Studebaker was one of the most storied automobile brands of the 20th Century, but as an independent manufacturer, they found it difficult to compete. And especially after the ill-fated merger with Packard in the mid-1950s. One of the highlights of Studebaker in its final years was the launch of the Avanti touring car, which if enough of them could have been built and sold, perhaps Studebaker could have held on longer than 1966. This R1 edition from 1963 (not supercharged) was restored earlier and is one of the nicest examples of these cars we’ve seen. Located with a dealer in Anoka, Minnesota, this beauty is available here on eBay. Current bid = $9,000. Has the reserve been met? No.
The Avanti was conceived in early 1961 and was in production by the summer of 1962. The company was able to move so quickly because fiberglass was used for bodywork (like Chevy’s Corvette) and many of the mechanical bits came from the existing Studebaker parts bin. Expectations were that they’d be able to pump out 20,000 of these vehicles a year. But a few calamities occurred in gearing for production – and combined with the company’s well-known financial woes – led to just 4,600+ units being built before Studebaker discontinued U.S. production of all their cars in late 1963.
During the auto’s first year, 2,282 copies of the Avanti were assembled with the basic 289 cubic inch V8. Dubbed the R1, it was not supercharged like the R2 version. The seller’s car is one of those, #1,095 off the assembly line. The Avanti was known for being the first U.S. production automobile to have front disc brakes as standard equipment. This machine is said to have been restored in 2005 and only has 32,800 miles on the odometer after 60 years (if correct). A dealer is involved in the sale of the car, so details are limited.
The body, paint. and the interior all look quite tidy, but there’s something about the trunk lid that doesn’t seem quite right to me. It’s like it’s not seated properly. The Avanti Gold paint may be the best color for these cars although the Turquoise is also quite pleasant to look at. We’re told everything about the car works as it should and is a dream to drive. I’ve always had an affinity for these Studebakers and am finding it hard not to submit a bid. BTW, the Avanti would live on after the company’s demise, but that’s another story altogether.
I have a ’62 GT hawk, which is a close relative and shares some underpinnings and drive train parts. If I recall correctly the R1 engine is not the basic 289 (A Studebaker engineered motor,not Ford). It is higher compression and has a standard 4 barrel. Mine is the basic 2 barrel version, but will still scoot, and has massive amounts of torque.
The R2 had a Paxton Supercharger , was streetable and could be ordered with AC. A few R3’s were made, mainly for racing use. An R3 broke 29 land speed records at Bonneville and reached 170mph.
Hi Fred,
To the best of my knowledge the R2 could not be ordered from the factory with an AC. The Paxton supercharged took too much space for the A/C compressor to be fitted in. I have rarely seen somebody being able recently to fit in an AC in am R2 with some slight modifications.
Cain
Every time one of these pop up for sale, I always think what a neat car and
the price usually seems reasonable ,so why wouldn’t I want it? Truth is I do and this one looks as good as most if not better. Maybe someday the stars and moon will align and I will get one!
With your luck, when those stars and moon line up Cthulhu will return. I see the trunk problem. I wonder if a couple shims on the trunk end of the hinge would cure it?
Kim, I agree that the trunk lid is not correctly adjusted. The restorer may have used a smaller profile rubber seal that made it necessary to pull the lid down to keep water from leaking into the trunk, as the lid appears to be too low all the way around.
I wonder why a car dealer for vintage vehicles doesn’t include photos of the underside of the hood & trunk. If they’ve been in business for 20+ years, they should know how important those shots are.
Question ? How does this engine in the front stay cool properly with no direct air coming into the radiator like a typical car with the engine on the front ? Always wondered this about an Avanti.
Cooling air for the radiator comes in through the area under the front bumper.
Very nice example! The Studebaker Museum in South Bend has several examples including the land speed record car. A side note on the museum is the Bendix streamlined car that makes its contemporary Chrysler Air flow look relatively ugly.
It looks like the subject needs some shims on the trunk lid brackets to raise/align it, lower the rear suspension a touch and source some original wheel covers.
Great car…fun to play what if.
Amazing; A “FWD” Avanti. Has to be the only one ever made.
The Avanti styling is kind of a “love it or hate it ” kind of thing ( I love it ) , but I doubt even if these sold better , that they could have saved Studebaker. As modern as these looked, they still had the same old frame and suspension components that they used for years , as did the Lark . They just didnt have the money to retool and completely redo their car line. The Avanti was fiberglass not because of it being “sporty” like the Corvette, it was because it was cheaper than making the body panels out of steel . Even if it did reasonably well, they would have had to keep updating the body and interior like the other makes, just to keep customers coming in because in the 1960s, many car lines were changing styles yearly . What Studebaker needed wasn’t a sports car, but a decent size car in coupe ,sedan and wagon form but really the handwriting was on the wall by the late 50s. it was the Lark that kept them afloat for a while longer, but with the company hemorrhaging money , they were doomed.
Hi, I’m 67 now…I knew when I was young that 60’s cars would be $$ in the future! told my dad that I wanted to keep all my cars! because I knew I could make $ in 30 or so years! in 72′ worked at Wasson’s grove…( 15 yrs ) lots of people was a destination! lots of nice cars came! I would run outside.. when I could!! well, there was 63′ Avanti!! I’m 16! …I know now it was R2! the car I was impressed by the DeTomaso Pantera!! that guy took off like an F1! I was young.. couldn’t buy a building I was 18! if I had a place? $$$$! now a days people sell shit! they scam because people don’t know!!