Hot Rods Avantis, are they for wierdos?

Well, if nothing else, I think we are verifying that there are a lot of wierdos on this site

Seriously, I wasn't expecting such a positive response. I was thinking there would be more thumbs downs but that seems to be the minority so far.

And yes, I think something in this direction is exactly what I was thinking too. To me, rear is what is off. However, I can't see a rational, sensible way to modify it that wouldn't involve some extra serious hacking and reconstruction that would be way beyond my skills and $'s. It would take some serious balls to do what likely would have to be done to 'improve' on the body lines. And then like others have said, you likely would end up with something hard to ever sell even if you were successful.

I think I am going to continue to keep my eyes out for them and contemplate a potential game plan.

 

I almost bought one until I checked with my insurance agent. I suggest you check with your insurance agent. This was many years ago but at that time the fiberglass cars were MUCH MORE expensive to insure. I definitely like their style.

Charlie Stephens

 

Really? Interesting. Never even thought of that. The classic car insurers might be more sympathetic. Or as a second/third car on my Geico policy probably won't add too much.

 

Do the headlights remind anyone of "Wall-E?"

 

This is the one that got me thinking about it again recently:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1963...rs_Trucks&hash=item3a5ce34831#ht_22452wt_1167

Didn't even crack $19K and that's a damn clean looking car. I am not big on those wheels, but otherwise and top shelf example of one.

 

I always thought it was a pretty good looking car.

 

I am a weirdo and I love Studebaker's but I have never cared for Avantis. When I drove my truck all the time that was one of the questions people would ask me I bet you would love to have a Avanti. I would always say no I like my truck

 

I love em.....wouldn't cut up any of the early pieces though. Would love to do a more contemporary build on one of the later continuation cars!!!

 

hey , im wierd .... ill take your AVANTI !!!!!!!!!!! just let me know when to pick it up !
........... steve

 

Never cared for them. Maybe cause this gay guy who lived in my neighborhood when I was growing up,had one. Hard to look at one without him coming to mind. I remember seeing one that ran at Bonneville,that was cool though!
Also remember seeing some 4dr versions too.

 

Didn't Andy Granatelli race them on the salt? He was president of Studebaker in the 60's and i thought he had hopped some up..found it

http://www.theavanti.com/granatelli.htm

 

The Studebaker Avanti and Jensen Interceptor have always been my top-2 favorite cars of all time. It's that giant wrap-around rear window on both cars that is very cool.

 

Hate Advantis...But I'll take an R3 if anyone has one laying around.

Actually I've never really liked any Studebakers until I recently started building one and I'm still not even sure what year mine is haha.

Very impressed with the engineering department though....

 

If everybody loved them they'd have sold a lot more of them, and they'd be unaffordable now. I like them, dare to be different.

 

I have a 71 Avanti II, Altman-Newman era, they had enough 64 stuff laying around to be very true to the 64 except for the drivetrain..Yes, the later IIs started to get ugly (uglier?)..they shopped around for the best deals on parts and came up with a 327 mated to a Torqueflite using an adapter that they designed and built..In my picking and hoarding I have found a 289 with the Paxton and an old Offenhauser dress-up kit onnit..would love to find a trashed one to build a race car..

 

I like 'em. There's a black one that runs around here on a regular basis. Talk about anticipating the Mustang and Corvette, I have to say there's some Gremlin styling leaking out too. But I like Gremlins too.

 

Andy Granatelli wasn't president of Studebaker, but he did build the early ones that raced at Bonneville and other places. Included in the Bonneville effort were also GT Hawks and Larks. Even a 6 cylinder Lark Convertible was put on the salt. This was a record setting session with may world records being set.

The red R2 car listed on ebay is especially rare because of the Power Shift transmission. Still, I would prefer the T-10. Actually both transmissions were options with the standard tranny being a three speed with overdrive.

The Avanti used a Lark Convertible frame. That frame had a X-member that made the frame stiffer. Even the early Avanti II's from Newman-Altman used that frame. The entire suspension set up can be traced all the way back to 1953 with some aspects being even earlier than that. Remember Studebaker never had much money (after WWII) to tool up for drastic changes.

The Avanti is definitely a car that you either love or hate. There are a few of us that are sort of in the middle. I really think the biggest improvement I have see made is to lower the rear end a little.

As far as a long term investment with increasing value, an R1 or R2 GT Hawk package car might be a better choice as far as Studebakers go.

Weirdo? Well, there are a lot of us around you know.

 

I for one would like to see your build as it goes along. Those modifications sound intriguing. There a few guys who have put that Corvette or Jag independent rear suspension under their Avantis with quite a bit of success.

 

The white Avanti that you posted with the blue and red stripes has run at both Bonneville and at Maxton. It is an Avanti II, thus could run in a production class with its 400 SBC. A really nice car.

 

Weird is GOOD!

To my eyes, the Avanti is one of those designs you don't touch. It looks like nothing else, and in a good way. I'm not saying that it's necessarily a perfectly designed car, but I'll be damned if I can figure any way to improve it. Purposeful. Clean. Original.

The most amazing thing to me is that the Avanti still looks like it might only be a five year old design when it's actually closer to fifty. But then what do I know. I like Citroen SMs too!



Come to think of it, I seeing some vague similarities between these two cars.

 

I never even thoought about avantis till my wife's Dad died and we went to Monterrey,California and brought home his.
R2 POWERED and man it really goes!!! I am loving this one and always keep my eyes peeled for another.
That supercharger whistling factory really sounds awesome.
Never gone to a car show without 10 questions about the car asked......and most common question is.....is it a ford 289? LOL

 

I like em and want one someday. But then I like orphans. Studebakers Henry J's etc.

Hooley

 

I've went many a late Sat. night high-speed ride up like 115 and above mph in an old '51 4-dr Commander V-8 Auto car. (Early '60's).....

You had a hard time killing one of them, 232" solid lifter cammed V-8 and all.

Now, the downside of it was the "center-steer" that was back then like the early Chevys that posed a big problem when the frame hole wore out in the middle of the front crossmember!

BTTT, imho, I want to say that Mr. L's '53 "Starliner" (??) HT is the best looking car ever made and that includes my '67SS/RS Camaro to boot!

I think that it is listed as one of the ten best looking American Cars ever made.....

The only other car I ever lusted after was a '63/'64(??) or so Stude GTO Hawk that was like the earlier '50's Hawks less the taller tail fins!

My Buddy Jerry bought a junkyard '57 Stude 259 3-speed OD, Silver Hawk back then in the late '60's and boy did he go throught it, what a F** shame looking back. And I'm here to say that it ran even tho worn out, like a BAT-Outta-Hell!!

I ended up with it's 4-barrel carb and intake on my 232" Stude that I installed in my '52 Willys Areo Eagle HT car back then!!

pdq67

 

yuck

 

You can kinda, sorta, buy a new one... if so inclined.

http://www.avantimotors.com/

 

I like them. That newer avanti is pretty cool, (for a new car).

 

There are many kinds of weirdos. The Avanti is distinctive classy and kicks butt all the way home. Some weirdos are like that.

 

hang a straight axle under one, nose high, with a big huffer sticking out of the hood.fenderwall headers. even more odd than it was to begin with....

 

If you think Avanti's are Girlie, Try mine.

Here is a picture and a couple of videos.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BOyK-ZWOmQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APkck-vlCks

Kinda like'em myself so I guess I'm a weirdo

Bob

 

Avantis were way ahead of their time ! I alway liked the way they looked , even today . I always wanted one when I was a teen but never got a chance to get one .
They are still very stylish IMO !

Retro Jim