The Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawk (also known as the GT Hawk) was a
2-seat GT-luxury cruiser built in limited quantities (less than 15k total) from the little manufacturer from South Bend Indiana. The design was penned by Brooks Stevens who is known for his work on the seminal Harley Davidson motorcycle and the redesign of the Miller Brewing logo. Unfortunately, Mr Stevens was given a limited budget/timeline that only allowed him a few afternoons at local car dealerships --the result is a front end styled like a Ponton era Mercedes sedan, a roofline like a 50s Thunderbird and a rear that bears a remarkable resemblance to a Lincoln Continental. The end result is a car that looks at the same time familiar and bizarre - similar to looking at Joan Rivers' face....you see eyes, a nose, lips...but everything looks like it doesn't belong together. Find this
1962 Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawk for sale in the Los Angeles, CA area for $6,800 via craigslist.
This particular GT Hawk is offered in decent running/driver condition, but needing a significant cosmetic overhaul. The biggest concern with restoring a car like this would be the condition and presence of chrome, trim pieces (and glass!) but it looks mostly complete.
The Gran Turismo Hawk was powered by a choice of a 210 or 225 horsepower version of Studebaker's 289 cubic inch V8 mated to a number of transmissions. The engine on this one isn't specified, but the transmission is the Flight-o-matic slushbox and should make for a decent highway cruiser. The later GT Hawks were available with supercharged version of the Avanti's V8 engine which would be a cool upgrade for a '62 like this one.
See another oddball for cheap?
tips@dailyturismo.com
A little work and it could be your DAILY TURISMO !
ReplyDeleteA DT sticker in each rear passenger window would be very fitting.
Once again DT a spot on styling analysis........and unlike Joan River's face,this works! Looks like its front end suspension is worn and the weird oxidation on the paint seems to indicate it was parked under stalagtites in a cave. Be that as it may...worth taking a look at f you have a spare 6K laying around
ReplyDeleteThis is a 4-5 passenger not a 2 seater. Glass is generally available for these cars. The trunk overlay, missing on this car, is hard to come by. Always check the frame and torque boxes (aka hog troughs) as they are prone to rust in environments where roads are salted during winter. The torque boxes are between the frame and rocker panel to add strength in these hard tops. Done up nicely these car make a classy cruiser that is something different when you pull into a car gathering.
ReplyDeletePdBD - thanks for the correction on the 2-seat issue, it was a mistake in the original feature. Good info on the torque boxes & availability of glass. I've read these move well compared to other GT cars from the same era and this one looks like a potential bargain given the $15k asking price on the cars listed on ebay as of today.
DeleteEIC Vince
The Mercedes Ponton nose shouldn't be too surprising, given that Studebaker was the official importer for Mercedes Benz at the time.
ReplyDelete