Studebaker-Packard Hawk series
Encyclopedia
The Studebaker-Packard Hawk series were cars
produced by the merged Studebaker
-Packard
corporation between 1956 and 1964. All but the 1958 Packard Hawk were badged Studebaker. Described by the company as "family sports cars", they were all two-door, four-seat coupes and hardtops. They were an evolution of the beautiful 1953 cars designed by Robert Bourke, a lead designer with the Raymond Loewy Agency. The 1962 redesign as the GT Hawk was by another famed stylist, Brooks Stevens.
1956 saw a four-model Hawk range launched, of which the lower three shared engines with Studebaker's three model levels; the two coupes; the Flight Hawk
had the Champion
's obsolete and underpowered flathead straight-6
enlarged to 185.6"; the Power Hawk
used Studebaker's OHV 259" with either 180 hp 2-bbl or 195 hp with a 4-bbl in (4.7 L) V8 from the Commander
; the two hardtops; Sky Hawk
shared the larger OHV 289 in³ V8 and luxury trim with the Studebaker President
and Studebaker Golden Hawk
, however, stood at the top of the range. The Golden Hawk, fitted with Packard's powerful big-block 352 cubic inch 275 hp (5.8 L) V8, was the best all-around high performance car of 1956. Some feel by installing the largest V8 in the smallest lightest body, Studebaker created the first muscle car eight years before the GTO. It had the second highest power-to-weight ratio of any American production car. Contemporary road tests verified the Golden Hawk was faster/quicker in the 1/4 mile than the Corvette, Thunderbird and Chrysler 300B. In top speed, only the Chrysler 300B could equal it.
By 1956 the Studebaker-Packard Board of Directors had decided to phase out of automobile production. The first step was to kill off Packard. The Detroit and Utica Packard factories were closed, ending production of the Packard V8. Because of existing contracts, it was necessary to deliver Packards. For 1957 Packard-badged Studebakers were still produced in South Bend and sold to meet existing Packard dealer contracts. Packard's V8 was no longer being produced, so the 1957 Golden Hawk was fitted with Studebaker's largest 289 in³ V8, equipped with a McCulloch supercharger to produce the same 275 hp rated power output. The range was simplified; the Sky Hawk was discontinued as too close to the Golden Hawk, while the two lowest models were replaced with a single Silver Hawk
model, available with either the Champion straight-6 or 259 cubic inch (4.2 L) V8. 1958 saw a restyled and re-badged luxury version of the Golden Hawk sold as the Packard Hawk
.
As part of the long-range plan to get out of the automotive business, for 1959 Studebaker-Packard discontinued the hardtop Golden Hawk, all Packards, and the Studebaker sedans; the Silver Hawk coupe was the only holdover left alongside the new Studebaker Lark
range. It was a make-or-break year, but Studebaker's big gamble paid off; the smaller-appearing Lark was actually just the six-year-old sedans with shorter front and rear sheetmetal, but it was in the right place at the right time, the car the market wanted. The Silver Hawk served as a useful showroom draw, and it was continued; since it was the only Hawk model left, it was renamed simply the Studebaker Hawk and continued under that name through the end of 1961.
For the 1962 model year, Brooks Stevens worked a miracle and a beautiful restyled GT Hawk was launched, the Gran Turismo Hawk
. Its styling was well received, and sold relatively well for 1962. By 1963, Studebaker sales were in an irreversible death spiral. Even though the 1964 Super Hawk, available with an optional supercharged engine, 4-speed transmission, TwinTraction limited-slip differential, front disc brakes and a sport suspension, was the best Hawk ever, production was ended with the rest of Studebaker's US production in 1964.
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
produced by the merged Studebaker
Studebaker
Studebaker Corporation was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 under the name of the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, the company was originally a producer of wagons for farmers, miners, and the...
