golden hawk at Russo and Steele Az, no reserve

[TMAN0950]

http://www.russoandsteele.com/collector-car/1957-Studebaker-Golden-Hawk/74292

[BobPalma]

Holy cow; I'm glad they stated the car's Serial Number: 6100991.

The interior and paint scheme look to be a Golden Hawk 400, and I 'bout had a heart attack when I saw it, thinking another "400" had surfaced.

Alas, NO: 6100991 is almost 2000 Golden Hawks before the first 1957 Golden Hawk 400 was [speculatively] built for the 1957 Auto Show circuit. BP

[JEWELL]

Holy cow; I'm glad they stated the car's Serial Number: 6100991.

The interior and paint scheme look to be a Golden Hawk 400, and I 'bout had a heart attack when I saw it, thinking another "400" had surfaced.

Alas, NO: 6100991 is almost 2000 Golden Hawks before the first 1957 Golden Hawk 400 was [speculatively] built for the 1957 Auto Show circuit. BP

Just what is a Golden Hawk 400 and was there only one?

Mark

[BobPalma]

Just what is a Golden Hawk 400 and was there only one?

Mark

It is/was a specially-trimmed 1957 Golden Hawk, of which a total of 51 were made. The Serial Numbers of all 51 cars are known, but are not published so people don't create any with a bogus, reproduction Serial Number plate.

Ten were built as speculative cars for the 1957 new-car Auto Show circuit. They seemed to be well-received, so Studebaker put them in production. However, only 41 additional Golden Hawk 400s were built, for a grand total of 51.

There was nothing special about them mechanically, but they had full leather interiors, including special door panels, instrument panel overlays, and rear shelf upholstery. It did look like the interior of this car going to auction. They had no special, identifying script, in or out.

On the outside, the "floors" of the side air scoops were painted the same accent color as were the fins (on two-tone models).

SDCer Tom Lawlis of Plainfield IN, barely 10 miles south of me, is the 1957 Golden Hawk 400 guru. He is restoring one of the 41 production 400s, a monotone Inca Cream 400 that has been in his family since 1960! His progress is commendable and his work is gorgeous; I've seen the car at various stages of completion and it will be one of the, if not the, best 1957 Golden Hawks in the world when done, 400 or otherwise.

Late SDCer Phil Brown of South Bend researched all the 1957 Golden Hawk production records to record all the 400s by serial number, and to document how many were built. Several years later, and with Phil's permission and encouragement, Tom Lawlis and I went through all those records again, to be sure none had been overlooked.

They were all accounted for; Phil had "got" all of them the first time through.

If someone thinks they have a 400, they may send the Serial Number to Tom Lawlis (or me) and it can be confirmed as being an authentic 400, if it is one.

Ironically, the very first 1957 Golden Hawk 400 show car, the very first one, sits in secure storage in Avon IN awaiting restoration, about halfway between me and Tom Lawlis! So of 51 cars made, of which ten are confirmed extant, two of the ten are here in Hendricks County IN, west of Indianapolis!

For more information about 1957 Golden Hawk 400s, see these issues of Turning Wheels: March 1974, May 1988, February 1991, August 1991, October 1991, November 1991, December 1991, May 1993 (a documented one for sale in the classifieds), August 1993, and November 1997.

Additionally, my Hemmings Classic Car column on Page 33 of the March 2012 Hemmings Classic Car, introduced the 1957 Studebaker Golden Hawk 400 to the non-Studebaker collector-car world.

Here's is Studebaker's best-known (maybe the only) promotional piece on The 1957 Golden Hawk 400, what is really a large post card that could be used as a mailer:




Famous Studebaker drag racer Ted Harbit owned a 1957 Golden Hawk 400 as a driver for several years in the late 1950s/early 1960s. It was a loaded car and very pretty: Midnight Black with Arctic White accents. It had been ordered new for Indianapolis' Snider Auto Service owner Virgil Snider's wife, who drove it for a demo. Today, the whereabouts/fate of the Black & White, Snider/Harbit 1957 Golden Hawk 400 are unknown.

