I recently acquired a studebaker goldenhawk,I believe its a 57.It has a 289 with a Mccullough supercharger on it.It turns over by hand I believe it will run,nice solid body,with most all stainless,thats taken off and wrapped up.I cant decide if I shoultry to turn it as it is,Or keep the motor and trans,as an awesome hotrod motor?I'm sure it would haul ass in something small,but who knows anything about them,and I hate to ask the idiotic,"whats it worth"question,but I really dont have a clue.I got it reasonably,but would like some advise,and a little info if anyone can help.Thanks,i took photos,but am unable to post at this time,It has a killer dash,gauges,little back seat,thats really cool,lots of cool little chrome,and a very nice body...
If you know how to access internet newsgroups in your email program got to alt.autos.studebaker and post your questions. Nice bunch of regulars who can give you values and point you to websites with info. One of the guys (who buys and sell Studes and parts and sells on ebay a lot) has a website with a stude discussion board: http://stude.com His name is John Poulos and he is on the newsgroup a lot,and is probably the best authority on Stude values I have seen.
It has worth as a stocker if it's restorable. My high school buddy, Don Hughes, traded off his 50 Pontiac Catalina hardtop to buy one of those cars. Had a 4 speed in it too. The blower whined and he thought something was wrong with it so he took the belt off....then the right frame rail broke clean off just behind the right front wheel! I don't know what he ever did with it but when he bought it, [1965] it cost him a pretty penny. If it's really rusty, I'd prolly part it. Otherwise, Ebay it with a high reserve or "buy it now" price...maybe you'll get rich!
The car is a good keep in my opinion because little over 4-thounsand of the car was produced , that being with the supercharger in 1957 and the supercharger alone is a great find. For that time the car without any doubt is unique. All the new stuff we have is just old tech, look at your ride. Imagine a flake job or flat black and white-walls and airbags polished stainless. Looks like its moveing sitting still. The fins on the back and long front end , this car is very classy and cool. Find some pics of one restored and have the guys on the hamb photochop or just lower it to get an idea. keep the car.
that sure is a awesome hotrod motor early caddy intakes fit these engines i've got a 289 studebaker in my 57 studebaker, sadly not an mcculloch on there, but i will run an mcculloch on my kaiser though
Caddy intakes are not a bolt on, It took quite a bit of machinework to make the Caddy tripower fit my 289. I am running a Stude 289 in my A pickup, runs like a bat outta hell and has a cool factor like no other. I would keep it together.
I have a friend here in Finland who knows a lot of Studebakers.He owns couple of them.Including -58 Golden Hawk.If you want his email,send me PM. He might be interested of your car.
Thanks alot people,I am going to try to get it running this weekend,when I have more time.The body and frame are solid,It really should be kept together,but I may end up pulling the motor still,I'm gonna have a guy look at it this weekend,and see if he wants to swap it for something,otherwise,It may end up parted out,and I'll post pics for sure if someone wants the body. I heard of the supercharger being used on nailheads?Or would that be a totally different one alltogether?
I think you can find info on VF57.com about the blower. Several generations were built starting, I believe, in 1937 or 1938.
Here are some pics I got in 2003 of one. This was at the July 4 Pacifica, CA show (Cherry Bombs production).
Listen... I am not a resto guy and it is your car so you can do what you want. That being said, you have one of the most amazing designs in American auto history there. All of the Loewy cars are amazing and really desireable to collectors. When you get to see a Hawk of that era in its original state it is truly a thing of beauty and they lose something when they are reimagined most of the time. Please keep the car together and either rebuild it or sell it to someone who really wants it and get a ton of money (which you will, odds are) and buy a 289 and a caddy intake for whatever your dream project is. Lastly...if you ever find a 56 Sky Hawk...PM me before you part that one out! True
I like the '57 Hawks & the Golden Hawks (w/VS-57 supercharger) are very desireable. If you really want to see something neat - try a '58 Packard Hawk - It's a Golden Hawk with a fiberglass front end that looks more like a T-bird - much swoopier & much rarer. P-Hawk unique stuff is rare & expensive, but kinda neat - you either love 'em or hate 'em though. Here's the first one I found online:
what he said. it would be pretty cool as is,maybe different wheels/hubcaps.a cool paintjob like flames or scallops while you're at it. but don't chop it up,unless you really want to make LESS money from it.
Your sitting on a good deal of money if your not realy interested in the car and need cash to invest into what you realy want. Dont part the car, people will pay good money for your complete original number matched factory built car. Its rare
My vote is you keep it together. Everything everyone else has said is right on the money. However IF you decide to lose the engine & blower, I call dibs on it!!
Finally got some pics downloaded,I didnt take any of the parts,and havent cleaned the car up at all.Theres only minor surface rust,and the right front fender is dented in,but not horrible.I would really like to know the trade value or average price for this,I would like to sell it to finance other cars I'm working on..
I would keep it toether too and keep it. That ones a keeper. My Dad had an Uncle back in the day that had one. He that thing would damn near lift the front tires off the ground. Don't know if that true or not, it might have been drug induced, but they say that was one of the fastest cars in it's time. I think it was the first true muscle car. It sure scrared the shit out the people at Chevy that were over the Corvette.
Skyspop- Thanks for posting the pics of the hawk. I'm afraid I have bad news for you though. That's not a 57 Golden Hawk. It's a Silver Hawk. All golden hawks were pillarless hardtops- this one's a coupe. I don't know whether the supercharged engine was even available in the Silver hawk, in those years anything was possible. It appears to me that the car is a supercharged engine with the three speed standard trans with overdrive- as evidenced by the little chrome pull handle on the drivers side of the column under the dash. Check that handle, I'd bet it says OD on it. While the car you've got is definitely a nice builder, i'm afraid it won't have the value a Golden Hawk would, but that said the drivetrain is still valuable. I'd check it out, and I will submit this link to some experts I know. If this is a supercharged silver hawk, it may be rarer yet, but maybe not as desireable if that makes any sense. I will get back to you with what I find. It is also possible that the engine has been transplanted from a golden hawk as well. i will be in touch- nice find!
Thanks,I did some research,but certainly do not know these cars,What I found out was the 289 superchargers were in the goldenhawks,(from the book Iwas reading)not that has to be the only way to get one,but I couldnt find where they were put in any run of the mill hawk,It is a manual on the column,I just took for granted that it came like this stock,I dont know how else to tell if its a golden,or a silver hawk.Your probablly right being its a sedan,it has some golden trim,but maybe the person was trying to make it one,I dont know..
Well, it isn't a Gloden Hawk. They were all hardtops. And it isn't a '57 The fins indicate it is a '58 to '61 Hawk (they are 'clipped' at the very front. Get us the body tag number (plate under the dash) or the s/n (plate in the door jamb) and maybe we can identify the body a bit better. Neat engine though...all 700 pounds of it <g> Jeff
The company that bought out pretty much all of Studebaker's NOS Parts, SASCO, also has all the build records. For a reasonable fee, they will send you a copy of the whole build sheet for YOUR CAR if you send them the VIN number. To find their website search SASCO and Studebaker, on Google or Yahoo.
thanks again guys,Aparently,I should have done more research before posting it here and looking like a stupid ass,It appears to be a 59 silverhawk,Stiil a very solid complete car,I think I have a swap worked out that will make all involved happy men,I appreciate all the responses though,thats what I love about this place,people all over the world interested in helping with info.No know it all,rude sombitches,like some of the garages I go into...Patrick
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