The original Studebaker Avanti was produced for only two model years, 1963 and 1964. The company canceled it when its auto production shifted to Canada. A couple of Studebaker dealers quickly revived the personal luxury car, and it lived another 40 years under several ownership groups. The seller’s 1984 Avanti is being sold out of an estate and is a rolling project with its motor on a lift. Located in Mead, Washington, this limited-production machine is available here on craigslist for $4,000. Another tip brought our way by Curvette.
Five ownership groups controlled Avanti II production (later shortened to Avanti). The Altman brothers, who began Avanti Motor Co. in 1965, sold the company to real estate developer Stephen Blake in 1982-83. Their run lasted just three years, and as many as 589 examples of the car were produced then, including the Avanti’s first convertible (Studebaker did not build one). The car’s looks began to change, too, with the chrome bumpers fore and aft replaced with rubber/plastic covers, as was becoming common in the industry.
Chevrolet continued to supply the chassis and drivetrains for the 1984 Avanti. That should include a G-body Monte Carlo frame, 305 cubic inch V8, and TH-350 automatic transmission. As the story goes, the seller’s deceased brother bought this Avanti in 2010 as a project, so it may not have been a running car for more than 15 years. The mileage is said to be 62,000, and the engine is on a hoist; its mechanical condition is unknown. We’re told the transmission may have been rebuilt.
The fiberglass body may be okay, and the paint is old. The rear bumper is off but saved, and a spare trunk lid is in the mix. There is some rust to deal with, especially in the hog troughs. Until it was brought out for photos, the seller says the Studebaker knock-off was always stored inside a shop. Other than this, the seller has no further knowledge of this automobile. Avanti II’s are usually cheaper to find than the Studebaker versions, but are often worth less restored, too.
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