This round-headlight Studebaker Avanti sure looks the part of a garage find–it’s been sitting since 1974! I’m willing to bet a sizable portion of our readers weren’t even born then! It has been hiding all this time in Binghamton, New York and is listed for sale here on eBay. As I type this, bidding is up to $6,600 and there’s no reserve.
The moment the Avanti was introduced it became a design classic. Check out this video for what it was like. Unfortunately, this “hail Mary” pass (excuse the American football reference, international readers) wasn’t enough to save Studebaker, and the factory closed in December of 1963. Since the curves of the Avanti couldn’t be produced economically in steel, the fiberglass bodies at least kept rust to the underside. However, as you can see from the cracks on the trunk lid, it doesn’t mean they don’t get any damage.
This is also evident in this shot of the rocker panel. Thankfully the seller is very honest about the damage and shows pictures. On the brighter side, they state that the “hog troughs” are solid. If you are even remotely considering purchasing an Avanti and you don’t know what hog troughs are, you need to look at this site and this one. In short, they are not to be taken lightly.
Inside, we see the artful interior as intended. I can believe the 83,800 miles as represented. I have liked the Avanti interior since the first one I’ve seen, and this one is no exception, although the design can certainly be polarizing. Most of you probably know that the Avanti continued in production after Studebaker went bust, and it’s interesting to compare this 1982 Avanti II interior with the above picture. Not a whole lot changed, did it?
The seller tells us the only part that is missing is the fan shroud. I found a used one here on eBay, but apparently they are quite rare. The seller tells us that the engine was flooded and left, and that the rings are stuck to the cylinders. If that is the case, some of whatever your favorite solvent is for this job (I’ve heard diesel fuel, Marvel Mystery Oil, and many other mixes) down the spark plug holes and some time and I’ll bet the engine will free up. Am I the only one that likes the looks of this car? What do you readers think?
Gorgeous car, but too bad it’s an automatic.
It’s a power shift, the most advanced at the time. You can shift and hold it in gear manually. Or just put it in D.
It’s a power shift meaning Auto or Standard
Avanti parts are still available in Canada
Or in Wixom, Michigan.
Is that a Paxton Supercharger in the engine bay pictures on eBay?
Should be!
That is, indeed, a Paxton supercharger. It looks original to the car too.
Yes it is… good catch… the seller apparently doesn’t have a clue to its’ importance.
LOL..he will now if he can read…lol!
Yes
Remember the first 63 I.saw and wanted it but was underage at that time.
When I became of legal age I purchase a Austin Healey 3000mk3 but dad made me give it back,got all my cash back from dealer. Sad day that was I was only 16 at the time.
Looks like a ’63 to me (round vs. square headlights) but my old memory tells me you might have been able to order round in ’64. Also late ’63’s and ’64’s had grill
1964 Avantis had square head light trim while the 1963 had round. The seller states this is an R2 which means it was supercharged. Only the 63 and 64 Avantis were Studebakers with Studebaker motors. From 1965 on the Avanti IIs were all powered with Chevrolet motors.
No. The 63s and early 64s had round headlights. The late 64s and I believe all the Avanti IIs had square.
Distinctive shaped body design. Wasn’t this designed by Raymond Lowe? Back then some folks said the car was shaped like a Coke bottle.
Really daring styling that looked like nothing else. Studebaker styling was ahead of its time in the 50s and 60s.
It would be awesome if the vehicle could be possible hauled out and properly photographed. No info from the seller other than “me sell car”. Suspicious it makes me. No reason this former beauty couldn’t be brought back to life. Always a head turner.
I think a small number of Avantis with round headlights carried over into 1964.
When I saw the hood ,I thought it was super charged.
There were round eyes in early 64 and yes it’s called an R2 -“Supercharged” motor with the Paxton blower off the base R1 engine….
I just don’t get it, I guess. These cars never did anything for me. Never liked the styling. I would rather have a Hawk or a President. Much better looking. JMHO.
Contrary wise, I have always thought they were stunning! Especially the 1963. (Which this one looks like — because of the headlights, as has been mentioned by others.)
Take a class in design,,,
The Hawk’s body sat on the same frame as the Avanti as with the same running gear and engine. The Hawk always looked better to me even if it was at the time actually a 50’s design. The Avanti always contrived to me. Other peoples opinions may differ from mine.
I am almost positive it is a 1963? I own a 1963 my vin isR63 2915 This car is on Ebay it has a vin R63 2764 His vin number is lower than mine. If his was a 64 it would say R64 not R63. I did send him a message
I just got a message from the owner of this 1964 Avanti, he said that the left over 1963 Avanti’s or the one’s that did not sell. Were registered as 1964 Avanti’s Who ever buys this car might want to check this out? He might be right!
Paxton,Studebaker, Granatelli, STP were all tied together with the Granatellis owning the Paxton McCullough Supercharger rights and I think they still do. The Stude V8 is a great little unit and there’s nothing like whistling along in a Coupe listening to the V8 and the blower.
Beautiful, ahead of its time car. Have always loved them. First heard of them in a novel, believe it or not. Briefly. Successful 57 y.o. business man has a heart attack at work. But the next morning he wakes up in his old college dormroom, age 19. After a day of freaking out, he adjusts. He knows everything that is going to happen, bets on the world series and wins. The first thing he does is buy a first year Avanti because he sort of longs for the more modern looking cars he was used to. Oh, the name of the book is Rewind.
