1956 Studebaker golden hawk 
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- čas přidán 25. 08. 2024
- Saw this car at a local car show, just had to feature this 56 golden hawk on the channel . This episode we talk 56 hawk differences between all the four hawk offerings offered in 56. This was that only studebaker that used a packard v8. Packers engine plant was sold off studebaker used its own 289 in 57 also Consolidated the 4 hawk offerings into two hawk offerings for 57 model year.
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PS.... Beach Boys ''''LITTLE DUCE COUP ''''>>>>>>
Your right I’m going to do a line at the end of the videos won’t be beach boys all the time =) I’ll make it harder next time
That was hard ENOUGHT with
this '''OLD BRAIN '''' HAHAH... Good
stuff keep it coming ....
What it’s like because that’s what everyone wants to know it’s confusing because there’s more than one way to say it
What’s it like
What it’s like
Different spellings but essentially the same thing
Purchased a 1956 Golden Hawk in 1963 for $75 when I was a junior in High School. Drove it for one year, my senior year, then put it up on blocks in my fathers barn when I went to college. It sat their for 53 years before I sent it to a restoration shop in Winston Salem, NC. It now nearing completion. My car a number matching car and it is powered by a 1956 374 cu in Jet Streak Packard engine with Packard dual quad intake. Studebaker made 12 cars with the 374 cu in engine for the Los Angeles Car Show in 1956. Transmission is 3 speed with overdrive. I also have 1956 Studebaker factory air conditioning, power stearing, power windows and power brakes. The hubcaps are the optional 55 Speedster wire wheels. Only one 1956 Golden Hawk is known to have been sold with factory air, but it is believed their were two prototypes built. In 2019 another 1956 Golden Hawk with factory air was listed for sale in the UK.
Your car sounds awesome I didn’t know about the 12 cars with 374 thank you so much for sharing that story =)
What colors are the exterior and interior colors?
@@What.its.like. Original color was the white over yellow, I am having it painted Studebaker grey over black with matching interior. The car also has the tissue dispenser that fits under the glove box and the drivers side spot light.
Please share a video of your car, Mike, it sounds absolutely stunning !!!
@@CommercialVehicle I will when it is done, at this point all I get is pictures of the progress to completion. The engine and frame are together, body is done and waiting paint. Interior is done and will go in after the body is back on the frame. All the chrome is done and waiting for final assembly
👍 👍 👍 👍 👍 👍
It is incredible how cheap these cars were at the time where you bought one.
Same in Europe. You could buy big Mercedes 300, Porsches 365 or the wonderful BMW V 8 s for more or less nothing. Even a BMW 507 or a
Mercedes 300 SL was available for 10 - 20 000 DM. Nobody wanted these vehicules die to high maintanance costs.
One of my friends had bought a Maserati 3500 GT but only because he could maintain this phantastic car himself. 😂
Good luck with your beautiful Hawk. Crusing must be phantastic. 👏
Greetings from GERMANY, where the government is discussing a new law which does not allow driving vintage cars on public roads. 😱
The '55 Studebaker President Speedster, and '56 Studebacker Golden Hawk have been my dream cars since I was 5 years old and they were my most prized Dinky die-casts - played with gently so as not to scratch (didn't work).
They are, in my opinion, the most beautiful production cars ever released during America's golden era of automotive design.
Stunning pieces of rolling art.
Totally agree they aged really well 58 Edsel aged well.. I don’t think the Bugatti veyron is aging well
@@What.its.like. Interesting observation there on the Veyron...Upon its release I thought it was breathtakingly stunning (sexy in that way that only a car can be). Nowadays, not so much.
The real veyrons are starting to look like kit cars, I liked them when they first came out (I’d never ever even if I had the money would own one) I never saw the fascination of buying something to just throw endless amounts of money at it. Could you imagine the money it would cost to keep that up and running for 20 years? I like the classics vintage some exotics lots of orphan cars =) especially cars off the beaten path
In the early 60's I was driving past an ex-U.S.A.F. base, now owned by some East Anglia, Travellers. Just a few yards inside the gate, sideways on, was the most beautiful shaped car I had ever seen. I braked hard, reversed back , got out and forced my way through the hedge, as the gate was shut, and rushed over to see what the car was. From everywhere the travellers came out shouting "We knew that one would stop yer", laughing as they came over and told me that it was a Stoodlebaker Champion. (Those travellers from East Anglia had their own words).Whatever it was, I had to have it. The vanguard I was using I had bought from them, so part-exchanged it for the Studebaker Champion which it turned out to be, a 1953 model. It wasn't running so they agreed to ship it 20 miles to my small garage the following Saturday and told me to keep the Vanguard till I had got the Stoodlebaker going. Two weeks later I was driving it around and all the U.S car enthusiasts were pestering me to sell it. No way, it was a stunner!. Interesting footnote.....I found a U.S.A.F. Dog-tag in the boot, titled "Nehemiah Storey". The previous owner, I hope he made it back to America safely,!
Awesome story do you still have the car. Met a guy with 53 champion which will be on the channel soon leaving for vacay tomorrow still be doing videos while on vacay =) I went to an awesome cars show and can’t wait to get home so can feature the awesome cars today (I didn’t shoot any going to shoot those when I get home(
The Studebaker Golden Hawk is one of my all time favorites!
Mine too
The vacuum gauge measures the intake manifold pressure as a measure of how aggressively you were working the throttle. When you mash the throttle, the intake manifold pressure drops because the throttle plate in the carburetor goes wide open to give the engine all the air/gas mixture it needs for maximum power. When you close the throttle the manifold vacuum rises because the engine is trying to pump in more air/gas mixture but the throttle plate is closed resulting in a relative vacuum in the intake manifold.
The 1-2 switch is to select whether you want the front or rear radio speakers on.
Thank you so much for that explanation =)
Those of us who remember vacuum powered windshield wipers remember the wipers slowing down when we stepped on the gas.
Yes, A vacuum gauge. If it was a manifold pressure gauge it would tell you the pressure. When you open the throttle the vacuum decreases and the pressure increases. As it is in the video it says 0 and that is 0 vacuum. If it was a pressure gauge it would say about 30 with the engine off and would drop after the engine started.
On a 1962-1963 Olds Jetfire the gauge reads both vacuum and boost pressure as seen in this video. This vehicle is enhanced... as factory stock they didn't peg the boost part, only about half of it:
czcams.com/video/Jzw5W1rRMog/video.html
It's 1956, and I'm 8 years old playing with my friends when a neighbor pulls up in this new Golden Hawk. He gives us boys a tour and then puts the car in his garage. I'm excited and race home to tell my parents about our neighbor's new car. Me, "Mom, Dad, Mr. Smith just bought a Golden Hawk!" Mom, "I sure hope he keeps that bird in a cage." Such was life back then.
What an awesome story it really made me laugh.. I was born way too late I wish I would’ve grew up back then..
