Simon Cars - Studebaker Hawk 1956

Studebaker Hawk 1956 - 1961

The 1956 Studebaker Hawk evolved out of the Champion and Commander Coupes, in either the cheaper pillared coupe (nee 'Starlight') or the more expensive pillarless (nee 'Starliner'). Bob Bourke redesigned the front and the rear. The 'Flight Hawk' and the 'Power Hawk' used the pillared coupe body, whilst the 'Sky Hawk' and 'Golden Hawk' took the pillarless coupe body. Only the Flight Hawk had to make do with the six cylinder engine, whilst the higher priced Hawks got V8 engines of 4,244cc (259), 4,763cc (289) or 5,768cc (352) Packard V8 for the Golden Hawk. Duncan McRae gave all the Hawks fibreglass wings for 1957 (copied by the British Sunbeam Rapier), but the model choice was reduced to the Silver Hawk pillared coupe or the Golden Hawk pillarless with the option for a supercharged V8. For 1960 and 1961 only the pillared Hawk remained until production ended.

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Studebaker Golden Hawk 1958. Badge on bootlid. the 'Golden Hawk' was the most expensive of four Hawks launched in 1956 which went from 'Flight Hawk', 'Power Hawk', to 'Sky Hawk' and finally the 'Golden Hawk'. But for 1957 the range was trimmed to just the 'Silver Hawk' and the 'Golden Hawk'

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Studebaker Golden Hawk 1958 - badge on wing

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Studebaker Hawk 1960 - badge on rear wing

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Studebaker Golden Hawk 1958. With 4,738cc 'Sweepstakes' 275bhp McCulloch supercharged engine, which replaced the larger Packard engine now that the Packard factory had been closed.

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Studebaker Hawk 1960, Powered by a 210 bhp 4,736cc (289) V8 engine. Other options were a 90bhp 169 straight six and a 4,244cc (259) 180 bhp V8.

Studebaker Golden Hawk 1958 front

Studebaker Golden Hawk 1958. With 4,738cc 'Sweepstakes' supercharged engine which replaced the larger (and heavier) Packard engine previously offered. 'Twin Traction' added a limited-slip differential

Studebaker Golden Hawk 1958 rear

Studebaker Golden Hawk 1958. Using the styling of the pillarless Starliner coupe the Golden Hawk topped the Hawk models. But it was modified by Duncan McRae who put new concave metal wings on, and reformed the body sides and the tail lamps

Studebaker Hawk 1960 front

Studebaker Hawk 1960, The final fling at the Hawk model, now just a single coupe built on a 120.5-inch chassis, although it did continue until 1965 with altered coupe styling.

Studebaker Hawk 1960 rear

Studebaker Hawk 1960, only the pillared Studebaker Hawk (nee 'Silver Hawk') survived to be produced in 1960

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Studebaker Hawk 1961. Final year for the Studebaker Hawk, although a Brook Stevens restyled GT Hawk did continue into 1963

Studebaker Hawk 1961 side

Studebaker Hawk 1961. This Hawk (no longer Silver or Golden) was the final rendition of the 1953-1955 Starlight/Starliner styled by Bob Bourke. Only the pillared coupe was now sold, still on the 120.5-inch wheelbase from the Champion/Commander

Sunbeam Rapier Series II front

Sunbeam Rapier 1959 Series II. Clare Hodgman and Holden 'Bob' Koto worked from the Raymond Loewy Associates London office and undertook the Rootes Audax model styling which debuted in 1955 as the Sunbeam Rapier. The styling was clearly influenced by Bob Bourke's Studebaker Coupes, and even more so when Rootes did the 1958 Series II restyle and borrowed from the Studebaker Hawk.

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