden Hawk, Gran Turismo Hawk, and plain Hawk. The Golden Hawk was a pillarless coupe that was produced between 1956-58, including this idled ’57 edition that needs a complete restoration. This should be a supercharged car, but if the hardware has survived it’s locked in the trunk with no keys. Located in Laramie, Wyoming, this red Golden Hawk is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $6,000 OBO.
The Hawks were the next-to-last cars to have their styling influenced by industrial designer Lowey. The famous 1963-64 Avanti would have the honor of being the final one. The Golden Hawk used the Starliner hardtop coupe’s body but added a large, almost vertical eggcrate grille and a raised hood line as well as an also raised, squared-off trunk lid and vertical fiberglass tailfins. Golden Hawks weren’t mass-produced, seeing less than 10,000 copies built in three model years, with 4,300 or so in 1957. The ’57-58 Golden Hawks came with a supercharged 289 cubic inch V8 that had an output of almost one horsepower per cubic inch (275).
The seller’s Golden Hawk is said to be complete to the best of his knowledge, but he’s waiting on the keys and title to open up all the compartments, like the trunk. So be advised that neither of those things may be available to the buyer. It looks like a cool project that is likely going to need everything. This one is equipped with an automatic transmission, which we understand was chosen less often that the manual when new. As we’re told, the car was running when it entered inside storage and the prior owner began to take it apart. The seller has posted the car on consignment on behalf of another party.
We’re not seeing any visible rust, but the interior looks like it will need a complete makeover and half of it is covered up with stuff that may or may not belong to the car. The mileage is stated as 1,000, but that’s likely just a Facebook placeholder. If this car was in top-flight condition, Hagerty believes they’re worth upwards of $60,000. Fair would be one quarter of that, so if the supercharger hardware is complete, this may not be an overpriced project.
I have always been a big Studebaker, and the Goldenhawk would be at the top of my list. This car needs a lot, but if the body not full of bondo, and all the parts are there it looks like a good investment. If if any of the big stuff is missing all bets are off. Most of it will be unobtainium, and if one does manage to find them, take the gold mine with you to pick them u!
I have always been a big Studebaker, and the Goldenhawk would be at the top of my list. This car needs a lot, but if the body not full of bondo, and all the parts are there it looks like a good investment. If if any of the big stuff is missing all bets are off. Most of it will be unobtainium, and if one does manage to find them, take the gold mine with you to pick them up!
I am pretty sure they had a Paxton Super Charger. A friend of mine had one back in the sixties. I have seen two fully restored Golden hawks since. They are one of my favorite cars of all times. If you have a lot of time and money, choose this one off.
Robert Duffy,
1957-58 Golden Hawks had the earlier [and larger in size] McCulloch brand supercharger. 1963-64 Studebakers with the R-2 engine had Paxton superchargers. They were more compact and could be located down at the side of the motor, allowing a lower hood line on the Avanti.
And as to how the names came about; the owner of the factory making the superchargers, was Mr. Robert Paxton McCulloch! Also of chain saw fame.
So we have a flipper that hasn’t received the title or keys yet ? Man that was quick flip………
Not a flipper, the post says the man is assisting the owner in selling the car.
The tall fin’s on the 57 and later Hawk’s were steel. The 56 G.H. was the only one with the short fiberglass fin’s.
I tried out a 56 Hawk with a 352 Packard engine and it was a straight line flat out runner but any serious attempt at cornering that car was a dangerous idea.
While the 56 was a bit front heavy but by the standards of 1956 it was a good handling car.
Now with a worn suspension all bets are off… but that’s true of any car.
they have steering linkage that is truly rube Goldberg
’57 Golden Hawk…YAY! Facebook Marketplace…BOO!
It looks like you can just shine some light into the trunk area from the removed back seat area…..
“…Facebook Marketplace…BOO!…”
I hate FB Mrkt Pl
Lost $ to PP on flee-bay with the winning bid as the deposit. Sale not go thru, deposit not returned.
The 3 speed o/d is not very common. There were way more automatics. If the hood overlay is missing it will be a tough find. So many of them were used on other hawks . Looks like the stainless bars for the side grilles may be missing. Another tough find as they were only used on the 57 GH.
Vince is correct. My 1958 Packard Hawk (identical to a ’58 Studebaker Golden Hawk except for modified hood, front fairing and trunk lid) was one of only 26 built that year with a 3-speed on the column and an overdrive.
How many “Packard”Hawks still exist?Wasn’t the total production only 500?A neighbor bought a new one and drove it very little just like the old 1932 straight 8 they stashed in the garage behind their home.
