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1963 studebaker gran turismo hawk
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ส.ค. 2022
- Today down in beaver pa for annual car show. Were I saw this 1963 studebaker gran Turismo Hawk, with all the requests for this episode time to see what it’s like. Period correct ads and specs and perceptions, detailed gauge layout.. enjoy this fun episode
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She’d rather be with me by the Turtles.
You got it =)
Hey, I was gonna say that . Thanks a lot....jk
I was born in 1949, I felt this was one of the most beautiful cars ever. And I still feel the same.
What I’m finding out is Mopar from the 50s tend to have more legroom any other car company out there minus Kaiser..
I think you may be right even though I drive a classic fd3s (1994) twin turbo rx7; the second best looking car ever designed.
I was born in 1947 and agree I thought the styling of these cars were ahead of their time and beautiful. My grandfather had a Studebaker he let me drive it at age 14. Interesting to me is the weight of older cars, heavier sheet metal than today but newer cars are heavier overall.????
The biggest improvement (to me) of the GT Hawk over the ‘56 (‘53 to ‘61) is the the “Thunderbird inspired” roofline on the GT allowed for increased headroom and the higher roof and bucket seats allowed the for taller front seat passengers to enter and exit with a head and neck twist common with the lower roofline cars. When your over 6’ tall, it’s appreciated!
All really good points maybe one day could do a comparison video I’m 6 foot 2 I didn’t think getting into 56 golden hawk was bad. 54 vette would be hard to get in with top on 55 thunderbird is hard getting into with top on.. that’s what I like most about the hawk is it’s a personal luxury car that is useable and there isn’t any of the compromises found in the earlier thunderbirds
As a kid in the 50's and 60's I lived in a neighborhood that was like a magnet for car dealers of almost every brand including Studebaker. Living in a virtual auto show was paradise for a young car nut. Studebaker always got my attention because they were so different. When the dealer drove a new 63 Hawk home I fell in love. The dealer was kind of a crabby old guy, never had kids and didn't like kids around his house or yard, but seeing how interested I was he let me climb all over it inside and out even taking me for a nice long ride. We even became friends after that, thanks to that Stude.
What an awesome story thank you so much for sharing on here.. my great uncle was a huge studebaker fan he passed in 2008 but had one of these, I don’t know why they didn’t sell well I would have this over any personal luxury car from 63.. unless avanti is included in that then it would be a toss up
In 63, as far as personal luxury cars, there weren't very many options. The first year Buick Riviera, Pontiac Grand Prix, Ford Thunderbird, and even a Chrysler Turbine, maybe a couple of others that have slipped my mind. All of these were great cars but the Hawk still stood out.
Hawk vs Rivera would be a good video because I honestly forgot about the Rivera.. it’s the only one in the field that comes close turbine car is in a whole another league (now).
@@What.its.like. Maybe you are right about the Turbine car considering they only built 50 of them. I got lucky on that one because it was driven by a Chrysler executive and he didn't have it very long but it sure was a cool car, and the sound was out of this world.
In 57, I’m in studebaker dealer salesman office looking at 57 hawk. I’m trying to get tha salesman to order me that car , a gold w white insert. He sz why don’t u git your daddy in here! I told em we don’t need my daddy,jus git me tha car! In 1957, I wz 15 hrs old. U think he cud tell?
Well, well, well! My first new car was a 1963 Studebaker GT Hawk that I took delivery on in February of that year. I owned it for 30 years and put over 240,000 miles on it. One of my greatest regrets, and there are many, is having let it go! I recently learned it was the only Hawk with the R-3 Avanti engine, the result of a dealer swap. I ordered it with the R-1 Avanti engine. However, the dealer made an offer I couldn't refuse as he wanted an R-1 for a shop project. In the deal I came out with the R-3 for only the optional cost difference! In '63 all Studebaker models were available with Avanti engine options which included a beefed up suspension, front disc brakes, 140 and 160 MPH speedometers and other goodies! The Avanti engines starting with the R-1 were performanced enhanced 289 CID engines, except the R-3 which as you noted was 305 CID. Enhancements included camshaft, pistons, double valve springs, and some others! R-2 and R-3 engines were supercharged, and very fast. My Hawk could easily peg the 160 MPH speedometer. The Hawk in particular, especially those with the Avanti options, were unsurpassed as highway cruisers. A couple of things contributed to that! A very low center of gravity, that 120.5 inch wheelbase, and the fact that the engine does not sit directly between the front wheels. If a line were drawn from front spindle to front spindle it would pass about through the water pump, resulting in about a 60-40 weight distribution! The way mine was geared 80 MPH was what I called "Snooze Cruise" as it turned only about 2600 RPM at that speed, and when properly tuned averaged about 22 MPG. Mine was Black as is the one in the video, but had a saddle tan interior, 4 on the floor and tachometer. When I sold it, it was still running, but did need some restoration.
Thank you so much for the story and the added information.. the performance additions there is little info on them out there and the information that is out there is conflicting thank you so much for the clarification =)
I’m sorry you had to let yours go I feel your pain there is so little information on the R3 the fact that you had one is crazy.. R3 will go down in history as one of the most underrated muscle/performance cars of al time.. motor trend was in bed with Chevy even back then nothing could be better than the corvette
@@What.its.like. In 1963 Studebaker took Avantis, Hawks, and other models with the R-3 engines and set a bunch of land speed records for factory production autos! As I recall the Avantis clocked in around or just under 200 MPH, blowing the Corvette out of the water. The Hawks in the 180 MPH range! But as you say, they got very little coverage.
@@Valor_73737 the r3 record was 178 mph ]]]] r5 first record 196 but after over 200 mph
@@peterblows497 I recalled it was somewhere in that range.
Thanks, great history;; my Great Aunt’s Daughter: traded her Hawk, in for a **PORT -Hole Thunderbird (1956 ish:: ??, no,pictures but just my Memory inky! And, unfortunately I Did **NOT GET INTERESTED in Cars until 1958-59((?)).. She lived in S Bend Indiana, vivid memories some 65++ years later…. !! The Hawk was great, etc. I am from Noble County, Indiana etc..
Brooks Stevens produced a clean, elegant design that was in step with changing contemporary tastes, and it has remained appealing for decades. It's one of my all-time favorites, as is the Avanti. Toodleoo!
