Donor Hawk, Commander Id's

[jdbass]

I may have mentioned that a guy I work for has 4 or 5 studes, in amongst his 5 acres of 'old cars'...
I can't tell what kind/year this finless Hawk is ... ID tag's been removed. Is the cutout on the hood for a supercharger? Minus Motor/trans (rolling chassie basically) but was a column shift manual. Best guesses?





Next up, I believe 52 and 53 Commanders...(53 complete/runs)







And finally... this crazy rock-climbing Slidetop Wagonaire


Any comments/opinions/appraisals appreciated jim

[StudeRich]

The unidentified "Hawk" is a '56 Flight Hawk 6, or a Power Hawk 8 (Commander) with a '57 or '58 Golden Hawk Hood for a Supercharger or not, it gets a fiberglass overlay on it.

The '54 Commander Sedan looks to be in the best shape, the last WAS a '63 Lark Regal Wagon, if you SAW the sliding roof it was a Wagonaire.

The '52 Commander and '53 Commander are top of the line models.
As you know if they have always been in the Hesperia Desert area, they should be quite dry cars.

[Pat Dilling]

I don't think the Hawk is a 56, there is no Cove on the door, unless the door was changed with the hood.

[StudeRich]

I don't think the Hawk is a 56, there is no Cove on the door, unless the door was changed with the hood.

You really never know with the ease of changeability of Stude. parts, I am going by the dash which is 1956, the front fenders and maybe doors have all been changed, I do not see any Parking Light holes in the fenders, but even that could have been easily modified. ?????????? This one is an "IT"!

Also the later finned Hawks have Chrome Vent Window frames and rear Quarter Windows also, these look Black like a '56.

[jdbass]

thx Rich... So... on the Hawk... figure out (by the mounts?) if it had a 6 or 8? Would an 8 have been supercharged, as per the hood?

There's only 2 Commanders--- 52 & 53? The wagon is a slidetop... still 63? mounted on a chevy truck frame with a chevy 350, and 4-wheel drive. Done 'on a lark' I guess... I like slidetops... used to have both a Wagonaire and Daytona. I do a lot of off-roading (when collecting data on reptiles) and would probably get the wagon... cept for the MPG. jim

[StudeRich]

No, Power Hawks would not be Supercharged, just Commander 259's in Power Hawks. If they were, they would need that hood.

But we know not WHAT was in this Car, since it is a long way from original, and no Engine.
Yes there should be round images of the engine mounts and bolts in the V-8 or "6" holes in the Engine Mount Brackets.

[Noxnabaker]

I thought the -56 had non-blown Packard engines & that the super-charger came on the -57 models when they used the lighter Studebaker engines again.

[BobPalma]

I thought the -56 had non-blown Packard engines & that the super-charger came on the -57 models when they used the lighter Studebaker engines again.

That's correct, Nox.

The hood on the subject Hawk in this thread is not original to that car, which can be confusing. BP

[bezhawk]

It' (the Hawk) is probably a 57 Silver Hawk, with a Golden Hawk hood. The dash didn't change till 58. It has the same radio cut out as a 56. 58 went to the partial transistor radio and the more rectangular cut out. Rust belt folks would love to find such solid cars!

[jdbass]

Would the Commanders have 289's?

[Jeff_H]

Steering column in the hawk is '57 or later.

What's up with the vice grips pliers snapped onto the key?? in the '53 commander sedan?

[wolfie]

Would the Commanders have 289's?

If original they would be 232's. Steve

[jdbass]

No Idea It just occurred to me, that the ID tag may be in the car, along with all the trim and other parts... I'll take a look. I do notice that there's no supercharger pressure gauge in the middle of the dash, as in my 57 GH... so I have to believe that the hood (at least) is wrong.
The 53 Commander is actually pretty intact... with even the original interior in reasonable shape, and is a drivable car. Cleaned up a bit... what's a car like that worth?

[evilhawk]

Rust belt folks would love to find such solid cars!

Those cars would sell in a heartbeat up here in MN. Looking at that Hawk, Im thinking, I could use the deck lid, the hood.. Hell Id take the whole care and use my silver hawk as the parts car!

[StudeRich]

It seems that EVERYONE since post number SIX is totally off base here. The subject car is NOT a Hardtop, so no way is it a Golden Hawk.
So I have no idea how the discussion got onto GH's. The only thing that IS would be the hood, changed in ten minutes.

Like I said this Car is an IT.

Also no Superchargers, 289 Engines or 352 Packard Engines, because again we are are NOT talking GH Hardtops here.