1963 · Studebaker · United States
1963 Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawk: the Avanti engines arrive
The GT Hawk could now be ordered with the Avanti's R1 and supercharged R2 engines, and a spring 1963 package created the Super Hawk. Old Cars Weekly counts 396 R1 cars among 4,009 domestic GT Hawks.
United States · researched through 2026-09-23
The 1963 Gran Turismo Hawk received minor restyling and gained optional front disc brakes, and for the first time it could be ordered with engines shared with the Avanti. The R1 added 30 hp over the 210-hp base 289, and the supercharged R2 added 79 hp. In spring 1963 Studebaker released a performance package pairing the Avanti engine with a reinforced suspension, disc brakes, a tachometer, and a 160-mph speedometer; cars so equipped were called Super Hawks.1
Production for 1963 is genuinely disputed among this record's own sources rather than merely under-documented. 1956goldenhawk.com gives an all-market total of 4,634, which agrees exactly with a domestic-plus-export split of 4,009 and 625 drawn from a separate tertiary sales table; the museum's own year page instead gives 4,364 for the same scope, a figure this record's own conflict entry treats as a probable transposition of the same four digits rather than a genuinely independent count. Old Cars Weekly's 4,009 is presented as a domestic-only figure, consistent with, not rival to, the larger all-market totals. Within that total, Old Cars Weekly further reports 396 Gran Turismo Hawks built with the R1 engine, 97 of them with the four-speed manual. The museum separately describes its own 1963 collection car as one of 44 supercharged Super Hawks, but this record's own conflict entry notes that Old Cars Weekly instead attributes the same 44-unit full-package R2 figure to the 1964 model year, leaving the year of that count formally unresolved between the two sources.2,3,1,4
The standard 289 two-barrel is rated 210 hp, rising to 225 hp with the four-barrel and dual exhaust; the optional R1 is rated 240 hp, and the optional supercharged R2 is rated 289 hp, both SAE gross. The export-only 259 V8 and 170 six again carry no ratings in the sources available. The four-speed manual is documented as optional, with its 97-unit count scoped to R1 cars only; no four-speed count covering all engines together was found for the year.1,4
Fourteen paint entries are charted for 1963: Super Red, described as exclusive to Super Hawks and Super Larks; eight standard line-wide colors running from Black Velvet and Ermine White through Rose Mist; three further colors, a Red Iridescent metallic, Seaspray Green, and Seabeach Sand, each specifically noted as a 1963 spring color only; and two more, Red Bordeaux and a Bermuda Brown Metallic, also listed among the year's spring colors. Ten Gran Turismo Hawk-specific interior trim codes are documented: blue, green, chestnut, and red cloth, and black, blue, green, chestnut, red, and tan vinyl, each of the six vinyl codes carrying two alternate numbers in the source.1,5
Engine numbers for 1963 R1 cars started at JT-1,001 and R2 cars at JTS-1,001, with separate JTC and JTSC series for Canadian-built cars of each type; standard 289s started at P-93,601. From 20 August 1963 onward, Avanti engines switched to an alphanumeric date code instead of a sequential number, a change this record's own identification entry states applied to all 1964 Hawk- and Lark-type engines as well. Model codes are given as 63V-K6 and 63S-K6, with the six-cylinder 63S-K6 body code explicitly scoped to export only and the V8 63V-K6 covering the 259 or 289. A factory Production Order held by the museum can verify an individual car's R-engine or Super Hawk claim against its original build record. The Gran Turismo Hawk held a 120.5-inch wheelbase and 204-inch overall length; shipping weight is given as 3,230 lb by one source and 3,280 lb by another, with neither source stating its weighing basis, a 50-lb gap this record does not resolve.6,2,7,8,4
Fact sheet · 1963 · United States
The numbers
1963 Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawk — The GT Hawk could now be ordered with the Avanti's R1 and supercharged R2 engines, and a spring 1963 package created the Super Hawk. Old Cars Weekly counts 396 R1 cars among 4,009 domestic GT Hawks.
Coverage: Partial — researched sections are shown; missing ones are not yet sourced. Researched through 2026-09-23.
Every figure is labeled with how sure we are. Reported means a manufacturer, registry, or reference figure we cite but have not reconciled against factory records ourselves. Disputed means credible sources disagree and both are shown. Rows are separately scoped; don't add them together unless the note says they make up a total.