I agree what Stevens design made the studebaker hawk into a more formal car the front grill area looks, would be easily mistakable for Mercedes to a non car person
The styling of this Studebaker Hawk inside and out looks about 10 years behind the competition...
Considering all the years and iterations, the '63 GT was still on the bones of the original '53 "Lo-Boy" design. And just as beautiful.
@@What.its.like. The sort-of resemblance to Mercedes of the same era was not accidental; it was Stude's attempt to associate the brand with the best from Germany, for which it became the US importer/distributor. (Too little, too late: Stude was financially doomed.)
The Hawks were among THE most beautiful cars ever built
and the Gran Turismo was the jewel in the crown.
Totally agree
Its amazing how if someone could make replica 53 Studebaker bodies, all the different cars you could make out of them. People can say what they like, but brooks stevens and raymond loewy were genius's
I totally agree =) ramen lol we got the last word in with the Avanti.. what was the fastest car in the world broke 12 speed records in 1963.. And the crazy thing of all is there’s a lot of people that don’t even know that car exists over shadowed buy lesser mustangs and corvettes
@@What.its.like. yessir, andy granatelli did wonders with Avanti cars, they say the old stude 289 block held up well to racing tortures. Ie: blowers, superchargers, etc...
They do, an outfit called Class Glass Performance makes them and they are quite popular at Bonneville. If you do a search for "53 Studebaker Fiberglass" you'll find their site.
Sad ending to two great car companies who simply could not compete. Yes, some bad decisions were certainly made too. Good video!
Thank you I’m glad you enjoyed this one =)
In the 60s I saw and article in the LA Times talking about the last new Studebaker Hawk for sale in the US. It was at a Studebaker Packard dealer in Los Angeles Ca ( Frost & French).
My grandmother drove me to the dealer to see it because I was in to cars and really like the Studebaker Hawk. It had a gold exterior paint, I don't remember the interior color. The sales people were very nice to me because I told them about the news paper article and my grandmother made a special trip with me. To this day I still like the looks of the the Hawk and I will never forget that trip with my grandmother.
What an awesome memory thank you so much for sharing it on here =)
One of THE most beautiful American-made cars ever built!
Agreed =)
When I was a kid (a long, long time ago) my grandmother’s next door neighbor had a turquoise Studebaker. That car was incredibly distinctive and contrasted sharply with my grandmother’s Lincoln. Not just the color but the Studebaker’s fluid lines were a touch of avant-garde in a definitely staid automotive world. Jay, this was a great way to spend a few minutes on a Sunday morning. Thanks!
I just wish they could have made it work the thunderbird out sold them by a lot and the baker is a far superior car in my opinion
Every time the #11 bus passes Crotona Ave & Boston Rd in The Bronx I have to check out the two Studebaker Hawks in the driveway. After viewing your very informative video I had to leave a comment just because the car is so beautiful and thinking about those two Hawks rusting away in somebody's driveway. It breaks my heart very time the bus passes those two classic cars going to waste. Thank you for your work and I hope to see a video on a 1961 Buick LeSabre. My mother had a 4 door model with red on red in the 1960's and I loved that car so much as a young boy.
Thank you so much for sharing that memory I feel bad that the rusting away in that guy’s driveway
1962-1964 GT Hawks are among THE most beautiful American cars ever produced.
One of the most fascinating and beautiful cars of the 60's, it's parent the 53 Studebaker Starliner started the whole longer, lower, wider movement of car design in the 50's. I like my 64 GT best with it's Mercedes Benz circle S hood ornament. Yes, that over the hood view is one of a kind. That black MB at 1:45 is not MB at all, but a Studebaker styling exercise of MB features on the Hawk chassis. Even tho Studebaker and MB were then tied together, MB wasn't thrilled. MB also killed any idea of a revived 59 Packard knowing their luxury 300 couldn't compete. They were both the 2 oldest transportation companies in the world.
Thank you so much for all the added information, and in-sight =)
Long time owner of hawks and member of the local and national Studebaker club. All Hawks come from the 1953 Studebaker coupe and hardtop design. Studebaker did a great job of redesigning front fenders, hoods and door skins and even fender fins. Only one major change was the GT roof. So pick your favorite body design, almost everything is interchangeable. If you like raw power a 56 Golden Hawk with the 352 is hard to beat, but 289’s are great engines too. Great car to restore because of the model run 1953 thru 64
Great point my favorite is the 57 love the fins but haven’t done one for the channel yet hopefully when I get to do one for the channel I’ll get a chance to ride in one it’s my favorite car from the 50s
@@What.its.like. Love the fins too, At the moment I have Golden Hawks 56,57 and a 58. My 57 is my street rod project. Don’t know if you are aware but the fins bolt on. 56 Golden Hawks have fiberglass fins and 57 and 58 fins are metal and are different design than the ones on the hawk coupes and they change the design again for 59 thru 61
58 is the same as 57 and then the recession killed the golden hawk
@@What.its.like. For the record there are some differences between 57 and 58. The 58 had wings on the turn signals and seating was changed from 5 to 6 persons with bench seats front and rear in stead of bench in front and twin seats with a console armrest in back. 58’s had different spring rate in back also a one piece driveline and 14 inch wheels so the 58’s sit slightly lower. All 58’s have two toned paint unless special ordered. 58’s are super rare only around 750 were built for US market and another hundred or so for world export making it a rare bird to see.
Thank you so much for the clarification I wasn’t sure if the 58 was any different than the 57 I just assumed since they only made 750 of them that they were just a continuation of the 57 and then cut short.. my knowledge I’ve never seen a 58 in person. It’s amazing they didn’t offer the hardtop until 61 they offered essentially the Silverhawk until 61 or was it a little different as well
Working at my dad's garage as a kid (and I do mean KID, I was like 10 or 11); my dad had a customer who worked at Lockheed in Burbank, Mr. Porter, with a Studebaker Silver Hawk.
He had his head shaved (remember, this is like 1966-ish), he looked like one of those '50s wrestlers ... but he was actually a nice guy.
Mr. Porter _insisted_ in parking in the back row of dad's parking lot, so he could back directly into the alley, and leave for home in record time.
What a great story thank you so much for sharing that memory with all of us =)
I'm not ashamed to say that I have always felt like Studebaker was a classy vehicle, even their trucks were better looking to me than ford or chevy, I would've loved to see what their line up today would have looked like!!