Cars nowadays are so generic and built like appliances despite how expensive they are. And they’re just plain boring the 50s is my favorite generation it always was.. the moment I saw wide white wall tires on a teal car with fins I was hooked, cars is all I ever talked about.. I especially love the lost forgotten not often talked about orphan cars. They are my favorites =)
A guy that my dad worked with decades ago had a Studebaker Golden Hawk & a Studebaker station wagon with the roll back roof!!!! Thanks for sharing this fun video!!! 👍👍
I want to do some Studebaker wagon Studebaker truck hopefully soon =)
@@What.its.like. that will be very cool!! 😎
The Golden Hawk is one of my favorite cars
Mine too if I was only allowed to have one 50s car 57 golden hawk would be the car I’d have
The middle gauge is probably a vacumm gauge. It would help you monitor fuel consumption- higher engine vacuum means lower throttle setting which equates to lower fuel usage. That was a popular add on in the 50's and 60's.
I'm not sure whether this was factory installed or aftermarket. It was easy to cut a hole in the dash and the plumbing was simple to connect, just a rubber tube. I did this with several of my cars in the 60s and 70s. Andy
Dad loved Studebaker, we had three growing up. I learned to drive on a '53 Commander V/8, three on the tree. Dad let me put 3in lowering blocks and spun aluminum lake hub caps and dual glass packs on her. That 1953 Loewy Coupe design was way ahead of its time. It was clean and simple before all the chrome and do-dads were added, it's the one I wish was still in the garage. Our last was a '56 Golden Hawk. A Muscle Car before the Muscle Cars. I was king of the Pack in '58. Ahh the memories. Keep 'em alive.
Awesome thank you for sharing those memories
The lower dash switch is a speaker selector switch- it let you choose front speaker only, rear speaker only or both speakers. This car was built way before stereophonic systems. In 1956 there were not even FM stereo radio stations and absolutely no AM. Being able to balance the radio sound from front to rear was a novelty- my parents 1968 LTD had it. True stereophonic radios and tape players expanded this idea by allowing panning side to side and balance front to rear.
Awesome thank you so much =)
The "H" is silent in Pelham. Two movies made called the Taking of Pelham 1-2-3. The Golden Hawk was masterpiece in styling! In fact Studebaker's just had a "refreshing look" overall. There was lots of chrome, but very well balanced. Wrap around glass and that window at the "c" pillar had that "aloofness" about it. Standing still, the car looked like it was moving. Great video of these far & in between gems.
Thank you so much for that correction
Glad you dig this channel =)
A neighbor back in the late 60s had a friend with a Golden Hawk, it was a beautiful car. It had Aviation type gauges and switches.
Love the dash board only critique that I have is I wish the speed and rpm gauges were bigger
Wow! Impressive! A beautiful 56 Golden Hawk! Powered by Packard!!
It was the only car studebaker made using packard engine and transmission, the packard plant that built packard engines was sold to Curtis, not sure when but it was another nail in the coffin for packard.
Great memories for me, I grew up with my grandmother driving a 1953 Studebaker 4 door champion, 3 speed manual on the column, starter button on the floor. Spent many hours riding all over town with her.
Awesome story thank you you so much for sharing =)
Little Duce Coup, the Beach Boys. I remember seeing a large newspaper add announcing the Golden Hawk in 1955. I loved the whole run. Thanks for showing it. ❤🎉😊
Golden hawk is one of my favorite cars of all time
For its time, this car was so revolutionary. Back in the 60s, my grandfather loved to race and he used a Studebaker similar to this one on a number of occasions. Unfortunately, he wound up blowing the motor due to his reckless shenanigans. It broke my poor grandmother's heart. It's so nice to see these videos to show just how beautiful these vehicles truly were and still are. Thanks for the upload! 👌
That was a great story until he blew it up, that’s sad but glad you got to enjoy the car I’m hoping by the end of the summer I can at least drive one I wanna drive a 57 or 58. =) I drove a Thunderbird I haven’t drove a vette from this era.. the corvettes from this era are tight and seating is really up right steering wheel is practically in chest.
That's a beautiful example. Those cars were every bit as attractive as anything from the Big 3. The Vacuum Gauge indicates vacuum in the intake manifold. At wide open throttle the vacuum drops, the needle would indicate in the red zone. At partial throttle or steady state driving the vacuum is higher and the needle of the gauge would be in the green zone. BMW even used this recently in their cars, but no color coding, just inches of vacuum. The knob below the radio is probably a switch for front/rear speaker and possibly reverb.
Thank you so much for knowing and sharing that information =)
The vacuum gauge was intended to supply information for the mileage conscious drivers. Keep your acceleration and driving habits in the lower part of the green and you achieve peak miles per gallon of driving economy. All makers flirted with that concept for a model year or two with GM even offering it as an option in lieu of a tachometer on Impalas in 65 with it being about 5" round and mounted in a nacelle angled slightly towards driver on the floor consul in front of the auto shift lever.
@@brustar5152 I remember some cars in the 1970's had a vacuum gauge as a result of high gas prices. They helped drivers learn to be gentler on the accelerator, so they could get better fuel economy, but of course, even if you're easy on the gas pedal, your economy wouldn't improve much. It was more to make the driver feel better.
@@brustar5152 Former '56 Golden Hawk owner here. NO vacuum gauge in the '57.
Really the start of the whole personal luxury segment...a sporty and masculine symbol of success. The '58 Tbird is usually credited with it but this was first. Would love one with the Packard engine...nothing says luxury like a mountain of torque.
Totally agree =) the thunderbird floor position over the floor position of this car are night and day..the golden hawk should be recognized as first personal luxury car because there is nothing luxurious about driving a 56 thunderbird especially if one is 6 foot tall.
@@What.its.like. The original T-Birds were *TINY!*
You did very well covering the Hawk. You said tachometer-perfect!
Check your 0 to 60 time. It was 8.7 seconds.
The coupe style originated in 1953 when the famous Loewy coupe was introduced (actually designed by Robert E. Bourke).
I'd like to see your documentation regarding an AM/FM radio option. Studebaker first offered a Delco AM/FM radio as an option in 1964. Most American car manufacturers offered AM/FM in 1962 or 1963, depending on what source you are referencing.
Thank you so much for those corrections I saw different 0-60 numbers 8.7 in text 9.2 was that other figure I saw
With 275 HP and proper gearing top speed of a Hawk had to be closer to 150 MPH !!!
Al Stirbens: Truly a muscle car with 8.7 seconds 0 to 60 time could outrun many from a standstill to 60 from a stoplight turned green at full throttle.
@@BuzzLOLOL EASILY!!!! Faster from a stand start than many other makes and models of cars. Even much faster than previous older Packards.
Despite its mid-century appearance, fonts of the gauges are still simple and modern design ones seen in Bauhaus design. I think this is a case of Studebaker's company policy that they preferred practical and legible fonts where human interface was required.
Plus it was cheaper to buy off-the-shelf Stewart-Warner gauges than having them custom manufactured like many other companies did. When not manufactured for sale under the Stewart-Warner brand, they left the logo off.
