1956 Studebaker Power Hawk update

[harrisonm]

We have been busy with Mark’s Studebaker. All parts were painted last fall, and now they are all wet sanded and polished out. It is starting to look like a car. The adjustment of every panel fought us. We hope to have it driving and going to car shows by spring.

 

[mbaird]

Awesome car !

 

[33IMP]

That is a beauty!
Was it originally red and white?

 

[Dan the man]

That's a beautiful car. Wish I had kept my dad's '62 golden hawk or the '53 commander. The hawk had a 289 I believe, no it wasn't a ford. The transmission was a borg warner T-10 4 speed.

 

[65 Cuda 340]

That's a beautiful car. Wish I had kept my dad's '62 golden hawk or the '53 commander. The hawk had a 289 I believe, no it wasn't a ford. The transmission was a borg warner T-10 4 speed.

Nitpick - a 62 would have been a GT Hawk. Golden Hawk was 56-58 only.

There were four Hawk models in 56. A Power Hawk was a sedan (post) with a 259 V8. Flight Hawk was also a sedan, with a flathead six. Sky Hawk had a 289 V8 and Golden Hawk had a 352 Packard V8. These last two were 2dr hardtops. Only the Golden Hawk survived into 57, accompanied by a Silver Hawk sedan with a six or V8. (There was also a Packard Hawk in 58 - really a Studebaker Golden Hawk with an ugly front end.)

 

[67Dart273]

I really used to love the styling, and of course the marvelous dash

 

[mopar head]

'53 commander.

My favorite of the early studes.

 

[Bewy]

Mate had a later model, with the fins. Unique body style.

 

[RustyRatRod]

That thing is gonna be gorgeous. Is that a Sweepstakes 259 engine?

 

[harrisonm]

That is a beauty!
Was it originally red and white?

Thanks. Yes. Mark always wants cars painted the original color scheme.

 

[harrisonm]

That thing is gonna be gorgeous. Is that a Sweepstakes 259 engine?

Thanks. Yes, it is the Sweepstakes 259. It is completely rebuilt and runs great.

 

[harrisonm]

I agree about the dash. Mark's dash was pretty badly damaged (mostly cracks). I spent a lot of time fixing it. I fixed every single crack, beveled each crack out a bit and then filled the bevel in with JB Weld epoxy. I have found that the JB Weld works very well. Some places had to be reinforced on the back. I used JB Weld and fiberglass mat. Then I sanded the JB Weld flat and spread a thin coat of glazing putty. Then I sanded the glazing putty smooth and sprayed on three coats of Evercoat G2 high build primer. Then I sanded the primer to 400 wet and sprayed on three coats of single stage satin black. It came out pretty good.

 

[67Dart273]

^^You're hired!!^^

 

[65 Cuda 340]

I agree about the dash. Mark's dash was pretty badly damaged (mostly cracks). I spent a lot of time fixing it. I fixed every single crack, beveled each crack out a bit and then filled the bevel in with JB Weld epoxy. I have found that the JB Weld works very well. Some places had to be reinforced on the back. I used JB Weld and fiberglass mat. Then I sanded the JB Weld flat and spread a thin coat of glazing putty. Then I sanded the glazing putty smooth and sprayed on three coats of Evercoat G2 high build primer. Then I sanded the primer to 400 wet and sprayed on three coats of single stage satin black. It came out pretty good.
View attachment 1716454385

Turned out really nice! I need to do the same for my 56 Golden Hawk Dash, which is the same, including the radio delete, except for a couple of extra gauges. Plus mine has a "padded dash" which is just a thin sheet of foam rubber with a vinyl cover. Can't imagine it doing much to protect one in case of a crash.

Mine should have a 160 mph speedometer, but right now it's a 120. Will address that when I pull the dash out for paint, new dash pad and re-wiring.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Thanks. Yes, it is the Sweepstakes 259. It is completely rebuilt and runs great. View attachment 1716454384

That's so awesome! They just don't make stuff with cool names anymore. That's just badass.

 

[azblackhemi]

Last month my wife and I were in Western Michigan visiting our son and family and took a trip down to South Bend Indiana to visit the Studebaker museum. What a great place! Cars were restored nicely and the setup was great. I would highly recommend visiting it!

 

[Dan the man]

Does the Studebaker have stewart warner gauges? If I remember correctly my dad's '62 golden hawk had them.

 

[65 Cuda 340]

Does the Studebaker have stewart warner gauges? If I remember correctly my dad's '62 golden hawk had them.

I'm pretty sure they are, but they don't say so on the gauges. Not on my 56 anyway.

 

[Dan the man]

I'm pretty sure they are, but they don't say so on the gauges. Not on my 56 anyway.

Did you have a hard time finding parts for it?

 

[65 Cuda 340]

Did you have a hard time finding parts for it?

Mostly, no. When Studebaker went out of business, it left a huge amount of NOS parts, that even now is not depleted. But a 56 Hawk hood is hard to find, and it's a one year only part, and many originals were damaged when they flew up - not an uncommon occurrence.

 

[harrisonm]

Does the Studebaker have stewart warner gauges? If I remember correctly my dad's '62 golden hawk had them.

I'll have to look.

 

[harrisonm]

Turned out really nice! I need to do the same for my 56 Golden Hawk Dash, which is the same, including the radio delete, except for a couple of extra gauges. Plus mine has a "padded dash" which is just a thin sheet of foam rubber with a vinyl cover. Can't imagine it doing much to protect one in case of a crash.

Mine should have a 160 mph speedometer, but right now it's a 120. Will address that when I pull the dash out for paint, new dash pad and re-wiring.

View attachment 1716454622

The pad was probably there to protect the dash. LOL

 

[Dan the man]

I'll have to look.

I really wish I had kept my dad's '62 golden hawk, it was black with a red interior, it or the '53 commander would've made a awesome street rod.

 

[Dan the man]

I'll have to look.

Did you go with a studebaker power plant

 

[Dan the man]

I'm pretty sure they are, but they don't say so on the gauges. Not on my 56 anyway.

I believe that there's a Studebaker Lark for sale not far from where I live, I do know that it has a 350 sbc in it