Little help please? Rate this silver hawk

[AKAchamptrucking]

Asking for knowledgeable Hawk lovers please review these images and tell me if you see anything not right. Where and what to look at if I go look at this for someone. I am a Lark guy so educate me Please!! THANKS.

http://www.sandhleasing.com/inventory.aspx?mk=Studebaker

[EssexExport]

I own a '56 Golden. This Silver Hawk looks real good. Don't know if it would be exactly thrilling acceleration wise with the straight six in it. In picture #13 you see the toggle switch for the instrument lights: yes, when you turn on your regular lights (that's a toggle down) the dash lights do not come on, you use that 2nd switch. With the main toggle switch for the headlights, if you turn it up instead the blinker lights go on. Don't know what the dial switch is under the radio as there is none on mine. 27,411 miles? I'd certainly want to hear something more about that.

Perhaps some other members can chime in here.

[8E45E]

Don't know if it would be exactly thrilling acceleration wise with the straight six in it.

Yep, rated "G"!

Craig

[sochocki]

[Chris Pile]

Personally, I like 6's. That would be a strong point for me... they're cheaper to buy, cheaper to operate. And they sound cool.

[Studerick64]

A lot more smiles per mile with a V-8 especially at this price point! With the visible road rash on the wheel covers a lot more damage could be covered by the paint job. I think you might be disappointed every time you opened the hood, stepped on the accelerator, and had to use the brakes.

[StudeRich]

I don't know how much Power you are used to in your Lark, but this is an AUTOMATIC Six! It would have a chance against a '51 VW Bug with whatever they had 40 HP? IF it had the 3 Speed Manual Overdrive, but with that Auto. Trans, it's almost the worst Slug Studebaker ever built, they only thing it could beat, would be a '53 Champion Starliner with Automatic Drive!

Maybe if it was only 10,000 you could afford to re-power it or convert it to a Manual Trans. but not at that kind of money.

[Studerick64]

Add the full mechanical advance distributor to the 36hp bug and the race would be on! Add the 200R automatic and the advantage would go to the Studebaker.

[warrlaw1]

LOL. In Canada, 6 cyl Hawks were common. We had a red one just like that when I was ten. Dad tossed me the keys to start her up in the church parking lot. Had it been an automatic, I might not have launched in into the bumper of the car ahead of me (lol). She's a dog, alright. I've had over 18 VW bugs (I owned a pizza shop) and, like Rich says, they would run the pants off any poor 6 Cyl automatic Hawk.

[mike cenit]

hey, it's a 55 year old car, it's life in the slow lane...............

[StudeRich]

Beautiful '58 Silver Hawk

Add the full mechanical advance distributor to the 36hp bug and the race would be on! Add the 200R automatic and the advantage would go to the Studebaker.

Since we are now arm chair racing instead of talking about this Beautiful '58 Silver Hawk, I have to disagree.

Remember that the 2004R does not have the Super Low Gear of the 700R4, so I think it would not be any faster with losing about 40 Lbs. than a 6 Cyl. Low Gear start DG Auto. or Flight-O-Matic, Until they got from 60 to 80 MPH when the Overdrive would pull away, IF you had 5 Miles to do it!

I really do appreciate that this rare '58 Hawk has been faithfully restored very close to Factory condition, you really can't fault anything on the outside, just the originality of the Seat material which also was well done.
Even the aftermarket Motorola Radio is period correct with the proper faceplate for a Hawk.
A Great Car if you could get it for the Right price.

UPDATE: now if you were looking for a Great Driving Car and did not care about the non-original Engine this is a better buy:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Studebaker-SILVERHAWK-2-DOOR-COUPE-1957-studebaker-silver-hawk-orig-california-car-/321393108187?forcerrptr=true&hash=item4ad485a4db&item=321393108187&pt=US_Cars_Tr ucks

[studegary]

Not all that rare among 1958 Hawks. There were 2442 six cylinder 1958 Hawks out of a total of 8228 1958 Studebaker Hawks (30%).

Remember that this 1958 Hawk used the 185 cid engine, not the 170 cid engine used in many other years (like 1959-1964 Hawks and other earlier Studebakers).

[StudeRich]

Not all that rare among 1958 Hawks. There were 2442 six cylinder 1958 Hawks out of a total of 8228 1958 Studebaker Hawks (30%).

Remember that this 1958 Hawk used the 185 cid engine, not the 170 cid engine used in many other years (like 1959-1964 Hawks and other earlier Studebakers).

Yep, that is why I said the only thing slower would be a '53 Starliner, because it does have the 169 Engine.
I would think the survivability of the 6 Cyl. Hawks with the Engine blowing up early on from wide open operation and no one wanting to drive one would make the survivors very rare today, and as you know ALL '58's are quite rare today.

[StudeDave57]

hey, it's a 55 year old car, it's life in the slow lane...............

Hey!!! That's Nelly's line!!!


So reads the bumper of my '50 2R16A school bus bodied RV.



StudeDave '57

[AKAchamptrucking]

I own a '56 Golden. This Silver Hawk looks real good. 27,411 miles? I'd certainly want to hear something more about that.

Perhaps some other members can chime in here.

THANKS for all the input so far. Here is some more info from the prospective buyer:

" I had talked to the previous owner who had traded this car in so he could
financially help out a friend. He had bought it in 2005. He happened to be
passing by a home one day and noticed someone pulling this Studebaker out
of a garage or barn and decided to pullover to take a look at the car. He
fell in love with it and bought it on the spot. I know the car was stored
for many years which is reflected by the low miles on the original engine.
He mentioned that he entered the car in a show in 2005 and received 97 out
of 100 in the unrestored class which he won. The previous owner has no
problem with me calling him about the car and if I end up buying this car
I will ask him to give me a history report.It appears that most, if not
all the parts on the car are original. The previous owner had mentioned
that the car was repainted sometime ago but not sure why. Whoever did the
paint job did not do a very good job so if I decide to restore the car, I
will need to repaint it."

I will give him the link to this thread. I appreciate all the input!!!!!!