I also own one of the 63 GT Hawk R2 and its a timeless piece of machinery. The car originally belonged to my father and was given to me after he passed. What a beauty this car is!
Hi Brandon, Happy to read you have a cool car too :-) Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Nothing else looked like them; a perfect combination of classic lines, jet-age styling cues, and a taught, sporty stance that has it looking ready to pounce.
Hi motomuso, Happy to read you appreciate the design and style of this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I hope this gets either a thumbs up or a laugh: I SAY that the bird on the trunk emblem is from The Planet Vulcan, and if you're a Trekkie, you see it too. I picture Mr. Spock in a very sporting mood, climbing in and giving it the beans.
Hi deepfreezevideo, Thank you for viewing and sharing your thoughts. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Hi HabuBeemer, Happy to read you appreciate the looks and design of this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Hi Richard Reid, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing, and you're welcome. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Great catch, Lou. This is one rare Hawk with a special color and the R2 engine. And it looks like a factory AM/FM radio, which is even rarer! Love what Brooks Stevens did with Loewy’s ‘53 Skyliner.
I saw one of these things at a gas station about 5 years ago driven by a woman who I complimented. We got to talking a bit, and she said it was her parents originally, mostly all original except for a few mechanical parts that have been replaced over the years and was driven often by her. Overall, a very satisfying car to own
Hi Sabba_Dabba, Happy to read this car brings back memories of the woman in the gas station's car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
440 and 444 I didn't know Tuning that Well until Rick Derringer mentioned Something About and He Still Looks Great Too , Imagine Rick Derringer Driving This Machine ❤
Lou I just love this guy and his cars! As I have told you before I'm very partial to studebakers since my grandfather and my uncle sold them until the demise of 1966 they sold him for almost 50 years beforehand. I can remember as a little boy sitting in the front seat of one just like this in his showroom here in Massillon Ohio! The name of the dealership was Lanham Auto sales.being raised around them as a little boy and my dad working is the dealership in the back has the guy that clean them up to deliver I am so close to these cars. From the lark to the Avanti to the hawk to the wagonaire plus the sales of their pickup trucks this car just makes my heart race. I love the color of this car I love the auctions on this car the only options I can see missing is power windows and air conditioning! Nothing like the Paxton supercharger I can remember those and man oh man they could sure scoot! What I saw you having the video of this car my heart just raced! he has a treasure here that I wish I had in my garage I do have a few odds and ends from the dealership but he has the real treasure! Boy did that sound good and boy did it sound healthy! The red on this car on the Lark they called a Bordeaux I love this color and the Bordeaux and I like the seafoam green my two favorite colors in the Studebaker line! Oh lou thanks for sharing this brings tears to my eyes when I see this beautiful machine! I just love this man and his cars he really has great treasures! Thanks Lou for sharing!
My father loved Studebakers, gave me a 63 SuperHawk to work on when I was in high school and drove it. We didn't know it was a Super Hawk at the time. Previous owners had removed the supercharger and sealed carburetor, still had the wide hub on front of the crankshaft though. 4 speed. I remember it having TT on the gas cap door, Twin Traction, no traction bars in the back though. I went to NY in 1988, and sold it for $2400.00. Never saw it again.
Hi SumpNuther, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Thank you for viewing, sharing, and you're welcome. I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Lou, I really enjoy the comments on your videos. A slice of life of what others think and feel about the cars you capture. In my reading about the 62-64 GT Hawk and from the ones shown on the internet and about a dozen I have seen in person I am pretty sure the Hawk GT did not have the option for power windows. Seems odd since most Avanti had power windows (only the door windows would retract, the rear ones just popped open a bit). There are all kinds of retro-fit electric window kits, so I suppose there may be now a few GT Hawks with power windows. Even though Studebaker spent a lot to update the Hawk in 1962, they spent so much in developing the Avanti that there was hope it would outsell the Hawk and had a more luxurious interior and such niceties as power windows. Thanks again to the owner of this car for sharing it.
Hi rizzle razzleuno, Thank you for viewing and sharing your knowledge regarding details on this car. Happy to read you're enjoying the comments :-) Glad you're along for the ride, Lou
I'm looking at this awesome video of an awesome Studebaker about 4 years after the video was made so I don't know if anybody will see this but one item I wanted to note is that Studebaker even ahead of Cadillac had an AM/FM radio as an offering in their cars which this one has.....totally great. Thanks, Lou!
Hi Norwegian Blue, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Grandfathers Avanti :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I'm head over heels in love with this car, John! Such a beauty, I'm normally a T-Bird guy from that era but if I had the bucks, hands down it would be a Grand Turismo Hawk. Thanks for sharing this beauty with us!
Always loved these cars Lou, another car from a minor maker that was available in Australia new in right hand drive back in the day. Had a neighbor who had a gold one when I was a kid. Never seen a R2 locally , have seen a couple of Avanti's with paxton superchargers . Studebaker built some great cars over the years , thanks for sharing this beauty with us. Cheers steve
What an amazing car with tasteful & unique styling cues. John seems to have quite the car collection going on out there. Thanks for sharing this one too, with us!
Hi TheGunfighter45acp, I was getting ready to leave and I said, "This car was too good to pass up" so stayed a bit longer and John was kind enough to share this one too. Glad to read you enjoy this car :-) You're welcome, Lou
Pretty sure that if I’d been driving in the early 60s and lived in the USA I’d have hankered after one of these... Thank you, gentlemen, for sharing this wonderful car with your viewers !
Wow! This is simply a whimsical automobile that has a certain type of European flair that few other American cars of the period emulate. On another note, I am proud to say that I actually purchased a 1962 GT Hawk as a first car and I have not regretted my choice by one iota so far. I have a video on my channel if you would care to see it.
