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33-581: In 1957 the Silver Hawk was introduced as a pillared coupe, replacing both the Power Hawk and Flight Hawk. The 185 cid Champion engine was standard in the model, with the 259 Commander V-8 offered only in export models. The Sky Hawk was also dropped in 1957, resulting in only two Studebaker Hawk models offered that year, the Silver Hawk with Champion Six or standard 289 V-8 and the Golden Hawk with

66-626: A Mobilgas Economy Run.'" Over the years, the Mobil Oil Corporation sponsored many Mobil Economy Run events across the country for various car classes and automobile associations for short distances. In 1963, a "day-day" test between Los Angeles and the Grand Canyon eventually evolved into a "six-day" endurance test between Los Angeles and New York by the U.S. Auto Club. The last run started in Anaheim CA on April 2, 1968, but

99-441: A Studebaker drivetrain was used, mechanical parts are more readily available, although body and trim parts are more difficult-to-impossible to find. While it is a unique car, current restoration costs almost always exceed the selling price. Mobil Economy Run Mobil Economy Run was an annual event that took place from 1936 to 1968, except during World War II . It was designed to provide real fuel efficiency numbers during

132-524: A coast-to-coast test on public roads and with regular traffic and weather conditions. The Mobil Oil Corporation sponsored it and the United States Auto Club (USAC) sanctioned and operated the run. The Mobil Economy Run determined the fuel economy or gas mileage potentials of passenger cars under typical driving conditions encountered by average motorists. This was rather different from the current method of computing fuel consumption by

165-538: A fiberglass front end and modified deck lid. It was positioned as an alternative to the market favorite Ford Thunderbird , which offered an all-new version in 1958 as well. Instead of the Studebaker Hawk's upright Mercedes-style grille, the Packard Hawk had a wide, low opening just above the front bumper and covering the whole width of the car. Above this, a smoothly sloping nose, and hood—reminiscent of

198-538: A likely contributing factor. Most were equipped with the Borg-Warner three-speed automatic transmission. Approximately 28 were produced with the B-W T85 3-speed w/overdrive manual transmission. Studebaker-Packard was the first manufacturer to popularize the limited slip differential , which they termed Twin-Traction. Most Packard Hawks came with TT. It was certainly the fastest Packard ever sold, since it shared

231-660: A much smaller company than AMC or the Big Three, particularly hard. The 289 V-8 returned as the standard engine in the Hawk. Studebaker had a proven sales winner in the 1959 Lark, which was continued into 1960 with little change. With steel in short supply, the company chose to focus on building as many Larks as possible to ensure an adequate supply for the company's dealers. This meant that Silver Hawk production for 1960, which had been scheduled to begin in November or December 1959,

264-486: Is a model of automobile. It was the sportiest of the four Packard -badged Studebakers produced in 1958, the final year of Packard production. The Packard Plant in Detroit , Michigan had been leased to Curtiss-Wright (and would be soon sold to them), and Packard models in this dying-gasp year were all rebadged and retrimmed Studebaker products. The 1958 Packard Hawk was essentially a Studebaker Golden Hawk 400 with

297-579: The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by running cars on chassis dynamometer in a climate-controlled environment. To prevent special preparation or modifications to the participating automobiles for the run, the United States Auto Club purchased the cars at dealerships , checked them and, if certified as "stock", their hoods and chassis were sealed. The factory gas tank

330-414: The "ultimate" economy potential of the cars tested and their relative efficiency of fuel use. The event received criticism in the form of literary fiction, from the book Balloons are Available by Jordan Crittenden. In the novel, a fictional character is hit by an automobile during the event. An excerpt from the novel reads "'It was terrible,' she says. 'The driver couldn't stop because he was competing in

363-535: The 1953 Studebakers, but with a bulge as on the Golden Hawk—accommodating the engine's McCulloch supercharger that gave the Studebaker 289 in³ (4.7 L) V8 a total of 275 bhp (205 kW). At the rear, the sides of the fins were coated in metallized PET film , giving them a shiny metallic gold appearance. A fake spare-tire bulge adorned the 1953-style Studebaker deck lid. PACKARD appeared across

