1956 Hawks

The development of the Hawk line was done by Robert Bourke, Raymond Lowey’s South Bend styling chief.  With little design money to work with the existing C&K body gets a new hood, rear deck with a new rear panel with horizontal grooves, a new die cast somewhat square mesh grille, and a new engine-turned instrument panel facing.  The Hawk would feature round Stewart-Warner gauges.  There would be four models this first year, the Golden Hawk & Sky Hawk (K-body) hardtops and the Power Hawk & Flight Hawk (C-body)

coupes.  The Golden Hawk would feature a 352 cubic inch Packard V-8, the Sky Hawk Studebaker’s 289 cubic inch V-8, the Power Hawk Studebaker’s 259 cubic inch V-8 and the Flight Hawk Studebaker’s 185 cubic inch flat-head six.  However, there were actually nine Flight Hawks built using the K-body hardtop.  Another 52 Flight Hawk hardtops were built in Canada and 499 (56G-K7) hardtops were exported from South Bend.  The Golden Hawk would be the only 1956 Hawk to be fitted with that small vertical fiberglass rear fender fin.  Also,

unique to only the Golden Hawks would be that grooved bright metal molding just above the rocker panels and the wide stainless-steel trim just above the rear window.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tells for 1956 Hawks: 

The hood is unique to 1956 as it is the only year that the scoop ends just behind the Hood Ornament.  The rear deck is also unique because of the combination lock and badge arrangement (lock in the lower edge of the badge).  There is also a flat spot where the grooves are discontinued to create the mounting surface for that badge and lock.  Also, the model name badges and their location on the rear deck lid are unique to 1956.  The front fender mounted turn signals are mounted about four inches farther back on the fender then they would be in 1957 & 1958.  The side grille openings are plain with no mesh, parking lights, or moldings.  Only the 1957 Silver Hawk side grilles would look like the 1956 side grilles.