I like these. And the supercharger is a bonus.
I was scheduled to bring my daughter to Binghamton this weekend for a college tour. Thankfully that just got postponed, or I might find myself dragging this thing home.
– John
They came with a Paxton from the factory or air conditioning. You can pick one or the other. They also had a 3 speed, 4 speed or automatic. I like the Avanti due to the fact that it can keep up with modern day traffic. The engine and transmission are reliable. Either people like them or hate them. I like it because it is such an unusual design and aerodynamic even though Raymond Lowey did not have that as a factor in his design.
Yes, some early ’64s had round eyes, and yes, some of them may actually have been retitled ’63s. Times were dark in South Bend, and a car that should have been a magnificent hit was stumbling tragically due to early production delays, just as happened ten years before with the gorgeous ’53 coupes. I recall when these came out, and to my eye at the time, they were the most fascinating, exciting cars on the market. Photos don’t quite do them justice. The lines and proportions in three dimensions really are mesmerizing, and the idea of a four-place luxury sports coupe more macho than a Riviera or T-Bird was a great one, even if it wasn’t right for the moment or simply missed due to Studebaker’s production and marketing incompetence. I hope this old beauty finds a really good home. It certainly deserves one.
Great birthday present to me. I was born in 1964 and always liked the Avantis
Avanti’s are very special and particular to work on, especially the early ones. You might find parts that are very similar to Cadillac or Chevy or Ford but they will not work (correctly) on the early Avanti. They are pretty neat cars, supercharged definetly a bonus!
I love to challenge folks to try and find the headlight switch within 5 minutes!
If I didn’t have an Allante, and a wife, I would buy this. My all around favorite car of all time – you can drive it on the Interstates at 75 mph, you can park it, it seats 4 in comfort, with the supercharger it is fast off the line, with 83,000 miles and the fiberglass repairs needed, it will never be a museum piece, so you can drive it without guilt.
Did someone say it beat the Corvette’s to Disk Brake’s….yes – it did in 1962…..what Bonneville records did it have ? Check out the 1963 – 1964 BVille meet records….
c
Years ago, I had a 1963 Avanti. It was made by AMT but still… :)
As a young lad, growing up in Westchester County, NY (and the son of a major auto enthusiast… Who owned an Amphicar, various Sunbeams, Triumphs, Fiats, Mercedes 190SL, as well as a 1967 Lincoln convertible, 1964 Barracuda, etc.) I grew up in and around all types of cars, and attended many car shows (I think I went to a very rainy Hershey show with my Dad when I was about 12 or so). However I digress…
My first car was a 1965 Corvair Monza convertible (95HP, power glide), which I converted to a faux Corsa (140HP, 4-speed) before I turned 16. I drove that Monza/Corsa all thru high school, and drove it hard.
At some point after high school I had smoked the clutch on the Vair, and as I was working a summer job about 30-miles away, was stuck between missing work, taking a bus (which was a looong trip), or hitchhiking.
I picked the hitchhiking method.
At the southbound on-ramp to the Taconic State Parkway in Yorktown, I got a ride from an middle aged guy, who was driving a maroon Avanti (round headlights, so I knew it was a first generation Studebaker Avanti).
When I hopped into the car, and told him i liked his Avanti, I’m sure he was surprised that I even knew what it was (back then I had hair… And it was long and I looked like a punk).
But not as surprised as I was when he put his foot to the wood and we flew past the other cars on the Taconic (aka the Catatonic, which is how most folks drove, and still do).
He was surprised again when I asked him if his Avanti had a Paxton Supercharger… Which it did. He was pleasantly surprised that a young kid would have a good deal of knowledge about the Avanti, including its performance options.
Best of luck to whoever gets this Avanti, love it or hate the style, it was a great independent American automakers take on something different… (And may have been more of a commercial success if the fiberglass body supplier was able to support orders… But they were allegedly busy with another fiberglass American sports car.)
But that’s another story for another day…
I bought my Avanti in Puerto Rico while stationed there in 1972. Serial no. 4049. It is a late 63. It was titled as a 64. Other than the grille and drip rails which were installed at the dealership,it is all 63. It was not uncommon for late 63’s to be titled as 64’s.
When the Avanti came out, I was 19, in eastern Montana, and $4500 was a years wages. I finally found one, an R2, that had been in storage for 28 years, from 76 to 2004, in Oregon. I bought it for $5000, had it shipped to Md., and after going thru the fuel system, fired it up with the original plugs and points. It had less than 58K on it. But, I redid the interior, replaced the 4 speed with a new T5 Tremec, and still drive it today. Love the car. PS, It is the 855th one made, and the “early numbered cars” had tendecy to loose the rear window at speed over 135, so I have an extra NOS rear window.
All 1963 Avanti had round head lights and continued into the EARLY 1964 models. I believe they went to square lights in Nov and DEC. 1963 before the plant closing in Dec.
As to those 48 Bonneville records, Granatelli set the record for the fastest production car in the world in 63, and it had never been wind tunnel tested. Some BALLS!!