1963 GT Hawk

From the front, new mesh side grilles, new headlight rims are a combination of paint and chrome with grooves on the inside.  The grille now has five prominent horizontal bars and a new red/white/blue grille badge is located on the lower drivers.

 

From the side, “Gran Truismo” door badges are present, but now have new red/white/blue badges behind the script.  The standard full-wheel covers are exactly the same as last years, except the center back ground is silver rather then red (AC-3405).  The plastic spears on the front fender are about half as high as the ones seen last year and are back-lit when the headlights are turned on.

 

From the back, there is a new red/white/blue deck-lid badge with a gold hawk in the center. 

The overlay is modified, the “Studebaker Hawk” lettering is much larger and the smooth background is painted black.  The waffle pattern squares are painted silver.  The rear deck-lid radio antenna is an option, but seems most buyers opted for the new available cowl mount.

 

 

 

From the interior, the seat insert pleats are now vertical.  The metal dash overlay from last year are seen on early cars, after 63V-K6-1328 this portion of the dash would have woodgrain overlays.  (See photo on the right)

A black steering wheel with a new horn ring is introduced.  1962 GT Hawks did not have a horn ring.

 

Mechanical changes for the 1963 GT Hawks, the generator is replaced with an alternator and the drum brakes were again self-adjusting, last done in 1953.  Hawks equipped with disk brakes (mid-year) would have a brake reservoir attached to the firewall, but would not use the duel master cylinder introduced this year on the Larks.

 

Two of the most frequently discussed restoration issues, other then the dash features above, involve the red-white-blue door emblems and the front signal lights.  The colors given are from left to right as you face the emblem.  1963 (gold colored base): Left (driver’s side) red-white-blue.  Right (passenger’s side) blue-white-red.  1964 (chrome base): Left (driver’s side) red-white-blue.  Right (passenger’s side): red-white-blue.  Another way to define this is 1963 red toward the front both sides.  1964 red toward front drivers side and blue toward front passenger side.  The photo to the left “1964 passenger side.”  Most of the  photo’s I have seen on 64’s follow the 1963 pattern, the reason is unknown but supposedly incorrect.

 

The early 1963 parking/turn signal lights (left photo) had flush mounted amber lens (part #1353542) with clear bulbs. At serial number 63V-11587 (right photo) the lens housing changed, having grooves on the inner sides similar to the the headlight rims and a new recessed amber lens (part # 1355019) with clear bulbs are used.  In 1964 the lens would change to clear with an amber bulb.  Clear lens were used on 1963 exports, but the best information indicates that all 1963 GT Hawks should have amber lens with clear bulbs.  These photo’s also show the new headlight rims which are a combination of chrome and paint with the interior grooves.

 

 

Side Bar: The side grille are are now for looks only as no air can go through them.  They are a newly designed shape and thus required a modified hood, so 1963 and 1964 GT Hawks cannot use the prior Hawk hoods (1956 – 1962).

 

R1 & R2 Jet Thrust Avanti optional engines were available for installation in all 1963 GT Hawks.   Installation of an R series engine is identified by a rectangular badge placed just below the air vent door on the front fenders.

  The badge stated either “Avanti Powered” (R1) or “Avanti Supercharged” (R2).

 

 

 

In addition to the engine options offered early in the production year, special packages were introduced in April of 1963 called “Super Hawks”.  The R1 package (Item No. 46) cost an extra $371.70.  The R2 package (Item No. 46A) cost an extra $581.70.  It was originally intended that either Super Hawk package would have the original grille emblem replaced with a round R1 or R2 badge.  However, there are examples where the grille badges did not appear on these special edition cars.