Hi Bert en Petra Sinagl, Happy to read you appreciate the looks of this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Hi Rich, Happy to read you enjoy the looks of this car :-) Glad to read this car brings back memories of your Brothers Classmates car. Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
Hi tugquarles, Happy to read you appreciate the looks of this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Hi Michael, Happy to read you appreciate this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Hey big brother Lou! WOW. Epic, man. I LOVE these ol' skool, old time Studebakers and their craftsmanship, attention to detail and design. Knocks my floppy DC sneakers right offa my tubesocked stocking feet like the perpetual JV baseball guy I am lol! Love this big red gal. Thanks Lou! :) JV Johnny
Hey Big Brother JV Johnny, Happy to share the ol' skool cool with you :-) Glad to read you "Love this big red gal." My pleasure sharing with you, and you're welcome, Lou
Where I lived as a kid the Studebaker dealer was right next door to the Desoto dealer and down the street was the American Motors dealer lol. How things have changed. I love this car, thanks for the video.
Sounds like some fun memories :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Regarding the video, my pleasure and I hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you'll enjoy, Lou
This 63 Studebaker hawk GT is nearly identical to my first car which I bought in 1968 when I was 18. At that time I paid $700 for it. It did not have the Paxton supercharger, but it did have the floor shift and the full set of Stuart Warner custom instrumentation. The colors were red on red just like this one! I now have a 1984 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur which is also maroon in color. There are some remarkable similarities between the two.
Hi John, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Lou, I just watched the Hawk video for the first time and you hit a home run again, what an engine sound, what a car, ad- mirable🎉. Yet, I'm still under the little obsession, Studebaker should've contracted with the Italian steering wheel maker, Nardi, to install the wooden steering wheel, or, at least, offer it as option. A total continental cruiser, it is anyways.
Hi Lance, Happy to read you appreciate this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Hi IceWater Slim, You're on the right TH-cam Channel for not growing up :-) Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
This is a COOL and REGAL car ! The list time i have ever seen the feature of this vehicle. I'm familiar with Avanti but not with this Grand Truismo GT Hawk. Que Bella, Muy Linda! WOW! the front vehicle kind of remind me of the classic Mercedes Benz 280 model ? I was very young in the 70s. It looks like one of our old family car MBenz, with a diesel engine sound back then, Our car sounds ancient huh Lou?..
Hi Vern, Those Mercedes rattle diesels had a sound all there own :-) Here is one more 1963 Gran Turismo for you to enjoy, Lou th-cam.com/video/2_CIg6RthvY/w-d-xo.html
Hi Real-Batman, Happy to read you appreciate this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Most people may not know what it is, but. I do! Growing up in Michiana you knew Studebakers. A lot of Soth Bend employers strongly encouraged there employees to buy Studepakers when shopping for new cars.
A couple of red observations:- The colour of the car looks more tan on my screen and is very reminiscent of the colour used on the Chrysler turbine cars. Red instrumentation lighting on a Stude I hadn't heard of before, but red is the colour that leaves one's night vision unaffected, hence it's use in nautical and aircraft applications. It's one beautiful Stude, and it's great to see the full extent of possible options.
Thanks Lou. I just got a photo up of the Chrysler Turbine car. There is no way of putting it up here that I can see, so everyone will have to individually google it to make the comparison.. Both cars are from 1963, and the colours are so so similar that one would have to wonder whether Studebaker had been spying on Chrysler.
A non-operable '63 Chrysler Turbine Car has been on display at he Gilmore Museum in Hickory Corners, MI, for the past several years - It still may be. I last saw it in May 2016, on the day we held our Chrysler 300 Club International Spring Meet car show there. Its hood was up, and a turbine powerplant was in the engine compartment. Having seen both these cars in person, the 'Super Red' paint on this R2 Hawk is much more red than the bronze of the 'Turbine Bronze' paint on the ~50 '63 Turbine Cars. But I can see from the video how the similarity of color can be drawn.
The rubber lip on top of the radiator is a hood seal. Beautiful car! Compared to anything built nowadays, this is a simple car, except for the supercharger, but that's a bolt on part. Sad how Studebaker went under, as they started out building stagecoaches:(-John in Texas
Hi John, Happy to read you appreciate the looks of this car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing the details you notice. I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Although they haven't been built since the mid 1960s, a lot of people seem to have the idea that Studebakers were ugly, stodgy cars. Nothing could be further from the truth. Studebaker created some of the most beautiful American cars ever produced. The Hawk series was one example. The Avanti was another. However, going all the way back to 1947, Studebaker introduced the first car with smooth, streamlined flush body sides, while other car American makers were still building cars with old-fashioned flaring fenders. Studebaker also produced the 1953 Commander, which was by far the best looking American car of its' day and which still looks beautiful today. The reason why Studebaker finally went out of business was because they were the last independent automobile manufacturer which was not affiliated with any of the Big Four automobile corporations of the time (GM, Ford, Chrysler and AMC), and were simply no longer able to compete with them anymore.
Hi Robert, Thank you for viewing and sharing your thoughts. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Hi UK Miner, Thank you for viewing and sharing the detail you notice. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I bought a mint gt hawk immaculate v8 manual gears white with blue and white interior only needed brakes repair..that was 94 i paid 3,000 uk pounds sold it for 6,500 pounds. Beautiful cars mine wasnt an r2
Hi GLOVES OFF OFFICIAL !!, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
The aluminum fascia on the lower trunk lid was to hide the grooves in the metal from the previous golden hawk generation to avoid a new trunk pressing . For the 2 remaining years of production a new trunk lid was made and the piece was removed for a cleaner look.
Hi Planes Trains & Dogs n Cars, Thank you for viewing and sharing your knowledge. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
The only thing wrong with that red Studebaker is that it's not in my driveway !!! Long time ago I had a 59 Studebaker silver hawk black love the car !!!
Hi Neil, Happy to read you appreciate the lines of this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I just missed out on one here that looked in usable shape and was last run 8 years ago for $1,500. After seeing a few TH-cam videos i got really excited but it was off the kijiji site an hour later.
