Hawk seat spacers

[Dan White]

In removing the seats from one of my '64 Hawks I found some small wooden spacers under the back mounting bolts. Is this a factory part or was some previous owner doing some mods to raise the back of the seat up?

Dan White
64 R1 GT
64 R2 GT

[JDP]

Th factory used U shaped wood blocks on some or all the Hawks.

JDP/Maryland
"I'm a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it."
Thomas Jefferson

[Dan White]

John were those only for the back of the seats or all four of the bolt downs?

Dan White
64 R1 GT
64 R2 GT

[Gordon Bueling]

I wasn't satisfied with the angle of the back of the seat on my 62 Hawk when I got it. When I reupholstered it I had my wife sit in the passanger seat while I put spacers under the back of the seat rail. I settled for a 1 1/8" to be added to the back of the seat. Once we had decided on the height that put the seat back in a more upright and comfortable position I made wedges out of iron to go under the seat rails. Makes it a little harder for this old man to get in and out of, but it is a lot more comfortable to drive.

[JDP]

I recall them under the rear with longer bolts.

JDP/Maryland
"I'm a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it."
Thomas Jefferson

[Dan White]

My other Hawk does not have them. I guess I could make them or do any of the Studebaker vendors have NOS ones that anyone knows about?

Dan White
64 R1 GT
64 R2 GT

[JDP]

They are just wood blocks, maybe 1/2 inch thick, 1 1/2 inch wide, by 3 inches long with a notch for the bolt.

JDP/Maryland
"I'm a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it."
Thomas Jefferson

[Dick Steinkamp]

quote:Originally posted by JDP

Th factory used U shaped wood blocks on some or all the Hawks.

I've never found any (although I haven't removed the seats from that many)...and I can't find any listed in the parts manual.

Are you SURE the factory installed these? Could it be a customer had the dealer install some sort of spacer after complaining about the seating position or did it themselves?

Dick Steinkamp
Bellingham, WA

[mjeansonne]

I'm replacing the interior in our 1962 Hawk. I didn't take the seats out myself (that's another story for another time!) but while checking out the lay of the land, I did see a block of wood (but only one) about 1" thick and about 2"-3" lond with a 'u' shape cut out in the middle and a hole in it. I too wondered if this was a spacer block or not. I look forward to read more about this on this thread.


Laisez le bon temps roulez avec un Studebaker

[Dan White]

Here is a picture of the one from my R2 Hawk:




Dan White
64 R1 GT
64 R2 GT

[ivorydan]

I've seen them under the front bucket seat rear mounting bolts on several GT Hawks. They were definitely a Studebaker item, although I also never found them in the parts bokks. I don't know if the seats came that way from the factory, or if the dealers installed them as needed.

[kurtruk]

My '62 Gt had similar ones. I think they had been cut from plywood, and the PO carpeted each one! I removed them to better fit my 6'2" frame under the headliner and liked sitting back (Kinda like the kids do now).

KURTRUK
(read it backwards)

[JDP]

The picture matches those I've seen.

JDP/Maryland
"I'm a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it."
Thomas Jefferson

[GTtim]

Some of those were under the seats in my Hawk also.

Tim K.
'64 R2 GT Hawk

[Dan White]

Out of curiosity I called and talked to Dennis at SASCO about the seat spacers. He said that he also believed there was no part number for these as he has never found one, they were made of oak and unfortunately he did not have any. He said the proper term as he knew them was seat shims.




Dan White
64 R1 GT
64 R2 GT