The ultimate compliment.

[overlander64]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Who Hi-jacked this thread?

Wait a minute....sorry

What engine in the Lark? VIII 8cyl?

The V/8 was a bit of a sleeper, as I remember.

My Lark came from the factory with the 259 cubic inch Sweepstakes V8. The optional Flight-O-Matic automatic transmission was specified as well (for performance, the manual 3-speed with overdrive would have been prefrerrable). I suspect the car was likely a showroom model as it had many options including: four-barrell carburetor, dual exhausts, full-flow top-mounted oil filter, heavy-duty oil-bath air filter, TwinTraction (Posi-Trac), AM-pushbutton radio, remote control manual radio antenna, power operated convertible top, full wheel covers, Flying Lark Hood Ornament, and exterior driver's side rear view mirror. Oddly, the car was equipped with neither power steering nor power brakes.

Kevin

P.S.: I have given consideration to finding a 1960 Pacer or a 1961 Bambi to compliment the Lark . . . . When I was growing up my neighbors had a white 1960 Lark VIII convertible that they used to tow an 18-foot Lark travel trailer.

[DryHeat56]

What a great thread with all the Studebaker pictures. My dad has a 1958 Silver Hawk that I have been trying to take off his hands for 20 years or so. It has been sitting for probably 25 or 30 years. Of course the Arizona sun has done a number on the upholstery and the car has been tarped all this time. It is beautiful inside with a metal turned dash and Stewart-Warner factory gauges. Even my 19 year old daughter loves the fins on the back. Maybe another project for me someday.

[ROBERT CROSS]

My dad just loved Studebaker's.

We had a yellow 53 Champion 6cyl, a green 53 Commander V/8 three speed, that I HAD to learn drive on. (he was a bit old school, if you could't drive stick you couldn't drive).

I remember how mad my Mom got when he traded in her 52 Hudson Hornet for a Green and Ivory 57 Golden Hawk. I was the fastest 17yr old in the neighborhood....when I could get my hands on it.
I'd lift up that weird looking hood and we would all just gawk at that big old Packard V/8.
I really believe that may have been the first Muscle Car.

Here's a little number from a show awhile back....

[Smartstream]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

My dad just loved Studebaker's.

We had a yellow 53 Champion 6cyl, a green 53 Commander V/8 three speed, that I HAD to learn drive on. (he was a bit old school, if you could't drive stick you couldn't drive).

I remember how mad my Mom got when he traded in her 52 Hudson Hornet for a Green and Ivory 57 Golden Hawk. I was the fastest 17yr old in the neighborhood....when I could get my hands on it.
I'd lift up that weird looking hood and we would all just gawk at that big old Packard V/8.
I really believe that may have been the first Muscle Car.

Here's a little number from a show awhile back....

I do love these old Studies. Bob I don't want to be a smart a$$ but if you opened the hood and saw a Packard you were driving a '56 Golden Hawk. The '57 had a super charged 289 Studebaker engine. They also had a curved fin on the rear fender while the '56 had a straight fin.

The reason I know this is my first car at 17 was a '56 GH. I paid all of $200 for it in '66. It just so happens that there is currently another '56 GH in my garage right now. The interesting thing about this car is the serial no. ends in 0001. It is the first GH built in the LA plant. And yes they were one of the first true muscle cars.

Cheers, Dan

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, this Studie was in the Petersen Museum a few days ago.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by Smartstream

I do love these old Studies. Bob I don't want to be a smart a$$ but if you opened the hood and saw a Packard you were driving a '56 Golden Hawk. The '57 had a super charged 289 Studebaker engine. They also had a curved fin on the rear fender while the '56 had a straight fin.

The reason I know this is my first car at 17 was a '56 GH. I paid all of $200 for it in '66. It just so happens that there is currently another '56 GH in my garage right now. The interesting thing about this car is the serial no. ends in 0001. It is the first GH built in the LA plant. And yes they were one of the first true muscle cars.

Cheers, Dan

You are right on Dan...it did have the straight fins. The Hawks sure looked better from the inside though, that engine turned dash and all the SW gauges, guess they wanted you to feel like a pilot.

I wish I had been into taking pictures back then, would sure love to have some photo's of 'em.

