The Avanti underwent numerous transformations as it evolved under different ownership groups, but with its general appearance rarely changing too much, it has always enjoyed a following regardless of what was happening in the background at headquarters. This 1982 Avanti II would have been one of the final examples built under the guidance of Nate and Arnold Altman and Leo Newman, as it was sold in ’82 to Stephen Blake. This particular car has been hidden for 30 years, according to the seller, and is has needs of both the mechanical and cosmetic sort, but the interior at least seems to be in excellent shape. Find it here on Facebook Marketplace for $7,500 in Cape Coral, Florida.

The Avanti shape certainly got pushed and pulled in different directions over the years, and none of them were as beautiful as the first-year Studebaker-built models. But at least this later Avanti II still had its Studebaker-designed chassis underneath it, as this was before the brand transitioned to using the Monte Carlo and Caprice for underpinnings. The Avanti II did star to suffer under the hood far earlier, however, with the powerhouse engines of the Studebaker years giving way to the anemic V8s of the malaise era, such as the 305 found in this generation. On the upside, it’s a dirt-cheap engine to maintain.

The interior is a major highlight with this particular car, as it remains in seemingly nice shape despite its many years off the road. Plus, this was clearly before the interiors really became bargain basement affairs, as those seats appear to be period Recaros or Scheels, wrapped in navy blue leather and still looking quite good. The fake wood trim in the console and padded dash also show relatively few flaws (at least from this vantage point) and I love seeing details like the period CB radio still attached. The Florida sun can be cruel to vintage automotive interiors, so it seems clear to me this Avanti II lived indoors while stationary.

The seller notes that the car will need a complete brake job and the the bumpers should be rechromed. The tires appear to be flat and the wheels aren’t anything to write home about, but those are easy fixes. The bigger concern is the frame rust the seller mentions, as this could be as simple as some surface corrosion or we could be talking about actual rot-through – that detail will absolutely need to be confirmed before a purchase takes place. The body looks straight down the sides and the paint appears to be healthy enough that it will bounce back with a buff. The engine isn’t locked up, but also hasn’t run since it was parked three decades ago. What do you think of the price – is it a fair ask for an Avanti II in this condition?