A Golden Hawk by any other name! How about Speedhawk? It almost was!

[EssexExport]

Interesting. Always have to kick around ideas.

[Stude-Preferred]

Yes, while it was not a well known "option", the Firehawk was a product of SLP (Street Legal Performance) and available thru Pontiac dealerships.
For a couple of years they did performance upgrades to the Firebird and came as a complete package.

I had a co-worker who was a car guy. One day I asked him what he was driving, because he had a few performance vehicles. He said a Firehawk. I was surprised & said "A Firehawk?", because I always liked those cars. Then he started to explain what it was. I interrupted him and said, "yes from SLP Engineering". Then he said, you really do know cars. So that made me feel good.


I just looked and there are some Firehawk websites out there, tracking the cars.

Here is a Car and Driver review.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...ad-test-review

Keeping Studebaker's alive
Stude-Preferred

[8E45E]

It was a Buick Firehawk, Clark. You were probably thinking of Pontiac's Firebird. BP

There was a third generation F-body Pontiac Firehawk.

Craig

[showbizkid]

You're right, Bob! Would've made more sense as a Pontiac moniker, though

[BobPalma]

It was a Buick Firehawk, Clark. You were probably thinking of Pontiac's Firebird. BP

[showbizkid]

I imagine "Flitehawk" was changed due to similarity with then-current MoPar nomenclature.

And didn't Pontiac use "Firehawk" as a sport-model J-body in the '80s?

[SN-60]

Studebaker's 1956 decision making certainly had its oddities.....Apparently, even Studebaker dealers were upset the company didn't have a 'real' gold colored paint for the '56 Golden Hawk....Let's face it, 1956 'Sunglow Gold' is a really a mustard yellow!

[Jessie J.]

Going through our 'Studes in Roadside Americana photos' my eye was caught by that prominent movie bill-board for the 1952 swashbuckler movie 'The Golden Hawk', (appearing on that billing simply as 'Golden Hawk') and couldn't help but thinking that the movie name may have provided a bit of unrecognized inspiration and impetus to the selection of the 'Hawk' series of names. But then strange that a 'Golden' Hawk was not even among these initial selections.

[Roscomacaw]

Daybreak Blue has a nice ring to it.

[Studebaker Wheel]

A half dozen built the last days of Sept. Dealer showings on '56's did not start until November. Lots of unsold '55s still in dealer stock at the time. In fact some Speedsters still unsold well into 1956.

[2R2]

Dick, very interesting! When were the 56's introduced ? Stude must of had to scramble to get the name registered, tooling done, materials printed, etc.

[qsanford]

No mention of a President series Station wagon although the Pinehurst name is there. Also, no mention of Yellowstone in the colors. Very interesting piece of literature!

[SN-60]

I always felt that the '57 Golden-Silver Hawk series names was less 'confusing' than the '56 'unconnected' four names for the Hawk series. Simply put, by 1957 Studebaker had things sorted out!

[BobPalma]

Interesting indeed, Dick: Only one of the Hawk names proposed as late as July 5, 1955 made it to production: Skyhawk. And even then, it was one word, not two. Flitehawk got changed to Flight Hawk, too.

Also note the Golden Hawk engine was to be the Speedway 352, not Sky Power 352.

Good find! BP

[Studebaker Wheel]

Some inter-factory communication regarding proposed 1956 Studebaker car etc. names. Note particularly the original names proposed for the Hawk series (i.e. Speedhawk, Firehawk). How many other names do you see that never made the cut? Do not believe this info has ever been published.