The little Green Commander was no slouch either, I remember all my buddy's think'n there was a SB in there. That little V/8 could fool 'em.

Dad let me put duals w/glasspacs, 2" blocks and spun aluminum Hcaps on it.
Memories are GOOD....

Bob..
Compare that profile to our Fords...how far ahead was that design anyway?

[Mike Leary]

Seems to me, Andy Granatelli (of STP fame) built a paxton-supercharged Golden Hawk in '57? that blew everyone off the beach in Datona.

The Avanti - Studebaker Overview

[genearnold]

Andy Granatelli (of STP fame) built a paxton-supercharged Golden Hawk in '57?

All 1957 Golden Hawks came with the Paxton Superchargers. They had 160 mph speedometers.

If someone can tell me how to post tif photos I'll post some of my 1957 Golden Hawk. It was bought new by the sheriff of Larimer County, Wyoming and had really been rode hard when I bought it. I owned it for about ten years, eight of which were spent on redoing the engine, transmission, etc. Finally had a friend finish the body work.

It had a slight curve on the fins and yes, it was a Studebaker through and through (289 supercharged engine). I believe the 1958 was when they were fitted with the Packard engines and were decorated with some of the ugliest attempts at "style" I ever saw - UGH!

Gene

[Smartstream]

Originally Posted by genearnold

All 1957 Golden Hawks came with the Paxton Superchargers. They had 160 mph speedometers.

If someone can tell me how to post tif photos I'll post some of my 1957 Golden Hawk. It was bought new by the sheriff of Larimer County, Wyoming and had really been rode hard when I bought it. I owned it for about ten years, eight of which were spent on redoing the engine, transmission, etc. Finally had a friend finish the body work.

It had a slight curve on the fins and yes, it was a Studebaker through and through (289 supercharged engine). I believe the 1958 was when they were fitted with the Packard engines and were decorated with some of the ugliest attempts at "style" I ever saw - UGH!

Gene

Gene the 1956 GH was the only one with the Packard engine. The 1958 GH had the Studebaker 289 with the Paxton supercharger. It is interesting that both the supercharged 289 and the Packard 352 were both rated at 275 HP. There was a 1958 Packard Hawk that was escentially the same car with a different hood and grille and a different deck lid but it also had the 289 engine.

Here is a pic of my 1956 GH. Yes it is on the "to do" list.

Cheers, Dan

[genearnold]

Now that you've mentioned it I remember. The truly ugly things were the ones with the Packard label.

Here's another attempt to post a couple of photos of my GH.

Gene

[Mike Leary]

I just remembered my '65 Lark SW had a "hill holder", very important in drving the steep streets of Seattle.

[Smartstream]

Originally Posted by Mike Leary

I just remembered my '65 Lark SW had a "hill holder", very important in drving the steep streets of Seattle.

Good memory Mike, Studebaker used the hill holder for years. Interestingly my smarts both have hill holders as standard. It really is a nice feature if you live in the hills.

Nice looking Studie Gene.

Cheers, Dan

[Octane]

I'va always admired the good looks of the Hawk and Avanti
thought their appeal is so very different.
Here's some I saw last year at Bonneville:











They've always been popular with the Bonneville crowd.

[345bill]

We took these Stude pic's about two years ago up in northern NV.

Check out that 40 something behind the Pepsi container. I wasn't old enough to legally drive yet but I do remember older kids in our neighborhood used to street race similar looking hot rods where I grew up.

[Mike Leary]

Originally Posted by 345bill

We took these Stude pic's about two years ago up in northern NV.

Nice. Can you post larger pics? Would love to zoom in.

[345bill]

Originally Posted by Mike Leary

Nice. Can you post larger pics? Would love to zoom in.

I was thinking the same Mike. If this next one doesn't post bigger let me know and I'll re-try another way. ( I think you can click on this one to enlarge)

[Mike Leary]

Originally Posted by 345bill

If this next one doesn't post bigger let me know and I'll re-try another way. ( I think you can click on this one to enlarge)

Workum fine, what a cool yard of neat stuff. What is that down in the lower right?

[Mike Leary]

When I was REAL young, "Twin H Power" meant the badest of the bad.