For a car that was only made for such a short time, the Avanti sure had an impact and they’re quite collectible today. This 1963 Studebaker Avanti can be found here on eBay in Ease Dundee, Illinois with no reserve on the auction and the current bid price just over $2,000!
The ’63 Avanti is almost a $60,000 car in Concours condition, according to Hagerty. They put a #4 fair condition car’s value at $11,500, but this one may be a little distance from being in fair condition. It could still represent a good buy if a person can get it for not much over the current bid and if they can figure out the seller’s shipping requirements. I haven’t seen such a thing before and it really, really, really (x 1,000,000) will cut down on potential bidders if they’re recommended to not have the car picked up by a regular shipper and they give only two dates when the car can be picked up: Saturday, March 9th or Sunday, March 10th is it, those are literally the only two days that it can be picked up.
The Avanti was quite a car in the early-1960s and they still are today. It was, for all intents and purposes, Studebaker’s last gasp, or at least their last big gamble. They made some nice cars after the Avanti but this was quite a gamble for the South Bend team. The company touted the Avanti as “America’s Only 4 Passenger High-Performance Personal Car” This example has been in storage in this garage in the seller’s backyard for at least 20 years, having been towed into the garage by the seller’s father, who “got this into the garage by himself with an older Silverado.” You can probably see the cracked windshield, so add that to the list.
The interior of an Avanti is a thing of beauty. Sure, the new Buick Riveria was nice, too, as were other cars at the time. This car will need a lot of work both inside and out, as well as mechanically. The seller says this “was originally my grandfather’s car. This has been in storage for at least 20+ years. Tires all held air when I filled them up, don’t know if it will stay. Title but no keys. I do not know anything about this vehicle. The front tires are on wheel dollys. This is inside a rear garage in the backyard of my property. There is a large fence that surrounds the backyard.”
A lot of the work will come down to repairing this engine, which I believe would be Studebaker’s 289 cubic-inch V8. From what I understand, this isn’t a supercharged car with no hood vents and seeing the AC compressor there. I don’t believe that a person could get AC on a supercharged car but one of you will know for sure. I have heard of supercharged cars having AC but whether it was from the factory or not I don’t know. In any case, this engine is partially disassembled as you can see. From what you can tell by looking at the photos, can this car be saved while not breaking the bank during restoration?
Great find Scotty! Unfortunately I can’t bid, as I am not available those two days. Surprised at the 46 bids so far. And I learned here today that Avanti had a dressing room in the glovebox, pretty neat.
Well done. And the Seller is absurd. He/she can’t make the rules on pickup. And yes, Scotty, if one can get the car close to the figure shown it might be OK to buy.
Any seller of anything can make any rules they desire regarding pickup.
If a potential buyer can’t get along with those rules, then that buyer should not bid!
There would be more interest in the car if the seller was more flexible in his “terms and conditions”: “zero availability” to show the car and only 2 possible mornings when it can be extracted from its lair?? Hope the process of making money on your Grampa’s car is not too demanding on your time, Mr. Crabby.
Extremely difficult car to source parts for. So difficult that State Farm after being with them since I was 18 would not insure the 1984 Avamti I purchased 25 years ago. Seller can make any pickup requirements he desires. Considering it was his grandfathers originally he probably is settling an estate and has no time for it.
Walt, as an owner of a ’76 and an ’89 Avanti, there is no difficulty getting parts, many vendors like Nostalgic Motors in MI, Myers Studebaker in OH, Studebaker International in IN all have parts. Myers works on them as well. As for insurance, Country Companies who I’ve been with since starting to drive 55 years ago is like State Farm, they don’t insure collector cars. I’ve been with Hagerty since 2011 with both cars and have not any problems with coverage.
Perhaps insurance is a regional thing, I am looking at my State Farm bill due 3/13 for my 72 Stingray. $94.94 for 6 months. I joined AARP this year and Hartford cannot beat it.
Seller seems honest and straightforward. Loved the styling of these , I’m surprised at the fact that they never really took off in value. Someone will have fun with this one- good luck to the new owner!!!
Cheers
GPC
I would be concerned about the “large fence surrounding the backyard”. Sounds like you may have to create an opening to get the car out. I would also be concerned about the condition of the “hog troughs”, which this seller probably knows nothing about.
Maybe the seller is in an iron lung.
Because its an early Avanti he might actually rope someone into doing it his way.
The mold on the interior is problematic.but hey…what the hey…the tires now hold air!
Hood vents? I have owned 4 Avanti’s and haven’t seen any hood vents. But this is an air-conditioned car and air-conditioning was not available if the car was ordered with the R-2 or R-3 supercharged engine. Over the years, I have seen several that air conditioning was added, thanks to the newer small compressors available, but still room is at a premium. I was never proud of the A/C that was in my Avanti, as my right arm would freeze and left arm would boil as the A/C was nothing more than a modified under dash unit, so the cold air wss strongest in the middle. Until the time when they changed the dash in about 87,that venting was finally made that better distributed the air, but the iconic cockpit look of the Avanti was lost. Then I wonder how they expect the purchaser to get there in time with what ever help and tools needed to get the car out? Especially if the buyer lived some distance away?