Bob, it has been reported that only about 500 1958 Packard Hawks remain in the U.S. Not sure about how many might be overseas.
It seemed a bit odd to me not to mention that the Hawks went away and then came back as the Gran Turismo hawk a more successful design with a Thunderbird roof and an even more Mercedes like grille.
In that period of fast moving car fashion it is quite a testimony to Virgil Exner’s -not Raymond Loewy’s 1963 coupe that it was in production 10 years later with moderate changes. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studebaker_Gran_Turismo_Hawk#:~:text=The%20Studebaker%20Gran%20Turismo%20Hawk,the%20Golden%20Hawk%20of%201956.
The Studebaker Larks were also derived from the taller 1953 sedans.
The Hawks never went away, there was a Hawk in 1961, sometimes (confusingly) referred to as Gran Turismo Hawks, and in 61 you could get a Hawk with a 4 speed.
In 62 the GT Hawk with the T Bird type roof came out.
Exner had nothing to do with it, that was Bob Bourke. Exner was responsible for the previous generation, 47-52.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studebaker_Starlight
The amazing GT Hawk update of the aged Hawk body was done by Brooks Stevens, not Exner.
Oops, I mean Bob Bourke had nothing to do with the GT Hawk other than to provide Brooks Stevens with a great base with which to start.
I drove Brooks in my 64 at the time. At the Milestone Eastern National meet in 74 we Had Brooks Bob Bourke and Bob Andrews as our guest. Sadly they are all gone.
Correct. The original design for the “Loewy Coupe” was credited to Loewy but Loewy didn’t do the actual styling. Bob Bourke did. I’m unclear as to who exactly who did the ugly chromed-up ’55’s, but since Duncan McRae did the styling for Studebaker from 1955 thru 1960, I’ll blame him. Brook Stevens did the 1962 thru 1964 Gran Turismo Hawk, and he did it on a shoe string budget.
Total production for Packard Hawk was 588 58 Golden Hawk 898
There are times I wish all the independent car makers after WW2
could have survived but the market is the determining factor and the strong survived.The ones before WW2 like Auburn-Cord and Duesenberg plus Marmon,Stutz,Peerless,Pierce and Graham were doomed from day one.Studebaker hung on for almost 20 years after the war which was astounding.
Ted Coombes,thank you for the input on surviving Packard Hawks.
It was my pleasure, Bob. Studebaker made an optional limited slip differential, and I’m looking for one. I also have a 1937 V-12 Packard five-passenger touring sedan and a 1939 LaSalle to go with the Packard Hawk.
Ted, there should be plenty of TwinTraction rear differentials out there readily available. Just hit up any one of the larger Studebaker parts vendors.
Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll check it out.
Ted,
I owned a 1935 Packard Super Eight convertible with 6 wire wheels and a rumble seat when I was in high school in 1953.
Also at age 20 I bought an 1937 Cadillac for the grand sum of $180.It was a 4 door sedan series 85 with a V12 engine.I think the Packard 12’s were a better car.I paid $150 for the Super Eight.
The Packard 12’s were better cars than the Duesenbergs and as I mentioned in another post,Packard had dealers that were
naion wide and dealers stayed around to service them for a long time after Packard ceased operations.Rollyson Packard in
Charleston WV serviced them for many years afterward.
The Duesenberg I think had a strong appeal to the exhibitionists that made it big and the Packard appealed to old established money.A man in Texas put an notice in a newspaper that said he was “celebrating the depression”by ordering a new Duesenberg that cost over $20,000 in 1933.
A wretched thing to do when a lot of people couldn’t afford a gallon of milk for the family.Did you know someone paid $20 million for Gary Coopers SSJ Duesenberg?THAT was the exact estimate of a major addition to a children;s hospital here in West Virginia.It would be great to be able to write a check so big that the bank would bounce instead of the check {:>)
Bob roller,
You brought back a little bit of memory for me. I had managed to find a complete Studebaker-Packard listing of every S-P dealer in the country. In the mid 1970s I remember visiting the Rollyson Packard location on [I think] McCorkle Av in South Charleston, WV.
With a little bit of detective work I was able to locate and buy the remnants of the dealership, mostly NOS parts, and a little bit of various Packard literature, banners and other sales items.
Bill McCoskey,
Thank you for the interesting response.I am glad the remnants of Rollyson Packard went to to you instead of the city dump.You probably know this but
Rollyson after selling one of America’s premier cars got a Volkswagen franchise and may still be in business.The “Bug”was a new toy and there was a line waiting to buy one.Noisy little car with all the comforts of a small town jail.