Built in the Studebaker plant in Los Angeles, California in 1955 the car was delivered 20th December. An early 1956 model GH series car it is one of only two hundred and fifteen built that year from a total production of four thousand and seventy one made. The Golden Hawk’s elegant style was penned by the influential industrial designer, Raymond Loewy. This example remained the possession of its first owner in Ohio for 30 years until the second owner commissioned a comprehensive restoration of the car between 1998 and 2002, a number of his letters about his restoration are included in the car’s history file. The car was carefully restored in its original two-tone colours of Mocha/Doeskin, one of the most popular combinations for the Golden Hawks. Some time later it was sold through Gene’s Classics NJ to Mr Jan Dyck in Holland so he could run the car in the Mille Miglia in 2012, which it successfully finished. The car changed hands again in April 2013 and was adapted for historic race use by the noted Goodwood race preparation expert, Chris Snowdon, at his CS Racing outfit in Bosham, close to Goodwood itself. The owner raced the car at the Goodwood Revival 2014 in the prestigious St. Mary’s Trophy alongside F1 and Le Mans legend, Jochen Mass.
Fitted with Packard’s powerful big-block 352 cubic inch 275 hp (5.8 litre) V8, it was the best all-round, high performance American car of 1956. By installing the largest V8 in the smallest and lightest body, Studebaker created the first muscle car, some eight years before the mighty GTO. It had the second highest power-to-weight ratio of any American production car and contemporary road tests verified the Golden Hawk was faster and quicker over a ¼ mile than the Corvette, Thunderbird and Chrysler 300B. In top speed, only the Chrysler 300B could equal it. Remaining in generally very good all round condition the car is mechanically very well sorted and in excellent running condition, it continues to be eligible for a host of historic events including further potential Goodwood Revivals and the prestigious Mille Miglia. It is supplied with a FIVA passport, UK V5C logbook and history file.