You are correct, WayneC, my mistake on hood vents.
Restored one in the 90s nothing but problems couldnt find parts . Car wasn’t worth what it cost to restore.
A friend had one of these, buying it new. He took me for a ride to 120 mph; I haven’t been there until the 356s came along.
This will probably irritate everybody but it’s an $800.00 car. You are North of $25,000 to make it right and glorious, which is slightly under market for a nice one. And I won’t preach about the Seller.
Apparently it’s a $2750.00 car, as that’s what the bid is with 5 hrs to go. It’s worth whatever someone’s willing to pay.
I like to bet folks $20 if they can find the headlight switch in less than a minute. Haven’t lost the bet yet…lol!
I’m looking at that photo of the engine if that head has been off for 20 years I expect you’ll been tearing this engine down I wouldn’t even try turning it over the condensation alone has done some serious damage good luck with that crankshaft
If you buy it make sure you also get this lot as well. Found the intake manifold and valve covers mixed in.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lot-of-Engine-Parts-Chevy-Ford-GM-V8-V6-Small-Block-Big-Block-VIntage-Studebaker/173810984580?hash=item2877f12684:g:TuwAAOSw245cc2gx:rk:41:pf:0
They already sold the hubcaps separately. And good luck with getting the mirrors, headlight bezels and taillight lenses.
This to me is extremely frustrating. If this guy is looking for money wuickly, then he needs to be a little flexible on the pickup terms. Looking at the parts he has separately, the high bidder on the car better make sure that HE buys the engine parts. The intake manifold is not easy to come by, as it is set up for an AFB. Other 4bbl manifolds will fit but must be heavily modified to fit an AFB. A new aluminum manifold has newly come on the market but $$$$. There are other modified ones on the market but clearance is a problem. This problem can be cured by buying the frame mounts and put a small block in it, but this ruins the car as far as I am concerned. And, the valve covers would be nice but I wonder about all of the stainless ignition wires shielding. This car is a scarey proposition. But, most parts are available, more so than was in the 90’s. Some or most are not cheap, but can be found. As far as what the car is worth now? Its really hard to say, depending on what is missing and why were the heads removed? 2 years ago, I sold one that was running and driving but was in bad shape for $4500. So I would say the price is close, but the high prices these bring are usually supercharged.
Pandora’s box unless it’s the one you’ve always wanted, only due to the fact of the motor being open for so long, and the possibility of complications sending a shipper there, without seeing the fence problem before hand, let him keep it,
Who lets attic insulation drop on an open engine block and not remove it for the pictures? Sure that’s been trapping in some moisture too. Sorry seller, I can’t make it on March 9th or 10th. I won’t help you remove a section of fence, I won’t help you roll the car out into the daylight after removing all the detritus surrounding it in the garage. I won’t stay in a local hotel because you’ve limited my window of opportunity to inspect the car. Put all the parts you’ve separated out from the Stude and make a better package deal silly!
Rivera > Avanti……like a thousand times over. These are nice and they sort of are like a 4 seat Corvette, but they’re still like “half finished” kit cars because of how little money that Studebaker had at the time. While these look ok, they really don’t look good IMO, especially the weird reverse angles on the wheel wells, while the 1963-1965 Riviera is a masterpiece.
The curve on the wheel wells were to represent the way that the curvature of space craft leave the earth, if memory serves me correctly. This was specifically a design addition by Raymond Lowey.
Loewy.
Ended: Mar 03, 2019 , 9:27PM
Winning bid:US $3,889.69
[ 50 bids ]
Was that the winning bid? Or was the car relisted due to reserve not matched. When I went to the eBay posting, curiously it suggested another Studebaker….the Harrah’s Lark from Barn Finds! Seller on the Lark has removed the reference to Harrahs Collection in the body of his listing.
Alexander, if you look way to the right of where it reads ‘The listing you’re looking for has ended.’ Click on View original item.
Yeah, thanks leiniedude. Been doing the “original item view” for years. I was mainly trying to point out that eBay’s high tech algorithm sussed out the other Barn Find Studebaker as an alternate to the Avanti. And that after all of our comments on its condition, the seller of the Lark is still not able to unload his Harrah collection “1963” 60 Lark! Whatever that means.
I reckon you’ve nailed what a potential buyer with an aim to restore this car is up against. BTW, another iconic and collectible car introduced that same year; the Buick Riveria, would probably be less challenging insofar as locating parts is concerned. Again in my view, a better-looking car as well.
@DaveN– I have a pal who restored a 63-64 Riviera and he told me the worst part of the process was that the factory practically hand assembled the doors while on the car. Something the paint shop he was using did not want to tackle as they were used to spraying jams with the doors off (???) I agree the Buick would be much more common, parts more plentiful, and the ride much more pleasant at cruising speeds +.
A well used phrase in the Avanti community is that there’s nothing more expensive than a cheap Avanti. My advice as an owner of two Avantis, buy the best one you can afford. From the appearance of the engine bay, interior, missing parts and trim, not even looking at any body work, one would be upside down getting this car to the $60,000 Concours condition. I love Avantis, but one would be wise to pass on this one unles they can do everything needed for the car themselves.