@@automatedelectronics6062 Wow, thank you very much for the useful info. I didn't know that.
1956 Desoto had a similar gauge setup. Even if it was cheaper, it looked elegant and timeless. My 63 Hawk Gran Turismo had the same gauges mounted in a wood panel. Simple. elegant.
What is the 63 hawk gt like what does it ride like ?
@@What.its.like. TBH it was a long time ago (late 70s?), lol, had it when I had my learners' permit. (the 55 Dodge was in a barn with a bad transmission) I drove it to school. It had like 90,000 miles, had underbody rust (NYS), but I thought it was the most beautiful car ever.
It came across as very European for those days, a little narrower than contemporary cars. Wood steering wheel, wood instrument panel, complete gauge group, rolled Naugahyde (or high-quality vinyl) dashboard and bucket seats. It had a 289 4bbl, dual exhausts, and sounded heavenly. Deep rumble, just loud enough to hear, but never loud and obnoxious.
Can't recall anything specific about driving, other than it didn't wallow as much as other cars, having the smaller block Stude engine rather than heavy Packard one. It was just fun to drive, seating position was perfect. I'd say it was almost Mercedes-like in feel and execution. Maybe not quite the quality, but not bad. It was pretty tired, though, I bought it for $500. Wouldn't pass inspection without a lot of work, so I had to sell it
Total Studebaker production is of all car models , not just the hawk line The 4 models of hawk, accounted for about 19,000 cars in 1956. Also to note, not only having used fiberglass and aluminum in the dash the moldings are stainless, not chrome pot metal . Stainless was used for outside door handles and locks also.
The latter half of the 1950s was bad for Studes as far as the business end went. When the Lark came out it did get them a temporary reprieve, otherwise they likely would have shut their doors in 1958 when Packard did. A sad end indeed.
As a Canadian I've always been proud that Studebaker held on a little longer in the great white north. Their is something wrong in the disappearance of Studebaker & Packard. Studebaker built American cars with personality and beauty & Packard built the famous Merlin Engine under license from Rolls Royce. Darn it, they deserved to live and America & Canada should have moved heaven & earth to see that they thrived. As it turned out Americans fell over themselves welcoming cars from Japan, yet their government stood by and let famous quality automotive names disappear. Shame on Canada, they were no better.
Yeah no one talks about how WWII killed packard.. before the was packed was building world class luxury cars, I would take a packard over any rolls Royce of the period, or ever frankly. Packard is class something a gentleman drives. Packard goes to war and builds the Merlin v12 under contract, packard was one of the unsung hero’s of WWII (in my opinion) but after the war they couldn’t change with the market it was like night and day. Buyer wanted new innovative cars packard didn’t change with the market, they didn’t have a V8 until 1955 in the Caribbean (which was there last great car swan song) but it was a little too late after 56 packard was basically rebadged studebaker
My uncle Jim RIP had a 57 Golden Hawk. As a small 6 year old kid I loved that car. It looked good, it sounded really Good, and was really FAST!
57 golden hawk is one of my all-time favorite cars I hope to review one this year =)
The gauge that went from 0-30 is a vacuum gauge, the other is a reverb kinda like bass on today's cars.
Awesome thank you =)
Great video! The Hawks were gorgeous and serious performers in full-spec trim. You had me singing along there at the end. I stopped when my dog howled, but maybe she's a Beach Boys fan, so I may owe her a biscuit and a duet.
That’s awesome it was all in key lol I haven’t sang in years would like to get my voice back name that tune will be at the end of these videos now for fun =)
I learned to drive in a White Studebaker Golden Hawk. It had a Packard engine, fins and a plaque on the swirled metal dash saying it was made for someone in Texas. It may have had a supercharger? My mother's boyfriend had it. I was learning with him to stick shift. Going around a corner it started to "chug" so he said give it gas. I stomped on the accelerator and it left one or two black stripes where the tires smoked and spun. I think he complained about the valve covers being held on by large screws? A very pretty automobile.
One of the most underrated cars of all time =)
Pelham would be pronounced Pellam in England. Other countries might silence the H less, but never to the point of Pell Ham. All Studies post 53 were upgrades / facelifts on the 53 chassis and body with the exception of the fibreglass Avanti body. I too was surprised to see a vacuum/boost gauge on an unsupercharged car. The knob under the dash was likely the balance control between front/rear speakers. The song sounded like Little Deuce Coupe. I too like Studebakers!
I love studebakers golden hawk is one of my top 5 favorite cars I like 57 styling the most. I always liked 55-57 thunderbirds, and was disappointed when I drove a thunderbird earlier this year because I didn’t fit in one that well. This car 56 golden hawk driver position is perfect. (I wanted to get in the back seat but he had a lot back there, when I do these cars they are usually at a classic car dealership and I can go through whatever I want to but this car I saw at a car show, so it’s different) I’m a huge beach boys fan I have all the albums up to smile and smile. Beach boys today is my favorite album followed by shutdown album and little deuce coupe. I’ll sing a line at the end (if I can, for name that tune. I used to be able to sing both mike loves bass and Brian Wilson’s falsetto. But never did anything with it stopped singing when I got married. I was the shy kid in school.
Loved the vid! My first car out of HS (1963) was a '56 Flight Hawk with 100k miles on the odo. With these Studees 100k was just the break-in period!! It was heavy and slow, but I didn't care, it was my first car! Still have fond memories of that old tank !!!!
Awesome memory thank you so much for sharing =)
My Dad had a '48 Champ and a '57 Superhawk. The electric overdrive was the best feature.
1957 Studebaker golden hawk is one of the most beautiful design Cars of all time in my opinion and vastly underrated.
No super hawks in 57, only silver and gold
Fun fact - Studebaker/Packard were also importing Mercedes Benz cars at the time, hence why the 1956 - 1964 "Hawks" had the front end re-designed from the original 1953-1955 models to closer resemble the Mercedes features, especially the front grille. Studebaker carried over the looks to the Lark as well.
If you can find a 1964 model Hawk, I'd like to see that!
Awesome information thank you so much for sharing
My great uncle was a huge studebaker fan he passed away in 08 he had 3 two champions and a 63 or 64 hawk gran Turismo.. I never saw it don’t know whatever became of it, it was a project from what I remember yeah I plan on doing 57 golden hawk hopefully this year I would love to drive one. I’ll look for a 64 Studebaker hawk gt
@@What.its.like. That would be awesome.
@@What.its.like. czcams.com/video/hYjcy9tFgZw/video.html Here's the Studebaker Museaum.
Like Packards, this was another one of my adolescent dream cars in 1956 I was four years old, but as time went on in 1960 and '62 I became aware of these cars and their specs. A 352 with 275-hp and was one of the fastest cars in 1956! In comparison, in 1956 the Corvette just got a 265 V8 with maybe 225-hp if it were a Power Pack V8 the top-of-the-line in engine selection at the time.
This car was one of the fastest cars in 56 super underrated 57 golden hawk was even faster and handles better the 56 tended to nose dive because of the weight of the 352 packard v8
I think the center gauge measures manifold vacuum. It’s used as an economy gauge, helps you to drive more economically.