Key facts
Production
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gran Turismo Hawk, all markets2,3 Gran Turismo Hawk · 2-door hardtop · all markets The museum's year page gives 4,364, a transposition of the same digits. See conflicts. | 4,634 | built, model-year | Disputed |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gran Turismo Hawk, domestic4,3 Gran Turismo Hawk · 2-door hardtop · US (domestic) | 4,009 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Gran Turismo Hawk, export3 Gran Turismo Hawk · 2-door hardtop · export Tertiary source with no inline citation. | 625 | sold, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| R1 engine4 Gran Turismo Hawk · 2-door hardtop · R1 289 · as reported (likely domestic) | 396 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| R1 engine with four-speed4 Gran Turismo Hawk · 2-door hardtop · R1 289 · 4-speed manual · as reported | 97 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Super Hawk, supercharged (R2)1 Gran Turismo Hawk Super Hawk · 2-door hardtop · R2 289 supercharged · not stated Old Cars Weekly puts 44 full-package R2 Hawks in 1964 instead. See conflicts. | 44 | built, model-year | Disputed |
The R1 and Super Hawk rows are separately scoped and are not a partition of the total.
The Jet Thrust News offers 1963 and 1964 production listings of R-engine cars for sale. They were not read and would close the R2 and Super Hawk gaps.
Prices when new
| Model | Price | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Gran Turismo Hawk1,2 | $3,095 | base price, 1963 model year |
Prices are the nominal dollars of the day, not adjusted for inflation.
Engines
| Engine | Factory rating | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|---|
| 289 V81,2 289 cu in · 2-barrel; 4-barrel with dual exhaust optional | 210 hp (SAE gross (period advertised)); 225 hp (SAE gross (period advertised); four-barrel and dual exhaust) | standard (US) | Not yet sourced |
| R1 · Jet Thrust 289 V8 (Avanti R1)4,1 289 cu in · as the Avanti R1 | 240 hp (SAE gross (period advertised)) | optional | 3964 Reported |
| R2 · Jet Thrust 289 V8, supercharged (Avanti R2)1 289 cu in · 4-barrel, centrifugal supercharger | 289 hp (SAE gross (period advertised)) | optional | Not yet sourced |
| 259 V8 and 170 six (export)1 259 cu in · not stated | export markets only | Not yet sourced |
Ratings are the manufacturer's advertised figures under the standard shown (SAE gross before 1972, SAE net after). They are not dyno results, and gross and net ratings can't be compared directly.
Transmissions
| Transmission | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|
| Four-speed manual4 | optional | 974 Reported |
Options and packages
| Code | Option | Price | Installed |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Super Hawk performance package (spring 1963): Avanti engine, reinforced suspension, disc brakes, tachometer, 160-mph speedometer1 | — | 441 Disputed |
|
Front disc brakes1,4 | — | Not yet sourced |
Paint
| Code | Color | Built |
|---|---|---|
|
Super Red (exclusive to Super Hawks and Super Larks)1 | Not yet sourced |
P6310 |
Black Velvet (line-wide 1963 Studebaker palette)5 | Not yet sourced |
P6311 |
Ermine White (line-wide 1963 Studebaker palette)5 | Not yet sourced |
P6312 |
Blue Mist (line-wide 1963 Studebaker palette)5 | Not yet sourced |
P6313 |
Green Mist (line-wide 1963 Studebaker palette)5 | Not yet sourced |
P6314 |
Silver Mist (line-wide 1963 Studebaker palette)5 | Not yet sourced |
P6315 |
Champagne Gold (line-wide 1963 Studebaker palette)5 | Not yet sourced |
P6316 |
Regal Red (line-wide 1963 Studebaker palette)5 | Not yet sourced |
P6317 |
Rose Mist (line-wide 1963 Studebaker palette)5 | Not yet sourced |
P-6325 |
Red Iridescent (decoder: Red Metallic; R-M 63S54R; 1963 spring color only)5 | Not yet sourced |
P-6326 |
Seaspray Green (R-M 63S35; 1963 spring color only)5 | Not yet sourced |
P-6327 |
Seabeach Sand (R-M 63S88; 1963 spring color only)5 | Not yet sourced |
6418 |
Red Bordeaux (listed as a 1963 spring color)5 | Not yet sourced |
6419 |
Bermuda Brown Metallic (listed as a 1963 spring color)5 | Not yet sourced |
Color names are the factory's. We don't show color swatches, because a screen color is no guide for a restoration.
