The Packard Hawk is a model of automobile. It was the sportiest of the four Packard-badged Studebakers produced in 1958, the final year of Packard production.
History and description 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 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 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 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 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 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.
The 'Packardbaker' final-year cars that are low-production vehicle that generally sells for higher prices than the similar Studebaker models, although the market value is still low by comparison with Corvettes and Thunderbirds. Because a Studebaker drivetrain was used, mechanical parts are more readily available, although body and trim parts are difficult to find. Current restoration costs almost always exceed the selling price.
Specifications Engine Type: Cast iron 90° V8, Silv-O-Lite dish-type pistons Displacement: 289 cubic inches Bore X stroke: 3.56 X 3.63 inches Compression ratio: 7.5:1 Power at rpm: 275 hp (205 kW) at 4,800 rpm Torque at rpm: at 3,200 rpm Valvetrain: Overhead valves, solid lifters Main bearings: 5 Ignition: Delco-Remy breaker-point Fuel system: 2-bbl Stromberg 380475 downdraft carburetor, McCulloch supercharger, max Lubrication system: Full-pressure, gear-driven Electrical system: 12-volt, 30 amperes Exhaust system: Cast iron manifolds, dual exhaust
Transmission Type: Borg-Warner Flightomatic automatic Ratios 1st: 2.40:1 2nd: 1.47:1 3rd: 1.0:1 Reverse: 2.0:1
Differential Type: Semi-floating hypoid, Twin-Traction Spicer-Thornton limited-slip Ratio: 3.31:1
Steering Type: Power assist, Saginaw recirculating ball Ratio: 19.2:1 Turns, lock-to-lock: 4.5 Turning circle:
Brakes Type: Four wheel, power-assist Wagner hydraulic Front: Cast-iron finned drum, 11 X 2.5 in Rear: Cast-iron drum, 10 X 2 in Swept area: 172.8 sq in
Chassis & Body Construction: All-steel, box section, double-drop side rails, 5 crossmembers Body style: Two-door, five-passenger hardtop, soft top prototype Layout: Front engine, rear-wheel drive
Suspension Front: Individual unequal-length upper and lower control arms, coil springs, hydraulic shocks, anti-sway bar Rear: Live axle, semi-elliptic leaf springs, hydraulic shocks
Wheels & Tires Wheels: Kelsey-Hays tubeless 5-lug stamped steel Front/rear: 5.5 X 14 in Tires: Bias-ply Front/rear: 8.00 X 14 in
Weights & Measures Wheelbase: Overall length: Overall width: Overall height: Front track: Rear track: Shipping weight:
Capacities Crankcase: Cooling system: Fuel tank: Transmission:
Calculated Data Bhp per c.i.d.: 0.95 Weight per bhp:
Performance 0–60 mph (97 km/h): 12.0 seconds ¼ mile ET: 16.7 seconds at Top speed: Fuel mileage: 12 mpg city, 20 mpg highway
Production 1958 Packard Hawk: 588
Sources
References
External links
Packard Automobile Classics, Inc. - The Packard Club Packard Motor Car Information Homepage of the National Packard Museum