Awesome thank you =)
Vacuum gauge for sure, All 90 to 2002 Mercedes SL's also have the vacuum gauge . No idea why, it just tells you when you burning a lot of gas, something you already know with your heavy foot. Great episode, I had a 57 President with a 289, surprised everyone with its speed. I remember sitting in the new Hawks in the showroom as a kid. The dealership was next door to my fathers business. We knew everyone who worked in the dealership very well, and I went over there to drool every chance I got. I also remember when the Avanti hit the showroom in 62 I think. They had an Avanti and a Grand Turismo Hawk sitting in the show room side by side, decisions..decisions...Ah the dreams of youth...LOL thanks for the trip down memory lane...
I wish I could have grown up then =)
it’s sad it wasn’t enough all the hard work studebaker did to try to make it.. from what I’ve read studebaker didn’t go out of business they just stopped making cars, which is kinda sort of the same thing lol
Absolutely gorgeous ✅
Hello, would anybody know how to track down a 1956 studebaker goldenhawk. All I know is the original owners name, what state it was purchased and registered in and the color of the car. It was my grandfathers car. My mom brought it down to florida and sold in around 1986 in new smyrna beach. The interior was in mint condition and the outside had what looked lite a shark bit on the fin. I would love to find this car and hope its still around. It was given to me but we needed money to pay rent and eat so mom sold it. man I wish I had it or could relocate it. thank you if any one can help. chris p
Hi, the milkman in my area had a red Studebaker Pick Up truck. I think that was about 55 years ago, when I still lived in the Netherlands. I was clearly impressed, because I still remember! There was also a Silver Hawk driving around, a very nice car. I don't remember if that was at the same time.
ALL Ultramatics only had TWO speeds forward, 1949-53 operated like a Buick Dynaflow, but with the addition of a lock-up "Direct Drive" torque converter. 1954-55 added automatic upshift from lo to high, and as always, automatic torque converter lock-up. In 1954, it was known as the "Gear Start" Ultramatic Drive and in 1955, the name was changed to Twin-Ultramatic Drive. Through 1955, Ultramatics had cast-iron cases. Improvements were made along the way, but John DeLorean became involved in 1955 to improve the Twin-Ultramatic Drive for better acceleration and reliability.
Then, the big change came. In 1956, although still only having 2 forward speeds, the formerly iron case was now made out of aluminum. Cars with twin-4 barrel carbs had a higher stall, still lock-up, torque converters. This aided in better take-off. As a side note, although never lock-up, Buick added a variable pitch stator to accomplish the same thing as well as as enhanced passing mode.
It's hard to believe that the Goden Hawk would have a Twin-Ultramatic Drive as it was not the current Packard transmission. Maybe they had some back stock to us up. Studebaker did like cast-iron cased automatics and used them until changing to Chevy drive trains with Powerglides, which were also made of aluminum and the 2nd time Studebaker used a 2-speed automatic.
Since 1951 until the 1960's change to Chevy drivetrains, other Studebakers had Borg-Warner 3-speed automatics. It's true that they started in 2nd gear like the original Ford-O-Matics, but the Fords would start in 1st gear with the pedal floored, starting in 1956, but Studebakers did NOT. Ford-O-Matics were like Borg-Warner automatics , in function, but they were different and parts were not interchangeable. Rambler used B-W automatics until they change to Mopar Torque Flites in 1971, but they couldn't exchange parts either. Ford did have cast-iron Cruise-O-Matics available until the late-70's, but most were B-W 's known as the FMX or MX.
The center gauge is a vacuum gauge to measure from full power, to the best economy and to deceleration. Very handy gauge.
Thank you so much for that correction the owner thought that it was a three speed up and told me it worked a lot like Ford’s cruise O-Matic I just took his word for it This was the only Studebaker that use the twin ultra Matic because it also use Packards V-8 the other hawk versions used studebakers automatic and then and 57 used studebaker trans this was the only car that was built using parts from both Packard and studebaker =)
If you notice when the focus of the camera is on the gear selector indicator, there are two diamond-shaped marks on either side of the 'D'. When the selector is located on the diamond to the left, the transmission starts the car in 2nd and then will shift into 3rd (one shift). If the the selector is located on the diamond to the right, the transmission starts in low, shifts to 2nd, then to 3rd (two shifts). I think that there is another video on CZcams by 56sghor that shows this...the title has something like golden hawk road test, or something like that.
After finding the video I mentioned above, one of the comments noted that the torque converter lock-up gives THE IMPRESSION that the transmission has three forward speeds, when in reality there are just TWO. I stand corrected.
I thought it was a 3 speed too google wasn’t straight forward with was the twin ultra matic a two speed or three speed. Different information across the board.. that’s what this channel is for learning and keeping the information about these cars alive. Seeing them out in the wild is totally different than seeing them in a museum.
@@What.its.like. Look it up on Wikipedia, they have a good explanation of most any transmissions, including the Ultramatics.
The way the lock-up torque converters are supposed to apply is when the front and rear elements are close to spinning at the same speed. It is supposed to not be felt. "Modern" transmissions like the first generation Ford AOD didn't have a traditional lock-up TQ, when 4th gear applied, it also locked the drive portion of the TQ to the overdrive input shaft. Ford called it "split-path". Cars of the 80's had either pressure switches which engaged the lock-up, and when the transmissions were electronically computer controlled, they would pulse the L-U clutch and you couldn't feel the application. Only watching the tachometer could you realize the L-U. With the introduction of the new front wheel drive Cadillacs in 1984, they had a viscous clutch(like a fan clutch) which absorbed any sense of the TQ locking up. The early Borg-Warner automatics had lock-up torque converters, but it was discontinued. There was another 2-speed automatic built by Detroit Gear(soon absorbed by B-W). If you find a mid-to-late 50's Jaguar with automatic transmission, it was made by Detroit Gear. On the dash of those Jaguars, there was a switch marked "Second Gear Hold". This turned the lock-up of the torque converter off.
Back in the Day a Buddy of Mine had a Studebaker 4 Door with
i think it had a 283 in it what a TANK .... Good TIMES ....
The hood was so heavy.. best driving position of any 50s car I’ve been in so far (I’ve been in 35, 50s cars so far) 57 is my favorite as styling goes
If it had a 283 it was a 65 or 66 built in Canada.
Thanks ,,,,,
Though most people like the 57 model year designs of the big three best, 56 model year cars in many ways seem to be becoming my favorite now , a bit less over the top and smaller.
Huge difference across the board 56 to 57, I agree some of the best cars ever made were made in 56, 57 studebaker golden hawk is definitely top 5 for me.
I think that knob under the radio might be an after market reverb that slightly delayed the rear speaker for a unique sound. In the pre-stereo age it was cool. Put one in my first car.
