Linda had asked for a wagon in 1985, but I talked her into a 1961 Hawk (HER HAWK) instead. I had just completed the rebuild of my own 1961 Hawk (HIS HAWK). HER HAWK was Linda's Daily-Driver since 1985, and was starting to look a bit worse for wear and needed a rebuild. Without her Studebaker.. she would need another daily-driver.
First Look- We learned about the car at the 1989 NCSDC Tri-State Meet. Linda fell in love immediately. The deal was done. We returned 1-week later, picked the car up and drive it home.
Disassembly begins: The entire interior was gutted. The sliding roof and exterior trim is also removed. The body is sanded to remove the paint-lines from a poor re-paint (they did not remove the trim). All rusty areas are sanded to bare metal. All bare areas are epoxy primed (red)
The holes in the floors are patched with sheet-metal. At the time, I didn't have access to a welder, so the panels were just riveted in place and sealed with waterproof sealer. 
The car was primed with Lacquer-primer-surfacer, which was the recommended process at the time. All pinholes, scratches and minor dents are filled with Lacquer spot-putty. 
The interior panels, door jambs, wheel wells, and tailgate area are colored first. Then the rest of the car. It takes 1 1/2 gallons of PPG Deltron Basecoat to spray 4-coats on everything.
3-coats of PPG full-Urethane Clearcoat.
The exterior trim is installed, and Linda begins the interior work. The door panels were in descent condition, but the carpet needed replacement, and the bottom of the doors dyed. 
We worked a pretty long day... but had the car assembled in about 1 evening. She was our Meet Car for several years. We could haul anything we wanted. 
She really loved her wagon. Sadly, when HER HAWK was completed, and shortly after our son was born... the need for a more "modern" car arose. The wagon was parked for a couple years, and eventually sold. 
