Road Hawk

My pages on the other Skyhawk special edition cars (Sorry Brian, no DL1 page ... yet, lol) Roadhawk - http://monza.homestead.com/roadhawk.html as well as my main site on the Road Hawk, below in signature. Free Spirit - http://monza.homestead.com/FreeSpirit.html Nighthawk - http://monza.homestead.com/nighthawk.html Designer's Accent Edition - http://monza.homestead.com/DAE.html Yeah, it is a bit of a passion, just a bit!!!!!!

The '2-tone' cars were refered to as Designer's Accent Editions. They were available 79 and 80 in very limited numbers (unknown, hopefully Brian can get the figures shortly). They came with black lower paint and either red or yellow upper half. No other colour options. Had hawk decal on hood, rear spioler and "sporty sounding" exhaust system, what ever Buick meant by that. http://monza.homestead.com/DAE.html - my brief webpage on this edition. I think one has been found in TX but in rough shape.

That car went on ebay for $400 if memory serves me well enough. This was the one in Kansas right?

John I'll get on making a list up for him (and maybe you - to give him) but I'll be camping for a week so I'll contact him next week sometime (just in case you see him in the next week or so). Thanks again for the contact. Bryan

John I just received a letter from Calvin Hugins today and he wrote an entire page about his history with Buicks and contact info and some brief Skyhawk facts. I will be giving him a call and see if he can shed any light into my research on the Road Hawk (and other Skyhawk special edition cars - Free Spirit, Night Hawk, Designer's Accent Edition). Thanks so much for getting in touch with him about me, it is very much appreciated. I'll fill you in on what he has to say, if your interested!!! Bryan

Thanks John, you've got mail!

Thanks Derek I called George Zapora and he sent me the package you mentioned. Found out this service is good for any Canadian made and/or sold vehicles. Turns out only 2,000 Buick Skyhawk's were imported into Canada in 1979 and of those a mere 186 were Road Hawks. Unfortunately there are no U.S. figures, and according to George, I may never get them, the U.S. just "doesn't care" about keeping figures for older cars, especially underappreciated types, like the GM H-Bodies. Oh well, it is a number to start with, more digging I guess. Thanks again for the tip!!! Bryan

Hey Derek I appreciate the offer but I've already decoded the VIN and trim tag (I have all the 2nd Gen GM H-Body RPO codes on my Chevrolet Monza website) for my Road Hawk. Buick.net's numbers are misleading as is the picture. The number thay have (23,139) is for ALL Buick Skyhawk's produced in 1979, not the model breakdown they presently have. There were 2 base models, 4S07 (Skyhawk Hatchback - 18,373) and 4T07 (Skyhawk 'S' hatchback - 4,766) which equal a total of 23,139. The 4T07 Hatch was a cheaper bare bones Skyhawk while the 4S07 was the main model, no seperate VIN's breakdown's were available for the special editions (Road Hawk, etc). They also just happen to have a pic of a Road Hawk not the base Skyhawk above the production number they give, which is misleading as well. Thanks again for the George's number, I will be calling him as soon as I get the chance! BRyan

Hi Derek Thanks for the reply, I have been in contact with GM Canada, I beleive it was the archives division, but they weren't able to assist me too much since the Road Hawk's were all built in the US and mine was sold in Phoenix, AZ and didn't make it's way north till I bought it in Nov. I did get a package from them though, containing standard equipment, options packages, special editions, etc, looks like it was a delaership manual, basically a guide for the salespeople. Nothing VIN related due to it being a US car though I was told they could break it down much more if I had the VIN# from an original Canuck car. One of the parts cars (another 79 Road Hawk) was Canadian all it's life to I'll try to get them to research that VIN# for me. Buick numbers are tougher to acquire, I have lots of info (build sheet, production numbers etc.) for my 1980 Chevrolet Monza Spyder which was a Canadian car but apparently Chevy is better equipped to deal with those type of requests. Can't recall if it was George Zapora or not, sounds familiar but if you find his contact info, please send it along, I'd like to talk to this guy. Thanks Again! Bryan