Thank you so much =)
I REALLY ENJOY YOUR VIDEOS
Thank you it means a lot. =) believe it or not their are some that are subscribed to thumbs down every video I make.. I know who they are, I don’t let them get to me life is too short. Same people are the grumpy ones in this hobby this channels for those who know nothing about cars and want to get into this hobby. =) I’m glad you dig this channel
I have the 1957 version of the Golden Hawk. Metallic Blue, White Fins, Supercharged 289, 3 speed with overdrive. 4:30 rear gears for take off, big fins for straight line stability!!!!!
That’s awesome just curious are you close to Pennsylvania
Maybe a little better explanation of the vacuum gauge would be that it is sort of an fuel economy gauge. When you are accelerating you press on the gas pedal which in turn draws in more air and fuel, the needle would indicate that by moving to the red zone. At part throttle the vacuum in the intake manifold is higher and the engine is not consuming as much air and fuel, the needle would be in the green zone.
Thank you so much for that information and explanation =)
Mark, ... yeah, I agree, you have the best explanation... I actually had one called a 'Gas-O-Meter'... all it was, was a vacuum meter attached to the intake manifold ...And, yes if I jammed down on the pedal it would read something like 'Poor Mileage' ... Just idol might have read 'Good Mileage' ....So, I learned to be a little more self conscience of my driving habits... The gage should be in every car / truck today at our high price of gas.....
If car companies cared about gas prices they would bring back free wheeling.., but then again some people would think their car stopped working when it got to the bottom of the hill and inertia ran out just sitting there reving and not going anywhere call AAA and get it towed out of there. I drive in neutral all the time sometimes I even turn the car off while in neutral.. leave key in on position still have steering manual steering. I will say don’t do it to a new car and one will run out of brake pressure because lack of vacuum pressure which comes from the engine while running. No lie I coasted 3 miles home the other day with car in neutral shut off (this van has 252,000 miles that 2001 jalopy I reviewed for the channel months ago) I live out in the country I wouldn’t do this in the city. I was thinking of going back to mechanical brakes then one wouldn’t need vacuum pressure to operate breaks.. it’s an idea
.... What's it like...., Your comment reminded me of a car named RollsCanHardly ..... That car would 'Rolls' down the hill, and 'CanHardly' get up the other side ... XP
When AMC put a vacuum gauge in its late '70s & early '80s cars they labeled it as a "Power Gauge" or something similar & silly! AMC's from that era have a great optional gauge package.
LITTLE DEUCE COUPE The way the TWIN ULTRAMATIC operates: LO-holds 1st from start, D1- normal3 speed automatic, D2- starts off in 2nd advances to 3rd. Pulling back into LO at moderate speed goes down to 2nd, reducing speed till 1st kicked in at lower speed. Love mine! Note: 55 NASH Made excellent use behind their 320 cu in V8.
You got the song title thank you so much for that information=)
❤ I had a 55 champion with a 56 golden hawk engine. 3speed stick in the floor with over drive.
I'd do anything to have my car back. I was 17, 1960. Tha cops couldn't touch me. Never got a ticket, never got cought. I'm 80 years old now, and if God let me, I'll own another one and will never let it go.
Your car sounds awesome golden hawks can be had they’re out there and they’re not that expensive all things considered, I realize he did an engine swap on a 55 Champion but you know it’s never too late
I went to Hershey over this past weekend and I saw one of my friends there who is going to be 90 he drove his 51 Hudson hornet to the show he lives in Pittsburgh so it’s four hours for us =)
Another great video! It is a shame that Studebaker didn’t last too long, they were wacky cars, but they embodied the 50s and the 60s. They were the odd balls! The variety of cars you continue to provide on the channel is great! Keep it up! I’ve been enjoying these thoroughly!
Thank you so much it means a lot I have 10 cars in the pipeline going to start getting into the 80s soon I love the 50s cars but need to start expanding horizons with different eras.. =) I want to get into 30s era cars too
I think that’s a great idea! The knowledge that you provide is very helpful, and with newer cars too!
Studebaker actually got their start in 1852 (they started out making horse-drawn wagons) and continued up until 1966 (64 being the last production year in South Bend, IN and the last two years in Canada)... so Studebaker actually lasted over 100 years. My dad has owned several Studebakers for as long as I can remember. My favorite one he owns is his 1964 Studebaker Daytona R1 Convertible :)
In 1952 Studebaker was the first automobile maker to reach it's centennial anniversary and they thought that 1953 would be like 1947, when Studebaker introduced its first postwar designs that were highly successful, it was understandably management thought Studebaker was likely going to produce 350,000 cars and trucks for the model year. It placed particular hopes of course on the dramatically-styled new passenger cars designed by the Raymond Loewy and Associates. That so much could go wrong so quickly was unprecedented in the annuals of the car industry.
When announcing the new 1953 models, the company cited their low lines, reduced center of gravity, improved weight distribution and redesigned suspension. Visibility, which was improved by around 33 percent over the 1952 models, was also noted, as the mechanical power steering unit. This latter item was Studebaker's answer to the trend toward power steering systems in the industry that had been sparked by Chrysler's first use of the technology in 1951. The Studebaker unit was, however, entirely mechanical in nature. In other words, it made no use of hydraulics as did other units on the market. Studebaker naturally claimed this as an advantage and the system well enough in practice, but it was too expensive to manufacture and soon was discontinued in favor of the GM-sourced Saginaw type.
The existence of two power steering systems was the least of Studebaker's problems, though. Studebaker had built two entirely new lines of cars for 1953, the coupes and sedans shared very little other than their basic power-train and odd pieces of trim. The reason this situation came about stemmed from the fact that the coupes were not supposed to have existed at all.
The original design program included only the body shell from which the sedans were built. Bob Bourke, working completely on his own in the styling studio, began the coupe sometime during 1951. Raymond Loewy saw it on one of his periodic trips to South Bend , and liked it, encouraged its development and, eventually, touted it to Harold Vance, who also like it, too. Vance may have been a manufacturing guy there were some people who thought that he was dull and not too imaginative in many respects, but he had a certain appreciation for good design. In fact, Vance like the coupe a lot and ordered its production. But, then the question arose of what to do with the other 1953 design that was being developed for the bread-and-butter sedan range. The two had to conform in looks. Since Loewy and Bourke were steadfast in their insistence that the coupe not be changed one iota from Bourke's final clay, design it was the sedan range that had to be modified. Unfortunately, adding the coupe's design cues after the fact to the sedans proved disastrous. The sedans turned out to be every bit as unappealing as the coupes were stunning.
If styling had been the end of it, the company might have been able to limit the damage. Alas, engineering and manufacturing systems in place at South Bend turned out to be utterly incapable of handling the complex demands of building two different lines of cars at the same time.
To begin with, the assembly plant was simply not able to process all those parts. Bottlenecks developed from the first and grew so impossible that a new conveyor belt system had to be installed at a cost of two-thirds of a million dollars -- but only after millions more had been lost due to production delays. And, of course, this chaotic situation did absolutely nothing to promote the quality of the early cars that were built and whose reputation for fit and finish was, to be kind about it, not good.