Hi Toys2Work Tech Talk (under heavy construction), Thank you for viewing and sharing your thoughts. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Hi Bill Olsen, Thank you for viewing and sharing your thoughts. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Hi 600miles, Thank you for viewing and sharing what you noticed. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Hi Skvora Limited Media, Thank you for viewing and sharing your knowledge. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
The problem with the GT was that people knew the body style was a continued fourth generation refresh of a 1953 car. That, and you had a hell of a time trading a Studey on anything else but another one - they had terrible trade-in and resale value. Great car; tough sell. On top of that, car people were more interested in the Avanti...which was a refresh of the Lark. See the theme here?
Hi caribman10, Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Honestly, trade-in and resale values were irrelevant to Studebaker's customer base. They would buy nothing but Studebakers regardless. Let's not forget that the automotive division was finally sunk because the board of directors wanted out of the auto business, not because the division was doing poorly in either sales or profit margins. Also, the Avanti was no "refresh". It was the last completely new design Studebaker would ever make.
Hi 1936_CAT22, Oh your neighbor had a different engine :-) Good news! Here are the stats "What is an R3 engine? Working with a standard R2 engine as its base, the first prototype R3 engines displaced 299.5 c.i. These are generally referred to as "A" engines and were used in the first record setting Bonneville Salt Flats runs. When one of these engines pushed an Avanti to 170.78 mph it officially became the Worlds Fastest Production Car. The "production" R3 engine was bored out further to 304.5 c.i. and are stamped as "B" engines. Blocks were hand selected to assure straight cores for the overbore. Unique cylinder heads with casting & part number 1555479 featured much larger inlet ports and valve centres moved further outward to allow for larger valves and ports (Intake valves were 1 7/8 dia, exhaust valves were 1 5/8 dia). Dual Isky valve springs were optional. Compression ratio was 9.75:1. This wider valve spacing required the tops of each cylinder bore to be chamfered for clearance. Aluminum intake manifolds were made by Edelbrock and also featured much larger inlet ports to match the heads. A Carter AFB 4 barrel carburetor (non-sealed) was fully enclosed in a cast aluminum pressure box with R3 emblem. Cast iron exhaust headers with long runners were standard and later made optional on R1/R2 engines. A heavy duty Carter fuel pump was used, same as on R1/R2 engines but with a regular inline filter used in place of the AC fuel return bowl. Oil pans were 6 quart as standard with up to 10 quart available on special order. All R series engines used a windage tray and side breather tube. On R3/R4 engines this breather tube was topped with a chrome plated breather cap except for vehicles destined for NY or CA where the breather tube was plumbed into the air cleaner, and those air cleaners were mounted under the front guard/fender for forced air induction. Each rocker cover had two breather caps with a larger inner diameter (borrowed from the OHV six cylinder engine). The lower two breathers were sealed on NY & CA cars to comply with those state's emission requirements. The idea of additional engine breathing can possibly be credited to Australian Studebaker dealer and performance enthusiast Bert Needham who had visited South Bend during late 1962 and had expressed his thoughts on V8 engine breathing issues. Sandard R3 camshaft was 276 degree with 288 degree optional. All R series cam shafts were of a unique casting compared to other Studebaker V8 cams. A Prestolite dual point distributor with mechanical advance was used with Transistorized ignition. Avanti type ignition lead holders were used on all R3/R4 engines but without the polished stainless shielding on non-Avanti models. A side mounted Paxton SN (short nose) supercharger was driven by dual V belts from an 8" crank pulley (optional) and 4" driven pulley. Pistons were manufactured by Forge True and can be identified by either an embossed Studebaker 'S' logo or Embossed Forge True logo on the top of the piston. Heavier con rods had no clinch bolt on early engines and wrist pins were pressed into the rod. All R3/R4 engines were assembled with greater clearances throughout. Each engine was balanced and magnafluxed, essentially being race prepared in the Granatelli tradition. Early R3 engines may have been painted a darker shade of red, and early superchargers were reddish orange like on R2 engines. Most production engines were painted a bright red, almost a Hemi orange colour with a black supercharger. Cooling fans were 14" versus 17" for standard R series fans. Factory advertised horsepower ratings were 335hp and up to 400hp with certain options. It is reported that Andy Granatelli would not allow an R3 out of the shop unless it hit 411 HP"
This was my favorite year of all the Hawk variants Studebaker made. The 1950s Hawks never looked quite right to me. It was too obviously a tombstone radiator grill and tailfins stuck on Raymond Loewy's magnificent '53 Studebaker body. It just screamed "lash up" to me, because back in the '50s, car buyers expected yearly styling changes they don't demand today, and Studebaker just didn't have the money to do that like the Big Three did. The styling mods to those late '50s Studebakers _looked_ very "stuck on" rather than thoughtfully designed _in_ the way they should have. Brooks Stevens' more thorough update to the body fixed all that for this car. It was actually still just that old body that dated back to 1953, with alterations, to keep the cost down; but this time it was more comprehensively, more artistically, and more tastefully done. And '63 was when Studebaker really perfected it. The year before, the '62 model, _almost_ got there, but the two small horizontal grill openings on either side of the center grill still looked like what they were: slight alterations of the old '53/'54 Studebaker's backward-raked grill opening. With the '63 model, those were recontoured to be more upright, and to have the same metal mesh grill as the central piece, instead of just being openings. They better integrate with the center grill and make the car look like it was designed from the beginning to look the way it does. The difference between the '62 and '63 GT Hawks, to me, is the difference between almost right, and just right. It's amazing how fairly subtle differences can make such a big difference in the appearance of a car. The '64 model year got rid of that metal trim plate on the back of the trunk lid, but otherwise the car looked the same. But I like that metal trim plate, and think it suits the car's look very well, so, I prefer the '63s. This car is a _really_ beautiful one. He's lucky to have the AM/FM radio in it. I looked for one of those for my Avanti, but few people ordered that option back then, because not much was played on FM in those days, so they're rare nowadays, and if you find one for sale, it will go for well over $1000.
