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1974 Avanti Interior Upgrade

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  • 1974 Avanti Interior Upgrade

    Progress had slowed over the winter and early spring but Dave finished the dash in late spring so my interest peaked again. Golf still got in the way but this is where the interior stands today.

    When I purchased the car the interior was stained with nicotine and reeked of moth balls. It also represented the best of the 70's with gold/brown shag carpet Meh!! The front seats were not great so it was my plan to replace them and redo the rest of the interior. I changed the plan slightly when it became evident that the rear seat and rear interior pieces were still in excellent shape.


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    I decided to vinyl dye the rear seat and pieces. SEM vinyl dye did a nice job on them so I installed them.
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    The dash is out of a later Avanti and modified to allow use of the original console parts. The dash was reupholstered by a local upholstery shop (Linwood Upholstery) in auto grade vinyl to match the leather seats from a G6 I'll be using.
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    I reupholstered the entire center console in marine stretchable vinyl that closely matched the dash and seats. The rear under window panel was crap from the start so I built a better version from heavier grade plywood and upholstered it in the same marine vinyl. For you Avanti folks, I can access the trunk latch from the speaker holes so no panel.
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    The headlined was again pressed cardboard so it was replaced with gray marine carpet. The light switches all function as original but the heater switches are now fuel pump and ignition shut off as the heat/A/C is a new unit from Southern air using a combination of the original Avanti console controls and the new unit switches.
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    Hopefully the entire interior will be done in a few weeks but I need to get the door innards and rear swingout windows reinstalled first.

    Bob

  • #2
    My wife has said the '70s was the decade of poor taste. Some Avantis from that period came from the factory with let's say...bizarre...color and interior schemes. My '70 was one of them...the build sheet showed it was painted a dark Cadillac brown, the interior was a mahogany vinyl with the walnut dash and console inlays and an orange shag carpet.
    Poet...Mystic...Soldier of Fortune. As always...self-absorbed, adversarial, cocky and in general a malcontent.

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    • #3
      Bob - I like what you have done with the interior.
      A "G6" does not "ring a bell" with me. What is it?
      Gary L.
      Wappinger, NY

      SDC member since 1968
      Studebaker enthusiast much longer

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      • #4
        I believe a G6 is a Pontiac...another orphan.
        Poet...Mystic...Soldier of Fortune. As always...self-absorbed, adversarial, cocky and in general a malcontent.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by studegary View Post
          Bob - I like what you have done with the interior.
          A "G6" does not "ring a bell" with me. What is it?
          Thanks, Gary - Gunslinger is correct. It's a Pontiac and IIRC the G6 and the GTO mid 2000's share the same seats.

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          If they are as comfortable as they seem now, I'll have the upholster that did the dash remove the GTP and add Avanti to them.

          Bob

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          • #6
            That's one Sweet Avanti Bob. Great job..
            Was it possible they offered a Disco Ball as a option with the shag carpeting.
            Found remains of ugly green shag in my 70,,UKK, but it was fashion then.
            59 Lark Regal 2Dr Hardtop
            51 Champion 2Dr Sedan
            27 Ford Roadster
            Harleys, Mustangs and other Goodies

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            • #7
              Bob, Nice contrast yellow and black. Your car is striking and I love it.
              Gunslinger, My '70 Avanti was also painted a Cadillac Regency Gold Firemist poly (dark brown/gold Metallic)
              When I toured the Avanti factory in 1980, I was told that if a customer specified a color combination which they(the factory) thought was horrid, they would try to talk the customer into something more tasteful. How's that for "we will custom build anything to suit your tastes".
              Bill

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              • #8
                The guys at the Avanti factory must have had a high tolerance for eye pain as some the paint/interior combinations they rolled out during the '70s were pretty horrid. If they declined a request or tried to talk a customer out of it, the request must have been really bad.
                Poet...Mystic...Soldier of Fortune. As always...self-absorbed, adversarial, cocky and in general a malcontent.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by sweetolbob View Post
                  Thanks, Gary - Gunslinger is correct. It's a Pontiac and IIRC the G6 and the GTO mid 2000's share the same seats.

                  Bob
                  Actually the G6 and the GTO share no parts, the GTO was made in Australia - where its known as a Monaro. Seats are different.



                  Tom
                  '63 Avanti R1, '03 Mustang Cobra 13" front disc/98 GT rear brakes, 03 Cobra 17" wheels, GM alt, 97 Z28 leather seats, TKO 5-spd, Ported heads w/SST full flow valves.
                  Check out my disc brake adapters to install 1994-2004 Mustang disc brakes on your Studebaker!!
                  http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...bracket-update
                  I have also written many TECH how to articles, do a search for my Forum name to find them

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