Even worse, South Bend's engineering and manufacturing people were swamped by the need to make all those different body parts go together on the same chassis. A system was in place for assuring such things, but it broke down under the strain. This unhappy fact became apparent in the most calamitous way imaginable when components for the first coupe body moved down the assembly line...and would NOT fit!! As a consequence, the coupe had to be partially re-engineered in a crash program and at enormous additional expense. Meanwhile, still more sales were lost. Worse of all Harold Vance and his management team had no concept of how popular the coupes would be. They based 1953 production schedules on the level of sales recorded in 1952 when the coupes and hardtops had accounted for about one quarter of the total. By the end of the 1953 model run, the coupes were hitting 80 percent of production, in part because of the dreadful sales of the sedans, but also due to their own immense appeal. Yet, throughout the model year, the coupes were in desperately short supply and, without question, tens of thousands of sales were lost simply because the factory couldn't build them fast enough.
As a direct result of this mushrooming nightmare, Studebaker stumbled along for half the model year before it finally recorded its first monthly profit in April. Paul Hoffman hastily returned to South Bend in February to pitch in. On March 1st, he formally resumed a position as an officer, this time as chairman of the board, although it was announced that he would work in South Bend only on a part-time basis. Vance retained the title of president and chief executive officer.
Then, in May, a strike at Borg-Warner suddenly cut-off the supply of manual transmissions, which were still a very popular item with Studebaker buyers and production schedules had to be repeatedly cut back again. South Bend did not regain profitable production levels until July. Along the way Studebaker lost forty-four dealerships owing directly to its inability to supply adequate quantities of cars.
When the smoke cleared, a total of 186,000 cars had been built. This was more than the number built in 1952, to be sure, but nowhere near the number that could have been built. Studebaker recorded a miserable profit of only $2.7 million for the calendar year--none of it, significantly, from the automotive operations. The situation was far worse than even that, however, for much of Studebaker's expenses in 1953 had been amortized. Its cash position fell to crisis level as the year staggered on and the company would have faced insolvency had it not been able to draw down a $100 million line-of-credit connected to its defense contracts.
Thus, only a few months after Hoffman and Vance had indulged in their self-congratulatory at Studebaker's centennial dinner, they found themselves once again staring wide-eyed into the dark abyss.
Studebaker sure did make trucks, and they supplied a ton during WW2. I've heard they supplied the Russians with so many that for a long time the word for truck in Russian was "Studebaker" .
IN 1957 THE Golden Hawk was the first muscle car at 275 Hp from it's supercharged 289 Cid engine and a four speed trans.
Don Olson: It was one of the fastest cars of that time . Also still fast with the Flightomatic Transmission. That transmission would start out in second gear in "D" range and full throttle from a stand start it would then start in first gear and hold first gear at full throttle up to about 45 miles per hour. Kickdown from second to first gear at full throttle can be had below 25 miles an hour.
. .. . great post! . . . most beautiful car ever made . . .
57 is one of my favorite 50s cars.. absolutely nailed it with the styling hope to own one. Some day
The Ultramatic transmission was NOT a 3-speed transmission. It had TWO forward gears. It also had a 10-inch clutch in the torque converter that locked uip as the car accelerated past 20 mph. This gave the feeling of another gear, but it was simply the converter locking up.
Thank you so much for that correction =)
Found a good '57 sitting in a back yard surrounded by overgrowth , in 1978, Austin, Texas. Bought it for $300. Turned it for $1000 to a friend's brother (lowrider guy.) He didn't destroy it. He restored it. He drove it, rarely, for a few years until someone made him an offer he couldn't refuse. He even went with the original paint formulation. Beautiful "soft" looking car.
That’s a awesome story thank you so much for sharing on here =) glad he didn’t destroy it and kept it original
@@What.its.like. It was fun to find. And I found other cars & trucks. I worked foor the phone company. It's amazing what you can see from a pole in a backyard or alley easement.
BTW that gauge you didn't know what was? That's a vacuum gauge. It's purpose was, mainly to help with fuel economy. Keep it in the green & you're getting better mileage. Old trick borrowed from aviation. It's also a diagnostic tool If it bounces a lot at idle you could be having engine problems.
Vacuum gauge and rear speaker control knob. Keep the needle in the green for fuel mileage and little duce coupe u don't know what I got
Thank you =)
Great segment and excellent review. Am wondering how difficult it is to secure parts for these fine vehicles. Thanks again from a new subscriber.
Welcome to the channel =), I was taking to someone about that some day it’s hard to get exterior parts trim etc and mechanical parts are easier to find.
Agree that the central gauge is a vacuum gauge, they were occasionally used by different manufacturers on normally aspirated engines. I had one on one of my cars (was it one of my Olds?) labeled as a "Fuel Economy Gauge" so I'd guess that was the use in this case.
The button under the radio meant that it has the optional rear speaker, and it could be the fader/balance, or reverb. I had a 55 Dodge Royal Lancer that had rear speaker reverb (and Wonderbar, lol) - IIRC it had a separate tube-style amp for it. It was a form of simulated stereo. Somehow it would delay the signal to the rear speaker by a tiny amount to give a little depth. On full reverb, it would echo. The sound on those old tube style radios wasn't bad. When I was 14, I bombed around farm roads with the top down, and blasting "Crystal Blue Persuasion" on full reverb, loved it.
I also had a 1963 Studebaker Hawk Gran Turismo, and agree as well- beautiful seating position, and a European feel and handling. Yep, in high school I had weird cars, had to be different, while everyone else was driving clapped out first gen Mustangs and Camaros
Awesome story I love that song crystal blue persuasion tommy James and the Shondells
1965 Impala SS came with a vacuum gauge as standard; extra cost option to change it to a tachometer.
The metallic material no the door that looks like metal but is not, is called Mylar, it was used on doors, seats and dashboards in the fifties through the early 60's. It was a vinyl material that looked like Crome. In my grandfather's. top of the line 1959 Ford Galaxy 500 4 door it was used extensively. check it out..
Awesome thank you so much for that information
What a fantastic car. You have the transmission almost correct. The Ford-O-Matic started in second in the drive position and low gear by selecting it or by stabbing the accelerator to the floor, available thru '58. In '58 Ford announced the Cruse-O-Matic which had 2 drive selections. D2 (for second gear starts in bad weather) and D1 which started in first gear and then there was low (first gear only). With the Studebaker transmission, it was like the original Ford-O-Matic. Ford's was made by Borg Warner. A plain 2 speed automatic was offered by Ford with select engines starting in 1958. Gorgeous car the Studebaker Golden Hawk. The car it replaced was very attractive as well. Thanks for the review.
The speedster you pointed out was, to me, more beautiful than any of the Hawks. I believe I recall Wally Parks of Hot Rod Mag. saying, everyone of these coming out of South Bend will end up with a Chevy small block. They had a detailed feature on doing just that. I bought a 53 back in 66 but as most of my projects and goals, I never even got started.
