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  • Possible new Hawk owner.

    Hi everyone. My name is David and I am from SW Virginia.
    I have been driving by a 59 Silver Hawk for about a year and never new what it was. I always that it was an interesting car so I stopped yesterday and asked about it.
    59 Silver Hawk V8 Auto with A/C. The person who has it got it on a trade and knows nothing about it. The engine turns over with the starter (I took a battery out to it). But I didnt want to actually start it. The floor pans are shot as is the trunk floor. All of the brightwork is there but laying inside the car. The engine appears to be original and the ac compressor is present
    The previous owner appears to have stripped the interior of carpet and headliner but the seats are there.
    Where do I begin to look for parts? Are parts available?
    I understand what I am getting into as my Dad and I have restored a 49 Plymouth, 3 Camaros and a 47 willys Jeep.
    So....the guy wants 3500 for it. I could probably do a little better than that but is it worth it?
    I know nothing about Studebakers and didnt even know what it was until I saw the Silver Hawk Script on the fin.
    I am going to try to get some pictures of it and I will post them here when I can.
    Thanks in advance. Any help is greatly appreciated.

    Dave

  • #2
    Welcome to the Forum and the Studebaker world. There are many venders that supply all kinds of new reproduction parts or new old stock parts for your Hawk. The Studebaker swap page on the internet is also a good source. The first thing to get are the Chassis Parts Manual, Body Parts Manual, and the Shop manual for your car. I advise getting it on disc, so you can print out the section you are working on without having to have the whole manual getting greasy finger prints on it. The best part about owning and restoring a Studebaker is the knowledge source here on the forum. Got a question? Someone here has the answer or sound advice. I would also suggest you join the Studebaker Drivers Club, and look for a local chapter in your area. Studebaker folks are the friendliest, most helpful people you'll ever meet.

    Brian

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    • #3
      Yes, you definitely are a young man of good taste to appreciate the classic Studebaker Hawk.

      No, $3500 for a non-running car which needs floors seems high. Spend some time here, educate yourself on what you want and you might be able to save yourself some serious grunt labor, time and money.

      Maybe, shoot us some photos and let the experts here tell you what's what.

      jack vines
      PackardV8

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      • #4
        Originally posted by PackardV8 View Post
        Yes, you definitely are a young man of good taste to appreciate the classic Studebaker Hawk.

        No, $3500 for a non-running car which needs floors seems high. Spend some time here, educate yourself on what you want and you might be able to save yourself some serious grunt labor, time and money.

        Maybe, shoot us some photos and let the experts here tell you what's what.

        jack vines
        I agree with Jack, $3500. Is too much for a non running car! If you really want this car, work with owner on that price.
        And make sure he has a clean, good title for the Hawk. Also check the VIN against the title to make sure they match.
        The very good thing about a vintage Studebaker Hawk is parts availabllity.
        sigpic1957 Packard Clipper Country Sedan

        "There's nothing stronger than the heart of a volunteer"
        Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle
        "I have a great memory for forgetting things" Number 1 son, Lee Chan

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        • #5
          Thanks for the quick replies.
          I admit that until a couple of days ago the only Studebaker I could recognize was the Champion and I didn't even know that was the model name.
          I've certainly got a lot to learn about Studebakers but that's the fun.
          Of course my wife looks at it and says "what a pile of junk" but I see the potential.
          I dont know if this is the one for me, but in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains a 53 year old car that ONLY needs floor pans is a rare find.
          Ill snap a few photos and put them up for evaluation as soon as i can.
          Thanks again

          The car came from Alabama originally and does not have a title from that state. It does however have a bill of sale in that state which should allow me a title in Virginia.
          Last edited by DK Pony; 12-03-2013, 05:12 PM.

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          • #6
            I would advise to keep looking, it sounds like a $500 car. Your wife is probably right about this one.

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            • #7
              welcome to the SDC forum!

              make sure you check the underbody for "cancer" (rust holes) in the frame, etc... if just surface rust, ok. if not, i'd take a walk away. i think the price is a bit high.

              and as others have said, parts are available, and pics would help.

              EDIT: i didn't have a problem getting my '51 from Georgia with a "notarized" bill of sale registered in NC - but all states vary...
              Last edited by Corvanti; 12-03-2013, 05:33 PM.
              Kerry. SDC Member #A012596W. ENCSDC member.

              '51 Champion Business Coupe - (Tom's Car). Purchased 11/2012.

              '40 Champion. sold 10/11. '63 Avanti R-1384. sold 12/10.

