Hot Rods Avantis, are they for wierdos?

Definitely an acquired taste, but pure 60's. Paint and wheels make or break this one.

Long ago I fell in love with a custom painted Candy Tangerine/Candy Root Beer Avanti with a cream interior. I've kept my eye's peeled for one ever since.

 

Avantis. Are they for wierdos?
Had to smile when I saw it. Of course they are! Seemed like the ultimate redundant question to me. However if you like them, go for it. It is about what interests you. If it isnt then you in the hobby for the wrong reasons. Like as the Late Great hotrodder Carm Knobes used to say. "Buying things we dont need with money we dont have to impress people we dont like!"

 

I've always like Avantis - I prefer the round headlights though. I wouldn't mind owning one - they're different and cool.

 

They are super cool.

 

Looking back at them is much different than it was when they first came out. They were way ahead of their time. Cars of the sixties had their own look and the Avanti`s were way different.In the seventies cars began to look like the Avanti`s.Coincidence,maybe but I dont think so.

 

I think they are very cool,way ahead of their time.

 

Ugly? Man there are a L O T more cars ahead of it on the list. In fact it is not ugly; It's rather good looking.

You want ugly? Raymond Loewy was working on a BMW prototype around the same time. It didn't come out as well. You can certainly see some of the design crossover between the two cars though.

 

I think the weirdos are the folks who don't like them.
Loved them since I first saw one back in the 60's.
Want to own a round headlight version someday....

 

The best design car I ever saw from the buget they had,i'd love to own one. Studebaker v8 was also a super engine.

 

Came up behind one at a red light about 1965. Probably one of the first I ever saw. It idled there kinda shaking side to side. The driver had his arm draped over to the passenger seat. I remember it to this day. Coool.
I was looking at a house to buy about 20 years ago and there was one covered up with cardboard boxes in the garage. Wonder what ever became of it.

 

On the frame table at ride height, new rear crossmember, rear end mocked up, eng. and trans mocked up. Rear suspension next week. Pick away!

 

I think I remember those being done again in the late 90's early 2000's. They used a lot of the same body work and they were made in Villa Rica GA. My office is a block away from their old plant. I knew a guy that worked there and apparently they used the running gear from the last generation Firebird/Camaro. I'll do some research to see if what I remember is correct.

 

You don't need to do any research if you read the whole thread. Page 5.

 

there was an avanti plant a few miles down the road from me in youngstown. looks like somebody dropped on a bomb on it. if you sneek in there is a mold of the super rare 4 door model still sitting there. i looked it up and apparently only 90 were ever made. i thought it to be kinda odd that nobody seen this and wanted to snag it up for collectors sake.

 

very much ahead of their time! one would be super cool with wide road race tires all around and lowered. i think the green one on the salt just gave me wood!!!!

 

0-60 times around 4.5 seconds, 170+ top speed in 1963, cool styling to boot. yeah I'd have one!

 

Beautiful car! It's on my dream car list. Years back when I was living in San Antonio a buddy of the bosses (Mutt Radke Auto Supply) brought in his Avanti for an engine rebuild, sbc, super T-10 4 speed. Hard to call it a sleeper but it sure made a lot of power.

 

I used to see a lot of them in Palm Springs in the 70's. They go along with flat white rock roofs and yucca plants, shaken not stirred martinis... And Perry Como.

an AD Men type of Car..Cool...

 

Guess I'm weird too. That would explain a lot in my case! Keep the pics coming..

 

Found a '63 for sale last week. Reasonable price, just wished I had the cash to get it.

 

Back in about 1980 I worked at a heat treat shop. There was a big room that was closed off from the plant. In it were 2 Supercharged Avantis. Just sitting in teh dust. I used to go sit in them.

Still love em.

 

00za

 

I believe mr. Granatelli was a VICE president of the corp. He was seated on the board of directors when Studebaker bought Paxton Products. Sherwood Eggbert was president at the time of the Avanti's planning and introduction, and when Mr. Eggbert underwent surgery for cancer, Byers Burlingame was appointed president,to oversee the shut-down of production @ South Bend Main. FYI, I waas born in S.B. 52 years ago, and I BLEED Studebaker oil!

 

Iv loved them since I was a little kid when my mom pointed out a brand new one passing us at high speed telling me also it's super charged.....I was about 5

 

In 63 they were actually ahead of the styling curve,but just like everything Studebaker ever made they never improved or changed their designs just like Rambler with American motors. All were just butt ugly cars and trucks. The trucks are making a comeback in the street rod scene and the newer Avanti that they came out with looks exactly like the old ones.

 

Once in a while, I would go to the Vintage Transport Extravaganza in Union Ill. A lot of cool and unusual stuff shows up there. I always made a beeline over to the group of about a few dozen Studes including Avantis. They always been a favorite of mine, Studes are cool!

 

Any info on this? Recall Andy Granatelli and Corp. being involved in the post-Studebaker years...also the sale of Studebaker 'surplus frames'. (NOS '57 Chev frames, actually)

 

My Avanti II (1976) came on the 53 Lark frame. Never heard of them being on 57 chevy frames.

 

i would love to have one someday....

 

I always liked them. How much for a new one?