I saw a 53 just the other day, my favorite is 57 58s are relatively the same, they are my favorite even tho the gt hawk that came later is probably the most refined, but I can see why you dig the 53. It’s an absolute sin (in my opinion) to put a Chevy engine in studebaker made a good v8 powerful too.. golden hawk could walk a thunderbird like it’s standing still (that’s why the song was little deuce coupe. If giving any car of the 1950s the 57-58 golden hawk is what I’d get. I love a lot of 50s cars... but I’d take this over anything else
@@What.its.like. Well, I guess you will hate this story but it is true. When a teen I had a friend who's day was a great mill right. This was 1957. My pal wrecked his 49 Merc and dad replaced it with a grey 54 stude. Dad put a 392 hemi in that Baker. I went off to the USAF and 4 years later worked for the VAARNG. There was and older guy there who was eat up with Studes. One day at weekend assembly this car I had told him so much about rolled into the yard. He bought it and painted it yellow. Daily driver for years.
Yeah I’ve been on both sides of it if it’s running run it. If not and that’s what it takes to get it back on the road. It’s no different then if I found a metropolitan roller I’d put a small hone motorcycle or Yamaha or even a Harley v2 in it sound good and have more power.
@@What.its.like. I once saw Boyd Cottington buy an orig. T and strip it to nothing to make a salt flat car for his wife to spin out in. I thought that was a sin. Gotta love dogs and cars. May have spelled his name wrong, sorry.
It is a Manifold vacuum gauge in the dash.
that's My lil duce coupe by "The Beach Boys" ?
Absolutely Beautiful Car Man!! 👍
While in high school in the middle 60's the 55 Chevy and Ford craze was taking hold. But one fellow class mate had one of these. The Chevy and Ford dudes laughed at him, but the car was total cool for those that could appreciate how unique and powerful this car was. The lines of design was so futuristic that this car was out of the mold of the Chevy and Ford class. I do know if this car belonged to him or his parents, but he did drive it to school and cruised a lot with it.
Man I’d love to show up with one of these back it the day it would be like tiring up in a tesla now (maybe not quite as big of a speed difference) but I’d love to go back in time with this or fuel injected 57 rambler rebel.. just to show most of the cool cars are underrated... =)
(It's a vacuum gauge.) Beautiful color combo and if only it were a stick. Then again, there's the '57. :)
=) 57 and 58 golden hawks is where it’s at but the 56 is no slouch either
Totally underrated! Andy
Totally agree
I want to drive a 57 or 58 that’s why I haven’t featured one yet..
The knob below the radio selects front, rear, or both speakers for the radio.
Thank you =)
Mystery gauge is a vacuum gauge. The wipers and likely other accessories operated on vacuum.
All these came with Electric wipers. The Vacuum gague is kind of like the Fuel Economy gague in a modern car-step on the gas and the vacuum (and the needle on the gague) goes way down, keep your foot out of it and the vacuum will stay on the high end.
My Pappy-Jack Shannon, who lived in Berwick, PA, was a Studebaker man and he had one of these, I was told. I grew up in Oklahoma and only saw him a couple of times. My family took a train trip there to visit once when I was 5. I learned about two things there that I had never seen before; Fire flies and Chocolate Soldiers.
The Golden Hawk is a very handsome automobile. Somehow, calling it a car just doesn't feel right.
Thank you so much for sharing that awesome story =)
I know a guy who has a 58' Silver Hawk. Has a Corvette motor and drivetrain in it. Neat car.
Silver hawks are cool couple years ago there was a golden hawk for sale owner passed away kids were selling the car he didn’t know what they had he was on Facebook marketplace five grand there is nothing wrong with it. It looked just as nice as the one in the video, $5k didn’t have 5K but I really wish I did it’s one of the cars that got away. Yes it’s not the supercharged model but Goldenhawks are getting expensive definitely in the top 5 50s cars that I’d like to own one day.
Power windows and seats were a President only option in 1956. AM radio was the only radio option with manual tuning and pushbutton radios available.
Awesome thank you so much for that added information =)
Another great informative video🙂
Little Deuce Coupe by the Beach Boys.
My uncle had a 57 Golden Hawk with hand controls due to polio. It just sat in the garage as far as I knew. My maternal grandfather was a big AMC fan and would regularly race around in an AMC Hornet or Gremlin .
My paternal grandfather had a 67 GTO and then a couple old Ford Falcons and he also had a very heavy foot on the throttle
awesome story thank you so much for sharing =)
@@What.its.like.
Oh, and our neighbor was an old guy and he always parked his V8 4 speed Studebaker Lark on the street. Sometimes he would peel out as he left. The dual exhaust sounded great too.
*'Center gauge is 'Inches of Manifold Pressure' and the smaller rotary-switch under the radio is a 'Fader' to mimic 'Stereo' sound by balancing 'bass & treble' from front to rear-speaker*
( *A 'Fader' was a 'must have' in the days of AM radio so you could 'crank it up' without overloading the dash speaker so it sounds like 'Rice Crispies'* )
*'Studebaker' was a fine marque that predated 'internal combustion' by decades of time*
*If you see 'Old Westerns' and see what was called a 'Conestoga Wagon' with the ribbed-canvas top...odds are good it was built by 'Studebaker' and they were $$$$ in their day...the equivalent of a 'new Cadillac'*
*They were 'optioned-out' too, w/special bedding with pre-cut and fitted-boards, a combination heat and cooking-stove with a specially designed flue, special lanterns, 'bug netting' for rolling-up the canvas when sleeping inside in summer, special water-containers w/spigots for washing, even collapsible 'bathing facilities'...you name it, Studebaker had it!*
( *No 'Wi-Fi' boosters though* )
New subscriber here. I just found it and the channel looks like it's going to be a really good'un!
Welcome to the Channel =)
This Studebaker had a unique design and styling,an icon of the 1950s,my late father owned a Studebaker Silver Hawk,a truly memorable car
Did you get to drive the silver hawk? =)
@@What.its.like. No unfortunately not I was only 6 years old,but it was a very powerful car.The guy who bought it from my dad overturned it during wet weather
Oh wow.. I’d take either silver hawk or golden hawk (that car is glorious in person and pictures frankly don’t do it justice)
I had a neighbor when l was a kid in the late 50s who had a Silver Hawk and a Golden Hawk.
That’s awesome did you get to ride in any of them
I own one of these beauties. They are great cars.
Awesome =) i’m gonna try my darndest to drive one this year.. If the Thunderbird was this it would have been great I really wanna compare the side-by-side don’t realize what it’s like to actually sit in the Thunderbird it’s totally different
My father owned a '57 Golden Hawk w/ a 374C.I. Packard V8 that he installed a S/C from a 289 engine w/ dual four barrel carbs and that car could get up and go. Quarter mile times were consistently in the low 12 second range. Pop loved to put his cars to the test. Little Duece Coupe is a well-worn favorite of us Boomers.
I’ve been called a boomer... =D that car sounds awesome do you still have it?
@@What.its.like. Sadly, no, he sold it before we moved to California, back in '69.