I wish they would puke have sold better in 1963 studebaker sold 4643 cars number isn’t exact, hawks vs ford thunderbird sold over 60,000 units that year.. the baker is and was a way better car
I have both a both a 1956 Golden Hawk that I purchased in 1963 when I was 17 years old, my first car, and a 1963 GT Hawk, with factory air. The 63 Hawk was my fathers car he purchased in 1972 and was the second owner. The 63 in an original car and he kept it in perfect shape. The 56 also has factory air and is just finishing a frame of restoration. I will agree, I prefer the 56 Golden Hawk.
I like the 57 the most but I haven’t been in one yet very similar to the 56 with bigger fins.. =) they are both great cars just like the early style better. I’m a sucker for a car with nice fins.
@@What.its.like. I own a 57 Golden Hawk 3 sp. OD. on the floor, GT Hawk bucket seats. It is one of 20 or so in Azure Metallic Blue with white fins. I have rebuilt the engine and supercharger and have a long way to go on the body but fortunately no rust what so ever! I have never seen a road test of the stick shift car. They had 4:10 or 4:30 rear end gears with the overdrive, so should have been very quick. Every road test has been the automatic which was one of the fastest cars of that year.
Your hawk will haul some serious butt =)
So wild that I have a running one in our garage. My grandpa let us keep it before he passed.
This was my first car. Purchased in 1967 for $700.
It had I believe a r1 engine and work order automatic transmission floor shift on the console. Originally was gold with red vinyl interior light change the exterior paint to a red Cadillac fire mist.
Unfortunately it was a Wisconsin car and had nearly fatal rust issues.
Despite that I love the car and owned it for over 20 years.
Correction: work order should read Borg Warner...
Awesome story thank you so much for sharing that memory=)
This came up in my TH-cam feed once again. Something I hadn't noticed before was that you mentioned every control in the car except for one, the dimmer switch. That small silver colored button on the floor near the wall of the pedal well. That is the switch that toggles the headlights between high and low beam. I think there are many young viewers that might not know what that is.
Thank you so much for pointing that out older episode. I must’ve just missed it… =)
I Am 76 I owned lots of Studebaker, you kid in the 60s I could get Studebakers cheap. My 1954 Champion was my favorite in the 70s was a Cherry 1960 Lark V8 with overdrive best work car I ever had.
Awesome thank you so much for sharing your experience =)
9:00 note the two tee-handles under the left end of the dash. The red handle is the hood release, and the chrome handle is the overdrive lock-out (pull to lock out).
Another function of the fender vents was to direct tire splash into the passenger cabin to wash the front-occupants' shoes.
Note also the ends of the instrument cluster angle toward the driver to allow better view of the clock and tach.
Heat sink type valve covers were a rare option, most often seen on the Avanti engines (chrome was standard on the _Jet Thrust_ Avanti engines, painted covers on other models).
The standard 289 was 210 horsepower, 225 with the four-barrel dual exhaust regular fuel 289.
Studebaker ads initially did not include horsepower ratings for any of the Avanti engines, allowing the Bonneville speed records to speak for themselves.
Thank you for the show I love Studebaker cars and trucks a 1959 Studebaker silver hawk was the first car I drove
Awesome I’m glad you dig this channel I plan on hitting all of the Hawks one day power Hawk flight hawk Silverhawk Goldenhawk
Studebaker and Packard were both fine cars. It is a shame they were discontinued.
Ampature gauge? C'mon - it's an ammeter, though no-one will complain if you use ampmeter. The big blank spot on the instrument panel would hold a tachometer if so specified, and the supercharged cars I think featured a boost gauge too. The rocker covers on this car are aftermarket I believe. On the preference you express on occasion for the headlight dimmer on the floor, I have no problem with that on automatic cars. But you ought to try a winding and hilly mountain road at night where you're working a manual gearbox and clutch pretty hard, and cars are appearing ahead of you from around bends at random. You'll find out pretty quickly how dangerous a floor dimmer can be. On the restyle, I don't think they had any choice. I love the finned Hawks, but by 61 the roofline was 8 years old and the canted fins 4 years old. The restyle to my eye made the GT Hawks considerably more elegant and up to date.
Thank you so much for all of that added information and corrections, yeah I know having a car coming towards you when bright lights are on have to push the clutch downshift like it’s hard to hit the dimmer switch
Actually I'll correct myself a bit. Studebaker did have a choice, which they must have agonised over, on restyling the Hawk. They could have dropped the Hawk line and made the Avanti the direct replacement. The extra money they would have had available to get Avanti production and marketing properly sorted out may have made that car a success. Who knows?
@@captaccordion Maybe, because of initial issues with the Avanti's fiberglass body, Studebaker decided to play it safe, so they kept the Hawk?
@@sparky6086 Yes, I'd concur with that view, that they were covering all bets, and playing it safe. And of course it's easy for us in hindsight to suggest that a different decision may have worked better for them.
My friend had a golden hawk when he went into the army. The car stayed home with strict instructions that his younger brother was not to drive it. Of course he did, got into a fender bender smashing the passenger side vent. Unable to find parts for the vent assembly, they simply used bondo to cover over the vent area, and repainted the car. Friend gets home from the army to a freshly painted car. Super happy until he discovered the missing side vent. That car is probably out there somewhere.
Awesome story if it was my car I’d probably take the keys with me so no one could drive it.. different time back then I’ve heard stories of kids going off to fight in the war and parents sold all their cars..
@@What.its.like. As a teen I drove a friends 54 Ford in a snow storm a few blocks to the store, that had been vandalized and the side windows broken out. A drunk came sliding around the corner and hit the front fender. He got out and thought he had destroyed the old ford. Long story short, he did not want the cops, so took me to his house where he was storing his sons beautiful 58 Impala, 348 V8 in black. The son in Vietnam. He put some gas in the carb, started it gave me the title!
Same thing happened to my father, his younger brother destroyed his '39 Chrysler.
@@What.its.like. Yeah well... my first car was a 60 Hawk. I was at a Studebaker meet about 400 miles from home and lost my keys. That's when I learned how easy they were to hotwire.
