I have purchased a new bird - 56 Power Hawk

[John Kirchhoff]

Mighty fine looking car! On the subject of wheels, I use 5 1/2" wide Chrysler wheels I already had. They don't have quite as much offset as the Stude wheels, but the only late model Stude wheels I have with safety rims are so narrow. Maybe it's just a quirk, but I refuse to run wheels without safety rims. If you've ever had a flat on a motorcycle, that experience will surely make you a believer in the merits of safety rims. On a daily driver, modern tires and wheels provide so much more safety in traction, control and tire retention. OEM style tires look great, but given the choice between authenticity and saving my butt in case of a catastrophic loss of air, I'm siding with the old posterior!

[60Lark]

Thanks Mark, I am anxiusly looking forward to getting her in her new home. My thoughts for going with wider wheels were for better driveability and handling, just going by how much better my 51 Champion and 60 Lark drove and handled after going with wider wheels. The radial tires on the narrow stock wheels tend to roll more than with wider wheels. I probably will wait until I actually have the car to better determine weather I want change the wheels or not.


Studebaker Fever
60 Lark
51 Champion
Phil
Arnold, Missouri

[StudeRich]

Wow Phil that is one impressive Power Hawk![^][^] I have the one that my Dad sold new as a Stude. salesman and it is rust free and nice, but not as perfect as that! The chrome and stainless look as new.
The only thing I see that he did wrong is the Green paint on the valve covers (should be simi-gloss black with 259 decals) and the '54-'55 decklid handle that was added. Also the '57 Wheelcovers, which in my opinion are an improvement. If I were you I would NOT even think about changing wheels, those are the wider 5 in. ones which work great with P205X75R15 radials, and those are what you need for handling NOT fat rims! I guess that "in the day" most people never dreamed that these cars would be as collectable and valuable as they have become, so it was common to add remove and swap-out Stude. parts on some as I have done also, but now they need to be either fairly heavily MODIFIED or completely STOCK to be desireable.

StudeRich
Studebakers Northwest
Ferndale, WA

[60Lark]

StudeRich - Thanks for the comments, I am not sure how much is correct, other than what can be seen in the pics, he said he has made very few upgrades that are not correct or original but I will have to wait until he gets home from Arizona before I can go and retreive it before I will know for sure. Regardless of the lack of originality, I am satisfied that it was a GREAT deal. I don't like the green/turquoise valve covers, that will be corrected, I know the deck handle isn't correct, but I like it, the wheel covers do look good too, they are either new repro or NOS, I can't remember which. He said that all of the brightwork is either NOS, polished, or replated.


Studebaker Fever
60 Lark
51 Champion
Phil
Arnold, Missouri

[StudeRich]

Well Phil, I can tell you this, that interior, door panels, seats etc. and everything about that car is so close to dead-on original that I would not change any more and probably put everything back to correct since it is so close![^] The only things I saw in the pic's that I did not mention is the right hand mounted antenna and the vacuum gauge, and the gauge is fine, that could have been dealer upgraded to Golden Hawk type and they are GREAT to drive by, keeping your vac. as high as possible while maintaining road speed is a good thing for the engine and fuel mileage. [^] But hey, it's your car, put a put big-block 454 in it if you want![xx(]
Rich.

quote:Originally posted by 60Lark

StudeRich - Thanks for the comments, I am not sure how much is correct, other than what can be seen in the pics, he said he has made very few upgrades that are not correct or original

StudeRich
Studebakers Northwest
Ferndale, WA

[60Lark]

Naw Rich, I won't be doing anything like that, I love the stude V-8 engine although the 259 isn't a speed demon, it is a strong running powerplant. I plan on keeping it as original as I can. I do have a question, were chrome valve covers an option from the factory on this car? Just a thought, since I already have a set of chrome valve covers, if not I will paint them black as they were to begin with. I do plan on putting in a new Pertronix breakerless ignition, I did that to my Lark and am very pleased with it.


Studebaker Fever
60 Lark
51 Champion
Phil
Arnold, Missouri

[studeclunker]

Yep! This is where I need that pea-green envy smilie. Most definitely. My favourite year and model of Hawk. I even like the colour. You're a very fortuneate man! Congratulations on a right good car!

Lotsa Larks!
K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple Studebaker!
Ron Smith

[60Lark]

Thanks Ron


Studebaker Fever
60 Lark
51 Champion
Phil
Arnold, Missouri

[StudeRich]

Phil; I am not aware of any Chrome valve covers being original Stude. issue except an option on '56J Golden Hawk 352 Packard Engines, '63-'64 Stude. V-8's, and standard on "R" Jet Thrust & Avanti.
Yes I too, can verify that Pertronix electronic ignition is the way to go!
Actually a 259 can be way faster with 4 barrel, duals and a little tweeking like a R1-2 Camshaft, my Power Hawk is a Automatic 3.31 ratio with factory "power pack" and gets it on just fine![^]

quote:Originally posted by 60Lark

I do have a question, were chrome valve covers an option from the factory on this car? Just a thought, since I already have a set of chrome valve covers, if not I will paint them black as they were to begin with. I do plan on putting in a new Pertronix breakerless ignition, I did that to my Lark and am very pleased with it.

StudeRich
Studebakers Northwest
Ferndale, WA

[raprice]

From here, it's a real beaut! And the interior looks great.
Best of luck with it. Doesn't look like to need to do a lot of work on it.
Rog

'59 Lark VI Regal Hardtop

[60Lark]

StudeRich - Thanks for the helpful input

raprice - Thanks for the positive comments


Studebaker Fever
60 Lark
51 Champion
Phil
Arnold, Missouri

[60Lark]

StudeRich - The 4-BRL and Duals are definately going to happen, after that I may look into the R1-2 Camshaft


Studebaker Fever
60 Lark
51 Champion
Phil
Arnold, Missouri