Folks Of Interest Avanti Legend Talks About Caroll Shelby & The Car That Studebaker Didn’t Want To Sell ….

Hello KK,

That is the nicest comment made for my posts and research. I have come to like researching as it is a throwback to studying in the book racks at a university library in Los Angeles with my wife, (then girlfriend). We would stay there in the racks studying/researching until the wee hours 2:00-3:00 am. Then, go to the nearby diner for a nice early morning snack, before heading back down to coastal So Cal.

The Long Beach college/public libraries were usually closed at 10 pm and we were twenty somethings with a lot of night studying time to go... So, a drive up to Los Angeles' big universities for their open libraries was a thing to do to be able to stay with my studying partner just a little bit longer. Now, a "little bit longer" has lasted 56 years as a couple of funny people, still hanging around during the pandemic times.

Currently, I have a lot of stuff all separated in one of my portable external hard drives, for easy access. When I research, it is gathering a lot of information, then separating it down to simple terms for a short story. Facts are still there and it is easier to read for most. Making paragraphs like we all learned in high school English Classes makes the information and posting simple as the clarity is there. The photos are usually from my own files, but if is see a clear photo that simplifies a short story, I included it for facts, clarity.

Jnaki

So, again, thanks for the great comment and I try to do my best to "drain my brain" for facts from those early days of growing up in Long Beach and then throughout our family history in the OC all of these years. Hot rod/drag race/So Cal coastal memories are a great thing that keeps all of us going...

As odd as the topic of Avantis and Studebakers are for most hot rod guys, there was a keen interest in driving/owning a different kind of cool hot rod/cruiser, with some new features. YRMV

 

The Avanti was offered with many standard features, and a number of additional options.

Standard features included a roll bar, padded safety dash, front disk brakes, 7 gage cluster, bucket seats, overhead switches, high output 289 V8, 4V carb, etc...

Options included supercharger (R2), high output supercharger (R3), high output dual 4V (R4), A/C, 4 speed stick, 3 speed auto, power steering, power windows, etc...

Some of these features did not mix, like the A/C compressor and supercharger occupied the same space in the engine compartment, so either/or. Leather interior was not an option that I know of in 63/64, but the original vinyl was said to be very soft and high quality. The Avanti was a very nice car for the era, I often refer to it as a luxury sports car when comparing to other cars of the era.

 

Someone on the HAMB told me years ago that only seven 3 speed Avantis were built. I rebuilt the trans & replaced the clutch in this one around 1969 - 70. Same owner today ...

 

Some pics of the all original interior in #388.

 

The classic bottle does date from the 1915-16 era, Raymond Loewy was part of a team that in 1955 freshened up the design. Official CC history here: https://www.coca-colacompany.com/company/history/the-history-of-the-coca-cola-contour-bottle

 

As has been commented above - there is an integral roll bar built in that lends nicely with the interior
of the 1963 Studebaker Avanti .


Jim

 

Jim[/QUOTE]

With respect to you two fine gentlemen, Raymond Loewy did the re-design of the Coke bottle as it is today in the early '50's. Look it up. No BS............

 

Operative word: EMPLOYEE

Ford has had many designers over the last 100 years. They owned all the designs made by their employees. Only a few like Larry Shinoda came to public knowledge.

 

"Let it go"

Translation: "Can't admit I was mistaken" LOL!! Good try, though.

Look, I could not GAF. That shit is just diabetes, death in a bottle anyway.

 

With respect to you two fine gentlemen, Raymond Loewy did the re-design of the Coke bottle as it is today in the early '50's. Look it up. No BS............[/QUOTE]

No need to insult me by calling me
a “ fine gentleman “ …


Jim

 

My dad and I have just recently become Avanti fans. We usually mess about with early Fords, early Corvettes and ‘57 Chevys. Photos show five of the six that we have hauled home last year or so. Three R1’s, two R2’s and one II. We’ve collected three Hawks too, one is a R2…

Any kind of award for the most original moss patina?






Our Hawks…

 

I've always liked Studebaker's Avanti. Here's a recent drawing i did to appease my Avanti lust...

 

A buddy of mine has ne that was believed to be one of those that was on the assembly line when the plant shut down. It is the later year but has all the stude badging. As was told to him by the experts at the Studebaker convention. The plant was shut down before the workday was done. No notice what-so-ever.

 

65 & earlier

 

Trulyvintage was referring to the ‘63/‘64 produced Studebaker Avanti cars. There were no Studebaker Avantis produced in ‘65, then the Avanti II technically began production in ‘66 (sumthin like 3 cars IIRC).

 

The Avanti 2s were originally produced from leftover Stude Parts. The cars can be distinguished from earlier Studebaker Models, but like a 66 C10 or F100 vs a 65, not by many people as to a Chevy vs a Stude engine, I would choose a Chevy if I had a 2, or an incomplete original(now) . When I was into Studies, no chance, I would find a 289, probably could get one pretty quick still if I looked. The Stude V8 is a robust engine with a ton of potential, as Ted Harbitt and others have proven.

 

So how much HP did the factory 289 engine variants have?

 

None of my books have published numbers for the Avanti engines. I seem to remember sumpin like…

R1 - 240
R2 - 280
R3 - 325
R4 - 300

Despite the published numbers, all the R3’s were assembled and dyno tested at Paxton Products. Andy Granatelli supposedly didn’t let any of the R3’s out the door below 400…

 

Thanks^^^^^^^^^Pretty stout.