I wonder if that car is still out there
@@What.its.like. You never know.
Not quite the same car, but my father drove a 1962 Gran Turismo for a time. It looked a lot like this beauty but with a 1960s update. I always thought the front end was very classy.
I need to do one of those =)
For design, as far as I'm concerned the Golden Hawk had it right. Low, sleek and downright sporty. I almost bought a Hawk many years back. Interestingly, it had 4-on-the-floor. The problem with it is that it was repainted and whoever did it did a terrible job. Judging from what you said, it seems that the tranny came out of something else.
I was wrong about the ultra matic it’s a two speed not 3 speed ultra matic uses a locking converter past a certain speed and the lock up feels like a gear shifting.
Little Deuce coupe. Had a 53 Commander 232 cubic inch V8 automatic. Much like this car. Cost $125 in 19 66
The inches gauge was probably for manifold vacuum. Low vacuum when cruising could indicate poor mileage or need for a tuneup
=)
Beach boy, Little Duce Coupe. The middle guage was a manifold pressure guage or more a properly vacuum guage. If you kept your vacuum high, you get better millage. Pedal to the metal and the vacuum went to 0, which is what your distributor used to give maximum advance to your spark for highest acceleration. The speaker switch may have selected. front, back or both speakers
Yep little deuce coupe =) thank you for the explanation
Center gauge is the vacuum gauge.
Mama and I moved to Virginia Beach in 1954 and across-the-street neighbor had a 1951 Patrician with Ultramatic.
He would let me ride to the garden center with him, and he'd start out in 'low' then shift to 'high' when the car picked up speed.
In 1977 I bought a 1954 Pacific convertible with Ultramatic.
In 1986 I got to drive Uncle Tex's 1951 300 with 3-speed and overdrive.
In my experience, I'll take the 3-speed with overdrive over the Ultramatic any day.
The 'performance' of the Ultramatic can best be described as 'Stately'.
Awesome thank you so much for sharing all that insight and information
The correctly spelled title of the song is "Little Deuce Coupe" by the Beach Boys. I think it came out in 1963.
The transmission on the 1956 Packard Engine is a 2:speed heavy duty automatic transmission with lockup torque converter in the right hand drive position giving the false impression of a 3 speed Automatic because you feel the lockup torque converter engaging. The 1957-1958 Packards on Studebaker Golden Hawks have a 3 speed Automatic transmission.It starts out in 2nd gear in "D" range and upshift to 3rd gear. Under wide open throttle from a stand start it will start out in 1st gear and hold that gear at wide open throttle up to about 45 miles per hour. Kickdown to first gear can be had just below 25 miles per hour from 2nd gear. It's basically the same Borg Warner transmission as on the Fords,Mercuries,and Lincoln's and Edsels.
Thank you so much for that correction and insight =)
@@What.its.like. You're Welcome!
I knew a guy who had one of these about six years ago. Unfortunately like so many he yanked the Packard drive train out and put a small block Chevy and a 700R4 trans in it. He wasn't going to pay $5000 to have the original engine rebuilt nor having to travel several states to have it done. When it came time to sell he had no takers and took a huge loss to unload it when someone finally did.
On another subject I doubt very seriously that big Packard V8 would deliver the fuel mileage stated. More like 12 mpg in heavy city traffic and maybe 16 mpg on the open road.
Yeah some of the numbers seem off one time source said hemi got 15 mpg and I was like there is no way unless one was going down the side of a mountain in neutral.
That’s sad replaced the engine with Chevy unit, but I get it I saw a beautiful 160 packard at a local car show last year absolutely stunning, but had a Chevy 350 in it when I saw that it took on a new look, there is nothing wrong with Chevy or v8 just took one of the biggest cool factors away (straight 8)
The colored gauge in the center would be a vacuum gauge to help determine how good your mileage was. The black switch under the radio most likely would be to switch between the front and rear speakers.
Awesome thank you =)
I believe they made a silver hawk too. I know about the golden hawk my father had one and it was super charged
The golden hawk was super charged In 57 The golden hawk was also the hard top offering they made a pillared coupe offering in the Silverhawk powerhawk and Skyhawk
The Studebaker pickup had one problem , the cab was so small that you could not wear your cowboy hat . Never really sold except in the northeast .
The center inches Guage looks like a vacuum/ fuel consumption guage
the gage in the center is sometimes called an economy meter, best known as a vacuum gauge. scale is inches of mercury
Awesome thank you for that explanation =)
the guage with the colors is a vacuum manifold guage
Awesome thank you =)
My little deuce coup.
Why walk, when you can Hawk 💁🏼♂️
The gauge in center of the dash is manifold vacuum. If you keep the needle in the green you got your best gas mileage.
Thank you so much =)
I remember them. I like them more than the Corvette and almost as much as the Thunderbird
Best personal luxury car of the 50s
What a sad commentary that the Company closed its doors after many years From 1953 on the Body styles were beautiful My Father had a 53 Champion, I had a 53 Commander and 56 silver Hawk. Beautiful Cars and reliable. My Dream was to own a 57 Golden Hawk , but at 84 “ Ain’t Gonna Happen” .
Lots of companies ended sadly Nash Hudson packard studebaker Crosley Auburn cord Duesenberg Pierce arrow peerless many many more, at the very least studebaker went out with a bang (avanti) which is more than most would say how packard went out.
1957 Studebaker golden hawk is one of my favorite 50s cars definitely makes the top five for me. I’ve never been behind the wheel of 156 is essentially the same body style the only differences is the fins are higher and the cut off made a hood scoop/indentation in the front of the hood for the supercharger to fit.. if I ever get to the point of owning one if you’re close to Pennsylvania I’ll give you a ride in one.. I don’t have one but would love to own one someday =)
@@What.its.like. Truth be told you're in luck. As the people who lusted after them in their youth die off (something that's in process right now!) demand will go down and prices for youngsters *LIKE YOU* will drop. There's actually a mathematical scale based on age that collectable cars follow. Prewar cars that once were so expensive have crashed in value compared to what they once were.
@@Jack_Russell_Brown My dad's first car was a well-used 1936 Packard 120 rumble-seat Coupe that he bought in the late 1940's.
The guage in the center of the cluster is a manafold pressure guage in inches of Mercury. Normal atmospheric pressure is about 30 inches . Cars used to have these as an aid to get the best gas mileage on the highway. The lower the pressure is at highway speed the better your mileage will be. It is the same as a vacuume guage but in inches of Mercury like aircraft use. Anything above 30 would be what we would call boost today as it is above normal atmospheric pressure.
Thank you so much =)
The door @7:04 ... the black "Vinyl" material may be Naugahyde. The material that you say "I don't know what this is" may be a pressed aluminum panel.
That strange gauge in the center is a vacuum pressure gauge.
Thank you so much =)
@@What.its.like. You are welcome.
The speedster was ahead of its time . They had to add a big grill and fins for the average buyer to consider buying one .
=)
The center gauge is engine vacuum - the colors I believe ref to general gas milage
Awesome thank you =)