Will This SUPERCHARGED 1961 Studebaker Hawk Run And Drive After 5 1/2 Years In Pieces? 

Yep… that’s what the well known and regarded Studebaker engine builder installed that leaked and blew out left and right. We’re not going back to them.

I think the ones you need look like a symbol, no lip. You install them dome out and then peen the center in. Us older dudes remember them! Lol

@@DeadDodgeGarage Sketchy as it is, the cup style plug and green loctite sleeve retainer applied to a freshly sanded clean and wiped down with acetone block bore will certainly hold. God help you if you need to replace them later though.

Maybe flush and test cooling system with water before adding $30 in coolant?

look like pontiac valve covers.. but, what do i know,, im an ausie,, i drive ford 4x4rs, & a dodge challenger r/t.,, @@DeadDodgeGarage

Awesome! I am not a Studebaker guy (which I’m sure is obvious from one look at my channel. Haha.) But I have finally gained an appreciation for this car after my long battle with it. I might have to own one for myself some day.

Ahhhh, Good Times!

My grandparents when we lived on the farm with them both had Studebaker’s my grand mother had a Silverhawk and my grandfather a golden hawk we used to take to Silver Hawk to the drive-in theater out in Auburn mass all the time if not that it was my Grammys Hudson she love to drive her cars and also the greatest Red Sox fan

I agree! I can tell by your little picture you have excellent taste. That’s a beauty too…

Our neighbor had one when I was a kid. The other neighbor owned the AMC dealership.

It’s completely rust free! It has been very well taken care of. It’s a pretty nice car. Definitely a neat toy to play with.

Thank you! Lots more coming up.

Yeah… that’s been this whole operation. I can’t even explain the amount of relief I feel now that the damn thing drives!

Yep!

57-61 fins were steel. Only 56 Golden hawk fins were'glass

That’s so cool. Well, Stude didn’t become part of AMC. It was part of the plan until the other guys learned just how financially screwed Studebaker Packard were. So they remained on their own until they couldn’t remain any longer - and therefore didn’t end up part of the family. That’s awesome! I want to build a camper kind of like that some day. Probably on a slightly bigger truck though.

Yeah… that’s what the engine builder did… and what I did the first time I replaced all of them… let’s just say, it sucks.

They used the wrong kind of plug. The correct plug is a flat disc with only a slight crown. No cup. As stated above install with the crown out then hit with a hammer to seat it. Mopar flat sixes used those as did a lot of others.

No, you don't understand. A welch is a concave disc, not a cup.@@DeadDodgeGarage

@@davidhawken1301 I do understand. I removed the four peened welch plugs that did not remove themselves from the engine. The plugs I installed were not that. I got it.

Thank you Ed! It’s not necessarily that people don’t watch the longer videos - actually they do pretty well. It’s more like… When I put days and days of work into a video, it never seems to do as well as something I just throw together quickly. This has been a pretty consistent return - but this video is bucking that trend. Probably because it’s a supercharged Studebaker, and it’s awesome. Haha.

Thank you!!

It’s not my car. I am realizing from the comments I’ve gotten that I didn’t make obvious enough references to that fact. I did in the first video on the car so I was figuring been there, said that - but that was a long time ago… thanks!

I definitely make my favorite brand known around here… I love them in spite of being flawed cars. But I definitely like and appreciate many cars made by other manufacturers, and I especially enjoy these funky, long dead makes. And I think anyone that is approaching things in the “right” way is always learning - whatever the source material may be. Thank you!

Thank you! Yes it’s something very special. Especially at this point - there aren’t many with five speed swaps…

They’re really cool! My friend actually has a red one. Automatic, no supercharger. It looks good in red…

Well the car’s owner gets to do all that - but I’ll be happy to see it out of my shop and back out there.

Thanks man! Don’t forget your corn dog.

@@DeadDodgeGarage lol i did not long vid was a 2 dawg n a rc cola

I sure am 🤣 thank you!

I completely agree. I actually drove the car for real yesterday! I am starting to think this was all worth it. I can’t wait to get it back to its owner. Thank you!

I prefer the Golden Hawk too. The hard top is much prettier in my eye. I like that earlier fin design as well. Beyond that of course, they’re extremely similar cars! Thanks!

I like it more now that it actually works 😅 but it was definitely touch and go there for a while… still very excited for it to go home. Haha. Thanks!

Ugh… yep. Don’t do that. Haha.

