1956 Studebaker Golden Hawk Hardtop

In 1736 three hardy Staudenbecker men sailed from Germany for Philadelphia in search of a better life. A descendant, John Studebaker, settled in South Bend, Indiana, and in 1852 began what would become a prosperous wagon-making business with his five sons.

They entered the car business in 1903, first with electric cars, then with gas-powered a year later. Trucks, then buses, fire engines, and even small-rail locomotives followed. Over the next fifty years, a well-respected reputation for quality automobiles was slowly built.

The Golden Hawk enjoyed a three-year run from 1956 - 1958. Based on the Champion/Commander/Starliner design, it sported a large, egg-crate grille and raised hood line in lieu of the swooping, pointed nose. At the rear was a raised trunk lid along with vertical fiberglass tailfins.

The raised hood paved the way for a larger engine. Packard's 352 cubic-inch V8. With 275 horsepower and top speeds in excess of 125 miles per hour, it was one of the fastest production cars in 1956, second only to the Chrysler 300 B.

Of the 4,071 Golden Hawks produced in 1956, only about 700 Golden Hawks are known to survive today. This car is 100% authentic and has the original chassis, body and engine. The Yellowstone body with Midnight Black hood and trunk accents are authentic color options offered only in 1956. A complete body-off restoration returning this car to its original glory was completed in 2015.