Appearances can be deceiving, as the adage goes. A recent online discovery perfectly illustrates this: a 1957 Studebaker Golden Hawk that belies its weathered exterior with the heart of a performance beast.
While its worn paint might suggest a barn-find restoration project, this two-door hardtop harbors a potent engine capable of humbling many of its contemporaries. Originally positioned as a luxury cruiser, the Golden Hawk’s reputation for speed and power is well-earned.
Even after downsizing its engine in 1957, Studebaker maintained the car’s performance credentials with a supercharger. But the owner of this particular example wasn’t satisfied, pushing the car’s capabilities even further with a series of modifications.
Instead of the stock 289 cubic inch V8, this 1955 Studebaker Golden Hawk packs a surprise under the hood. The original owner swapped it for a smaller 259 cubic-inch unit, but don’t let that fool you. This wasn’t a horsepower downgrade.
The current owner, in 2018, took things up a notch by rebuilding and enlarging the engine to a hefty 304 cubic inches. They didn’t stop there. A supercharger and four-speed manual transmission were also revamped, creating a potent and smooth-running drivetrain. While the seller stays tight-lipped on exact power output, the throaty engine note hints at a beast lurking beneath the hood.
