Packard Hawk

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.

Its rarity and status as the best-regarded of the 'Packardbaker' final-year cars have made the Packard Hawk quite collectible. Values are roughly double those of the equivalent Studebaker, although they are 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 more difficult-to-impossible to find. While it is a unique car, current restoration costs almost always exceed the selling price.

Specifications

 * Engine
 * Type: Cast iron 90° V8, Silver Light dish-type pistons
 * Displacement: 289 cubic inches
 * Bore X stroke: 3.56 X 3.63 inches
 * Compression ratio: 7.5:1
 * Power @ rpm: 275 hp (205 kW) @ 4,800 rpm
 * Torque @ rpm: 333 lbft @ 3,200 rpm
 * Valvetrain: In-head valves, solid lifters
 * Main bearings: 5
 * Ignition: Delco-Remy breaker-point
 * Fuel system: 2-bbl Stromberg 380475 downdraft carburetor, McCulloch supercharger, 5 psi max
 * Lubrication system: Full-pressure, gear-driven
 * Electrical system: 12-volt, 30 amperes
 * Exhaust system: Cast iron, 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: 41 ft


 * 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: Classic bias-ply
 * Front/rear: 8.00 X 14 in


 * Weights & Measures
 * Wheelbase: 120.5 in
 * Overall length: 205.2 in
 * Overall width: 71.3 in
 * Overall height: 54.6 in
 * Front track: 56.7 in
 * Rear track: 55.7 in
 * Shipping weight: 3,470 lb


 * Capacities
 * Crankcase: 5 USqt
 * Cooling system: 17 USqt
 * Fuel tank: 18 gal
 * Transmission: 19 USpt


 * Calculated Data
 * Bhp per c.i.d.: 0.95
 * Weight per bhp: 12.62 lb


 * Performance
 * 0–60 mph (96.5 km/h): 12.0 seconds
 * ¼ mile ET: 16.7 seconds @ 82.3 mph
 * Top speed: 125 mph
 * Fuel mileage: 12 mpg city, 20 mpg highway


 * Production
 * 1958 Packard Hawk: 588