Belgian Built 1959 Silver Hawk

[Pat Dilling]

We have talked about this one before based on a Craigs List ad. I saw it at a car show yesterday. The owners claim it is a Belgian built car and that removing the fins was an option. He said the motor is a 259, I did not think to look at the engine number but did take pictures of the body tag and VIN tag. Do these numbers give anyone a clue?

[5859]

Wouldn't foreign assembled cars not say made in usa?

[Noxnabaker]

My -55 Champion sedan is also Belgian-built, but has never been out of Europe.
I've heard about some folx who went over to South Bend & Hamilton & got their cars FROM the States, but the other way seems quite unusual.
Guess I have to look to see if it says "made in USA" somewhere on my car...

[PlainBrownR2]

Is it a CKD(Complete Knock Down)? The parts would be made in the US, but the car would be disassembled, shipped overseas, and reassembled over there. In any case, the production order would probably provide the details .

[Jim B PEI]

Hmmm.... Serial 59V 30273. Matches and should be South Bend production. I think Belgium assembled cars had something slightly different as far as tags. I mean, there should be something that shows it was assembled by the Belgian company even if it was a CKD kit, and whether or not the serial sequence fits in with South Bend. Similarly, don't the Australian assembled cars have a tag that it was assembled by Canada Cycle and Car Pty? (I'm guessing here as to the Australian company name)

Nice plate, but it looks like it has been removed and re-attached, perhaps from another car? My 3 US built Studebakers only have the spotwelds--the screws are a giveaway.

[studegary]

There were no 289 1959 Hawks. I believe that all domestic (USA) 1959 Hawks were 259s. Most, if not all, European 1959 Hawks were flathead sixes. For 1959 Hawks, there were 2417 170s and 5371 259s.
Since it is a custom, it now could be anything.
For some reason, I did not see pictures of the tags.

EDIT: I now see the other pictuers. The S/N plate has been removed from this or another car and then crudely attached to this car.

[Pat Dilling]

I noticed the screws on the VIN plate too after I saw the pictures. I have seen at least one 59 Hawk with the flat head six. There was a guy in an Autobody class I took that had one he was working on. Surprised me that Studebaker would use that motor in a Hawk. I should have gotten a better picture from the back, what do those tail lights look like they are from. I believe someone converted the rear fenders, but the owner said his research found some Belgian Hawks were delivered without them. Probably why he thinks it is from Belgium. They are trying to sell it, asking $22k. Really hard for me to put a value on it. Seems to be in nice shape.

[studegary]

I noticed the screws on the VIN plate too after I saw the pictures. I have seen at least one 59 Hawk with the flat head six. There was a guy in an Autobody class I took that had one he was working on. Surprised me that Studebaker would use that motor in a Hawk. I should have gotten a better picture from the back, what do those tail lights look like they are from. I believe someone converted the rear fenders, but the owner said his research found some Belgian Hawks were delivered without them. Probably why he thinks it is from Belgium. They are trying to sell it, asking $22k. Really hard for me to put a value on it. Seems to be in nice shape.

My guesstimate is $14000 to $17000, IF you like the car and you can live with the S/N plate issue (they are big ifs).

[warrlaw1]

I remember my father had a 57 hawk with a flat head six, 3spd OD. Canadian produced, I believe.

[StudeRich]

With those '56 Toggle Switches AND '56 hawk Tail Lights and Lenses, those COULD be clues that it is actually a '56 Power Hawk, or NOT! ????

[monomaniac]

It's a nicely customized Hawk. . . with the original fins removed.
If it were built (assembled) in Belgium it would sport an additional tag with another number and identifying it as part of D'Ieteren Freres production.

[52hawk]

And,no battery holddown.

[klifton1]

The batterys in my customs or streetrods are held down by clamps on the bottom lips of the batterys. Can't be seen with a photo with that view.
Klif