1963 GT Hawk 1st Place Show Car 2012, Modified with a Avanti 289 engine

[STUDEBAKER BILL]

[Avanti Turismo]

How is the Hawk 289 different from the Avanti 289 engine?

[StudeRich]

A "High Performance Avanti or Lark/Hawk "Jet Thrust" Engine" (R1) would have: 240 HP, 10.5 to 1 Compression, approx. 315 ft. Lbs. Torque, High Lift more duration Camshaft, H.D. Valve Springs, Baffled Oil Pan, Dual Point Distributor, Aluminum Cam Gear, full upper and lower Crankcase ventilation System, Larger Carter AFB Carb., Dual Exhausts, Cool Fuel Recirculation System, Carter Super Fuel Pump, Chrome Air Cleaner, Chrome Valve Covers, Oil Caps, Dipstick and Tube, Seat Belts, a 6000 RPM Red Line, Stewart WarnerTachometer, Avanti Powered R1 Fender Badges, etc. etc.

A "Few" of the included, Standard "Differences", not even mentioning the Optional Higher Performance 290 HP Supercharged .R2 289 Version.

A Standard 289 came with a 210 HP 2 Brl. Carb. or an optional 225 HP Carter AFB 4 Brl. Carb. , Forged Crankshaft, Forged Rods, Solid Valve Lifters and Gear Valve Timing.

All Late '63 GT's and All Avantis, had the option of a H.D. Oil Cooled "Power Shift" Automatic Floor Shift, and ALL could be ordered with a T-10 Borg Warner Manual 4 Speed instead.

[6hk71400]

To add to what Rich said: Avanti engine engine number starts with an R and Hawk and 289 Lark engines that are standard 289 start with a P. Avanti powered Hawks and Larks start with a JT for the 240 R1 and JTS for the supercharged R2

[STUDEBAKER BILL]

Do you have the records on what is a Studebaker Engine Stamped: VK 309
Thank you

[64studeavanti]

Answered in your other post. 259 assembled on October 9, 1963 for model year 1964. For model year 64, stude changed engine serial number scheme. V still was 259, P 289, R R1 Avanti, RS R2 S/C Avanti, JT Hawk Lark R1, JTS Hawk Lark R2. The next letter indicates the month. Next digit is year and next 2 are day of month.
The letter code for month starts with 'A' for January. The letters 'I' and 'L' are omitted. 'N' is December.

[StudeRich]

It possibly should be noted here, that Lots of sellers of GT Hawks have "Claimed" to have an Avanti Engine in their Cars, even some have Avanti Powered Badges, but only those that match the list in Post Number 3 and a "JT" stamped Block actually do.

[Dwight FitzSimons]

The car could be "modified with an Avanti engine." If it has an Avanti engine (R1, R2, R3, or R4) in it then it appears not to have been built originally with that engine. I say that because it has no "Avanti Powered" or "Avanti Supercharged" badges on the front fenders. (Of course, they could have been removed for some reason, although I don't know why anyone would do that.) By the parking lamps it appears to be a later '63 Hawk, so if it came originally with an Avanti engine then it would have had the badges.

I also notice that it has a '64 grille badge on it and '63 Lark wheel covers, so the owner isn't particularly worried about originality. Maybe that extends to its engine also. It could also be a "faux Avanti powered" car with the chrome engine dress-up kit.

--Dwight

[Dwight FitzSimons]

Upon further inspection I notice that the car has one early '63 parking lamp (right) and one later one (left). So, this car must have been the last '63 Hawk built just as the changeover to the later parking lamps happened. The factory must have had only one early lamp left, so they put one early lamp and one later lamp on this car. Do the show judges know about this?

--Dwight

[StudeRich]

AND an incorrectly placed '63 Grille Emblem along with an incorrectly placed '64 Grille Emblem, so just incorrectly "Repaired".

[64studeavanti]

Hopefully it does not have engine VK309 that O.P. was asking about!

[STUDEBAKER BILL]

So little do you expert Studebaker boys know. The 1963 GT Hawk was a basket case that my father encouraged me to save because of it's rarity. Therefore it is a fact that it is modified GT Hawk. I should have parted it out but I restored it as close as I could to the build order. Anyone that has ever taken on such a project knows that it is impossible to get all the NOS parts to complete the project with out making it a modified car. My father was a friend and did business with a man named Michael Kelley who owned Avanti at the time and was shutting it down and selling everything off in South Bend. My dad set me up with an appointment with Mike. He loaned me his van and told me to take a pocket full of cash with me to purchase my Avanti Engine from Mike. It was a once in a life time project that I rebuilt for the future generations to possibly enjoy. Hopefully it will be appreciated by someone in the future but will never be for sale in my life time.

[STUDEBAKER BILL]

All automobiles are simply parts, sheet metal and paint. Nothing more.

[6hk71400]

Michael Kelly. Owner of Avanti Motors. Indicted for $350 million dollars in fraud. Told many people many different stories about his success Indicted in 2012, died of cancer in 2013.

Here is a link to a 2018 post on the forum: https://forum.studebakerdriversclub....ti#post1609909

Bill, all of this does not matter if you are happy with your car. We on this forum for the most part are easy going guys. It does not help if you get over defensive with the posts and antagonize people.

Bob Miles
Sgt Joe Friday: Just the facts Ma'am

[Dwight FitzSimons]

Originality aside, the Hawk appears to be a very nice car. I would be happy with it.
--Dwight

[STUDEBAKER BILL]

In general I am a very simple, easy going laid back guy Bob, "Sgt. Joe Friday". Bad mouth Studebaker with your personal opinions that are not fact and I just rebuttal with my opinion, it is just that simple. Nothing personal, if you don't like what someone says, state your rebuttal or take your toys and go home. If you grew up in South Bend or worked anywhere in the world for Studebaker, Studebaker is personal and has much more meaning to them. Some people's children's obtuse opinion that Studebaker built and sold outdated designs, junk cars and trucks, was light years behind the competition and deserved to go out of business is just that, an opinion. I hate repeating myself again but I believe, not a fact, it is just my opinion, it has nothing to do with the market value of a Studebaker. Just simple common sense.

South Bend relied on Studebaker. The Studebaker Corporation was well ahead of the competition in a many ways, Innovation for one, some body designs were light years ahead of the Big Boys, they introduced many new options that the Big Three later copied and made standard on their vehicles.

Bob "Sgt. Joe Friday" How well did you know Michael E. Kelley? Were you friends with Michael E. Kelley? Did you do business with Michael Kelly? Your statement border lines slander if he was living. Mike is deceased, May he Rest In Peace, anyone can write an article and say anything bad they want untrue about someone on the internet. From my personal dealings with Mike Kelley he was very personable, honest and kind. He was an outstanding business man in the community who tried to save The Studebaker Corporation's Avanti, Studebaker's last attempt to stay alive and South Bend. It is a shame and a was loss of excellent paying jobs and the CIty of South Bend. I happen to think his Avanti Body Designs took the Avanti to the next level higher. They were very aerodynamic, cool and unique, and still an outstanding car. I wanted to buy one but they were far more expensive than I could afford. AND THAT'S A FACT!

[6hk71400]

I did business with Michael Kelly. I sold him a 1956 Golden Hawk. It was an above board transaction and he kept the car until he liquidated his holdings in Georgia. I change my tag line with every post. I have nothing more to say about this subject.

Bob Miles
Best Regards

[STUDEBAKER BILL]

EH, sounds like back peddling Bob!