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396-460: The 1953–1954 models) similar to the Golden Hawk were added, and the interior was somewhere in between the two former models' levels of luxury. Two-tone paint was discontinued for all U.S. orders, though it was still available for export. Under the hood (at least for U.S. models), buyers could choose the newly-shrunken (to pre-'55 size) 90 HP 169.6 cu in (2.8 L) six or the 259 cu in (4.2 L) V8 of 180 or 195 HP (depending on

429-405: The 1959, internally, the major change was the return of the 289-cubic-inch (4.7 L) V8 last used in 1958. This was the only engine available for U.S. orders in both 1960 and 1961, the last year of the finned Hawk. Some six-cylinder and 259 cu in (4.2 L) V8 models were built for export markets. The 1961 models saw the limited return of a second paint color, beige, in a stripe along

462-740: The 2012 Australian TV series Jack Irish . A Studebaker Hawk was featured in the TV series Criminal Minds . Driven by the antagonist. The model's name is parodied (as the character Studebaker Hoch) in the Frank Zappa song Billy the Mountain . In the Roxy Music song Virginia Plain there is also a reference to Studebaker in the lyric ‘Far beyond the pale horizon Some place near the desert strand Where my Studebaker takes me That's where I'll make my stand’ Packard Hawk The Packard Hawk

495-514: The 47-car field for 1959, a Rambler American was first - averaging 25.2878 miles per US gallon (9.3015 L/100 km; 30.3694 mpg ‑imp ) - while a Rambler Six was second - with an average of 22.9572 miles per US gallon (10.2458 L/100 km; 27.5704 mpg ‑imp ) - for the five-day, 1,898-mile (3,055 km) trip from Los Angeles, California to Kansas City, Missouri . The efficiency of models as AMC's more compact Ramblers caused them to be all but banned from

528-613: The Mobil Economy Run in 1962, 1963, 1964, and 1966 (the tenth running). In Italy the competition started in 1959, and it lasted until at least 1985. Since 1969, it was organised by Mobil with FIAT , which provided the cars. From 1969 to 1984 it was also called Mobil Fiat Economy Run , while in 1985 the name was changed in Lancia Mobil Economy Run . The competition was also present in France at

561-549: The Mobil-gas contest only from 1957. The event was a marketing contest between the automakers. The objective was the coveted title as the Mobilgas Economy Run winner in each class. However, starting in 1959, entries were judged on an actual miles-per-gallon basis, instead of the ton-mileage formula used previously which favored bigger, heavier cars. As a result, compact cars became the top mileage champs. In

594-462: The Netherlands where Studebaker was quite popular. Changes for 1959 included new tailfins, with the "Silver Hawk" script moved to the fins instead of on the trunk lid (where new individual block letters spelling out STUDEBAKER were placed), with a new Hawk badge in between the two words. The parking lights moved to the side grilles from the front fenders, chrome moldings around the windows (from

627-578: The Silver Hawk became the only Hawk model in production, largely because Studebaker dealers wanted a glamorous flagship model as a dealership draw. Those customers would more than likely walk out with Studebaker's last-ditch hope, the new Lark compact. In fact, the Silver Hawk was the only non-Lark model kept. Studebakers were also exported and rebuilt as CKD's (completely Knock Down) to Belgium. Prospects could order whatever model or options (with- or without fins) to suit their preference. Cars were built by D'Ieteren Frères of Belgium for European markets such as

660-469: The base of the fin between the two lower moldings. Interiors gained the option of wide, comfortable bucket seats; customers could opt to team their 289 V8 with a new four-speed Borg-Warner manual transmission, the same model used in the Chevrolet Corvette . When the 1960 model year began, U.S. automakers were in the throes of a steel strike, and the shortage of steel hit Studebaker, which was

693-453: The choice of carburetor). The 289 was no longer available. The 1959 model year was Studebaker's first profitable year in six years, thanks mostly to the Lark, and the rising tide of sales lifted the Silver Hawk, which sold 7,788 examples. While the Silver Hawk was the only model offered in 1959, it too was dropped for 1960, with all models called simply Hawks. Largely unchanged externally from

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726-431: The chrome belt line and another above, but unlike the Golden Hawk, the lower color included the fin. Some dealers painted the fin only, and sometimes the deck lid recess and or the left and right "side grills" were painted in a contrasting Studebaker color. These usually matched the interior, some were Blue, Gold, Red, or Black and were better looking according to many owners than the factory two-tone paint scheme. For 1959,