              Comment


              • #8
                Wow.Thanks for all the great info and fast replies.
                I'm an over the road truck driver so I wont be back in town until the weekend of the 13th but I will get some pics and post them up to the experts.
                Thanks again guys.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Yes, if it is Rusty??......walk away!
                  Trust me I have just finished the rust repair on a rusty hawk and there is way more that meets the eye after you have had it sandblasted.
                  I own a restoration shop and deal with rust every day.....very expensive to repair in the long run.
                  And $3500.00 for this car is way too much money for what you have described. I agree $500.00 to $1000.00 as a parts car...No More!
                  The car market is a little soft right now and there are some great deals out there. Don't buy rust!
                  Do your homework if you really want a Studebaker C/K car. There are lots of good ones out there.
                  Remember "knowledge is power" buy with your head, not your heart.
                  Good Luck and Good Roads
                  Brian
                  PS
                  Spend some time here on the Forum before you do anything and type in Studebaker on ebay if you want to know what is available.
                  Brian Woods
                  woodysrods@shaw.ca
                  1946 M Series (Shop Truck)

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    The subject Hawk is in Virginia, so my following comment will be off subject.

                    I'd very carefully inspect any vehicle titled at any time in North Carolina. In the early 2000s my father-in-law's bad eyesight cost him thousands on a car that had its title washed clean in NC. He bought a low-mile Mazda 929/Millenia from a private seller that was only a few years old for an almost too-good-to-be-true thousands less than similar cars of the same age and miles. He made an appointment to see the car in the late afternoon on a rainy day. The seller called to say he would be late, and finally showed up over an hour late after the sun went down. My father-in-law thought it looked good (as best he could judge a wet car in the dark with his bad eyesight), and it drove well. He bought the car, and brought it by our house the next day to let us see it on his way back home. I've been told I'm sometimes too direct with my words, so I was at a loss trying to tactfully tell him he had been ripped off. It was obvious from the misaligned body panels, thick bondo, ripples in some of the metal, runs in the paint, and many cracked and broken parts under the hood that the car had been in a serious wreck and was rebuilt by an amateur. I bought a subscription to CarFax and ran the numbers, and found the car had been declared a total loss in Georgia the year before. After the car was totalled in Georgia, it was repaired, retitled in North Carolina with a regular title, then retitled a few days later in Gerogia with a clean, non-salvage title. He kept the car, and still has it. The car drives straight, brakes straight, has even tire wear, and doesn't make any unusual noises. It just looks terrible.

                    Years ago it was common knowledge in Georgia that you could mail a title to Alabama and get a replacement title issued without the owner being a resident of Alabama. Hopefully it is not like that any more.

                    As Corvanti said above, "all states vary". What is illegal in some states is business as usual in others. Let the buyer beware!

                    Mark L
                    Last edited by Mark L; 12-03-2013, 06:56 PM.
                    Mark L

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                    • #11
                      Mark, i wouldn't only blame the state of NC for any of that! while i'm certainly not a fan of the NCDMV, or other DMV's in states i've lived in, that is done in many states by shady characters to get a "clear" title.

                      and other than mentioning not checking out the car properly, i'll leave the "bad eyesight in the dark" alone. i believe most of us here have been taken by dealers/ private sellers at more than one point in their life! Buyer Beware...
                      Kerry. SDC Member #A012596W. ENCSDC member.

                      '51 Champion Business Coupe - (Tom's Car). Purchased 11/2012.

                      '40 Champion. sold 10/11. '63 Avanti R-1384. sold 12/10.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Since you are new to Studes, it might surprise you that reproduction floor pans, as well as many other repair panels are available for that car:



                        But know what you're getting into with rust...nothin's easy.
                        KURTRUK
                        (read it backwards)




                        Nothing is politically right which is morally wrong. -A. Lincoln

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                        • #13
                          Yeah, we know all too well about rust. Living here in East TN/SW VA anything that gets stored outside quickly gets infected with the cancer.
                          Our latest resto was a 47 Willys Jeep and while it is much simpler than most bodies it was bad enough. It was the reason we purchased our mig/tig welder.
                          Also we built a sandblasting cabinet big enough to hold doors from a 49 Plymouth. So we can sandblast most anything except a car body. The link is during the resto process of the Jeep.

                          I really like the car but the more I research and from what everyone is saying the price is just not right.
                          I'll get back out and snap a few pictures and see if the guy is flexible but I am thinking I can do better.
                          Thanks again and I'll keep you posted.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            You can do better. Much,much better as far as a better condition like candidate. Good things come to those that search and wait patiently for the best Studebaker that their money can buy. There are far more better examples out there than you can imagine. cheers jimmijim
                            Last edited by jimmijim8; 12-04-2013, 08:52 AM.
                            sigpicAnything worth doing deserves your best shot. Do it right the first time. When you're done you will know it. { I'm just the guy who thinks he knows everything, my buddy is the guy who knows everything.} cheers jimmijim*****SDC***** member

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                            • #15
                              might be a waste, might not.....a few pics will help determine if this car is a rust bucket by Studebaker standards, or one by late model driver's standards...

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