Hello everyone!

[Jaybokay]

Well, as it says in the title, I'm a brand-spanking new member of this forum! Let me tell you, I'm rather excited to be here, as I think this to be a very worthwhile group. Let me tell you a bit about myself first. 

 

I am 19 years of age and my first car is a 1962 Studebaker GT Hawk that I've had for a couple of years now. 

 

When I was a young lad of seven,  I had my earliest and one of my most vivid memories of a car and all that they really meant. It was an Austin-Healey 3000 Mk. III dressed in red with a stunning camel tan and burled walnut interior. The throaty rasp of the 3.0 liter Austin straight six kept itself at a full baritone and was truly glorious. The four speed manual gearbox was also sweet as pecan pie. Needless to say, I was a full convert over to Automobilia! From that point forward, I patiently saved up my money for a full seven years working odd jobs and doing well at school, anxious for the day when I could finally declare to the world that I had wheels all my own. While I did consider imports and Big Three-mobiles alike, I came to the conclusion that an Independent would be more my taste.

While I believe that you all at the AACA likely know what the Independent moniker means, plenty of people don't. It is in reference to those American car companies that both survived WWII and were not connected with the Big Three in any way. Nash, Hudson, (later) AMC, Packard, Studebaker, Kaiser, Willys, and Crosley all are a part of it. I chose Studebaker out of all these because I was captivated by their history as well as the refreshingly different styling of their cars.
 

Now for the engine. The Studebaker 289 cu. (or 4.7 liters, which isn't actually that big by American standards) V8 is a marvel of engineering that dates all the way back to 1951. The Ford 289 cu. V8, which mine often gets mistaken for because people are ignorant, weighs 450 pounds with all accessories. Meanwhile, the Stude unit weighs closer to 700 pounds. This gives the engine ungodly reliability, and even a fair bit of power potential too. In R2 and R3 trim, this lump could generate up to 450 hp. to the rear wheels. Mine is a basic one with a Carter 4-venturi (barrel) carburetor that I have not set on a dyno yet. If I had to make a guess, though, it would probably deliver 200 hp. to the pavement and I am fine with that. Daisy-Mae here is a cruiser, to be dignified and enjoy life in, not to race around.

 

I have been a Scout for 10 years now, culminating in the rank of Eagle Scout. I've since used those skills to better my community as well as promote my Studebaker some (as I believe it to be a worthwhile thing to do).  with a lot more planned   It was featured in:

•  The Wall Street Journal on July 3, 2019 and again on December 30.
• The December 2019 edition of “Classic and Sports Car” - a very notable UK based enthusiast publication
• Several YouTube videos within the past year, most notably on Scotty Kilmer’s channel
• The 2020 Boca Raton Concours d'Elegance as a part of the "30 under 30 group"

 

Anyway, I'm excited to be here and look forward to participating in it more. Hello I suppose!

 

 

 

[lump]

Welcome! Beautiful car, and wonderful story! 

[Real Steel]

Welcome Jay! 

You will make friends and find knowledgeable people here.  

One of my sons is an Eagle Scout also. so I know the dedication and hard work it takes to make that happen.

I had a 1965 Studebaker in the last millennium...it was my wife's daily-driver.

Edited April 15, 2020 by Real Steel (see edit history)

[AzBob]

Welcome Jaybokay,

Nice looking ’62 GT Hawk and great story. I owned several Studebakers back in the day including 2 Silver Hawks. Liked the refined looks of the GT Hawks. You are right about the Studebaker 289 cu. in. V8 being a robust and very reliable engine.

Edited April 15, 2020 by AzBob (see edit history)

[gossp]

Welcome Jay,

 

First off: great Stude!  Secondly, congrats on becoming an Eagle Scout!  Very few positive things from your youth can stick with you and be relevant into your adult years. As a side note, you will find the old car hobby flooded with us!  

[J.H.Boland]

Hello Jaybokay

I once had a '62 GT Hawk.It was a fast,beautiful handling car.

My most memorable experience with it though,was a bit scary. I was putting it through its' paces one day when I happened to notice a small switch on the dash. After turning it on nothing seemed to happen. Soon,smoke began to appear from under my seat ! I quickly turned off the switch and pulled over. A quick check revealed that the car had an underseat heater which hadn't been used in years and the accumulated dust bunnies were smoldering.

So,Jaybokay, don't touch that switch !

