Excaliber Hawk - photo/article

[Andy R.]

Reading Vintage Motorsports' excellent book, [u]Road Racing Specials</u> I came across this article on Brooks Stevens' R2-powered Excalibur Hawk Coupe:



The side "sweep" of his Scimitar design is present. Anyone else know anything of this car's history not covered in the article? I know somebody has some scans of this racer out there...



Andy
62 GT

[studeclunker]

quote:&lt;snip&gt;Fortuneately for today's vintage enthusists, the Hawk coupe has been rescued and restored by long time Stevens fan, friend and Excaliber fanatic Bob Shaw...&lt;snip&gt;

Interesting, maybe it might behoove you to ask our intrepid leader on this forum as to whether he is the fanatical Bob Shaw mentioned in the article. If so, he probably be able to provide you with whatever you wish.


Home of the famous Mr. Ed!
Lotsa Larks!
K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple Studebaker!
Ron Smith
Where the heck is Lewiston, CA?

[PlainBrownR2]

Excalibur!! Now there's a name and a fine piece of automotive machinery I haven't seen here or anywhere in ages!! I haven't heard so much on the racing coupe but I got a kick out of his other design for the masses. One of those "if only the money was present" kinda dreams where I could get one of those large glass lamped critters....

[img=left]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t102/PlainBrownR2/My%201950%202r5%20Studebaker%20Pickup%20with%20turbocharger/P1000137-1.jpg[/img=left][img=right]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t102/PlainBrownR2/DSC00005.jpg?t=1171153370[/img=right]

[grobb284]

I saw this car at a show at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway infield in the 70's.
One of the things I remember was the linkage to the carb, for it (the carb) was rotated 90 degrees from normal.


1963 Studebaker Avanti: C4 Corvette narrowed front/rear suspension, C5 13" calipers/rotors adapted to C4, Viper differential with Intrax 3.54 ratio (the snake has been charmed!), coil overs, stainless tubular frame, stainless chambered side exhaust.
Here are two links for some pictures and information.
Slide Show
Magazine Article

[Andy R.]

It said that the car sufferred from fuel starvation. I wonder if that had anything to do with the carb orientation?

Andy
62 GT

[Mark57]

quote:Originally posted by PlainBrownR2

Excalibur!! Now there's a name and a fine piece of automotive machinery I haven't seen here or anywhere in ages!!

Made me think about going out and gathering the Knights of the Round Table... [}]

<h5>Mark
'57 Transtar Deluxe
Vancouver Island

Are you planning to attend the NW Overdrive Tour in Parksville, BC
May 23-25, 2009?</h5>

[lstude]

There is a more exciting Excalibur on eBay! [}]

http://tinyurl.com/6p3mjn

Leonard Shepherd

http://leonardshepherd.com/

[N8N]

I always thought this one was kind of cool, although obviously I have not ever seen one in real life only in pictures...

http://www.automotivehistoryonline.com/julyfeature.htm

--
55 Commander Starlight

http://members.cox.net/njnagel

[Thomas63R2]

Well, now I can add the Excalibur Hawk Coupe and Gaylord Gladiator to my list of automotive esoterica. Great, if brief, history.

Thomas

Long time hot rodder
Packrat junk collector
'63 Avanti R2 4 speed

[lstude]

Here are some more Brooks Stevens designs from Auto Sport Review, July 1953.





Leonard Shepherd

http://leonardshepherd.com/

[bams50]

Wow, Leonard, that first Excalibur II picture is gorgeous! With a less-extreme rear window that would be a stunning car[8D]



Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

"Some people live for the rules, I live for exceptions"- 311

"With your Lark you're on your own, free as a bird, alive as a Lark. You've suddenly discovered that happiness is a thing called Larking!"

[lstude]

quote: Wow, Leonard, that first Excalibur II picture is gorgeous! With a less-extreme rear window that would be a stunning car

Did you notice they used the word "Loewy" describing it? [:0]

Leonard Shepherd

http://leonardshepherd.com/

[Avantidon]

Much can be said for the Brooks Stevens' designs. Had Studebaker survived and had forward looking leadership there would have been Stevens designed autos in their line up. Much has been written about some of his ideas for the late 60's and if things had been a little different it would have been really great to see what unfolded. leonard thanks for posting the drawings. I really like that first one and believe had it been produced it would have been a stunning winner.

See you in the future as I write about our past

[Andy R.]

Sweet! I knew Leonard would pull through with some amazing graphics. I've never before seen those renderings for the Excalibur II.

It would have offered a nice counterpoint to the Continental MkII, only a couple years earlier and likely more exclusive.

Andy
62 GT

[N8N]

There is a lot of obvious Studebaker influence in that car. I can see at least a '55 hood, 56J fins, and the c-pillar looks like a C-K only narrowed way down. Even the detail on the doors looks very Studebaker although you could argue that it came from the Gaylord (which was designed when the C-K was still new and fresh, so...)

nate

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55 Commander Starlight

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