Studebaker Golden Hawk 1957

by

Model number: 6151

Review of the model:

The Studebaker Golden Hawk was a not a known car for me. Maybe it's because it's a fairly rare car nowadays, and maybe also in the fifties. Therefore I most give credit to the producer of Sun Star, to make a sample of this car, in their U.S. Collectible series of American Motor History. For just under 70 Euros it can be yours. Or the matter of fact, mine!  I had no expiations regarding the car, and was surprised to see the car was lager than my 1955 Ford Thunderbird! Okay they stated in their commercials "Room for five persons" One can say it's a big little car!

This is all in all, a good model car. This is not a Platinum series, so therefore we see no carpet in the cabin and trunk. No spring suspensions and movable windscreen vipers etc. But on the other hand, fine small decals - some photo etched! Nicely paintwork although, some could say the flakes in the metal paint is rather large. (More obvious in photos than when your eyes are in judgment). As said before Sun Star have sometimes a issue regarding the quality control. This particular model was no exception. Some parts where lose, and lay luckily inside the box. Maybe if I shall try to help Sun Star. They will not use too much glue on parts - And after a journey, half way around the globe they come lose - No part had ever missed in the box. Another small thing, that I experienced with this particular model car was, an overflow of glue on some parts! It could be removed with swaps and toothpicks. I always give my newly arrived models a brush and polish - this took a little longer.

Are you a collector of this era, or US cars in particular. Give this fine model a chance "call the dealer"

I will give this model 3 out of 6 stars  ******

Below here are pictures of the model, historical description, old brochures, technical data and a little movie clip for the real car. So please enjoy!

"Where pride of Workmanship comes first" - love the punch lines of those days

Glittering in the sun

History:  

Studebaker Golden Hawk

The Studebaker Golden Hawk is a two-door pillar less, hardtop, coupe type car. Produced, by the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana, between 1956 and 1958.

Styling

The last Studebaker until the Avanti to have styling influenced by industrial designer Raymond Loewy's studio, the Golden Hawk took the basic shape of the 1953–55 Champion/Commander Star liner hardtop coupe but added a large, almost vertical egg crate grille and raised hood line in place of the earlier car's swooping, pointed nose. At the rear, a raised, squared-off trunk lid replaced the earlier sloped lid, and vertical fiberglass tailfins were added to the rear quarters. The Golden Hawk was two inches shorter than the standard Hawk at 53.6 inches.

Power

Studebaker Golden Hawk 1957

The raised hood and grille where added to allow space for a larger engine. Packard's 352 in³ (5.8 L) V8, which delivered 275 hp. (205 kW). This comparatively large, powerful engine in such a light car, gave the Golden Hawk an excellent power-to-weight ratio (and thus performance) for the time; of 1956 American production cars, the Golden Hawk was second only to Chrysler's 300B by that measure — and the Chrysler, which cost considerably more, was essentially a road-legal NASCAR racing car. The Golden Hawk, like the Chryslers, is a precursor to the muscle cars of the 1960s.

The heavy engine gave the car a reputation for being nose-heavy; the supercharged Studebaker engine that replaced the Packard engine in 1957 was heavier. Road tests of the time, many of which where conducted by racing drivers, seldom mentioned any handling issues in spite of the heavy front end. Speed Age magazine of July 1956 tested the Golden Hawk against the Chrysler 300B. Ford Thunderbird, and Chevrolet Corvette. Finding that, Golden Hawk could out-perform the others comfortably in both 0-60 mph acceleration and quarter mile times. The fastest 0-60 reported in magazine testing was 7.8 seconds, while top speeds were quoted as 125 mph (201 km/h) plus.

A wide variety of colors, (including two-tone paint schemes) were available. Two-tone schemes initially involved the front upper body, the roof, and a panel on the tail, being painted the contrast color, with the rest of the body the base color. Later 1956 production had the upper body above the belt line, including the trunk, as the contrast color with the tail panel, roof, and the body below the belt line trim being the base color. The interior included an engine turned dash.

An increased options list and reduced standard equipment were used to keep base price down compared to the previous year's Studebaker Speedster, which the Golden Hawk replaced. Even turn signals were an option.

The Golden Hawk was matched with three other Hawk models for 1956, and was the only Hawk not technically considered a sub-model within one of Studebaker's regular passenger car lines; the Flight Hawk coupe was a Champion, the Power Hawk coupe was a Commander, and the Sky Hawk hardtop was a President.

The Golden Hawk was continued for the 1957 and 1958 model years, but with some changes. Packard's Utica, Michigan, engine plant was leased to Curtiss-Wright during 1956 (and eventually sold to them), marking the end of genuine Packard production. Packard-badged cars were produced for two more years, but they were essentially rebadged Studebakers. The Packard V8, introduced only two years earlier, was therefore no longer available. It was replaced with the Studebaker 289 in³ (4.7 L) V8 with the addition of a McCulloch supercharger, giving the same 275 Hp. (205 kW) output as the Packard engine. This improved the car's top speed, making these the best-performing Hawks until the Gran Turismo Hawk became available with the Avanti's R2 supercharged engine for the 1963 model year.

The Golden Hawks were 203.9 inches (5,180 mm) long. A padded dash was standard.

Styling also changed somewhat. A fiberglass overlay on the hood where added, which covered a hole in the hood that was needed to clear the supercharger, which was mounted high on the front of the engine. The tailfins, now made of metal, were concave and swept out from the sides of the car. The fins where outlined in chrome trim and normally where painted a contrasting color, although some solid-color Golden Hawks were built.

Halfway through the 1957 model year, a luxury 400 model where introduced, featuring a leather interior, a fully upholstered trunk, and special trim. Only 41 of these special cars where produced. Very few of the 41 exist today. One of them housed at the Studebaker Museum in South Bend.

In January 2011, Barrett-Jackson auctions sold a 1957 Studebaker Hawk for a final hammer price of $99,000.

The Golden Hawk of 1957 replaced the 1956 Sky Hawk and the 1956 Golden Hawk. A few 1957 Golden Hawk 400 models produced with full leather interior, and flared arm rests, the same as were used on the 1956 Hawks.

Technical specification:

Hardtop

Weight 3,400 Pounds

Wheelbase 120-1/2 inches

Engine 289 CID, , 275 HP Supercharged V8

Production 4356

Cost $3,182

Old brochures of the Studebaker Golden Hawk 1957

Videos of the real car from Youtube

If you have any question or comment your are free to contact me at: aeronautic@stofanet.dk

Dealers are welcome to get their models reviewed too.

Aeronautic Aug. 2017

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