Useful Information

[plee4139]

Back in 2010, shortly after I got my Sky Hawk, I contacted a company called "Automotive Information Clearinghouse' in La Mesa, CA, which, for a modest fee, informed me as to how many of my model were registered in this country. As of 2010 there were 66. They also provided current value and predicted increase or decrease in value. Give it a shot!

[studegary]

I do not know how this is "Useful Information" and how they get more than a guesstimate. Even if they have access to all of the MVB files, I do not know how they can come up with a number. For example, in New York State, where we both reside, your car is registered as a 1956 Studebaker two door. No way to know how many of those are Sky Hawks. If your car is registered by Serial Number or engine number, the Sky Hawks are lumped in with the other President series models.

Did they explain to you how they came up with the 66 number? I would guess that it is a guesstimate to get your money.

Also, there are many that are not registered and may even be in great condition and used on a dealer or transporter plate.

[studegary]

My estimate of surviving Sky Hawks is 600 with 200 registered for road use. This is based on more than six decades of being highly involved with Studebakers. I won't charge you anything, so that probably makes it worth less. Of course to make it sound better, I would state 196, instead of 200.

[StudeRich]

Exactly right, there is NO Way anyone could come even close to guessing how many are out there Registered, let alone Not-Registered.

Using Guesstimate of survival Percentages is probably what they do.

[plee4139]

Wel, poo-poo to you too!

[Lark Hunter]

I just did a quick search for the company, and it appears that they are defunct...

Found a mention on our forum in 2011, a couple people on the AACA forum unable to reach the company in 2012, a book that they published in 1981 listed on eBay, and a few 404 errors on different business directories. Their listed phone number does not connect.

[8E45E]

Wel, poo-poo to you too!

Why not start a REGISTRY for them?

Then you will get a more accurate answer!!

Craig

[Commander Eddie]

I found their website and they say they are providing the best information they can gain from existing records. They do not claim to be able to provide exact numbers.
As vehicles are taken out of service for various reasons, and others are restored and put back on the road, the numbers would change constantly anyway.

[Skip Lackie]

Not trying to pile on, but this issue comes up periodically, and is usually discredited for the reasons Gary mentions. About 20 years ago, I wrote an occasional column in TW that discussed legislative actions that affected the old car hobby, including things like YOM plate laws. In some states, YOM legislation included special provisions for orphan makes. Unfortunately, such language could not be implemented in states that categorized many orphans at "unk" or "misc".

[Dwain G.]

The '56 Sky Hawk registry is hosted on the '56 Golden Hawk site. After you click on the site below, click on 'options' and then click on 'more links' to reach the '56 Sky Hawk pages.

https://www.1956goldenhawk.com/

[Dick Steinkamp]

I found their website and they say they are providing the best information they can gain from existing records. They do not claim to be able to provide exact numbers.
As vehicles are taken out of service for various reasons, and others are restored and put back on the road, the numbers would change constantly anyway.

Can you provide a link to their web site? I couldn't find one.

[56sghor]

I don't see any way to ever know how many cars are left. I've been tracking the remaining 1956 Golden Hawks since 1989 and I can only give the following:
219 Registered Owners
278 Cars Registered (includes parts cars)
362 ✶Cars Reported But Not Registered by Owner, or previously registered, but I lost contact with the owner.
640 Total Cars Registered plus Reported
52 Additional Cars Reported as Scrapped
✶ Includes cars previously registered but dropped afterwards, due to 4 year, non-response by the owner.

Even the above figures are not a true indication. Just last week an owner registered three cars that were never registered with us during the previous 32 years. There is no telling how many more are out there. On the flip side, some owners register a car and I never hear from them again. So I don't know if the car even exists anymore. Then, I've had people register a car they owned 30 years ago, but have no idea of its whereabouts or existence today. And finally, I had 3 cars reported as scrapped by one owner, only to have them registered by another owner a few years later, and then scrapped a second time (I only counted them once!)

You can see all the 56Js that were ever reported and/or registered, on our web site at http://1956goldenhawk.com. Just click on Options and then Current List Of Located Cars at the top of the left column

[StudeRich]

Thanks Frank, that is good to know what we Don't know!

It is quite amazing HOW much MORE Rare the Subject: '56 Sky Hawks are than a LOT of other Models that sold in much larger numbers and were collected and saved in larger numbers.

Since we are all just guessing, I'd say that Gary L's guess of 600 Total and 200 Registered Shy Hawks is a lot higher than what I think is possible.

Being "around when they were New" I saw maybe 3 or 4 in the "Heavy with Studes." South Bay Area of Los Angeles. A High School friend's Dad bought a used one around 1959 and I actually saw it,
It was solid White with about Three Horizontal Aluminum 1 Inch Wide strips added to the Trunklid.
The Bottom one was longest and the next 2 up were increasingly Shorter.

It's very hard to pick a number for something like this, but I think 150 Total and 55 Running and Licensed in the U.S. would not be far off.

[8E45E]

It is quite amazing HOW much MORE Rare the Subject: '56 Sky Hawks are than a LOT of other Models that sold in much larger numbers and were collected and saved in larger numbers.

Since we are all just guessing, I'd say that Gary L's guess of 600 Total and 200 Registered Shy Hawks is a lot higher than what I think is possible.

It's very hard to pick a number for something like this, but I think 150 Total and 55 Running and Licensed in the U.S. would not be far off.

And how many decent running '56 Sky Hawks gave up their lives to restore a rough '56 Golden Hawk in the 70's and 80's?

Craig

[studegary]

And how many decent running '56 Sky Hawks gave up their lives to restore a rough '56 Golden Hawk in the 70's and 80's?

Craig

None that I know of (not saying that it didn't happen). I do know of '56 Goldens that were scrapped/junked in that time frame, but no Sky Hawks.