Nowadays, the Avanti—a bizarre-looking sports car that set multiple world records when it was supercharged—is the main reason Studebaker is recognized. When it debuted in 1962, it was also the quickest production vehicle in the world. However, the South Bend, Indiana-based business left behind a long list of great cars.
Though equally ridiculous as the Avanti are the “bullet-nose” vehicles of the early 1950s, the Hawk series is also noteworthy. The Hawk lineage was first introduced in 1956, two years after the Studebaker-Packard merger. It produced eight distinct versions before going out of production in 1964.
The Golden Hawk is perhaps the most famous version of the series. The company’s flagship model from 1956 to 1958, it was also one of only three Hawks built for three consecutive years. The Silver Hawk and the Gran Turismo Hawk are the other two. Four of the remaining five models were offered for one year only, which makes them rare classics nowadays. Especially since many of them did not make it to 2022 in one piece.
All of the other one-year marvels were constructed in 1956 and were a part of the first Hawk series release, with the exception of the Packard Hawk, which was available in 1958.
That year, in addition to the flagship Golden Hawk, there were three more models available: the Flight Hawk, Power Hawk, and Sky Hawk. Yes, exactly as you may have predicted, they were essentially just different trim levels of the same vehicle.
The Flight Hawk was the entry-level model with the least impressive features. But it was also only available with an inline-six mill. The Power Hawk was next in line. Also a pill ared two-door coupe, it came with a few extras and a V8 engine as standard. There there was the Sky Hawk, which wasn’t quite as fancy as the Golden Hawk but it boasted a pillarless coupe layout and a two-tone paint scheme.
Its 289-cubic-inch (4.7-liter) V8 was also notably more powerful than the Power Hawk’s, delivering 225 horsepower (an extra 40 horses) in its optional, four-barrel form.
Not quite popular during its sole year on the market, the Sky Hawk moved only 3,050 examples, about 1,000 fewer than the more expensive Golden Hawk. The white-over-green example you see here is one of those cars. And unlike many of its siblings that are still around, it’s a nicely refreshed example that’s rust-free. On top of that, it features a few modern upgrades, including a radio and Bluetooth connectivity.
However, it also has an alternative engine. Although it came from a more recent Avanti, it is still a V8 and still of the Studebaker kind. Similar to the Sky Hawk, the latter model also had a 289-cubic-inch mill, but it was rated at 240 horsepower in naturally aspirated form and 289 horsepower when using a Paxton supercharger.
Although the engine in the Sky Hawk was rebuilt with a.020 overbore, Avanti headers, a new exhaust system, and an Edelbrock carburetor, the engine is still installed. The car’s output is unknown, although the seller says it has “plenty of power.”
With only 3,500 miles (5,633 km) on it, the engine is basically new, just like the Borg Warner T-10 gearbox that comes with it. The coupe still has original drum brakes at all corners, but they’ve been rebuilt and “stop very well.”
While far from perfect as a classic, this Sky Hawk is a rare opportunity in this condition.