Very much appreciated John. I'm certainly not going to give up and I'll continue to ask around and see what pops up. Cheers! MrBuick714 ... who's Terry Dunham, any significance to the name in regards to Road Hawk research??? Bryan

Thanks for the tips guys, very much appreciated! Unfortunately I've come to a dead end. GM Canada wrote back saying they had nothing for me. I'm STILL waiting to hear back form Buick Motors Division though so my fingers are still crossed. I bought the 'Standard Catalog of Buick' and that had some uselful information but only a couple items that I didn't already know so it wasn't a huge resource. Also bought 'Muscle Buicks' but they have nothing whatsoever on the Road Hawk. I was very encouraged about finding and contacted the Sloan Museum but I was very dissapointed, they also have no info (except the the Road Hawk options - which I got through old dealership brochures), no statss, no production numbers, nothing, truly a frustrating venture. I guess they only provide info for the more prominant Buick's (finding the same problem with the Chevrolet Monza). OK, I'm out of resources here, anyone else tried a different approach, anyone know names and contact info of Buick personal that designed, assembled Buicks in the late '70's? I will attempt to contact the plant in Lordstown, Ohio, where the Road Hawk's were assembled but I don't expect much. Anyways, any more assistance would be fantastic, and tahnks to those that have already helped!!! Bryan

I'm just a rookie on here, but not one where POR 15 is concerned. I have used it on numerous parts on my Monza Spyder project and am currently using the stuff on some rusted parts on my S10 Blazer. The 79 Buick Road Hawk will also get the same treatment to protect it from the Great White North (although it will never again see adverse weather as long as it exists). The stuff is bombproof, looks great (nice glossy look to it) but one guy said it right, the prep work is most of the effort. Do it right and you'll have no problems whatsoever. I highly recommend their stuff. I also use their Marine Clean extensively on just about everything, plastic, vinyl, greasy car parts, etc, it is simply awesom, nothing beats it, and it is water based so it leaves NO residue or film, it isn't greasy, oily or made with alcohol. The perfect cleaner really. Bryan 79 Buick Road Hawk 80 Monza Spyder 80 Monza Spyder 91 S10 Blazer http://roadhawk.homestead.com/roadhawk.html

Where does one start to research older Buick cars? Things like production numbers, option breakdowns, names of personel that were instrumental in design, testing, fabrication, etc. Aftermarket companies that Buick dealt with? Etc, etc? I've written to Buick Co and GM Canada for info and waiting for any reply, if any. I've contacted the original dealership, nothing (old records long destroyed). Tried to locate aftermarket fabrication companies that Buick dealt with but they are long out-of-business. I'm running out of options. Where have you guys gone for research and historical information about your Buicks? Thanks Bryan

Thanks again for the reply Yup, the Road Hawk certainly must be one of the rarest Buick's in existance, approx only 1,400 were made. That is an impressive looking LeSabre, ccertainly nothing like the Road Hawk but a great looking Buick noneteeless. I saw the posting about a Skyhawk for sale and the lack or response, typical lack of appreciation for the GM H-Body. It gets NO respect in the car community which is one of it's selling points to me, noone else has one, but it still turns head wherever I drive it and brings back lots of memories for those who owned one. Bryan 79 Buick Road Hawk 80 Monza Spyder - black 80 Monza Spyder - white 91 Chevy S-10 Blazer

Thanks for the kind words and the encouragement, I'll need it since Buick (and GM and the collector car hobby) basically considers the GM H-Body to be a throw-away car anyways so getting info is impossible at best. I'll still plug away at it though. The Road Hawk (and all H-Body Skyhawk's were only ever offered with Buicks 231 V8 powerplant with the Saginaw 4-speed being standard equipment. A TH350 automatic could be ordered as well as a Borg-Warner 5-speed. I can't find that link you mentioned, about the similarly equipped next generation H-Body (The GM H-Body was discontinued in 1980, the Skyhawk's et al were the 2nd generation - with the Vega and Astre being the 1st generation). Can you resend it?