My old man bought one in 1968 in metallic blue. To this day no one I know has had a kansas city, I will never forget that beautifully done interior, instrumentation, the roominess, classier car. Even though I sas only 5 when he bought itm and 7 or 8 when we lost in the riots in Kansas City, the ride was comfortable, the engine had a beautiful V8 rumble. We all missed that car. I still miss it. Especially riding with my old man when he punched it to shut up someone who wanted to play. I miss that car almost as much as I miss the old man.
That sounds like an epic car now that you mention it I’ve only saw these in white or black.. there is a teal 57 golden hawk driving around here that I’d love to do an episode on. I’ve never saw a gt hawk in any other color than black or white
My buddy in high school (1976) had a 1963 Gran Turismo, roesmist silver, 289 with Avanti Supercharged option, 4 speed manual. Fun Cruiser
I was never a lark fan they are growing on me tho =)
They were beautiful European looking cars, with fast engines! 😍 My neighbor had a basic Lark, 6 cyl 3 spd, low priced, dependable. There were a lot of Stud pickups around too.
Another great video about a great car that should have made the mainstream but unfortunately didn’t. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much for enjoying this video I hope one day to find a Studebaker Gran Turismo hawk and a Buick Riviera I want to compare the two
Dear Sir: I enjoy these "what was it like" vids. Thank you :-)
Thank you so glad you dig the channel and content I really try
I like that this Hawk GT is a manual transmission car! As for your outro, The Cramps have a great cover of "Surfin' Bird".
I love the hawks all really cool cars
9:15 My dad, who was right handed, always like the emergency brake on the right. _Very_ few cars had that.
Dual master cylinders are a necessity with disk front/drum rear brakes. That is because the drum brakes have a valve that creates a small residual pressure when the brakes are released, it prevents the rear wheel cylinders retracting or leaking. That small pressure would ruin the front disc brakes. Happy motoring.
Oddly enough, living in the South Bend area, I didn't see many Hawks. Mostly Larks, were my Idea of a Studebaker. I pretty much was a Ford guy. In 63, my dad and I walked over to a neighbor's house to see his new Avanti. We thought it was pretty neet, which was strange because back in the day most people thought Studebakers were rather on the ugly side. In the area the Lark's were everywhere. Even as late as the early 90's you couldn't drive down a street that didn't have at lest one Lark in a driveway or parked in front of a house. I did notice one family in our town just north of the state line had a 56' Hawk. The brother of one of my friends had Studebaker Lark and bragged on how good of a car it actually was. As I have gotten older I have come to appreciate the Studebakers more, I actually think they were pretty decent looking cars, if I were a collector I would have at least one Lark, one Hawk and one Avanti in my collection.
Great story thank you so much for sharing =)
If it's a Studebaker Hawk it's awesome. I'm really digging that Avanti next to it too.
57 golden hawk is one of the best cars of the 50s in my opinion
Studebaker made supercharged Avanti's. Ultra rare but faster than a factory Corvette at the time. They were lighter than the Hawks.😉
Yeah I wish automotive journalists put the spot light on both of those cars
I had a 1962 Hawk that was the same color combination as this one. I really enjoyed it. My friends called it the Batmobile.
The Chrysler Imperial had optional disc brakes in the late-50's.
The standard 289 V8 had a 2-barrel carb. The R1 added a 4 barrel carb. The R2 added a Mcculloch/Paxton supercharger. The R3 put the 4 barrel carb in a pressurized box. The R4(a special factory order and Granatelli built) was a 304 V8 with 2 4 barrel carbs. The R5 was also a 304V8 but added 2 McCulloch/Paxton superchargers to the single 4-barrel carb in a box.
Andy Granatelli owned the rights to the McCulloch/Paxton superchanger. His involvement with Studebaker allowed the use of the supercharger. With his expertise, the speed record holding Avanti was created. This was a special one-off race car which you couldn't buy.
As history, Packard began importing the Mercedes-Benz line of cars to supplement it's own limited offerings. When Studebaker closed down the Packard brand, they kept the Mercedes-Benz line, which was evolving into a luxury brand. When Studebaker ceased automobile production, their dealers became exclusive Mercedes-Benz dealers. In my town, the dealer took on the Jeep brand to supplement it's offerings.
Correctly, Studebaker didn't go out of business, they just stopped making cars. They were involved in other manufacturing, which included the Onan brand of engines and the Fedders line of home appliances.
Studebaker was actually the distributor for Mercedes Benz, not Packard.
Thank you so much for taking the time to add all of that I got to shoot 5 great cars yesterday it’s going to be a great week on here =)
@@danielulz1640 My local dealer was first a Packard dealer and Mercedes-Benz dealer. After the merge, they added Studebaker. Another local Studebaker dealer lost his dealership because of this merge. After Packard was gone and Studebaker stopped making cars, they only had M-B cars and Jeep. Because AMC bought out Jeep two other AMC dealers lost their dealerships. And then Renault took over AMC, they then added AMC-Renault to the roster. Another Renault dealer in town lost his dealership. After that fiasco was over, Chrysler took over Jeep and the Renaults were gone. The only remnant of AMC was the Eagle line based on the last generation Hornets. Then Chrysler started rebadging Mitsubishi's as Eagles, which didn't go over too well as Chrysler had the same basic car in in their other lines. The AMC-based Eagle was dropped and only Jeep remains. Chrysler had already started mucking up Jeep with models built on the Neon platform and when FIAT took over Chrysler they introduced a Jeep on the FIAT 500 chassis. Who knows what will happen to jeep after the French joined FIAT and Chrysler.
the R5 was fuel injected super charged after people did twins on 4 bll carbs
The R6 added afterburners to those two turbo chargers.
The Citroen DS19 had fully-powered front disc brakes (inboard, to reduce unsprung weight, and with separate front/rear hydraulic circuits with effort distribution depending on load on the rear suspension) from 1955. I'm fairly sure they were available in the US by the late 50s.
First American car, and Studebaker WAS the first American car company to offer disk brakes across the board. You could get the most basic six cylinder Lark with disk brakes.
Crosley hotshot beat the Studebaker but they were not power operated they were mechanical disc brakes.. Also from what I’ve read they were extremely problematic
I did a bunch of work on one of these, and while the body and interior were modern, the chassis was literally right out of the 40's still. More or less modern brakes, but with the master cylinder still under the floor if I remember. Once I had it done it drove and ran really well. It was on consignment, but the seller was one of those weirdos who wouldn't take any offers, even if asking price, we finally had him pay for the work and get his car out of our shop. I liked the car and wouldn't have minded owning it myself.
