There’s something special about owning the first or the last of a vehicle. In the case of our Pick of the Day, it was a remarkable end of the road for a company that had been producing automobiles since 1899. Although in the final two model years these cars were Studebakers in drag, they were equipped with the best that Studebaker could offer, including a supercharged V8. This 1958 Packard Hawk is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Sioux City, Iowa.
The gorgeous 1955-56 Packard and Clipper models were chock-full of fine engineering that should have helped turn the company around, but it was too little, too late. These cars gave way to the 1957 “Packardbakers,” as the corporation was bleeding money. These cleverly badge-engineered, upper-medium-class cars featured fancy interiors and standard supercharging, something unusual at the time. This would lead to something new and special for 1958: the Packard Hawk.
Based on the Studebaker Golden Hawk, the Packard Hawk was a fancier version of the Studebaker including a luxurious leather interior that even included the dash pad. Fiberglass was used on the nose, and a modified trunk lid with a faux spare tire gave it distinction, while the McCullough-fed 289 gave it performance unseen in previous Packards. Yes, the 1958 Thunderbird often wins accolades for being the first personal luxury car, but very good arguments can be made that the Packard Hawk (and others, going back to the 1955 Studebaker President Speedster) were part of this burgeoning trend before the “Squarebird.”
The uniqueness of this sleek coupe is perfectly represented by this beautiful, Parade Red and Parchment White 1958 Packard Hawk. The hues are complemented by gold Mylar trim along the fins that match the tan leather cabin with nylon loop carpeting. The engine-turned aluminum instrument panel is fitted with race-inspired Stewart-Warner instruments. Take a peek at the 275-horsepower 289ci V8 and you’ll notice the McCullough supercharger. Like most Hawks, a Borg-Warner Flight-O-Matic automatic handles shifting duties. “It’s just hard to find fault cosmetically or mechanically. Inside, outside. top and bottom no bad news,” says the seller. “It drives as good as it looks.”
A copy of the window sticker shows this Packard had an MSRP of $4631.49 from a dealership in San Bernardino, California. To take it home from Sioux City, you’ll have to shell out $59,800 for this gilded personal luxury coupe.
Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com