-Packard
Packard
Packard was an American luxury-type automobile marque built by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, and later by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana...
corporation between 1956 and 1964. All but the 1958 Packard Hawk were badged Studebaker. Described by the company as "family sports cars", they were all two-door, four-seat coupes and hardtops. They were an evolution of the beautiful 1953 cars designed by Robert Bourke, a lead designer with the Raymond Loewy Agency. The 1962 redesign as the GT Hawk was by another famed stylist, Brooks Stevens.
| Model | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight Hawk Studebaker Flight Hawk The Studebaker Flight Hawk was the lowest-priced model in the four-model Hawk family sports car line introduced by Studebaker in 1956.-Styling:... |
X | ||||||||
| Power Hawk Studebaker Power Hawk The Studebaker Power Hawk was a two-door pillared coupe manufactured by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation for the 1956 model year only. The Power Hawk was technically part of the Studebaker Commander series, and featured the Commander's 259 cubic inch V-8, which generated with two-barrel... |
X | ||||||||
| Sky Hawk Studebaker Sky Hawk The Studebaker Sky Hawk was a pillarless two-door hardtop coupe produced by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation for the 1956 model year only. The Sky Hawk was considered part of the Studebaker President series. One of four models of Hawks available that year, the Sky Hawk was positioned between the... |
X | ||||||||
| Golden Hawk Studebaker Golden Hawk The Studebaker Golden Hawk is a two-door pillarless hardtop coupe type car produced by the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana between 1956 and 1958.-Styling:... |
X | X | X | ||||||
| Silver Hawk Studebaker Silver Hawk The Studebaker Silver Hawk was an automobile produced between 1957 and 1959 by the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana. The Hawk was also produced in 1956. There were four versions, pillared Flight Hawk and Power Hawk, and hardtop Sky Hawk and Golden Hawk. The Silver Hawk model was not... |
X | X | X | ||||||
| Packard Hawk Packard Hawk The 1958 Packard Hawk was the sportiest of the four Packard-badged Studebakers produced in the final year of Packard production,. Packard's plant in Detroit, Michigan had been leased to Curtiss-Wright , and Packard models in this dying-gasp year were all rebadged and retrimmed Studebaker products... |
X | ||||||||
| Hawk | X | X | |||||||
| Gran Turismo Hawk Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawk The Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawk , a sporty coupe sold between 1962 and 1964, was the final development of the Studebaker Hawk series that began with the Golden Hawk of 1956.-Redesigning the Hawk:... |
X | X | X |
1956 saw a four-model Hawk range launched, of which the lower three shared engines with Studebaker's three model levels; the two coupes; the Flight Hawk
Studebaker Flight Hawk
The Studebaker Flight Hawk was the lowest-priced model in the four-model Hawk family sports car line introduced by Studebaker in 1956.-Styling:...
had the Champion
Studebaker Champion
The Studebaker Champion is an automobile which was produced by the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana from the beginning of the 1939 model year until 1958....
's obsolete and underpowered flathead straight-6
Straight-6
The straight-six engine or inline-six engine is a six-cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase...
enlarged to 185.6"; the Power Hawk
Studebaker Power Hawk
The Studebaker Power Hawk was a two-door pillared coupe manufactured by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation for the 1956 model year only. The Power Hawk was technically part of the Studebaker Commander series, and featured the Commander's 259 cubic inch V-8, which generated with two-barrel...
used Studebaker's OHV 259" with either 180 hp 2-bbl or 195 hp with a 4-bbl in (4.7 L) V8 from the Commander
Studebaker Commander
The Studebaker Commander is the model-name of a long succession of automobiles produced by the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana and Studebaker of Canada Ltd of Walkerville and, later, Hamilton, Ontario . Studebaker began using the Commander name in 1927 and continued to use it until...
; the two hardtops; Sky Hawk
Studebaker Sky Hawk
The Studebaker Sky Hawk was a pillarless two-door hardtop coupe produced by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation for the 1956 model year only. The Sky Hawk was considered part of the Studebaker President series. One of four models of Hawks available that year, the Sky Hawk was positioned between the...
shared the larger OHV 289 in³ V8 and luxury trim with the Studebaker President
Studebaker President
The Studebaker President was the premier automobile model manufactured by the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana from 1926-1942. The nameplate was reintroduced in 1955 and used until the end of the 1958 model when the name was retired....
and Studebaker Golden Hawk
Studebaker Golden Hawk
The Studebaker Golden Hawk is a two-door pillarless hardtop coupe type car produced by the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana between 1956 and 1958.-Styling:...