They are super classy in my opinion I still think it’s crazy they use kingpins to the day they start making cars pretty much all Studebaker‘s are riding on upgraded wagons from when they built wagons.. I don’t see anything wrong with kingpins my 52 Chevy truck has them
@@What.its.like. Kingpins are just a big pain to rebuild and they're a wear item, hardly anyone would know what to do or have tools to replace and properly ream them to fit anymore is all.
That is one sweet ride!
My father bought new 64 white Hawk GT
Fantastic!
A friend of mine had one. He thought he was buying a Studebaker Thunderbird but it's all 1953 underneath.
I really like your research on these cars! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you it really means a lot I really try =)
7:15 Chrysler offered a truly weird clutch-type self-energizing disc brake system on the Imperial models starting around 1949, discontinued around 1953. Crosley offered non-power discs for a short time in the late forties, discontinued because road de-icing salt rusted the discs, binding the pads to the brakes. Studebaker compared their system to the discs on fighter aircraft.
Drum brake Studebakers (except for the severely decontented "Standard" model) did offer the dual-circuit brake system, but the disc brake system was a single-circuit system.
Thanks Jaye..
You consistently have THE most honest and informative car videos on TH-cam.
The GRAN TURISMO Hawk is STILL a stunner after all these years, as is the 1955 President Speedster.
Thank you so much it means the world it really does.. tonight‘s episode hopefully is going to be a 1933 Chrysler imperial but not just any buddies Chrysler imperial this one belong to Walter Chrysler there isn’t a whole lot of information in the front like they’re generally is but the tour is really long because it’s a 1 of 1 car =) That car had such a presence and it makes me sad because nothing is opulent like that anymore it was like being in a Pullman railway car
I try to be as descriptive as possible because there’s a lot of people out there they’re looking for these cars in the information nobody talks about it I can’t be the only one that likes this kind of thing.. if I had things my way I would buy a 37 Chrysler airflow and drive it every day even though I’ve never been in one I’ve seen them there was one at classic auto Mall I really wanted to cover it so bad but it didn’t have an interior in it.. I want to cover one before this year is over I don’t care if it’s a De Soto I don’t care if it’s a Chrysler I don’t care if it’s inimperial. (Which are rare)
@@What.its.like. Anxiously awaiting the Chrysler Imperial video.
Did I mention that Walter, Jr. was a buddy in Norfolk?
@@What.its.like. Chrysler and Packard were THE leading engineering car makers.
There was a video of 3 Airflows in San Diego going to a meet in Michigan with dash cams of the trip,.
Unfortunately it's no longer on TH-cam.
Consider, an Imperial str 8, which dynoed at 88 hp, was sending this 4,500# car 'down the road' at a rock-steady 85!
It’s crazy to think the Chrysler imperial/airflow came directly after this car it’s crazy that the styling went that extreme I’m still working on it I was almost done with it two hours ago and the software program crashed and then I did it again and it crashed again now I’m on the fourth attempt I believe.. InShot Today I’m not a huge fan of that software program I need to find a program that’s more dependable
@@What.its.like. We're patient.
You'll overcome.
This survivor is a gem to me. Inside and out. That red upholstery treatment I could take a nap on.
Thanks Jay, 🎵that's what I say🎵
=)
Really is a tribute to Studebaker that they were able to keep a 10 year old body shell that fresh.
Yeah and still use king pins as well
@@What.its.like. Yeah that is crazy, but considering there budget I think they did an amazing job.
I was 17 years old in 1963 my aunt had man renting a garage apt from her he had a 1963 gean tourism black with red interior 289 with supercharger I remember on the top of the air cleaner it said to use STP additive I think but not sure at that time STP was owned by Studebaker I remember lifting the hood it was made of heavy gauge steel. The car itself was beautiful. All of this mans friends that came to visit had varying years of Studebaker cars and trucks all were pristine and like new Studebakers had a good service record and they were known to be fast. It hurts to see an American car company go out of business. Their final year they moved to Canada they always made money there yo no avail.
Great story thank you so much for sharing =)
IMO the C pillar was the most elegant and successful of any car, even beating the 62 Thunderbird.
A point you missed is that the extruded Aluminium piece at the rear was designed to cover up the grooves on the trunk from Golden Hawk and so avoiding a new pressing . However in the final model it was removed with a new smooth trunk lid.
Thank you so much for pointing that out =)
@@What.its.like. J'ai possédé moi-même une Hawk G.T. 63 et je connaissais bien-sur ce détail sur la présence ou non de cette plaque supposée décorative ...
My grandparents bought the 63 Lark, 289 4 speed on the floor bucket seats. I have been to many car shows, but have never seen another one.
Sorry forgot the Disc Brakes!
That car sounds like it would be a really good sleeper.. I was never huge into larks but they are growing on me I need to find one to review just more bakers in general
@@What.its.like. The 63 lark was black outside with maroon and cream color inside. My grand parents lived in Swisshelm Park which is right down the road from Beaver. I believe they purchased the car from the Studebaker dealer in Forest Hills pa
You should go to some Studebaker meets. I've seen a few like that, they aren't common of course, but they are around. One of the cars I'd love to have is like you describe, but a two door with a Skytop. (really big sunroof).
Studebaker seems like a car that people really want to see the problem is is they are hard to find around here..
The Hawk and the Avanti next to are are beautiful
Sweet choices =)
I really want to drive or 57 Golden Hawk on of my favorite cars of the 50s
I have to share this with my friend. Her aunt had one of these, same year, same color. The old lady died a few years ago and had sold her GT Hawk just before she passed on. May this is this one!
I’m sorry about the loss of your friends aunt the owner has owned this one for a long time
@@What.its.like. Thanks, much appreciated, Jay.
A friend bought a beautiful 63, white with blue interior. He was disappointed because he was expecting a 63 Studebaker Thunderbird, but the car was all 1953 underneath and felt it driving.