Hi Darren, Thank you for viewing and sharing your knowledge. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Hi Gary, Happy to read you enjoy the sounds from this motor :-) I wish I had the time that day to tell you how the ride is, however I did not have the time that day. Hoping a ride in the future soon, Lou
It should be the 'First time, not 'list time' ,typo error Lou. But thats too Bad! I could've have invited you to come over to Calif. to critique my old '78 Alfetta GTV, but I sold it 4 years ago. I could've have kept it or sell it to you.
Studebaker's were just too advanced in style. They went over most people's heads. The one thing I didn't like about them, and still don't, was the op-art interior patterns. As far as this car....it is a masterpiece.
Hi Jo, High praise for the styling of this car :-) If you type into TH-cam search "My Car Story with Lou Studebaker" I think you'll see many more cars you'll enjoy, Lou
I also own one of the 63 GT Hawk R2 and its a timeless piece of machinery. The car originally belonged to my father and was given to me after he passed. What a beauty this car is!
Hi Brandon, Happy to read you have a cool car too :-) Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
That’s awesome. Keep it as long as possible. Please make some videos
Nothing else looked like them; a perfect combination of classic lines, jet-age styling cues, and a taught, sporty stance that has it looking ready to pounce.
Hi motomuso, Happy to read you appreciate the design and style of this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I hope this gets either a thumbs up or a laugh:
I SAY that the bird on the trunk emblem is from The Planet Vulcan, and if you're a Trekkie, you see it too.
I picture Mr. Spock in a very sporting mood, climbing in and giving it the beans.
Hi deepfreezevideo, Thank you for viewing and sharing your thoughts. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Beautiful example. Looks like something a diplomat would ride in. Unmatched for style. Looks great even today. Timeless.
Hi HabuBeemer, Happy to read you appreciate the looks and design of this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Extraordinary car. I had a 64 GT Hawk for 23 years before I was forced to sell it. Still miss it. Thanks Lou.
Hi Richard Reid, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing, and you're welcome. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Great catch, Lou. This is one rare Hawk with a special color and the R2 engine. And it looks like a factory AM/FM radio, which is even rarer! Love what Brooks Stevens did with Loewy’s ‘53 Skyliner.
Glad to read you enjoy this car Dr Akbar :-)
One of the most beautiful and rare cars you have ever shown us, Lou! Great job!
Hi Eric Lee Smith, High praise :-) Thank you for the kind words, it's appreciated, Lou
I saw one of these things at a gas station about 5 years ago driven by a woman who I complimented. We got to talking a bit, and she said it was her parents originally, mostly all original except for a few mechanical parts that have been replaced over the years and was driven often by her. Overall, a very satisfying car to own
Hi Sabba_Dabba, Happy to read this car brings back memories of the woman in the gas station's car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Beautiful and stunning design and styling of the 1950s ,brings back memories of the good old days of motoring.
Hi Pranil, Happy to read you enjoy this "Beautiful and stunning design and styling" :-) Glad to read this one brings back good memories, Lou
Nothing on this earth has the sublime sound of a Studebaker V8!.
Happy to read you enjoy the uniqueness of this sound.
Beautiful Hawk!
Hi south bend, Happy to read you enjoy the looks of this one :-) Good news! Here is one more, enjoy! Lou th-cam.com/video/2_CIg6RthvY/w-d-xo.html
440 and 444 I didn't know Tuning that Well until Rick Derringer mentioned Something About and He Still Looks Great Too , Imagine Rick Derringer Driving This Machine ❤
Hi Scott, Thanks for viewing and sharing, Lou
I've always been a huge studebaker fan and seeing a nice R2 with all the fixings is beautiful
Thank you Lou for sharing !
Hi Fred NaughT, Happy to read you enjoy this car :-) You're welcome, Lou
Yes
Lou I just love this guy and his cars! As I have told you before I'm very partial to studebakers since my grandfather and my uncle sold them until the demise of 1966 they sold him for almost 50 years beforehand. I can remember as a little boy sitting in the front seat of one just like this in his showroom here in Massillon Ohio! The name of the dealership was Lanham Auto sales.being raised around them as a little boy and my dad working is the dealership in the back has the guy that clean them up to deliver I am so close to these cars. From the lark to the Avanti to the hawk to the wagonaire plus the sales of their pickup trucks this car just makes my heart race. I love the color of this car I love the auctions on this car the only options I can see missing is power windows and air conditioning! Nothing like the Paxton supercharger I can remember those and man oh man they could sure scoot! What I saw you having the video of this car my heart just raced! he has a treasure here that I wish I had in my garage I do have a few odds and ends from the dealership but he has the real treasure! Boy did that sound good and boy did it sound healthy! The red on this car on the Lark they called a Bordeaux I love this color and the Bordeaux and I like the seafoam green my two favorite colors in the Studebaker line! Oh lou thanks for sharing this brings tears to my eyes when I see this beautiful machine! I just love this man and his cars he really has great treasures! Thanks Lou for sharing!
Hi Steve Flad, Thank you for viewing, sharing, and adding to the story with your memories of your Grandfather and Uncles sales of these cars :-) Lou
Air conditioning, wasn't available, on the R2 Hawks!
One if the great beauties of all time.
High praise :-) Glad you enjoy this car Neil Dickson.
My father loved Studebakers, gave me a 63 SuperHawk to work on when I was in high school and drove it. We didn't know it was a Super Hawk at the time. Previous owners had removed the supercharger and sealed carburetor, still had the wide hub on front of the crankshaft though. 4 speed. I remember it having TT on the gas cap door, Twin Traction, no traction bars in the back though. I went to NY in 1988, and sold it for $2400.00. Never saw it again.
Hi SumpNuther, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I just purchased my Father's 1964 Studebaker Gran Turismo GT Hawk R1that I am getting back on the road. Beautiful car and thank you for sharing.