Interiors
| Code | Trim | Built |
|---|---|---|
624 |
Gran Turismo Hawk trim: blue, cloth5 | Not yet sourced |
634 |
Gran Turismo Hawk trim: green, cloth5 | Not yet sourced |
644 |
Gran Turismo Hawk trim: chestnut, cloth5 | Not yet sourced |
654 |
Gran Turismo Hawk trim: red, cloth5 | Not yet sourced |
714 / 7141 |
Gran Turismo Hawk trim: black, vinyl5 | Not yet sourced |
724 / 7241 |
Gran Turismo Hawk trim: blue, vinyl5 | Not yet sourced |
734 / 7341 |
Gran Turismo Hawk trim: green, vinyl5 | Not yet sourced |
744 / 7441 |
Gran Turismo Hawk trim: chestnut, vinyl5 | Not yet sourced |
754 / 7541 |
Gran Turismo Hawk trim: red, vinyl5 | Not yet sourced |
764 / 7641 |
Gran Turismo Hawk trim: tan, vinyl5 | Not yet sourced |
Specifications
| Measure | Value | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Wheelbase4 | 120.5 in | Gran Turismo Hawk |
| Overall length4 | 204 in | Gran Turismo Hawk |
| Shipping weight4 | 3,230 lb | Gran Turismo Hawk, per Old Cars Weekly |
Identification
- Engine numbers
- 1963 Lark/Hawk engines: R1 cars JT-1,001 onward, R2 cars JTS-1,001 onward (JTC and JTSC for Canada), standard 289s P-93,601 onward. From 20 August 1963, Avanti engines, and all engines in 1964 Hawk/Lark-types, carry the alphanumeric date code instead.6
- Model codes
- 63V-K6 and 63S-K6 as listed.2
- Factory build record
- An R-engine or Super Hawk claim can be checked against the car's factory Production Order, held by the Studebaker National Museum for most 1936-1966 Studebakers.8
- Body codes and plate
- 63S-K6 GT Hawk six hardtop (169.6 cu in), export only; 63V-K6 GT Hawk V8 hardtop (259 or 289). The body plate is riveted to the cowl under the hood and carries the year-engine-body number and a trim code.7,5
Where the sources disagree
1963 Gran Turismo Hawk total
Lead with 4,634, which agrees with the domestic + export split, and flag the museum's 4,364 as a probable digit transposition. Present 4,009 as the domestic figure, not a rival total.
Year of the 44 supercharged Super Hawks
- 1963 (museum collection car described as one of 44 supercharged Super Hawks)1
- 1964 ('Only 44 full-package R-2 Hawks were manufactured in 1964')4
Show the figure with both year attributions. It may count both years together. The Jet Thrust production listings would settle it.
Same model year
Also in 1963
- Buick Riviera Buick's first Riviera, a four-seat personal-luxury hardtop limited to 40,000 cars, with a 401 Nailhead standard and a 340-hp 425 added in December 1962.
- Buick Wildcat The Wildcat became its own series, adding a convertible and four-door hardtop; 35,725 built.
- Chevrolet Chevy II and Nova First Nova Super Sport year in the source production table. Enthusiast-compiled production: 372,626 cars; Super Sport 42,432.
- Chevrolet Impala SS Super Sport (RPO Z03) peaks toward the 1960s high: 153,271 built, plus the Z11 427 drag package.
- Chrysler 300 letter series Hardtop-only and trimmed exclusively in Claret Red leather, the 300J carried a 390 hp short-ram 413 as its only engine; 400 were built, the smallest letter-car run.
- Dodge Dart 330/440, Polara and Max Wedge The Max Wedge grew to 426 cu in, rated at 415 or 425 hp, and a Ramchargers Dodge driven by Herman Moser won Stock at the 1963 NHRA Nationals; Ramcharger production remains unsourced.
- Ford Fairlane Hardtops and wagons joined the Fairlane line; reference-site counts give 28,268 bucket-seat Fairlane 500 Sport Coupes, beside 97,444 Fairlanes and 246,443 Fairlane 500s.
- Ford Falcon Sprint The mid-year 1963 1/2 Sprint put the Fairlane's 164 hp 260 V8 into the compact Falcon for the first time, as a hardtop and a convertible.
- Ford Galaxie The 406 opened the year and was replaced mid-year by the 427, in Q-code (410 hp, one four-barrel) and R-code (425 hp, two four-barrels) form, while a fastback Sports Hardtop was offered in the Galaxie 500 and 500 XL series.
- Ford Thunderbird The Sports Roadster's second and last year: only 455 were built.
- Mercury Marauder and S-55 The S-55 line grew to four bodies, and the mid-year fastback Marauder hardtop arrived with 390, 406 and 427 V8s available.
- Oldsmobile Starfire A squared-off roof with a concave rear window; production fell 38 percent to 25,890.
- Plymouth Savoy, Fury and Max Wedge The Super Stock engine grew to 426 cu in at 415 or 425 hp, a Stage II revision followed, and Chrysler's own four-speed arrived in May 1963; Super Stock production remains unsourced.
- Pontiac Catalina 2+2 and Super Duty Three Super Duty 421 ratings up to 410 hp, then GM's racing withdrawal ended them early in the model year.
- Pontiac Grand Prix Production more than doubled to 72,959 at an unchanged price.
- Pontiac Tempest and LeMans A V8 for the Tempest, and about a dozen Super Duty Tempests built for racing before Pontiac's January 1963 withdrawal.
- Studebaker Avanti Studebaker's fiberglass four-seat coupe went on sale with a 289 V8 and an optional $210 Paxton supercharger. It was billed on the strength of a 1962 run of Bonneville records, and 3,834 were built as 1963 models.
- Studebaker Lark and Super Lark Studebaker offered the Avanti's R1 and supercharged R2 engines in the compact Lark and added a Super Lark package in April. No source read gives an R2 Lark count; the estimates run from about 200 to a few hundred.