I really wanna drive one and see what it’s like it’s got kingpins Studebaker used king pins until the day they stop making cars.. i’m wired different I think it’s more fun to drive a slow car fast than it is to drive a fast car fast and some of those old cars it’s a chore to keep them on the road good and steady but it’s more fun.. and honestly there isn’t anything wrong with king pins
@@What.its.like. When Ford went from kingpins to ball joints the reviews were very favorable. That plus the Thunderbirds specs- 1,000 pounds heavier, wider tread, lower ground clearance, (center of gravity?), I think all come together to the detriment of the GT experience. Kingpins, trunnions, all good as long as you understand the car.
I had a 63 hawk gt, it had a four speed on the floor,clock, tach, oil gauge, ammeter, etc. I sold it for $1500 to a guy who sought it out, looked at it while I was working 400 miles away, and promised to fix the rusted spots. I regret that I never saw it again
Your story reminds me of an 88 town car signature series that I had the only difference in the story is I sold it for about half and I still don’t forgive myself for it. That was one car. The only reason I got rid of it was because I thought it was going to nickel and dime me and I didn’t want to put a transmission in that car.
I bought an 89 years later and I put three transmissions in that car. I bought it because it had low mileage and it was fully loaded Had everything my dad was a believer and low milage cars. I can’t say that I am because that car had 89,000 miles and it was the car that gave me the most issues… I bought a Toyota Prius two years ago that has 179,000 miles on it got 230,000 miles on it. Absolutely love it for a commuting vehicle but it is an appliance just a crappy car to drive the town that gets phenomenal, gas, mileage.
Since I was born in 1951 I remember the Studebaker cars from many years ago. One of my grandfathers had a Studebaker car. Also one of my uncles had a Studebaker Lark. However by 1964 it was the end of Studebaker making cars.
=)
1949 to 1954 Chrysler Crown Imperial Limos had discs. Also was available on regular 130 inch wheelbase Imperials.
Awesome information thank you so much for sharing that’s why I said in the video they advertise that they were the first but I believe that they were.. they might’ve been the first for power disc brakes even Crosley had disc brakes in 1949.. But they wasn’t power
Nice Video and Commentary! My Father was a die hard Studebaker Fan owning many different Almost new Studebakers for our Family Car. In 1963 my Father bought the only New Car he ever had. It was a 1963 Studebaker GT Hawk. At the time of ordering this vehicle he was made aware of the fact that the company likely would be closing it's main plant in South Bend Indiana USA. However, he was also told parts for this vehicle would be available for 10 years. My Father went to the Studebaker Factory in Hamilton Ontario Canada to pick up his purchase. A basic description of the car would be to say, It was ERMINE WHITE in colour, it had the optional R1 non-supercharged engine, Automatic, and a complete Full Instrument Cluster Dash ( your Car in the video was missing the Tach ). My Father owned and drove the vehicle year round from 1963-1972. Our family lives in a RUST BELT area of Eastern Canada where Road Salt is heavily used in the Winter on roads. By 1972 Rust had taken it's toll and the car was sold. Mechanically speaking this vehicle held up Very Well with Very Few repairs over 65000 miles and was in GOOD Mechanical Shape when sold in 1972. This vehicle was a Very Rare Sight to see on the roads of my home Province of Nova Scotia, although there were a few Hawk models sold there from 1962-64. I have held onto all the Paper Work and other information surrounding the buying of the vehicle in 1963. An interesting trivial fact, Studebaker Dealers sold TWO MAKES OF CARS. STUDEBAKER and MERCEDES BENZ. My own First Car was a 1960 Studebaker Lark which I bought from the Original Studebaker Dealer in 1969, this is the exact same people and place my Father bought his 1963 GT Hawk. This particular dealer continued in business selling Mercedes Benz up until just a few years ago under the same original dealership name. Also, Studebaker bought a company " GRAVELY EQUIPMENT " in 1952, that manufactured a high quality line of Landscaping Equipment. When Studebaker ceased making automobiles at it's final plant in Hamilton Ontario Canada in 1966 they continued in Business with GRAVELY EQUIPMENT. Studebaker finally sold GRAVELY EQUIPMENT in 1982 to ARIEN's Equipment another similar manufacturer. More could said for sure about the Studebaker Company but each person can do their own research to the degree of their own liking.
Awesome memory thank you so much for sharing it as well as all the information it was a great story =)
I havw a funny story about a Golden Hawk. When I was 16 I had a 57 Chevy with a 283 power pack heads and a Carter AFB. I also had a floor shift for the 3 speed manual transmission. My 57 was gloss black with four chrome slot wheels.
One night as I was leaving town I saw a Studebaker in front of me, so I down shifted to 2nd and opened up that Carter AFB. I managed to catch up with the quaterpanel of this red Studebaker when all of a sudden it took off like a jet leaving me way behind. I couldn't believe it.....a Studebaker????
Later I found out who owned this red Studebaker and he was what I thought of as an OLD man, he was in his 50's. (I'm now 70) This man with the red Studebaker was a well known racer and his Studebaker was a Golden Hawk Gran Turismo with a suoercharged engine and a 4 speed. This was my first lesson in Studebakers..
Awesome story 57 Goldenhawk is one of my favorite cars of all time.. I e heard stories that they would leave the ground
That’s a car that I really want to drive what is that car like to drive I drove a Packard Baker from 58 and it wallowed much like a 57 58 ford
For a year or two in the early 1950s Chrysler offered front disc brakes on imperials only. An extremely rare option that has subsequently been removed from most cars due to no parts availability.
Thank you so much for that added information I didn’t know that =)
The cars that we had when we were kids before we had our driver's license, the mechanic next door my dad friends we never imagined how valuable they would have become, I get sick thinking about it.
My dad has passed away but he would always talk about super birds in hell that was a guy on the corner he had three of them and they were nothing more than old car price I’m talking less than $400 and anytime he would watch Barrett Jackson is the one girl for $200,000 she would be like if I knew that car was gonna be worth that much money I would’ve bought one and put it in the garage somewhere.. it’s sort of like a Honda S 2000 now nobody thought that car would be worth it what it is,now. Car prices is a lot like the stock market some go up some go down some stay stagnant.. and there’s not really a rhyme or reason for it.
In 1969 I purchased a 63 chevy convertible. It was in great shape and just needed a new top. I paid $175.00 for it. I have owned 37 different cars, some used some new. The chevy was the Cheapest car I ever purchased, but of all those cars I have owned that Chevy today would be worth more than any car I have ever owned. I only had it for a year and traded it in. Wish I had it today.