Hi Fighting MSA, Here is one more for you to enjoy. th-cam.com/video/en9PpF4XgVI/w-d-xo.html
...and one more. th-cam.com/video/2_CIg6RthvY/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for viewing, sharing, and you're welcome. I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Thanks for bringing a Studebaker to the masses. Gorgeous hawk
Glad you enjoy this car :-)
What a nice Studebaker Masterpiece, well done!
Thank you Clark Griswold :-) Glad you're along for the ride, Lou
And to think, Brook Stevens, redesigned the Hawk on a shoestring budget . A masterpiece and the Maestro!!
Lou, I really enjoy the comments on your videos. A slice of life of what others think and feel about the cars you capture. In my reading about the 62-64 GT Hawk and from the ones shown on the internet and about a dozen I have seen in person I am pretty sure the Hawk GT did not have the option for power windows. Seems odd since most Avanti had power windows (only the door windows would retract, the rear ones just popped open a bit). There are all kinds of retro-fit electric window kits, so I suppose there may be now a few GT Hawks with power windows. Even though Studebaker spent a lot to update the Hawk in 1962, they spent so much in developing the Avanti that there was hope it would outsell the Hawk and had a more luxurious interior and such niceties as power windows.
Thanks again to the owner of this car for sharing it.
Hi rizzle razzleuno, Thank you for viewing and sharing your knowledge regarding details on this car. Happy to read you're enjoying the comments :-) Glad you're along for the ride, Lou
John confirms that power windows were not an available factory options on this '63 Hawk.
I'm looking at this awesome video of an awesome Studebaker about 4 years after the video was made so I don't know if anybody will see this but one item I wanted to note is that Studebaker even ahead of Cadillac had an AM/FM radio as an offering in their cars which this one has.....totally great. Thanks, Lou!
Hi Ed B, Happy to read you enjoy this video of this car :-) My pleasure sharing this car with you. You're welcome, Lou
I love this car. One of my favorites. Great job Lou.
Hi Adalberto de Araujo Didou, Glad to read this car is a Winner for you :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
This car is so classy looking with great lines. The interior reminds me of my grandfather's 63 Avanti.
Hi Norwegian Blue, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Grandfathers Avanti :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
A timeless classic. Very nice proportions. Clean lines.
Well said dlwatib.
This is such an under rated car. Very cool. Love the colour. Nice one Lou & thanks to owner for sharing.
Hi D Wnright
, Happy to read you appreciate this car :-) You're welcome, Lou
I'm head over heels in love with this car, John! Such a beauty, I'm normally a T-Bird guy from that era but if I had the bucks, hands down it would be a Grand Turismo Hawk. Thanks for sharing this beauty with us!
Hi John Bales, High praise for this car :-) My pleasure sharing with you, and you're welcome, Lou
Love the GT Hawk Lou!!
Winner :-)
It is classy and very stylish. I too love this car. Thanks Lou and John.
Hi Marten, Happy to read you enjoy the styling of this car :-) You're welcome, Lou
Always loved these cars Lou, another car from a minor maker that was available in Australia new in right hand drive back in the day. Had a neighbor who had a gold one when I was a kid.
Never seen a R2 locally , have seen a couple of Avanti's with paxton superchargers . Studebaker built some great cars over the years , thanks for sharing this beauty with us.
Cheers steve
Hi Steve Carboni, Glad this is one you love :-) You're welcome, Lou
What an amazing car with tasteful & unique styling cues. John seems to have quite the car collection going on out there. Thanks for sharing this one too, with us!
Hi TheGunfighter45acp, I was getting ready to leave and I said, "This car was too good to pass up" so stayed a bit longer and John was kind enough to share this one too. Glad to read you enjoy this car :-) You're welcome, Lou
A beautiful car that could be produced today and be successful!
High praise Steve W :-)
The yuppies and such would refuse to buy it unless a Japanese company produced it, and the Japanese would ruin it.
Pretty sure that if I’d been driving in the early 60s and lived in the USA I’d have hankered after one of these... Thank you, gentlemen, for sharing this wonderful car with your viewers !
Hi Andrew Graham, Classy ride for sure :-) You're welcome, and glad you're along for the ride, Lou
Lovely! and the rare R2 package makes this a true collector car
Hi Gary, Happy to read "Lovely!" Oh why not one more for you to enjoy, Lou th-cam.com/video/2_CIg6RthvY/w-d-xo.html
So beautiful, love the lines!
Hi DAN, Happy to read you "love the lines!" :-) Here is one more for you, enjoy! Lou th-cam.com/video/2_CIg6RthvY/w-d-xo.html
Car is magnificent . Classic, ahead of its time.
High praise for this car :-)
👍
Very clean car - very nice. Beautiful video Lou, thanks!
Hi Jeff King, Happy to read you enjoy this one. You're welcome, Lou
wow spectacular. this Stude is just everything. handsome driver for a handsome car
HI Steve S, Happy to read "wow spectacular." :-) Thanks for viewing & sharing, Lou
Wow! This is simply a whimsical automobile that has a certain type of European flair that few other American cars of the period emulate. On another note, I am proud to say that I actually purchased a 1962 GT Hawk as a first car and I have not regretted my choice by one iota so far. I have a video on my channel if you would care to see it.
Hi Jake Kaywell, Love your "Green Machine" and you did a wonderful video. Keep it up, Lou
This is a truly fine, very goodlooking machine.
Hi Bert en Petra Sinagl, Happy to read you appreciate the looks of this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Beautiful. A classmate of my brother had one minus the supercharger and I always loved the look.
Hi Rich, Happy to read you enjoy the looks of this car :-) Glad to read this car brings back memories of your Brothers Classmates car. Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
BEAUTIFUL CAR REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO ANY NEW VIDEOS. THANKYOU
Hi Han Schenk, Glad you enjoy the looks of this car :-) You're welcome, stay tuned for more, and glad you're along for the ride, Lou
That’s a beautiful automobile with nice lines
Hi tugquarles, Happy to read you appreciate the looks of this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Wow! What a great car with a spectacular engine! Thanks for the fabulous video, Lou! I had to watch this one twice!
