Power by Packard: 1956 Studebaker Golden Hawk
From 1956 to 1964, several variants of the Studebaker Hawk were produced. Perhaps the most interesting (and the fastest) was the 1956 Golden Hawk. That was the only year it was built with a Packard engine and was only beaten in the performance department by Chrysler’s 300B. This nice example may be an older restoration (IMO) and presents well given the limited photos. It’s also a top-dollar automobile at $38,000 OBO in South Pasadena, California, and here on craigslist.
The list of Studebakers carrying the Hawk name was quite extensive. Silver Hawk, Power Hawk, Flight Hawk, Gran Turismo Hawk, Sky Hawk, and Golden Hawk (am I missing any?). The Golden Hawk was in the game from 1956 to 1958 and was a 2-door pillarless personal luxury car conceived from the earlier Commander Starliner coupe. Except for the later GT Hawk, it may have been the best-looking as tailfins hadn’t yet gotten out of hand.
In its first year (‘56), the Golden Hawk used Packard’s 352 cubic inch V8 that produced 275 hp. It would be replaced in 1957 with a smaller, supercharged Studebaker engine because Studebaker-Packard Corp. dumped Packard’s old engine plant. The machine was a tad nose-heavy but was one of the fastest things going except for the NASCAR-induced Chrysler Letter Series which was really a street-legal racecar.
Studebaker only built a little more than 4,000 Golden Hawks in 1956 and this example is one of them. None of its history is discussed other than it has managed to accumulate 80,000 miles, so it’s not been a garage queen. But we’re told the engine is original and in excellent condition (with any work done?). The Studebaker has an automatic transmission, power windows, and power seats, so it was a top-of-the-line automobile in its day.
The two-tone paint looks quite nice and so does the interior, though we wonder about the front seat cushion (is that trash on the seat or is there something wrong with the upholstery?). The seller needs to let this one go as his/her family is getting bigger, which means less time for the Studebaker or the need for an infusion in cash. It looks like a sold automobile that should deliver plenty of smiles with the miles. When it comes to tips, its hard to beat ones like this from T.J.!
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Comments
Best looking of the series before Packard turned them into catfish. Nice one here.
Got to love this Studebaker Hawk. Price seems a bit steep, but where are you going to find another time capsule of the not so grand finale of Studebaker? One of my HS teachers had a Golden Hawk. Unlike many others, I actually liked the so called Packardbakers. Think this Hawk is a revision of a Loewy design, but believe Dick Teague was at that point in charge of styling. No small task! Last Days In The Bunker, tells the last attempts to save Packard. Proposed combination of Nash, Hudson,Packard and Studebaker might well have provided a force to be reckoned with! But, so many grand Marques are now gone! Replaced by glorified trucks masquerading as Luxury vehicles!
A kid from our high school had one like this, we were all quite jealous.
Love to have this car. I believe Roger Elbert owned one, this reminds me of him.
Very nice. The two tone green is interesting. My GH has the coves beside the grill painted.
Beautiful looking car. I’ve always loved the pre-1962 Studebaker Hawk. If only Craigslist posted more photos of the car. When you put a car up for sale, there should be no limit to how much of the car you can show people who might want to buy it. Given its condition, I’d pay close to $30k for the car.
Colors inside and out take away from this car, imo.
Looks like a quadrajet carb../ probably a Carter..
Beautiful car but, why would they leave the ribbon on the seat? That’s troubling to me.
I thought the exact same thing!
It’s beautiful, and it’s also a THREE tone paint job when you include the pale green roof, unless the light is playing tricks on the paint colour. As for the white ribbon I think that was just left there after doing a wedding.
A couple of quick observations: The carburetor is an Edelbrock, and that is a ribbon laying on the front seat. I suspect that the former was for drivability and the latter was ??? Only the owner knows the answer to that. Nice car, not exactly in my wheelhouse, but nice nonetheless.
Yep nice one one the high side vrs demand and yes there are still a lot of 1956 GH around.
YUP all hos guys are spot on, were it not my 70 year history with a 1954 Buick I would own a ride like this. I was 24 years old and brand new Chief as a UDT FROG when this hit the market.
To UDT FROG: you were born in 1931! — you are older than I (though, not by much)!. I loved the first year Hawk — before they went nuts with those fins. Then I didn’t like them until the Turismo (1962-1964) models. This would be fun to own; however, given its low profile and my arthritis, I couldn’t climb down into it very well, I’m afraid (neither back up out of it!). I cannot afford the price, anyway. But, nice to look at!
The alternator is a non-original improvement. The notched front bench is a bit disappointing just to fit a floor shifter from a later Studebaker. Should have kept the column shifter or go all the way and put in buckets and console from the later Hawk/Lark as well.