Jim

[carbking]

Welcome - beautiful car, great intro. And congratulations on becoming an Eagle Scout.

 

Jon.

[John S.]

Jaybokay, welcome to the forum. Very nice GT Hawk. I own a 1949 Studebaker Champion. They are wonderful automobiles.

[alsancle]

Congrats on the achieving Eagle Scout.   It still means something.

 

Also,   I believe your Hawk is a four speed?   If so,  well done!

[Lebowski]

Welcome to the site from another Stude owner. My '49 pickup has a 289 in it out of a '62 Hawk. Thanks for the long intro and we hope you'll stick around because we need some younger guys here since most of us are old enough to be your grandfather. LOL... 

[padgett]

Also welcome, grew up in your neck of the woods and always thought the Hawk was a beautiful car, better looking than an Avanti, and green is unusual - tan interior ? Son is an Eagle, I was just a scoutmaster for most of the journey. Must admit I would find it hard to turn down a Studillac.

[padgett]

BTW do people still test cars on the Royal Palm bridge ?

[Marty Roth]

Hello Jay, and welcome to the FORUM. I encourage you to affiliate with your local AACA region, and to participate in activities, helping them to attract members closer to your age and interest categories. Congratulations on attaining the rank of Eagle Scout. One of my nephews has also reached that level. My own background in scouting, from Cubs through Sea Scouts, had a positive effect on my life and career.

[Jaybokay]

11 hours ago, gossp said:

Welcome Jay,

 

First off: great Stude!  Secondly, congrats on becoming an Eagle Scout!  Very few positive things from your youth can stick with you and be relevant into your adult years. As a side note, you will find the old car hobby flooded with us!  

 

I don't doubt that for a New York minute or a Palm Beach acre! I think I'll quite like this group, as it seems that a good deal of us like those nameplates that have been mostly lost to history. Cheers!

[Jaybokay]

7 hours ago, padgett said:

Also welcome, grew up in your neck of the woods and always thought the Hawk was a beautiful car, better looking than an Avanti, and green is unusual - tan interior ? Son is an Eagle, I was just a scoutmaster for most of the journey. Must admit I would find it hard to turn down a Studillac.

 

Thank you kindly! The paint's not original, as the previous (2nd) owner decided to respray the car at some point in the 1980s into the wonderful shade of green you see today. I happen to like the way it looks, because green is my favorite color and a car as unusual as this deserves an unusual color scheme. Factory correctness be darned! The original aqua interior is largely preserved though. 

 

To answer your question, yes! That Bridge has been used for many a test car and will doubtlessly be used for many more in the future. Put that one right next to the Kennedy Bunker in terms of attractions, which my Studebaker would be a survivor of the event that led to its creation: the Cuban Missile Crisis. 

 

 

 

 

[oldcarfudd]

Welcome, Jaybokay!  We geezers are delighted that you've chosen to join.  My own preference is for touring in very early cars, but I used to own and drive, when my kids were younger than you are now, an ancestor of your Studebaker - a 1910 E-M-F.  And it, too, had been repainted green, which wasn't the factory color but which was very attractive.  I have five adult toys now - a 1914 Ford, a 1912 Buick, a 1911 Stanley Steamer, a 1907 Cadillac, and a 1904 Oldsmobile.  The Ford and the Buick are big-3, but the others aren't.  The Cadillac and the Oldsmobile were built by their independent companies before GM bought them - in fact, before GM even existed.  And the Stanley company went belly-up in 1924, long after steam power had stopped being competitive as a car driver.  The Cadillac has a green body, black hood and fenders, and red wheels and chassis, which are correct factory colors.  The Stanley has a green body, black fenders, and yellow wheels and chassis - again, correct.  Cars were more colorful in the early days, and when your Studebaker was built, than they are today.

 

Gil Fitzhugh, Morristown, NJ

[mobileparts]

Hey Jaybokay,

    Welcome Aboard.... To the best antique automotive site on planet Earth !!!!

As you can see from the responses already, this AACA site has the greatest people in the old car hobby.  And I believe that you qualify to be with us.

   Most of your generation are a bunch of snot-nosed, insubordinate, rude, button pushing mental and physical midgets... How dare I be honest....

   It appears that you have had good guidance in your life, and have taken the necessary steps to become a man....

   Before I got my driver's license, (many many years ago!!!) I had already bought two cars --- my regular driver, a 1969 Olds 98, and the first of my 

1957 DeSotos.....

   We did crazy great things back then... I am sure these other guys are nodding their heads, "Oh, sure" !!!!!