Hi JON, Happy to read you enjoy this video twice :-) You're welcome, Lou
Beautiful. They don't get better than that. Muscle with classic American class.
Hi Wayne, Happy to read you enjoy this car :-) Lou
Lou, I saw a golden hawk with a engine turned dash with S/W gages in it. I was very impressed.
Hi Dale, Thank you for sharing what you saw, Lou
The nicest R2 I have seen.
Glad you enjoy this car :-)
Love the sound of the exhaust.
:-)
How many times can a guy say WOW...grew up in the 70s did'nt know how impressive Studebakers were!!!
Hi Michael, Happy to read you appreciate this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Hey big brother Lou! WOW. Epic, man. I LOVE these ol' skool, old time Studebakers and their craftsmanship, attention to detail and design. Knocks my floppy DC sneakers right offa my tubesocked stocking feet like the perpetual JV baseball guy I am lol! Love this big red gal. Thanks Lou! :) JV Johnny
Hey Big Brother JV Johnny, Happy to share the ol' skool cool with you :-) Glad to read you "Love this big red gal." My pleasure sharing with you, and you're welcome, Lou
Where I lived as a kid the Studebaker dealer was right next door to the Desoto dealer and down the street was the American Motors dealer lol. How things have changed. I love this car, thanks for the video.
Sounds like some fun memories :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Regarding the video, my pleasure and I hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you'll enjoy, Lou
This 63 Studebaker hawk GT is nearly identical to my first car which I bought in 1968 when I was 18. At that time I paid $700 for it. It did not have the Paxton supercharger, but it did have the floor shift and the full set of Stuart Warner custom instrumentation. The colors were red on red just like this one!
I now have a 1984 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur which is also maroon in color. There are some remarkable similarities between the two.
Hi John, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Lou, I just watched the Hawk video for the first time and you hit a home run again, what an engine sound, what a car, ad- mirable🎉. Yet, I'm still under the little obsession, Studebaker should've contracted with the Italian steering wheel maker, Nardi, to install the wooden steering wheel, or, at least, offer it as option. A total continental cruiser, it is anyways.
Alejandro, Happy to read this one is a "home run" :-) My pleasure sharing with you, Lou
This auto is beyond a WOW !!!
High praise :-)
Very impressive USA auto.
Hi Lance, Happy to read you appreciate this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Always wanted to grow up and have a Studebaker Hawk. Never got around to doing either.
Hi IceWater Slim, You're on the right TH-cam Channel for not growing up :-) Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Nice rare car, John is a super guy to talk to about cars, he knows a lot about their history and development as well.
Hi Jamie Hyde, Glad you enjoy this car, and sharing your thoughts on John too, Lou
This is a COOL and REGAL car ! The list time i have ever seen the feature of this vehicle. I'm familiar with Avanti but not with this Grand Truismo GT Hawk. Que Bella, Muy Linda! WOW! the front vehicle kind of remind me of the classic Mercedes Benz 280 model ? I was very young in the 70s. It looks like one of our old family car MBenz, with a diesel engine sound back then, Our car sounds ancient huh Lou?..
Hi Vern, Those Mercedes rattle diesels had a sound all there own :-) Here is one more 1963 Gran Turismo for you to enjoy, Lou th-cam.com/video/2_CIg6RthvY/w-d-xo.html
Beautiful keeper. Nice job in keeping her original.
Hi Real-Batman, Happy to read you appreciate this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Most people may not know what it is, but. I do! Growing up in Michiana you knew Studebakers. A lot of Soth Bend employers strongly encouraged there employees to buy Studepakers when shopping for new cars.
Hi Daniel, Happy to read you know about Studebakers :-) Lou
A couple of red observations:- The colour of the car looks more tan on my screen and is very reminiscent of the colour used on the Chrysler turbine cars. Red instrumentation lighting on a Stude I hadn't heard of before, but red is the colour that leaves one's night vision unaffected, hence it's use in nautical and aircraft applications. It's one beautiful Stude, and it's great to see the full extent of possible options.
Hi Peter Anderson, Thank you for viewing and sharing your knowledge, Lou
Thanks Lou. I just got a photo up of the Chrysler Turbine car. There is no way of putting it up here that I can see, so everyone will have to individually google it to make the comparison.. Both cars are from 1963, and the colours are so so similar that one would have to wonder whether Studebaker had been spying on Chrysler.
I'd like to get one of those on the Channel.
A non-operable '63 Chrysler Turbine Car has been on display at he Gilmore Museum in Hickory Corners, MI, for the past several years - It still may be. I last saw it in May 2016, on the day we held our Chrysler 300 Club International Spring Meet car show there. Its hood was up, and a turbine powerplant was in the engine compartment. Having seen both these cars in person, the 'Super Red' paint on this R2 Hawk is much more red than the bronze of the 'Turbine Bronze' paint on the ~50 '63 Turbine Cars. But I can see from the video how the similarity of color can be drawn.
@@noelhastalis6785 Jay Leno has the last and only running Chrysler turbine car, and there are videos of it on TH-cam
The rubber lip on top of the radiator is a hood seal. Beautiful car! Compared to anything built nowadays, this is a simple car, except for the supercharger, but that's a bolt on part. Sad how Studebaker went under, as they started out building stagecoaches:(-John in Texas
Hi John, Happy to read you appreciate the looks of this car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing the details you notice. I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
No worries. My Dad owned 2 Champions in the 1950's and loved them-John in Texas
@@loucostabile I completely restored and owned a 1/63 Falcon Tudor sedan and it also had the Thunderbird inspired roofline-John in Texas
12:17 as a retired buckle buster.....a screaming YES.😤
Ok, here is one more :-) th-cam.com/video/en9PpF4XgVI/w-d-xo.html
Can't wait to see the rest!
Hi Justin Cowen, Stay tuned and I believe you'll be pleased :-) Lou
The Hawks were sensational. Some claim that the 53 was better, but to me, this was it. And it had the performance to back up it's looks.
