Superbly prepared and presented classic racer, ultra-competitive, simply maintained, admired everywhere and sensibly guided.Very rare, late fifties Studebaker Coupé prepared for the St Marys Trophy and UK/European pre-1960 Saloon Car RacingBuilt fastidiously to the regulations by Patrick Watts Racing to their normal high standardsFitted with a mildly tuned, 350ci Chevy engine from Daytona Design in Florida, a Borg-Warner T10 gearbox and a Dana 44 rear axleAdjustable suspension (camber and caster), Leda Dampers, period Mustang unvented discs and correctly sprungWelded-in full-cage by Custom Cages, ATL foam-filled 100-litre fuel cell, Lifeline Zero 360 plumbed-in fire extinguisher system with electronic activation, Corbeau Pro seat on slide adjustmentSuperbly finished in gleaming Cameo Beige by Full Circle in Marden.Large spares package (10 new wheels, wishbones, uprights, spare axle and LSD, standard engine block, crank, heads, glass, stainless exhausts)Build sheet, full spec and race set-up notes available to interested partiesUK road registered, BOC 722A, with its V5CThe late fifties threw-up some of the most extreme examples of American automotive styling extravagance with huge fins, oversize bumpers and acres of chrome spread over many of the industry's top models. This excess was rife amongst the Big Three manufacturers (Ford, General Motors and Chrysler) but there was another carmaker that offered a slightly different approach whilst keeping their products broadly within the style of the times.The Studebaker Corporation was a small (by comparison) company based in South Bend, Indiana, producing a very distinctive range of models that originated from the drawing board of Raymond Loewy Associates. Loewy made his mark as an industrial designer between the wars, with everything from Gestetner duplicating machines to giant streamlined locomotives and the 1932 Hupmobile roadster. He was later to gain international respect for originating such diverse and iconic images as the Coke bottle, the Greyhound bus, the Lucky Strike cigarette packet and both Shell and BP oil company logos. These are all examples of absolute timeless design that have been taken initially to the heart of the American people, and now all around the world. Loewy's relationship with Studebaker began in the 1930s, but it was in the post-war years that his genius for the iconic was properly applied to motor cars through an evolving line of distinctly-original models, particularly sleek sporting coupés.The glamorous Studebaker Silver Hawk Coupé of the late 1950s was a typical Loewy creation, on-trend but offering a certain exclusivity of style distancing itself from the ‘shiny tin’ on offer elsewhere.Classic Saloon Car racing in the UK has grown exponentially over the last thirty years and Blue Riband events like Goodwood’s Revival and Members Meeting and the HRDC Chamionship for pre-1960 saloons attract massive crowds. The St Mary’s Trophy at Goodwood is probably the most prestigious event for these cars and, although the regulations are strictly enforced, it does provide a home for some unusual vehicles that actually raced once or twice in period. A smart entrant could spend some time combing through old race programmes, do some research into power/weight ratios and arrive at a serious contender for overall honours which is exactly how this fabulous 1959 Silver Hawk racer came to be sitting on the front row of the grid at Goodwood in 2019.The car was built by Patrick Watts Racing to their normal high standards and fitted with a mildly tuned, 350ci Chevy engine from Daytona Design in Florida, a Borg-Warner T10 gearbox and a Dana 44 rear axle, a fairly bullet-proof combination that shouldn’t need touching for many races.The suspension is, unbelievably, adjustable for camber and caster as standard but, with the addition of Leda Dampers, period Mustang unvented discs and the correct springing, the Hawks competitiveness isn’t all about straight-line speed as it handles incredibly well.The separate chassis is tied into the body with a welded-in roll-cage designed and fitted by Custom Cages in Daventry and the gleaming Cameo Beige paintwork is the handiwork of Full Circle in Marden.Moulds were made from the heavy chrome bumpers and grilles and are reproduced in chrome wrapped fibreglass to save weight and add practicality to the racing if repairs are ever required.It’s fitted with a Lifeline Zero 360 plumbed-in fire extinguisher system with electronic activation, the Corbeau Pro seat is on slide adjustments for quick change pit stops and an ATL foam-filled, 100-litre fuel cell resides in the large bootThere is a considerable amount of further information and detail available about the transformation of this old road car into a winning racer, far too much to list here, but a full specification and build sheet will be made available to interested parties.Race history:2018; At a very wet Donington Park HRDC race, Patrick beat Steve Soper to pole and finished second in the race after some niggling problems which were subsequently cured.2019; Pole and winner when shared by Karl Wendlinger and Patrick Watts at the Goodwood Revival in 2019 only to be excluded, with many other cars, for having roller rockers. These gave no performance advantage but Goodwood are sticklers for period accuracy so they were immediately replaced with standard rockers. So equipped, Patrick put the car on pole at Castle Combe a few weeks later and lead the class, mixing with the Mustangs, before a split sump necessitated a retirement.There is a decent spares package with the car which includes 10 new wheels, spare suspension wishbones, uprights, spare axle and LSD, chassis, standard engine block, crank, heads, glass, two stainless exhaust systems, 98db and open for very loud!, and more.The car is road registered, BOC 772A, and it would be technically possible (MOT, lights, exhaust and tires) to use it on the road. What a fabulous opportunity, win one of the World’s most prestigious classic saloon car races, pop the number plates on and burble off through the Sussex lanes on the way home, just as we used to do in the early sixties.On a serious note, this is a superbly prepared and presented classic racer, ultra- competitive, simply maintained, admired everywhere and sensibly guided. We welcome any inspection of this amazing Studebaker. SpecificationMake: STUDEBAKERModel: SILVER HAWKYear: 1959Chassis Number: TBATransmission: ManualEngine Number: tbaMake: Click here for more details and images
