Poll: Which '58? (12/18/2024)

I love the Studebaker, but its bones are old. The Thunderbird wins for creating a segment.

Discounting the fins-for-the-time, these are two completely different styling exercises. The Golden Hawk is outlandish and in-your-face. While the Thunderbird is more elegantly sculpted and refined.

Love 'em both and a tough choice (Thanks again john!) but going with the 'square bird'!

Although its rather unique styling is comparatively dated , I love this era Golden Hawk.  I like the Square Bird but prefer the earlier and later designs by far.

Never a fan of the square birds, when they shifted the design to a 4 seater.  So my vote goes to the Stude.

@ed-glorius +1.

Square bird for me.  👀👍. Really liked the 53 Studabaker but not so much the front end evolution in the years following.  

So interesting to read the various viewpoints, when one is at a loss.  I'm not voting as I'm that undecided, but come away better informed on both. Thanks John et al.

@charles-rockett I fell in love with the square bird as a kid when I owned a very cool example from Matchbox Lesney.

(Stock photo from the interweb)

To me, that Studebaker is ageless. I far prefer the 1955 to 1957 Thunderbird to this version.

Seriously, the question of the day was, "How fast could I type THUNDERBIRD?".  To my eyes the "Square-Birds" are the most beautiful Thunderbirds of all time!  Such an improvement over the little 2-seater Go-Carts before them. 

And as Tony said above, the Studebaker is "so outlandish and in your face", and he couldn't be more spot on.  I was never a fan of the "Frog sitting on a Lilly Pad" look of those Studebakers.  There is no flow to the styling, only a bunch of curves that don't seem to mess well.  JMO of course.  

Posted by: @bob-jackman

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@ed-glorius +1.

+2

Steve 

T-Bird for me today.

Love the T-bird but compared to the Golden Hawk it's dull and boring. Today it's all about pizzazz!