Hi Michael, High praise :-) Here is one more for you to enjoy, Lou th-cam.com/video/2_CIg6RthvY/w-d-xo.html
Hey Lou. Lovely looking GT Hawk. :)
Hey Jason, Glad you enjoy the looks of this car :-) Lou
Love this one Lou! Thanks for showing us!
You're welcome Treasured Vintage :-)
Although they haven't been built since the mid 1960s, a lot of people seem to have the idea that Studebakers were ugly, stodgy cars. Nothing could be further from the truth. Studebaker created some of the most beautiful American cars ever produced. The Hawk series was one example. The Avanti was another. However, going all the way back to 1947, Studebaker introduced the first car with smooth, streamlined flush body sides, while other car American makers were still building cars with old-fashioned flaring fenders. Studebaker also produced the 1953 Commander, which was by far the best looking American car of its' day and which still looks beautiful today. The reason why Studebaker finally went out of business was because they were the last independent automobile manufacturer which was not affiliated with any of the Big Four automobile corporations of the time (GM, Ford, Chrysler and AMC), and were simply no longer able to compete with them anymore.
Hi Robert, Thank you for viewing and sharing your thoughts. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
dual exhaust system how extravagant
Hi UK Miner, Thank you for viewing and sharing the detail you notice. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
One of these just popped up for sale near me for 3500. Been in a barn for 40 years.
Hi Dylan, Nice! Rare car to find for sure, Lou
Keep up the excellent work!!!
Thank you Pranil for the encouraging words :-)
Super! "Emblem Presidential like" yes ...as my dad would say, "It's in mint 💚 condition"
Hi Vincent, Happy to read you enjoy the condition of this one. Good news! Here is one more, Lou th-cam.com/video/en9PpF4XgVI/w-d-xo.html
Don't forget to watch the commercials (or the ones you can) in full before the video, as that is how I get paid so I can share more cars with you.
@@loucostabile okay friend
I bought a mint gt hawk immaculate v8 manual gears white with blue and white interior only needed brakes repair..that was 94 i paid 3,000 uk pounds sold it for 6,500 pounds. Beautiful cars mine wasnt an r2
Hi GLOVES OFF OFFICIAL !!, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
My favorite Hawk, no, my favorite Studebaker.
:-)
Fabulous.
Nice. Good news! Here is one more for you to enjoy. th-cam.com/video/2_CIg6RthvY/w-d-xo.html
If I remember correctly, these are 160mph cars.
Nice :-)
They were quick, but not even close to 160.
I never knew the Avanti name was used before the introduction of the Avanti in 1964. Beautiful car!!!
Avanti was launched in 1963, so both the GT Hawk and Lark offered the R2 option along with front disc brakes.
Hi YOUGOTIT210, Happy to read you learned watching this video and glad to read you think this car is beautiful :-) Lou
That's a nice car!
Hi Henrik, Happy to read you enjoy this "nice car!" :-) Lou
The aluminum fascia on the lower trunk lid was to hide the grooves in the metal from the previous golden hawk generation to avoid a new trunk pressing . For the 2 remaining years of production a new trunk lid was made and the piece was removed for a cleaner look.
Hi Planes Trains & Dogs n Cars, Thank you for viewing and sharing your knowledge. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
64 was the only year that didn't have the Kelvinator panel on the trunk
That is one sweet studee.
Well said :-)
The only thing wrong with that red Studebaker is that it's not in my driveway !!! Long time ago I had a 59 Studebaker silver hawk black love the car !!!
Hi Edwin, Happy to read you had a cool car :-) Lou
Beautiful lines 👍
Hi Neil, Happy to read you appreciate the lines of this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Nice car
Hi Kay, Happy to read you enjoy this "Nice car" :-) Lou
I've often wondered if Ford took some of their early Thunderbird styling ques from Studebaker.
Maybe.
I just missed out on one here that looked in usable shape and was last run 8 years ago for $1,500. After seeing a few TH-cam videos i got really excited but it was off the kijiji site an hour later.
Hi Toys2Work Tech Talk (under heavy construction), Thank you for viewing and sharing your thoughts. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Awesome Lou :*: A true Gentlemans car complete with a Studebaker certified Tissue dispenser
Hi BGOD JR, The tissue dispenser is a nice touch :-) Lou
SWEET !😊
Hi BIGBADWOOD, Happy to read you enjoy this "SWEET!" car :-) Lou
@@loucostabile 5 STARS ALWAYS
2:38 Thunderbird like top but the recessed rear glass makes it sexier
Hi Bill Olsen, Thank you for viewing and sharing your thoughts. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Awesome
Happy to read you appreciate this car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing.
0:23 he said StudeRbaker lol and continues to say it.
Hi 600miles, Thank you for viewing and sharing what you noticed. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
And down to their last years - the natural A/C was still there!
Hi Skvora Limited Media, Thank you for viewing and sharing your knowledge. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
The problem with the GT was that people knew the body style was a continued fourth generation refresh of a 1953 car. That, and you had a hell of a time trading a Studey on anything else but another one - they had terrible trade-in and resale value. Great car; tough sell. On top of that, car people were more interested in the Avanti...which was a refresh of the Lark. See the theme here?
Hi caribman10, Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Honestly, trade-in and resale values were irrelevant to Studebaker's customer base. They would buy nothing but Studebakers regardless. Let's not forget that the automotive division was finally sunk because the board of directors wanted out of the auto business, not because the division was doing poorly in either sales or profit margins. Also, the Avanti was no "refresh". It was the last completely new design Studebaker would ever make.
My neighbor had one of these when I was a kid, but his had an R3 badge on it. I guess a different engine?
Hi 1936_CAT22, Oh your neighbor had a different engine :-) Good news! Here are the stats "What is an R3 engine?
Working with a standard R2 engine as its base, the first prototype R3 engines displaced 299.5 c.i. These are generally referred to as "A" engines and were used in the first record setting Bonneville Salt Flats runs. When one of these engines pushed an Avanti to 170.78 mph it officially became the Worlds Fastest Production Car.
