When Studebaker ceased U.S. auto production in late 1963 (1964 model year), the innovative Avanti went with it after less than 5,000 units. Two Studebaker dealers didn’t want that to happen and continued the car forward as the Avanti II. Various iterations of that rebirth continued through the next 40 years. The seller has a 1988 Avanti convertible, which was only built for two years. Said to be a show winner, this fancy drop-top is in Vancouver, Washington, and is available here on craigslist for $39,000. Thumbs up to “Curvette” for the tip!
The reborn Avanti was built from leftover inventory, Studebaker dies and facilities, and power supplied by Chevrolet and others. Five sets of changing owners led the company, with the longest run being under the “Altman” watch through 1983. The car was mostly the same during that period, but changes began including rubber/plastic bumpers fore and aft in the 1980s. A convertibles was added in 1987, something not offered by Studebaker, and it sold 54 units that first year and 73 more in 1988 when the seller’s bright red example was assembled.
This nice edition with Corvette wheels is well-preserved and has less than 35,000 miles. We assume it’s only been used as a Summer cruiser by owners who may live in two places. If you don’t buy the car within the next few weeks, you’ll have to wait until next Summer. It’s powered by a Chevy 305 cubic inch V8 likely paired with a TH-350 automatic transmission as was common in the Avanti afterlife. In fact, all Studebakers built in Canada in 1965 and 1966 (before the company folded) used GM hardware.
Sometime during all the ownership changes, production of the Avanti II (the II was dropped in the 1980s) shifted from South Bend, Indiana to Youngstown, Ohio where this one was put together. The seller has a second Avanti for sale for the same price, but its white and a coupe (one photo provided in the same listing). The owner is downsizing, so his/her affinity for Studebaker lookalikes is shrinking. There are so few of these left (there weren’t many to begin with), how can you go wrong since they’re Chevy powered?
I never knew a convertible existed.
Looks a bit clumsy with the top up, but great with it down. 39 K seems a pretty reasonable number.
Some really lousy pictures, but it looks to be in nice shape. It’s a really sharp car with the top down….not so much with the top up. Are those Corvette wheels?
Russ….nice link to the “theavanti” website. Lots of good info there!
Is it just me?… but I think the only Avantis that look proper and flowing are the original 4000 or so produced by Studebaker. The 4 or 5 revivals and recreations in the ensuing decades just all look wrong and awkward… Just one mans opinion.
At least the ones from the Newman/Altman and following Blake eras still used the original fiberglass body molds and interiors on remaining NOS Studebaker Lark convertible chassis, with only minor alterations to accommodate the SBC engines’ slightly taller intake stack.
They raised the front end by about an inch, and lowered the front wheel arches accordingly to close the resulting wheel gaps, which did give up a bit of the raked stance and leaner proportions of the originals. Surprisingly to many, the squared headlight trim was not among these alterations, as Studebaker themselves had already done that late in their original production run.
From ’87-on when Kelly took over the company, they’d run out of Lark chassis and so adapted the body along with an entirely new interior to fit a Chevy chassis from the Monte Carlo for ’87 only, then since GM canceled the G-bodies after ’87, Caprice chassis from ’88-91.
These later cars also dropped the “II” (making this ad technically inaccurate on that point), and IMO the body creases look just a bit softer, leaving me to wonder if they just pulled molds off an original and altered those to fit the new chassis. I regard these as little more than “Avanti tributes” rather than true continuation cars, sharing nothing but the name and general body shape with the Studebaker originals.
I owned a 1982 Avanti Coupe and a 1988 Avanti Convertible. You can have some headaches and challenges trying to figure out whose parts they are and find them (other than the GM engine and transmission parts.) PS.. I still have a spare defrosting glass back window and convertible top section just in case but I sold the car long ago. It is in Vancouver BC
Some convertibles (T-Birds) look good either way, some are only good looking with the top up or down. This is definitely a top down.
I had an ’89 convertible for 7 years along with a ’76 I’ve had for 15 years. The convertible had been resto-modded with a crate 383 and a 4L60E AOD transmission and a Ford 9″ rear end. In my opinion. the 383 is what the car needed. It ran great.
I sold it 5 years ago as it was time to thin the herd on my collection. 39 K is a little pricey, most convertibles I’ve seen have been in the 20 – 25 K range. BTW, all the convertibles would have had the 700R4 trans backing up the underpowered 305 from the factory.
This car completes the circle. The Lark convertible had a reinforced frame to compensate for the loss of rigidity caused by the lack of a solid top. That made it the perfect starting point for the fiberglass bodied Avanti coupe. Since it’s designed (modified) as a convertible chassis, it’s ideal for an Avanti convertible.
My gosh, back in the late 1980’s we, living in Youngstown were so excited about the Avanti was going to be built right in the Mahoning Valley, Youngstown,Ohio. Much to our another disapointment, it was very short lived
I am not all that hung up on the “AVANTI looks” to pay more that 2 X the price of 1988 Corvettes. Pat I will take a 1988 Corvette and 20 K in my pocket behind door # 1 first please….
In Reply to Bunky, my 1982 Avanti was still using the old Studebaker X frames left over from when Neuman and Altman bought the factory and the wrights to build the Avant (II).
My 1988 Avanti was affectionate called the Monte Avanti because it was built on a Monte Carlo SS Frame and running gear. The 1990-91 Avanti’s used Chevrolet Caprice Frames and running gear.
What an awkward looking mess. Hard to believe these are supposed to be like the original Avantis which were imo, beautiful and unique. That pic with the top up is painful to look at.
The only Avanti i would want to own as i only drive topless cars during the summer months in our canukistan winter wonderland , this one looks really good but the additional taxes and exchange rate would double the buying price and that brings it out of a logical purchase , hope we become the 51 state soin !
Please tell me that was sarcasm….
Its not!
Now I have to look for Canukistan on my globe.
You won’t have to turn that globe too far.
Price has been reduced – to 36K.
Did these come with a boot to provide a finished look when top down?