1958 Studebaker Golden Hawk

Make/Model: Studebaker Golden Hawk
Year: 1958
Owner: Donated by Dr. Karl Peace, Baker County, GA
Original price: $3282

About the 1958 Studebaker Golden Hawk

The Studebaker Golden Hawk was produced between 1956 & 1958. Hawk models included the Flight Hawk, Power Hawk, Sky Hawk, and top-of-the-line Golden Hawk. The cars had a long, low stance and upright, aggressive radiator, with subtle fiberglass rear fins. Flight and Power models were pillared coupes, while the Sky and Golden Hawks were pillarless hardtops.

The Packard engine was dropped in 57 in favor of a lighter, belt-driven, supercharged 289-ci V8 with 275 hp. This improved the car’s top speed, making these the best-performing Hawks until the Gran Turismo Hawk became available with the Avanti’s R2 supercharged engine for the 1963 model year.

For 1958, the Golden Hawk switched to 14-inch wheels instead of 15-inch wheels, making the car ride a little lower. The 15-inch wheels, however, were available as an option. Other styling changes included a new, round Hawk medallion mounted in the lower center of the grille, and the available contrasting-color paint was now applied to both the roof and tailfins. One unique feature was a vacuum gauge on the instrument panel. Padded dash boards also become standard.

Like many more expensive cars, Golden Hawk sales were heavily hit by the late-1950s recession, and the model was discontinued after only selling 878 examples in 1958. The Silver Hawk remained the only Hawk model; it was renamed simply the Studebaker Hawk for the 1960.

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