Funny enough, it’s often me that has to be tolerant of the neighbors… I’ve got some junk collected up, but at least it’s cool junk! And they know who to ask when they need car help. So it is working out well. As far as Mrs. Jamie… one could not possibly hope for a partner who not signs off on all the crazy and downright stupid financial decisions I’ve made in the pursuit of all of this. I am very lucky to be able to do what I’m doing. Thanks for watching! Lots more to come.

My friend Josh actually has a red one. Automatic, no supercharger - but same body. That’s the only other one I’ve ever seen…

I think people everywhere have a bizarre political outlook… I think the right answer on almost all issues is somewhere in the middle. And I also think we can (and should) ignore all of that in our daily lives and focus on our own operations. That’s what I’m here doing. I completely agree on the Stude - it’s awesome! Thank you for watching. I appreciate it.

Totally agree. I couldn’t have said it better. Thx u

I’ll see what I can do!

You and me both… haha.

That’s awesome! Thank you very much! Lots more to come.

Nice! Thank you!

I am but the humble mechanic piecing this one back together - and cleaning up multiple messes left for me by the builder of the engine. Good to know on the hood - it clearly doesn’t latch well.

Problem solving! Haha. That’s awesome. We were driving around a track in a field today… it’s about the most fun one can have.

Correction 1963 Hawk

Ok that makes more sense. Haha. Cool! Mostly.

Damn right! Haha. Thanks!

I read that they were built with the idea of high-compression/high octane to make power, but it ended up being cubic inches instead. There's a guy that has a big boost turbo on his '63 or '64 Stude.

I am *not* a Studebaker expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I did a lot of reading on the Studebaker V8 back when I got into this project - and that is not the case as I understand it. Their goal from the beginning with the V8 was for it to be cheap and economical like their six cylinder, but really to be a more modern engine than what they had to try and keep with the times. While they were copying (intentionally, unashamedly copying - Studebaker engineers visited GM engine production facilities and were allowed to copy their notes) the new Cadillac V8 design, they did not copy the fine details… despite the block being the same physical size, they scaled the internals of their engine much, much smaller, and did not use a modern “slipper” piston design, or even more modern casting techniques. The components are tough. These engines are built like a brick shit house. They’re heavy… but they are hamstrung by a tiny cylinder head, and limited to a small cubic inch size thanks to their design. The supercharger was utilized as a means to add horsepower when they could not afford to do so in any other way. The Studebaker engine lent itself to boost handily, but it was not designed for that intentionally.

Yeah… I don’t need to own one at all. It’s cool! But I’ll keep my normal nightmares, thank you very much 😅

Yep… yep… yep

That’s my daughter. Haha. She’s not a car girl, but she does occasionally come out to the shop and hang for a bit. If she wants to get her hands dirty some day I’ll be here. And if she doesn’t, then unlike me, she might actually have a manageable financial future 😅

@@DeadDodgeGarage You're being a good dad.

Oh yeah… that’s very close to what my Cobra replica was as far as power to weight. It was just too much. I’ve done more than my fair share of engine and transmission swaps outside in the rain. Very happy to have what I have now.

Ya gotta piss with the willy you’ve got…

I used to think that leaving as much detail out as I do might be a problem - but no one needs to watch every little bit of carpet I trim, or ever drop of antifreeze I pour in an engine that is destined to leak back out onto the ground. Haha. I don’t have the attention span for that. What I’m really doing in my videos is telling a story, and giving some helpful little tips along the way. Thanks!

😅 problem would be solved, just saying

I don’t think there’s any rust anywhere! The owner Dave is definitely keeping this one for the long haul.

I have used a good bit of info from them over the course of this project. It’s been… interesting. Haha.

Thank you Mike! We’re getting there… slowly…

Yep… I’ve seen a Geo Metro with a collector plate… when I got into A bodies they were old cars not many people were still using. I just thought they were cool looking and unique - and the price was always right. Now they are 50 years old… just crazy to think about. Because at the same time, they don’t look ancient like those Packards did then. Of course those are almost 100 now…

Yeah… I’ve performed that maneuver at least a few times…

Yep, that’s the unit. Same idea as what the engine builder used initially. I’m leaving the rubber… it works.

I had read a lot about the shortcomings of the Stude design due to the small sizing of the head and other components. So I was definitely not expecting it to do what this thing does… it’s awesome!

I couldn’t agree more. Don’t cross the streams!

Thank you!

Yes. That’s what the engine builder did, and that’s what blew all that coolant on my floor (the first two times.) All of this is discussed in a follow up video. Thanks!