Chassis: 6031971
Studebaker’s Original Personal Luxury Car
Rare 1956 Model Equipped with Packard V-8 Engine
Just Four Owners from New
Rotisserie Restoration in Original Colors
Prime Example of Mid-Century American Motoring
352 CID OHV V-8 Engine
Carter 4-Barrel Carburetor
275 BHP at 4,600 RPM
3-Speed Automatic Transmission
4-Wheel Hydraulic Drum Brakes
Front Independent Suspension with Coil Springs
Rear Live-Axle Suspension with Leaf Springs
First to the market with a personal luxury car, Studebaker introduced its Golden Hawk for 1956, inspired by the Raymond Loewy-designed Starlight Coupe three years earlier. Employing Packard’s 275 hp V-8 for 1956 only, the Golden Hawk combined luxury and performance in an elegant presentation. Less than 4,100 were built that year and approximately 400 are known today, including this beautifully restored example.
Sold new in April 1957, the Studebaker’s build sheet lists options including tinted glass, Stratoline automatic tuning radio, cigar lighter, electric clock, Climatizer and defroster kit, and back-up lamp. The original owner retained the car until 1995 at which time it showed only 8,000 miles on the odometer. Two other owners followed before the Studebaker joined Leo Schigiel’s extensive collection in 2011. According to a document summarizing the car’s history on file, in 2013, the Golden Hawk received a rotisserie restoration and was finished in its original two-tone combination of Sun Glow Gold and Snow Cap White. The interior was finished in matching gold and white vinyl, with front-seat passengers facing a sporting engine-turned dashboard that features a full array of instruments, including a tachometer and the rare vacuum gauge.
The Golden Hawk makes a stunning presentation today, and is easily one of the finest Golden Hawks extant. This restored example is ready for its show field debut or for comfortable, stylish motoring.