The "production" R3 engine was bored out further to 304.5 c.i. and are stamped as "B" engines. Blocks were hand selected to assure straight cores for the overbore. Unique cylinder heads with casting & part number 1555479 featured much larger inlet ports and valve centres moved further outward to allow for larger valves and ports (Intake valves were 1 7/8 dia, exhaust valves were 1 5/8 dia). Dual Isky valve springs were optional. Compression ratio was 9.75:1. This wider valve spacing required the tops of each cylinder bore to be chamfered for clearance.
Aluminum intake manifolds were made by Edelbrock and also featured much larger inlet ports to match the heads. A Carter AFB 4 barrel carburetor (non-sealed) was fully enclosed in a cast aluminum pressure box with R3 emblem. Cast iron exhaust headers with long runners were standard and later made optional on R1/R2 engines. A heavy duty Carter fuel pump was used, same as on R1/R2 engines but with a regular inline filter used in place of the AC fuel return bowl.
Oil pans were 6 quart as standard with up to 10 quart available on special order. All R series engines used a windage tray and side breather tube. On R3/R4 engines this breather tube was topped with a chrome plated breather cap except for vehicles destined for NY or CA where the breather tube was plumbed into the air cleaner, and those air cleaners were mounted under the front guard/fender for forced air induction. Each rocker cover had two breather caps with a larger inner diameter (borrowed from the OHV six cylinder engine). The lower two breathers were sealed on NY & CA cars to comply with those state's emission requirements. The idea of additional engine breathing can possibly be credited to Australian Studebaker dealer and performance enthusiast Bert Needham who had visited South Bend during late 1962 and had expressed his thoughts on V8 engine breathing issues.
Sandard R3 camshaft was 276 degree with 288 degree optional. All R series cam shafts were of a unique casting compared to other Studebaker V8 cams. A Prestolite dual point distributor with mechanical advance was used with Transistorized ignition. Avanti type ignition lead holders were used on all R3/R4 engines but without the polished stainless shielding on non-Avanti models.
A side mounted Paxton SN (short nose) supercharger was driven by dual V belts from an 8" crank pulley (optional) and 4" driven pulley. Pistons were manufactured by Forge True and can be identified by either an embossed Studebaker 'S' logo or Embossed Forge True logo on the top of the piston. Heavier con rods had no clinch bolt on early engines and wrist pins were pressed into the rod. All R3/R4 engines were assembled with greater clearances throughout. Each engine was balanced and magnafluxed, essentially being race prepared in the Granatelli tradition.
Early R3 engines may have been painted a darker shade of red, and early superchargers were reddish orange like on R2 engines. Most production engines were painted a bright red, almost a Hemi orange colour with a black supercharger.
Cooling fans were 14" versus 17" for standard R series fans. Factory advertised horsepower ratings were 335hp and up to 400hp with certain options. It is reported that Andy Granatelli would not allow an R3 out of the shop unless it hit 411 HP"
Silhouette and cathedral taillights = Rackard Carribean convertible check it out very cool
Thank you for viewing and sharing.
The button on the floor is a dimmer switch for the headlights.
Thank you for viewing and sharing your knowledge.
This was my favorite year of all the Hawk variants Studebaker made. The 1950s Hawks never looked quite right to me. It was too obviously a tombstone radiator grill and tailfins stuck on Raymond Loewy's magnificent '53 Studebaker body. It just screamed "lash up" to me, because back in the '50s, car buyers expected yearly styling changes they don't demand today, and Studebaker just didn't have the money to do that like the Big Three did. The styling mods to those late '50s Studebakers _looked_ very "stuck on" rather than thoughtfully designed _in_ the way they should have. Brooks Stevens' more thorough update to the body fixed all that for this car. It was actually still just that old body that dated back to 1953, with alterations, to keep the cost down; but this time it was more comprehensively, more artistically, and more tastefully done. And '63 was when Studebaker really perfected it. The year before, the '62 model, _almost_ got there, but the two small horizontal grill openings on either side of the center grill still looked like what they were: slight alterations of the old '53/'54 Studebaker's backward-raked grill opening. With the '63 model, those were recontoured to be more upright, and to have the same metal mesh grill as the central piece, instead of just being openings. They better integrate with the center grill and make the car look like it was designed from the beginning to look the way it does. The difference between the '62 and '63 GT Hawks, to me, is the difference between almost right, and just right. It's amazing how fairly subtle differences can make such a big difference in the appearance of a car.
The '64 model year got rid of that metal trim plate on the back of the trunk lid, but otherwise the car looked the same. But I like that metal trim plate, and think it suits the car's look very well, so, I prefer the '63s. This car is a _really_ beautiful one. He's lucky to have the AM/FM radio in it. I looked for one of those for my Avanti, but few people ordered that option back then, because not much was played on FM in those days, so they're rare nowadays, and if you find one for sale, it will go for well over $1000.
Hi Darren, Thank you for viewing and sharing your knowledge. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
very nice
:-)
Motor sounds great! I wonder how they are to drive.
Hi Gary, Happy to read you enjoy the sounds from this motor :-) I wish I had the time that day to tell you how the ride is, however I did not have the time that day. Hoping a ride in the future soon, Lou
rad
:-)
It should be the 'First time, not 'list time' ,typo error Lou. But thats too Bad! I could've have invited you to come over to Calif. to critique my old '78 Alfetta GTV, but I sold it 4 years ago. I could've have kept it or sell it to you.
Hi Vern, I'm sure you were a great Care Taker for the car, and I hope you received the price you were satisfied with, Lou
Studebaker's were just too advanced in style. They went over most people's heads. The one thing I didn't like about them, and still don't, was the op-art interior patterns.
As far as this car....it is a masterpiece.
Hi Jo, High praise for the styling of this car :-) If you type into TH-cam search "My Car Story with Lou Studebaker" I think you'll see many more cars you'll enjoy, Lou