My New '59 Silver Hawk

[capwombat]

Got it last month for my 53rd birthday. In this condition when I got it. SBC engine currently, but I am currently working on acquiring an R3 engine to replace it. Wish me luck.


Regards,

John Sartorius

[Chris Pile]

Nice Hawk. I would drive it, but prefer South Bend power like you.
Good luck, and keep us in the loop.

[showbizkid]

That is SO flippin' pretty.

[Sam Ensley]

Beautiful car. I am sure you will enjoy it.

[Collectors garage]

Very nice looking car.

[Collectors garage]

Beautiful car, it needs a Studebaker engine !

[capwombat]

Or a 500 cubic inch Cadillac. A Studillac would also be cool. The Chevy engine is probably the most practical (and it's already in there!), but there are so many of them out there....

[paintim613]

There's just something about a red Stude....

[Pat Dilling]

Very nice! I really like the wheel tire combination with the red paint.

[61Hawk4sp]

Where did you get the wheels and tires for this beauty? Who makes the wheels?

[capwombat]

I don't know where the wheels and tires were sourced -- the car was in this condition when I bought it. The tires are currently G78x15 bias ply wide whites; I'll be pulling the wheels and installing wide white radials in January. By that time, I should have received all the old receipts and restoration project-related paperwork from the old owner -- hopefully, receipts for the wheels will be included. If so, I will post the info here.

[evilhawk]

Or a 500 cubic inch Cadillac. A Studillac would also be cool. The Chevy engine is probably the most practical (and it's already in there!), but there are so many of them out there....

Haha! I had plans to build my 59 Silver Hawk into a Studillac until I found a 289 to drop into it. I had a 1970 472 with 70k original miles that I was going to use along with a th400 trans. I always wonder how fast the car would have been and how it would have handled had I gone with my original plan. I sold the motor to a friend who dropped it into a 78 Caddy. He loves it and claims it has a ton of power even in his big old sled.

Anyway, I really like your Hawk! Is the interior the original color? The red looks really nice on these old Hawks.

[capwombat]

I don't believe either the red color (Ford "605" red, according to the previous owner) or the interior color patterns are original, though they are "period" '60s-style custom. The build sheet I just received from the Studebaker museum states that the car was originally "silvertone grey." But I like the color combo.

Have decided on a supercharged Studebaker engine (upgraded R2 w/R3 carb enclosure); the build is underway now.

[capwombat]

So the great Utah-to-Virginia '59 Studebaker Silver Hawk road trip is underway. 1st night out of St. George was spent in Flagstaff, AZ; tonight we're in Moriarty, NM. !st photo is me in Utah; 2nd is my son in NM.

[Chris Pile]

Or a 500 cubic inch Cadillac.

One of our members has a Northstar Caddy motor shoe-horned into his '53.
Required some serious work to make it fit (but it goes like stink!).