Another story. When I was 16 (in 1965) I came across a 1954 Corvette for sale for $300.00 ! The body was all sanded down and ready to paint, the interior was ragged, but it ran. It had a 327 with 3 speed on the floor. I ran home to my dad, he was a car guy surely he would loan me the money. I ask him to loan me the $300.00 but he wouldn't give me the money. He said I had to earn the money. I said you buy the vette and when I get the $300.00 I'll buy the car from you, but he wouldn't budge. I didn't get the 54 Corvette! Years later when I was in my fifties I asked my dad," dad do you know what the 54 vette is worth to day?" . He just said,"yes I know".
Another factoid for you: the four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage (barouche) that took Abraham Lincoln to Ford's Theater was made by Studebaker and is now on display at the Studebaker National Museum.
Awesome information thank you so much for sharing that I know Studebaker when they went out of business they were the oldest automobile manufacture and it really hurt even now I wish Studebaker was around now
Too bad George mason Suddenly died otherwise I could’ve possibly been the reality they could’ve been under Amc Unbrella Whether or not they would’ve survived until now would have still been questionable
I had a 62 I found in Connecticut. Heater core was under the right front seat. Whenever I hit a water puddle the inside would steam up. Loved that car
Great story thank you so much for sharing that memory =)
Resemblance to Mercedes Benz probably due to Studebaker being the Benz North American distributor, their cars in the same showrooms.
Beautiful automobile. The "over the head impression" reminds me of the 108 body style Mercedes.
I can definitely see that resemblance as well =)
Beautiful car!!
Yeah it was =) special thanks to the owner for letting me feature his car on the channel
That's cool , i live in Beaver !! lol!
That’s awesome maybe I’ll see you there this year I personally love that show it’s one of my favorites around here
Fabulous video. ***I tried to guess the song..too short*** The car is amazing. A friend of my Dad (they used to play golf together) had this car in black. Said he bought it because it resembled the Mercedes. While he SAID he couldn’t afford Mercedes…he lied. My Dad on the other hand needed a larger car, so because grandpa drove Lincoln’s Dad’s first was the hand me down. 1961 black 4 door ht. Then traded every two years until 1973. He liked that one then had a stroke in 1974 so no more driving. Also on this Hawk, the rear lights sure resemble the Packard…that car should never have gone away!! Thanks for this video.
Thanks for watching =) awesome story thank you so much for sharing
A farmer I worked for in high school bought a new Lark, a very good car. Golden Hawk is one of my favorite cars, along with 58 Chevy Impala.
My top 3 50s cars
1957 golden hawk is at the top
59 rambler cross country wagon
58 Edsel citation
I find it very surprising that Raymond Loewy would object to the fantastic job Brooks Stevens did in updating the Studebaker Starliner/Hawk hardtop. Especially since it disposed of the fins Loewy hated. At one time, Loewy took a 1959 Cadillac and shaved the fins. The car still exists.
Question - Does this 3 speed, overdrive car have the Studebaker "Hill Holder" that allowed the driver to take their foot off the brake at a stoplight and not roll backwards? And was the 4 speed equipped GT Hawk available with Hill Holder?
Yes, mine was a 4 speed and had the Hill Holder. As far as In know that was available only on manual transmissions, but I could be wrong on that.
I know right I’m not sure about the hill holder part
@@Valor_73737 - Yes, the video showed a GT Hawk with "three on the tree" and overdrive. No mention of the Hill Holder. Thanks for your response.
@@What.its.like. - I hear you. They may have discarded the Hill Holder feature previously.
@@scootergeorge7089 The Hill Holder was an option, not an expensive one, but as a result many Studebakers didn't have one. It was a simple, fool proof mechanism. On the back of the master cylinder was a chamber with a steel ball that on an uphill incline would roll back and block a machined port to maintain whatever hydraulic brake pressure had been applied with the brake pedal when the foot was removed from the brake pedal. As long as the clutch pedal was depressed and the car was pointed uphill the pressure on the brake lines was maintained! When the clutch pedal was released to engage the transmission a mechanical device relieved the brake pressure and the brakes by moving that steel ball away from the port it was blocking. My Hawk did have that option, and worked flawlessly for 30 years and over 240,000 miles.
Have owned two Studies, 1963 Lark Crusier, ,1965 chev. 283 Lark .Both were great cars and were prized here in OZ. 64 Lark Crusiers raced in the Famous Bathurst 1000 k road race .I believed they were the 2 door versions floor shift manuals. The Victorian Police force used this model as pursuit cars. Cheers Mal in au.
That’s awesome is it hard getting studebaker parts in Australia?
My ’64 Cruiser was formerly a Vic Police pursuit car. Went like a bat out of hell, but forget trying to stop it the same day as you pressed the pedal!
4-wheel disc brakes were standard on the early 1950’s Chrysler Crown Imperial limousines.
But where they power disc brakes Crosley had them in 49 I believe not power operating
I would highly doubt that. Heavy duty, larger brakes and drums probably but discs? Don’t think so.
I love these Gt Hawks ,awesome car and excellent video
Thank you so much I’m a huge Studebaker fan I love the orphan cars to be honest I love going against the grain and thinking outside the box =)
To my 3yes the cars you just reviewed are better looking than 60% of what's produced today !!!!!!.
Chrysler had disc brakes starting in 1949 and they were standard on some models and both front and rear. They are not the type with a separate caliper and rotor like most cars. But more like a clutch system.
Awesome information thank you so much for sharing that =)
I grew up in Hunker Pa. My best friend had a 53 Champion. Think I pushed that car as far as I rode in it.............Jay
I know the feeling I took this savoy out the other to do a shoot with and got at back at the dealership and shit it off it has 440 cross ram. I must have flooded it I couldn’t get it started i pushed it (which it’s 1962 savoy way easier to push then any old corvette, vetted are hard to push, maybe that could be a segment on some how hard is it to push if it ever came to that). Probably pushed that car 2,000 feet.
My wife just bought a 1961 Studebaker Lark in, great shape. I'm a new subscriber. Seems like a really cool channel.🙂
Welcome to the community =) glad you dig the channel
What engine is in the lark what body style color manual or auto?
I think it's a six. Two door. At some point, someone painted it red.
It is one snazzy looking car! 🤩 I think I like it in gold best!