759-661: The decision." Mobil entered the United Kingdom service station market in 1952, as Mobilgas. It copied the annual Economy Run from the US. However, in the 1970s, the Economy Run was taken over in the UK by Total S.A. , but the event was discontinued in the UK after just a few years. In Australia the Mobilgas Economy Run was staged in various years including 1955, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1960 (the fifth running), 1961, and, as

792-439: The event. As a result, Ramblers and Studebakers were put in a separate class. This was because the 'Big Three' auto makers ( General Motors , Ford , and Chrysler ) did not have competitive cars at the time and were trounced in the fuel efficiency rankings until they introduced smaller platforms ( GM X platform , Ford Falcon , Chrysler A platform ). Automakers tried to "prepare" their cars to achieve better results. An example

825-477: The former minor league baseball Single-A Arizona Diamondbacks affiliate took its name from this model. Originally the logo and lettering on the teams' uniforms mirrored the logo and lettering on the car, but this has since changed to a more cartoon-esque design. The team was renamed the South Bend Cubs, following the 2014 season. A Studebaker Hawk was featured as the title character's personal car in

858-501: The majority of its components with Studebaker's Golden Hawk. The price was $ 3995, about $ 700 higher than the Studebaker model, but with a more luxurious interior. Electric window-lifts and power seats were optional extras. Its rarity and status as the best-regarded of the 'Packardbaker' final-year cars have made the Packard Hawk quite collectible. Values are roughly double those of the equivalent Studebaker, although they are still low by comparison with Corvettes and Thunderbirds. Because

891-516: The nose, with a gold Packard emblem in script—along with a Hawk badge—on the trunk lid and fins. The interior was full leather, with full instrumentation in an engine-turned dash. As on early aircraft and custom boats, padded armrests were mounted outside the windows, a rare touch. The styling was definitely controversial, often described as 'vacuum-cleaner' or 'catfish' by detractors. The styling has come to be appreciated more today than in its debut. Only 588 were sold, with Packard's impending demise

924-472: The start of Hawk production in 1960 shows just how close Studebaker came to not producing a model that they had at least halfheartedly promoted in print advertising and showroom brochures. The Hawk lived on, and later that year a stock production model won its class in the 1960 Mobil Economy Run , delivering 22.9 miles per gallon. The Hawk was replaced for 1962 by the restyled (by Brooks Stevens ) Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawk . The South Bend Silver Hawks ,

957-515: The supercharged President 289 V-8. A one-year-only model '58 Packard Hawk was also offered with the 289 supercharged engine. In appearance, the Silver Hawk was plainer than the Golden Hawk . Besides being a coupe, while the Golden was always a hardtop, there was a bit less chrome, no supercharger or bulge in the hood, and a simpler two-tone paint scheme was adopted — simply one color below

990-666: Was cancelled in Indianapolis on April 5 due to civil unrest across the country because of the death of Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4. In December 1968, it was announced by Richard F Tucker, vice president of marketing for Mobil in North America, the event will be cancelled in the United States citing "changing advertising patterns and changing emphasis in automotive performance as major factors influencing

1023-473: Was delayed. Sales of the Lark began to fall off in the closing months of 1959. By the beginning of February 1960, Hawks finally began to roll from the South Bend assembly line. It isn't known what might have happened had Lark sales continued at their 1959 levels, but speculation has been advanced that the company might not have produced any Hawks. The lengthy delay between new-model announcement time and

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1056-440: Was disconnected so fuel use could be accurately measured by using a special tank mounted in the trunk. Because of the many types of automobiles, the Mobil Economy Run had eight classes based on wheelbase, engine and body size, as well as price. The leading automakers provided drivers and in each car was a USAC observer to prevent any deviations and penalize for traffic or speed limit violations. Women were permitted to participate in

1089-451: Was to use lightweight motor oil during the allowable 1,500-mile (2,400 km) " break-in " period "to promote faster wear and loosen the engines up quickly." Moreover, the factory-supplied drivers were highly trained and experienced to drive in a manner that conserved fuel. An average driver in the same car and over the same course would be lucky to achieve the Run's results. The tests only show

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