, however, stood at the top of the range. The Golden Hawk, fitted with Packard's powerful big-block 352 cubic inch 275 hp (5.8 L) V8, was the best all-around high performance car of 1956. Some feel by installing the largest V8 in the smallest lightest body, Studebaker created the first muscle car eight years before the GTO. It had the second highest power-to-weight ratio of any American production car. Contemporary road tests verified the Golden Hawk was faster/quicker in the 1/4 mile than the Corvette, Thunderbird and Chrysler 300B. In top speed, only the Chrysler 300B could equal it.
By 1956 the Studebaker-Packard Board of Directors had decided to phase out of automobile production. The first step was to kill off Packard. The Detroit and Utica Packard factories were closed, ending production of the Packard V8. Because of existing contracts, it was necessary to deliver Packards. For 1957 Packard-badged Studebakers were still produced in South Bend and sold to meet existing Packard dealer contracts. Packard's V8 was no longer being produced, so the 1957 Golden Hawk was fitted with Studebaker's largest 289 in³ V8, equipped with a McCulloch supercharger to produce the same 275 hp rated power output. The range was simplified; the Sky Hawk was discontinued as too close to the Golden Hawk, while the two lowest models were replaced with a single Silver Hawk
Studebaker Silver Hawk
The Studebaker Silver Hawk was an automobile produced between 1957 and 1959 by the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana. The Hawk was also produced in 1956. There were four versions, pillared Flight Hawk and Power Hawk, and hardtop Sky Hawk and Golden Hawk. The Silver Hawk model was not...
model, available with either the Champion straight-6 or 259 cubic inch (4.2 L) V8. 1958 saw a restyled and re-badged luxury version of the Golden Hawk sold as the Packard Hawk
Packard Hawk
The 1958 Packard Hawk was the sportiest of the four Packard-badged Studebakers produced in the final year of Packard production,. Packard's plant in Detroit, Michigan had been leased to Curtiss-Wright , and Packard models in this dying-gasp year were all rebadged and retrimmed Studebaker products...
.
As part of the long-range plan to get out of the automotive business, for 1959 Studebaker-Packard discontinued the hardtop Golden Hawk, all Packards, and the Studebaker sedans; the Silver Hawk coupe was the only holdover left alongside the new Studebaker Lark
Studebaker Lark
The Studebaker Lark is a "compact car" which was produced by Studebaker from 1959 to 1966.From its introduction in early 1959 until 1962, the Lark was a product of the Studebaker-Packard Corporation. In mid-1962, the company dropped "Packard" from its name and reverted to its pre-1954 name, the...
range. It was a make-or-break year, but Studebaker's big gamble paid off; the smaller-appearing Lark was actually just the six-year-old sedans with shorter front and rear sheetmetal, but it was in the right place at the right time, the car the market wanted. The Silver Hawk served as a useful showroom draw, and it was continued; since it was the only Hawk model left, it was renamed simply the Studebaker Hawk and continued under that name through the end of 1961.
For the 1962 model year, Brooks Stevens worked a miracle and a beautiful restyled GT Hawk was launched, the Gran Turismo Hawk
Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawk
The Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawk , a sporty coupe sold between 1962 and 1964, was the final development of the Studebaker Hawk series that began with the Golden Hawk of 1956.-Redesigning the Hawk:...
. Its styling was well received, and sold relatively well for 1962. By 1963, Studebaker sales were in an irreversible death spiral. Even though the 1964 Super Hawk, available with an optional supercharged engine, 4-speed transmission, TwinTraction limited-slip differential, front disc brakes and a sport suspension, was the best Hawk ever, production was ended with the rest of Studebaker's US production in 1964.