In a message dated 11/14/2002 11:49:17 AM Pacific Standard Time,
lsr350@hotmail.com writes:
> Hi Guys
> Who amongst you lot of fossilised reprobates and well matured gearheads (
> petrol heads over here) can edumacate me about the Studebaker , a very rare
> bird in these parts and a fine looking bird it is too!
>
Gary,
The Studebaker that was most popular with LSR was the Raymond Loewy(sp)
design that first appeared in 1953 with the Starliner (hardtop 2-door) and
the Starlight (pillar 2-door) coupes.
Studebaker stayed with the "Loewy" coupes through the 1961 Hawk, adding
different rear fins, egg-crate European grilles, and various trunk lids.
At one point beginning around 1956 there was a Silver Hawk, Golden Hawk,
Power Hawk, Flight Hawk, Packard Hawk (powered by the 289ci NA Stude V-8),
and possibly a Chicken Hawk.
Some of the Hawks had supercharging as an option, some were equipped with
the super heavyweight three hundred something cubic inch V-8 that Studebaker
inherited when they merged with Packard, some were only available with the
little flathead six cylinder that was Stude's mainstay for many years.
I understand that the Lark econocar that Studebaker produced for a few
years before their demise could be ordered with the supercharged 289ci V-8.
By 1959 or 1960 there was only one Loewy bodied Stude offered, called the
Hawk, and it was a pillar coupe.
I'm lucky enough to have one of the first Loewy Coupes (a 1953 Starlight
coupe powered by a factory equipped 2 X 4 401 Buick Nailhead), and a bone
stock 1960 289 single 4 bbl. Hawk that my wife calls the Batmobile.
The 60 is a real "hauler" and will eat my 1965 2 bbl. 289 Mustang for
lunch. The 53 with its Turbo-400, MoPar front suspension, and 9" (3.0:1) Ford
differential is a real rocket.
I may be a little off on the years and models, so if someone has better
info just post it and save the flames.
Ardun Doug King
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