1958 GH With Packard Hawk Trunk Lid

[56sghor]

I received this message from my friend, Keith, Does anyone know of, or remember his car, or others modified like this one?
Frank - I believe you have a Golden Hawk registry, I thought I had the VIN number that I don’t. By any chance (a long shot for sure) have you seen any car resembling my 1958 Studebaker Golden Hawk with the Packard Hawk rear. Included is a letter from the original owner.
I purchased the car in March 1969 and sold it Jan 31, 1972 in Long Island NY. I don’t even know if the car exists any longer, I figured if anyone has a clue it might be you. Thanks, Keith

[8E45E]

Another one of those 'need to see the production order' cars to verify the comment about it being special ordered from the factory with a Packard trunklid, which is a '53-'55 without the fake spare tire cover. (I have seen at least one '56 or later Hawk retrofitted with an earlier C-K trunklid, but it was definitely not a factory install.)

I believe George Krem has gone through all of the 878 1958 Golden Hawk production orders, and I don't ever recall him making a comment on a Packard trunklid being installed on a Golden Hawk. Closest '58 GH that was made to look like a Packard Hawk from that year was one made for the Export sales vice president, R.A. Hutchinson at Studebaker which had the leather interior, as per page 30 in September, 2007 Turning Wheels.

Craig

[StudeRich]

Wow ! that would be one LOOOONG Dragstrip that you could get up to an indicated 145 MPH on !

[56sghor]

The Islip Speedway had both a quarter-mile and an eighth-mile drag strip. The quarter-mile drag strip was used for races involving larger, faster cars, while the eighth-mile drag strip was used for smaller, faster vehicles.

[bezhawk]

Saw one with PH trunk in Dallas around 1976 for sale. They also had a Packard Hawk, and a Shark Nose Graham for sale.

[Hawkeye]

Also somewhere along the way it sprouted GT Hawk rocker panel moldings.
The Continental tire cover was an accessory available for a few years on Hawks and Sedans.
Standard Surplus sold them for about $9.95 back in the '70's. I bought one just to have it.

[bezhawk]

The accessory tire trunk overlay that was non Packard Hawks was NOT the same as the one on the Packard Hawks. Smaller, sharp edges, and the center chrome around the spinner are all differences.

[56sghor]

Wow ! that would be one LOOOONG Dragstrip that you could get up to an indicated 145 MPH on !

I guess we aren't going to be able to identify Keith's 1958 GH, so here is a little more food for thought on a GH top speed. I think StudeRich makes a good point.

There is some information on the 56J web site about top speed for a 56J in 56J Only February 2003, pages 3-5 Richard Quinn sent a NASCAR Certified, Official Certificate of Speed from the Annual Speed Weeks. It states: This is to Certify that
Wallace Chandler drove a 1956 Studebaker Golden Hawk through the measured mile, one way, for an average of 127.343 miles per hour as recorded and checked by NASCAR officials. Date February 21, 1956 Signed William H. G. France President, National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc.

Tom McCahill noted on page 94 of the April 1956 issue of Mechanix Illustrated, that he drove that same 56J, Serial # 6031218, with less than 50 miles on the odometer, and wrote the following:
The measured mile at Daytona Beach where I made my tests had more dips in it than a roulette wheel. What would this Hawk have done if the beach had been good? It is my sincere belief that it would have just topped 130 and stayed there as steady as a smile on Mona Lisa.”
We came to the conclusion that the stick job, unloaded, should run 135-plus on the beach, if conditions are right and the engine tuned to the teeth.”

https://1956goldenhawk.com/newslpdf/56jon044.pdf

Jim Morgan of Merritt Island FL, who has owned his car since new, claims to have gotten up to 130 MPH on that same beach. Of course, there is nothing official to support this. I don't think a 1958 GH could do much better than that, especially in a quarter mile!!

[Dwight FitzSimons]

I miss Tom McCahill's metaphors. His metaphors were as slick as the feathers on a goose.
--Dwight

[bezhawk]

I have a timing slip somewhere from my fathers 56J with a 374 and extensive body modifications and lightening (masonite hood, cut back fenders, shortened bumpers, nash grill....Anyways, the slip says 145mph @ Daytona.

[Jeffry Cassel]

Had a 1959 Hawk with a 1958 GH engine that I once had up to 138mph. And then realized this is REALLY STUPID. Never did it again but my dear late spouse was known to drive the Avanti 100 mph. Driving a 56 GH at high rates of speed is pretty much suicidal! (I suppose you could do 145 on the drag strip but you might need an Allison V 1720 to do it?!) Nowadays, I'm content to know that it could go that fast, so I don't mind that much when the Toyota passes me. The car and its driver are both too old for that stuff.

[Jeffry Cassel]

Somewhere I saw this or an identical car. Couldn't decide if it was a Packard Hawk with a golden Hawk front end or a Golden Hawk with a Packard Hawk trunk lid. Had to have been decades ago.

[Hawkeye]

Well, if this car still exists, would someone please open the hood and check the body tag on passenger side of the cowl?
58L K9 is a Packard Hawk, 58H K7 a Studebaker GH.
Cowl is the same both cars.

[M-Webb]

No way that car did anything close to 145mph in the 1/4 mile with anything remotely close to a stock motor.

https://www.slashgear.com/1127295/heres-how-fast-the-1969-copo-camaro-really-is/

If a '69 Copo Camaro tops out at about 125mph doing it, there is no way '58 GH is beating that by 20 mph.