kevinpreston8
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2006
- Messages
- 371
We are supposed to be enjoying "June Gloom" here in CA, which many people don't like but I love. June Gloom usually is a good part of June, and they are overcast days, maybe some morning mist, followed by cool sunny afternoons, but not too sunny. I love them.
Alas, we have only had a few of them, and now it's back to 90s/Low 100s. Hate it. So got up early in the AM, worked in the shade on the 1980 Avanti.
We bought this car about 8 years ago. I always liked Avantis, used to see one occasionally on the road. Made by Studebaker in 1963/1964, they looked completely different than anything else on the road. Some people hate the looks, but then, some people don't like old appliances, so who cares about their opinion!
When Studebaker was making them you could get the R-2 model, which featured Studebaker's supercharged 289 engine. I got a ride in one of these and it was like a muscle car. Avanti Motors Corporation was formed when Studebaker stopped producing the car (and was out of business a few years later) and the new company called the new car the Avanti II, replacing the STUDEBAKER chrome lettering on the trunk lid with the stylized Avanti II moniker.
The powerplants changed to typically mirror Chevrolet Corvette engines. The mid-60s featured 327 units, then a move to the GM 350. During these years, you could order your Avanti from specialty dealers with absolutely any color combination you would like, which made for some truly shocking greens, yellows, and other bizarre combinations. Carpeting was not auto carpeting but home shag type of the most rich variety. Leather interiors abounded. The built-in rollbar continued.
Interestingly, it appeared that although the engine and transmission became GM parts, most of the balance of the car appeared to use many remaining Studebaker parts. This included the steering column. The terrible front disc brakes appear to be the super-old Dunlop based style, the kind you see on old Jags. I have not confirmed this, but what other disk brake assembly has square 3" x 3" pads!
Body ontop of an X-chassis of great strength. The car continued through a number of owners until 1989, even producing a convertible, a stretched coupe with a TV set for back passengers, and 99 four door units. A few years ago the company resurfaced in Villa Rica, Georgia, and is once again producing units (at least the last I checked) with a high performance Ford drivetrain. Very rich looking.
Our 1980 was the last of the 350 Corvette engines before they went to the lesser powered 305s that were more like Monte Carlo engines. Leather covers all the car, even the roof and roll bar is wrapped in leather. Carpet is not worn at all. The car is more of a tourer, and does not get off the line like a high performance car, but is satisfactory in that regard. From 20mph on the car has nice acceleration, and huge anti-roll bars in front and rear add to the fun. The car has real wire wheels, even on the spare. It even retains Studebaker’s flip-up makeup case that slides out of the glovebox, and the “beverage bar” in the glovebox door.
My wife flipped for this car when seeing Dick Van Dyke’s (at one time) 1964 model at Peterson’s Museum. I found this car in Florida and we had it shipped out here in an enclosed trailer.
I have not driven it in months, and the last time I did, the rotted exhaust pipe broke in the middle. I arose early today to avoid the aforementioned heat, got a slightly bigger exhaust pipe joiner, and managed to bolt it back together and seal the exhaust. Ok for a temporary fix, then I got it smogged and re-registered. The pics are after a nice cruise with my son. My wife is planning on taking it out later today, as she has not driven it in years!
Wanted to share with friends here……
Alas, we have only had a few of them, and now it's back to 90s/Low 100s. Hate it. So got up early in the AM, worked in the shade on the 1980 Avanti.
We bought this car about 8 years ago. I always liked Avantis, used to see one occasionally on the road. Made by Studebaker in 1963/1964, they looked completely different than anything else on the road. Some people hate the looks, but then, some people don't like old appliances, so who cares about their opinion!
When Studebaker was making them you could get the R-2 model, which featured Studebaker's supercharged 289 engine. I got a ride in one of these and it was like a muscle car. Avanti Motors Corporation was formed when Studebaker stopped producing the car (and was out of business a few years later) and the new company called the new car the Avanti II, replacing the STUDEBAKER chrome lettering on the trunk lid with the stylized Avanti II moniker.
The powerplants changed to typically mirror Chevrolet Corvette engines. The mid-60s featured 327 units, then a move to the GM 350. During these years, you could order your Avanti from specialty dealers with absolutely any color combination you would like, which made for some truly shocking greens, yellows, and other bizarre combinations. Carpeting was not auto carpeting but home shag type of the most rich variety. Leather interiors abounded. The built-in rollbar continued.
Interestingly, it appeared that although the engine and transmission became GM parts, most of the balance of the car appeared to use many remaining Studebaker parts. This included the steering column. The terrible front disc brakes appear to be the super-old Dunlop based style, the kind you see on old Jags. I have not confirmed this, but what other disk brake assembly has square 3" x 3" pads!
Body ontop of an X-chassis of great strength. The car continued through a number of owners until 1989, even producing a convertible, a stretched coupe with a TV set for back passengers, and 99 four door units. A few years ago the company resurfaced in Villa Rica, Georgia, and is once again producing units (at least the last I checked) with a high performance Ford drivetrain. Very rich looking.
Our 1980 was the last of the 350 Corvette engines before they went to the lesser powered 305s that were more like Monte Carlo engines. Leather covers all the car, even the roof and roll bar is wrapped in leather. Carpet is not worn at all. The car is more of a tourer, and does not get off the line like a high performance car, but is satisfactory in that regard. From 20mph on the car has nice acceleration, and huge anti-roll bars in front and rear add to the fun. The car has real wire wheels, even on the spare. It even retains Studebaker’s flip-up makeup case that slides out of the glovebox, and the “beverage bar” in the glovebox door.
My wife flipped for this car when seeing Dick Van Dyke’s (at one time) 1964 model at Peterson’s Museum. I found this car in Florida and we had it shipped out here in an enclosed trailer.
I have not driven it in months, and the last time I did, the rotted exhaust pipe broke in the middle. I arose early today to avoid the aforementioned heat, got a slightly bigger exhaust pipe joiner, and managed to bolt it back together and seal the exhaust. Ok for a temporary fix, then I got it smogged and re-registered. The pics are after a nice cruise with my son. My wife is planning on taking it out later today, as she has not driven it in years!
Wanted to share with friends here……
