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. The 'Packardbaker' final-year cars that are low-production vehicle that generally sells for higher prices than the similar Studebaker models, although the market value is 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 difficult to find. Current restoration costs almost always exceed the selling price. 1958PackardHawk.jpg|1958 Packard Hawk 1958PackardHawk2.jpg|Rear view of 1958 Hawk 1958 Packard Hawk Convertible.jpg|1958 Packard Hawk convertible prototype == Specifications ==