Ted bought the 400 at Snider in 1958, trading in his 1957 Silver Hawk V8/overdrive he bought new only a year earlier. Ironically, cousin George Krem bought Ted's "old" '57 Silver Hawk at Snider as a used car, unaware that the previous owner was Ted Harbit. They determined that positively in subsequent years.

The Golden Hawk 400 was not continued for the 1958 model year, so there is no such thing as a 1958 Golden Hawk 400.

However, cousin George Krem and I confirmed one 1958 Golden Hawk having been built with a full white leather interior, possibly trimmed as a 400. It was built for Mr. R. A. Hutchinson, Studebaker Vice-President of Exports. Did Mr. Hutchinson know of a left-over 1957 "400" interior? We don't know.

Mr. Hutchinson's car still exists, appropriately enough in The Netherlands, since Mr. Hutchinson was involved in Studebaker Exports. The most recent account has it owned by SDCer Lou Janssen, subject to current confirmation. BP

[52 Ragtop]

That's even earlier than my old 57 Golden hawk! Mine was 6101220.

Jim

[old digger]

Bob, you are certainly a blessing to this forum and to all who read your column in Hemmings Classic Car. Thanks for sharing your wealth of information on the automotive industry in general, and especially Studebakers. Hot only due have the facts, but you really know how to present them in a fun and informative way. Have a safe and productive 2014. old digger

[SN-60]

'400' or not, that Russo and Steele Golden Hawk looks like a heck of a nice car. The interior was probably done over to imitate a '400', as My friend Dennis did on his white and red '57GH 'tribute' I posted pictures of on the forum a couple weeks ago.

[BobPalma]

Bob, you are certainly a blessing to this forum and to all who read your column in Hemmings Classic Car. Thanks for sharing your wealth of information on the automotive industry in general, and especially Studebakers. Hot only due have the facts, but you really know how to present them in a fun and informative way. Have a safe and productive 2014. old digger

Thanks for your kind words, Gary. I hope you'll enjoy the March 2014 Hemmings Classic Car installment, out in a couple weeks...but it has nothing to do with Studebakers; 'just something I've noticed through the years.

'Back at you on the best wishes for 2014...and stay warm up there! BP

[9echo]

Bob, what was the additional cost of the 400 package?

[BobPalma]

Bob, what was the additional cost of the 400 package?

$489, Jim.

A few 1957 MSRPs for comparison:

1957 Studebaker Golden Hawk: $3,182

1957 Studebaker Golden Hawk 400: $3,671

1957 Ford Thunderbird: $3,408

1957 Chevrolet Corvette: $3,465

1957 Chrysler 300C: $4,929

In fairness to the Chrysler 300C, it had several major items of standard equipment (power steering, for example) that were optional at extra cost on the Studebaker, Ford, and Chevrolet specimens. BP

[bezhawk]

The door panels on the auction car, (if the 400 is the same as the Packard Hawk interior as often stated) , are not the same. My Packard Hawk had the pleated sections on the top, roll over to the glass without the stainless top pieces. Perhaps that is the differences between the two makes?

[SN-60]

The door panels on the auction car, (if the 400 is the same as the Packard Hawk interior as often stated) , are not the same. My Packard Hawk had the pleated sections on the top, roll over to the glass without the stainless top pieces. Perhaps that is the differences between the two makes?

Bez, If You mean the outer padding on the door belt moulding ala Packard Hawk.....a '57 Golden Hawk '400' would not have that.

[bezhawk]

Bez, If You mean the outer padding on the door belt moulding ala Packard Hawk.....a '57 Golden Hawk '400' would not have that.

Sorry for any confusion. No. I exactly meant the inner door panel. Next time you look at a Packard Hawk, notice that there is NO upper stainless on the top edge of the door panels.

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/showthread.php?51910-Packard-Hawk-restoration-nearing-the-end-Hopefuly-soon-Pictures

So back to the topic of this being a 400 look-alike....there are differences.

[plwindish]

I did not see the Hawk being called a 400 in the listing. Those particular wheels do nothing for the looks of that car. If the original hubcaps can't be located, then it needs wires.

[SN-60]

I wonder if bids on this Hawk will pass 50K?