TASTEFULLY MODIFIED STUDE, 350 V8, TH350, DUALS, MUSTANG FRONT CLIP, R134 A/C!!

Studebaker Golden Hawk 1956 Description

Right before the end, Studebaker built some of the coolest hardware of the era, machines like this awesome 1956 Studebaker Golden Hawk. With famous Raymond Loewy lines that looked directly out of the future, this Hawk is at once instantly recognizable and outside the ordinary. If you're a member of the "dare to be different" club, this is the cruiser for you.Repainted in sophisticated pearl white, this Hawk looks fast just sitting still. Drawing inspiration from a variety of sources, it's a cool coupe that is every bit a match for its Thunderbird competition with a great deal more exclusivity. The original bodywork is unaltered and it's quite clean inside and out, and the subtle fins make it period perfect. Professional work on the finish ensures a deep, uniform shine and pretty good gaps for a car that just turned 61 years old, although there's some wear in those areas that's probably unavoidable. Note the slick details like the chrome strips running down the sides of the body, the faux hood scoop, and the stamped insert on the trunk lid that echoes the grille. You can even see some Austin-Healey in the sweep of the front fenders, and the sloping roofline was clearly borrowed from the Italians. It's rare to find one of these in any condition, and while this one has some age and use on it, it still brings traffic to a standstill when it shows up.The swinging '50s were running at full speed when this Stude was built, but this car has had a 21st century makeover inside. The tan bucket seats are wide and comfortable and there's a custom center console between them to make it feel sporting. The dash has been reworked and uses a cool fabric insert instead of wood or metal, and all the gauges are from VDO. The matching tan carpets are in good shape and include custom mats for protection, and there's plenty of room for four in the most stylish interior of the period. The original radio has been replaced by a cool AM/FM/CD head unit that sounds great thanks to a lot of sound-deadening materials working behind the scenes. There's also an under-dash A/C unit that's fully functional thanks to modern hardware and R134a refrigerant. The trunk is surprisingly large, making the Hawk a great car for long-distance touring, and it's been beautifully refinished to match the interior.Power comes from a Chevrolet 350 cubic inch V8, which is a significant step up over the Studebaker 289 that originally lived there. Virtually bulletproof, the small block offers plenty of performance that suits the sporty coupe quite nicely. It's nicely dressed in the bright engine bay, offering a no-nonsense look with a chrome open-element air cleaner feeding a 4-barrel carburetor on an aluminum intake. Aluminum valve covers, modern accessories, and a pair of stock ram's horn exhaust manifolds give it an OEM feel, and a custom dual exhaust system with mellow-sounding mufflers sounds flat-out awesome without getting annoying. The TH350 3-speed automatic transmission shifts well and the Ford 9-inch rear end is a nice fit on what appear to be the original springs. The front suspension has been upgraded to a Mustang II setup with power rack-and-pinion steering and disc brakes, and the rest of the chassis is in good order. Simple aluminum wheels don't distract from the gorgeous bodywork and carry fat blackwall radials that gives it a hunkered-down stance.Unusual, fast, and stylish, this Studebaker is a great alternative for the guy looking to make a statement. Call today!