    But you are one of very few in your generation to step up and be a real

MAN !!!!!!

    Welcome Aboard, yours, Craig.....

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Great first post, Jaybokay.  As you dig into the forum you may hear 19 year olds do not like old cars.  Ignore that.  Congrats on some nice accomplishments while still a teen!

[Nolan Walker]

Hi,

This story is very Informative and interesting to read! Thanks for this post!

Congrats for achieving Eagle Scout. well done!

[Dandy Dave]

Welcome Aboard. My Dad is a Draft horsemen, Farm class horse teams men. He has several original Studebaker buggies in his collection. Beautiful  car. Thanks for sharing. Dandy Dave!  

Edited April 16, 2020 by Dandy Dave (see edit history)

[Steve Moskowitz]

Young man please send me your mailing info...I will be happy to give you a free membership in AACA for this year.  aaca1@aaca.org   There is an AMAZING car collection in your area...I'll see if we can finagle an invite for you.  

[edinmass]

Hi Jay, I am a long time old car guy, and live in Flamingo Park.....(neighborhood in West Palm Beach)......send me a PM through the forum. I’m rather certain Steve is referring to a used car lot not too far from me! 😎 I’m one of the younger pre war car guys............and have been active with Studebaker products for forty years. 👍
 

Welcome to the forum......it’s a great bunch of people here..........

Edited April 16, 2020 by edinmass (see edit history)

[edinmass]

On 4/15/2020 at 12:18 PM, padgett said:

BTW do people still test cars on the Royal Palm bridge ?

 

 

I do every week..........😉

[JamesR]

Welcome! I saw you on the Scotty Kilmer channel. Or, I should say, I remember seeing a young man with a Studebaker and I presume that was you. Great episode, and I really like the Scotty Kilmer channel in general. Please link to it, if you can - I think the visitors and commenters here would really enjoy it.

 

You probably get tired of hearing, "It's great to see young people with an interest in old cars," but it is a genuinely sincere sentiment; many of us have our own kids who may not share our interest. I had my two seventeen year-olds (boy and girl) drive my '61 Mercury around for the first time a few days ago. Their general impression was that steering and brakes (both typical early '60's power units) felt strange enough  to them and they felt that less than confident driving the car. My daughter did say that she felt super-cool driving the Mercury, though.

 

Jaybokay, if you have any tips on encouraging teenagers to become more interested in old cars, please let us know. The good news is that in 10 years my son's 2005 Impala will be an "antique" car (by our state's definition.) 😄

[Larry Schramm]

Congratulations on your Eagle Scout rank.  I was the Eagle Scout advancement chair for my son's troop and I know the amount of work to obtain that rank.  My son is an Eagle Scout.

 

Glad to see a younger person on board with a car you enjoy.  Have fun with it and drive it like you stole it.  When you drive around with others you will meet the best persons that will help you on the journey of vehicle ownership. 

[cahartley]

Jaybokay........at the age of 19 you are so far ahead of me it's ridiculous as I couldn't indulge my love of cars until I was 58 (68 now)......and you are starting out with a far better car.

I hope attaining Eagle Scout status always remains a thing of great pride and respect.

If only there were 100,000 more just like you....... 👍

[Billy Kingsley]

Welcome! I think I've seen you in the Facebook Studebaker groups- or at least, seen your car! I've been a Studebaker fan since I was a kid, even drove out to their museum in 2003. 

[Jaybokay]

23 hours ago, JamesR said:

Jaybokay, if you have any tips on encouraging teenagers to become more interested in old cars, please let us know. The good news is that in 10 years my son's 2005 Impala will be an "antique" car (by our state's definition.) 😄

 

Thank you very much for the warm welcome! I do hope to become fairly active here soon enough! As for getting young people more interested with cars, I have two suggestions:

 

No. I: Set up driving events that happen on a time that fits with most young people's schedule (because of school). If a mentor is supplied with his car, and these kids are allowed to drive these cars under supervision for a period, I feel like they would appreciate it more than just static displays. Young people such as myself are more likely to care then. I believe Hagerty runs such a program.

 

No. II: Remove or reduce the astigmatism currently in place in most of the car community for restomods/customs. While I don't like them myself, it does offer a broader scope for people to become involved. This is important for obvious reasons.