Birds of a Feather: Studebaker Hawks

The 2020 Studebaker Speaker Series kicks off with Studebaker National Museum Archivist, Andrew Beckman. He talks about the history and evolution of Studebaker’s Hawk line, beginning with its origins in the critically-acclaimed 1953 Starliner hardtop. The program covers all Hawk models from 1956 through 1964, with a focus on the line’s design history and sales analysis.

[@crgrbrts]

My paternal grandfather was chief electrician at the Studebaker plant in the city of my birth, South Bend. He worked there his entire career from age 19 until retirement. His wife, my grandmother, was a descendant of Clement Studebaker, one of the brothers who founded the company that became the car maker (which makes me a descendant, too). Plus, the car I learned to drive in was our beautiful red and white 1956 Power Hawk. Needless to say, I loved this presentation! I hope to get back to my home town some day to tour the museum. That will be a thrill!

[@dominacio]

I have visited the museum some 20 years ago. Loved it. My first Stude was a '53 Champion I bought from my best friend in 1963. About a year later I bought a beautiful '54 Commander hard top painted with Cadillac fire mist green from a NY Parkway Cop for 175 dollars. Used to get pulled over by the police just to admire it. Unfortunately a large boulder 'jumped' in front of me ending our relationship. In 1969 I traded my Green 1967 Comet for a 1964 Red 4 speed Hawk Grand Tourismo plus 700 dollars from the owner. Had it for 23 years before being forced to sell here in Denver. I thought they were the coolest cars on the planet! Hoped you liked my story.

[@jimren5638]

My brother had a 1957 Golden Hawk with the supercharged 289. It was all gold, no different color on the side by the rear fins. Even with the 2 speed automatic and those terrible, bias ply tires that thing was fast! He surprised a lot of muscle cars in the 60's. How I'd love to have it or one like it today. A lot of people don't like that big grill but I loved it.

[@pts0721]

These collectors are great. A Commander was the 1st car I drove, mid 50s, attended a convention in 1979/80 in Long Beach, Ca, and was AMAZED.

[@alexkalish8288]

Great presentation. I am educated in Hawks.

[@ColvinsHouse]

Great talk, thanks. I had a 1956 Flight Hawk that was restored from the ground-up. Now in the LeMay- Americas Car Museum - Tacoma, WA.

[@fredgraff6154]

R2 55505 helados 4 b as race motero rice

[@ralphl7643]

A family at my small VA high school in the late 70's had two immaculate Hawks and another had an Avanti. We had a '56 Olds at the time, so I knew how different for the time the Hawks were.

[@joehinman1026]

my dad had a starlight coup K body. He also had Speedster, he had 9 Studies.

[@josephanderson913]

I have a 57 and 59 silver and golden, I love the hawks, brothers got dad's 55 speedster 3 spd overdrive, lots of extra chrome if anyone out there needs some.

[@plunkervillerr1529]

Good show . Studebaker Kary NH .

[@paulkirkland1535]

It's really sad that Studebaker couldn't stay afloat and the merger with Packard didn't really help. If Sherwood Egbert had remained alive longer he could've saved Studebaker. The Avanti is one of my favorite cars of the 60's. They sure were interesting cars. Different by design as their advertisements used to say.

[@neildickson5394]

My favorite Studebaker. I owned a gorgeous Jet Green 64. The planned 65 restyle should have been included. A small photo is seen in the beginning.

[@StudebakerMuseum]

We can certainly add the topic of planned restylings to the list for future video content!

[@neildickson5394]

@@StudebakerMuseum Great... I'm so happy we now have a channel directly from SNM, one of my favorite American treasures. I'm down in Louisville, but get to South Bend frequently.

[@jorgetoro3573]

Studebaker y Packard, quisieron fusionarse con Hudson y Nash. Pero Hudson y Nash, formaron AMC, y dejaron a Studebaker-Packard a su suerte!😥 Saludos desde Argentina.

[@larrybailey43]

When year was the last pickups made ?

[@StudebakerMuseum]

They were built up until 1964 when production ended in the US.

[@joeschlotthauer840]

What is the color of the car in the thumbnail...

[@StudebakerMuseum]

That would be Flamingo.

[@joeschlotthauer840]

@@StudebakerMuseum It's a fantastic color, was it available on the trucks...

[@StudebakerMuseum]

@@joeschlotthauer840 Nope. Just Larks and Hawks.

[@keithford245]

Certainly a distinctive look and styling. Why didn’t these things matter?

[@StudebakerMuseum]

Didn't matter to whom?

[@Carefree6714]

Great presentation, content wise!!! From a presentation standpoint, next time please select a presenter who doesn’t speak so fast. An experienced director would have instructed this person to slow down. The effect of a fast speaker is exacerbated when the person cannot be seen. So many words are unintelligible- and anyone wanting to comment about my hearing, I hear just fine, Also, the mic should be on the person and not recorded from an amplified speaker source. A lot of effort goes into a presentation like this and a few minor adjustments would make this much more pleasurable.

[@theguythatcouldfly]

Andrew Beckman is a respected Studebaker expert. There isn't anybody else that has his knowledge. I am sorry you couldn't understand some things, but I didn't have that problem. I did re-watch several sections because I was taking notes. I am SO grateful for this information, and I am looking forward to more presentations by Mr. Beckman.

[@larrybailey43]

Didn’t they make trucks in Canada awille after closing U.S. plants ?

[@StudebakerMuseum]

No. Trucks were only made in Canada in the early 1950s. However, Studebaker did make cars in Canada until 1966.

[@larrybailey43]

How many trucks were sold in Canada ? They were good or better than many, even had a V8 in some. Was the trucks ever a Profit maker ?

[@StudebakerMuseum]

@@larrybailey43 For those sorts of questions, reach out to our Archivist Andy at [e-mail]. He'll have the long answers to those questions.

[@lloydsaari431]

Stop the music in the background, as it drowns out the speech that is explaining details about the Car!!!!!!!!

[@albertcarello619]

We're now into the 4th year of the Pandemic with no end in sight and no hope at all.

[@ernestoclaudodip9671]

Boring , too long , 30 minutes was enough for the information.

[@StudebakerMuseum]

We are sorry that you did not enjoy the lecture. Since this was a live lecture, we are unable to shorten them.

[@Normageoff1]

@@StudebakerMuseum NOT BORING AND WELL PRESENTED ANDREW//

[@jj1047]

Awesome Presentation.... Thankful to come across this info !!!!! My Uncle has/had a '57 Silver Hawk. Thanx Jimmy

[@jj1047]

Well... Free Cheese ! Next presentation, shut r down@ 30 mins Whiney

[@lukesm5747]

I am not even a Studebaker fan and i found this lecture fascinating. Ok maybe not fascinating but anything but boring. The guy complaining must be an AMC fan.

[@lloydsaari431]

Stop the music in the background, as it drowns out the speech that is explaining details about the Car!!!!!!!!

[@lloydsaari431]

Stop the music in the background, as it drowns out the speech that is explaining details about the Car!!!!!!!!

[@lloydsaari431]

Stop the music in the background, as it drowns out the speech that is explaining details about the Car!!!!!!!!

[@StudebakerMuseum]

I'll have to see what we can do about that. That is the audio Studebaker put together with the image so I'll have to see if we are able to separate the audio and music tracks.