Looks good in any color
I was a age 8 in the back seat of a late 50s Studebaker, I don't know the model. My mother hated the manual transmission. They traded it for a Ford automatic but often said they wished they had the Studebaker back.
Great memory thank you so much for sharing =)
One of the reasons for the formal roofline, besides updating the body style, was that the curved, wrap around glass that Lowey studios designed for the '53 was much more expensive than a flat plane of glass and Studebaker was bleeding money. Also, the reason the trunks were so long on Studebakers, beginning with the airplane body after WWII, was that the original plan was to move the engine to the rear of the car. That never happened.
engine to the rear of the car. That never happened,
Great information
MY dad bought a 53 Studebaker Champion when I was in 5th grade. My oldest brother was humiliated- I loved that car- I read in Hot Rod Magazine that the Studes of that era were killer at Bonneville because of the aerodynamics. I was always trying to get my dad interested in putting a 428 Cobra Jet Ford in it. I was just a kid...
428 would make that car move really good =)
The first car I 'drove' on a public road (actually, just steered while sitting in the driver's lap), at nine years of age, was a ’53 Champion.
The '63 Avanti !!!!!!!! hands down !!! One that I saw looked like a new design of this decade !!!.
One of the most underrated cars of all time
The Turtles "She would rather be with me ".
Great song for a great car
Studebaker Drivers Club member here... Recently sold my '53 Champion Deluxe with flathead 6... And a '62 Cruiser with a V8 ... But am keeping my '65 Cruiser... It seem's to have enough difference in the head room getting in and out ... The slightly lower head room space is the only thing which kept me from getting a Hawk, which is the same height as the '53... That's another reason why I decided to sell it ..... Regards...
Awesome information thank you so much for sharing just curious how tall are you I’m 6 foot 2 inches fit in the hawk perfect.. there is a lot of competition but so far I haven’t done a 57 Goldenhawk yet I’ve sat in a 56 and I did an episode on a 56 golden hawk that is my favorite sports car or personal luxury car of the 1950s.. The Thunderbird Corvette One makes a lot of compromises to own both of those cars especially the Corvette they will eat when they were new in the crazy thing is is those are $100,000. 6 figures and it kind of sucks..
What blows my mind is Thunderbird outsold Studebaker by a lot I’m not a mathematician Thunderbird sold 60,000 some units in 1963 I haven’t been in the bullet bird yet in my mind I was comparing it to the square bird that comes in 64 there is no comparison hands down Studebaker is better than the Thunderbird I can’t understand why it didn’t sell well..
@@What.its.like. ... Gee, I'm 5' 11" and when I tried sitting in a SDC members '60 Hawk, I just about knocked the top off of my head getting in ... LOL ... But, my '65 Cruiser has an inch or two more space...Yeah, I duck a bit, but seems to me I can get in / out a bit easier ... Could be 'seat height' factors in some too, but didn't actually use a tape measure, as I figured the 'Old Knock my Noggin' test might suffice ... Regards from Bakersfield, Calif. area .....
My neighbor had an Avanti before I was born. He was an old farmer. He said it was the best car he ever owned.
That’s awesome =)
Always impressed by the silver and golden hawk super charged
I saw a 57 Studebaker golden hawk teal and white that might be my new favorite color combination for that car I like the black and white ones too
Parts in OZ weren’t too hard in the 70 s as there was a major dealer in most capitol cities albeit they were no longer sold ,studie clubs were a good source,here in South Australia a club member purchased all the dealers stock and spare parts. Don’t know the status these days as I am no longer involved with these cars. Cheers Mal in au
If you read the book "More than they promised" you'll learn that Studebaker was the original distributor for Mercedes Benz in the US which is why it is no coincidence that the grills of Studebakers looked like Mercedes.
Thank you so much I’ll have to check that book out =)
In my opinion, the original 1953 coupe was the cleanest and most beautiful treatment that body ever received, and was the most beautiful American production car from 1953 to now. My understanding is that Studebaker's main problem was the inability to produce enough cars to keep up with demand - production & management problems, and not design problems. The bullet nose 1950 models, for instance, sold like hot cakes. And orders for the 1953 "foreign look" new designs far outstripped production numbers.
I totally agree.. it’s sucks that they went under
I always thought this was a beautiful car. It was an amazing redesign to update the car and make it look "modern' on a tight budget.
Totally agree =)
One reason the Hawk grille is similar to a MB is Studebaker and MB were partners with Studebaker selling MB in their showrooms. So Stude sort of "borrowed" that famous grille.
That’s awesome I never knew that before =)
Stevens came back for one more refresh of the Starlite and it worked again. Sadly, Studebaker couldn't make the grade for him.
Nice review of this Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawk, Jay.
Thank you for watching =) need to make it a point to hit more studebakers I’ve been looking but they are getting harder and harder to find
As early as 53 Studs had that incredible shape that was so futuristic. From then on the rest copied and played catch up. The small V8s had equally impressive performance and reliability. They were the fastest production car for many years. Also advanced features like hill holders and disc brakes. The world speed records they set for the time still stand. I was privileged to have owned two Larks, one Daytona and a Hawk Grand Turismo (GT)
sorry "Gran"
I never knew about the hill hold Assist until somebody brought it up in the common section it sucks that there isn’t that much information on these cars when they were far superior than anything that was offered at the same time period.. There is an Avanti episode coming.. that car is absolutely incredible it’s probably the most underrated part of the 60s it is to the 60s with the Rambler rebel was to the 50s.. Both cars were overshadowed by the Corvette which wasn’t and isn’t all that great
A classic design and in my opinion superior to the older finned ones.
A couple of things. There is no such thing as an amperage gauge, although it sounds better. They are actually 'Ammeters'. Secondly the expression is 'cut and dried' not 'cut and dry'. Nice video. Just bought one of these with 4 on the floor.
Awesome going to cover this car again that early on when I didn’t have the correct terms and trying to figure everything out but thank you so much for the feedback =)
That $3900 price back then was a lot for most people. I bought a brand new Camaro LT in 1973 and paid $4200, so prices didn't go up a lot in 15 - 20 years. But a 87 Camaro I leased was over $18,000! That's quite an increase in prices, but the labor went way up to build them. That Stud labor was probably $4 - $5 an hour, in 73 probably $10 - $15, and 87 probably $25 - $35.
Inflation just like what’s going on now $50k for a mustang.. that’s crazy