MFG vs Stude Avanti's

[Mike]

From the "Lamberti Papers", it appears MFG was still supplying complete Avanti bodies to Stude at least as late as mid '63. At the same time Stude also assembled bodies using component parts from them. How long did this continue? Is there any way to tell which cars have bodies assembled at Stude, and which were put together at MFG? It appears both were going down the assembly line at Stude for finishing and installation on chassis, together.
Mike

[StudeMichael]

Otis Romine said MFG dumped the task of putting the body together when the 1963 Corvette came out because MFG could not keep up with the Corvette body and assembling the Avanti body. That is why no Avanti where built in June of 1963.

[Mike]

I thought the June shutdown was the normal one for model year change over. I know Stude was trying to keep from designating model years for the Avanti; but there were other reasons to stop production like the rest of the factory; union contracts, maintenance on production line equipment, etc.
I've heard the story about the Sting Ray conflict at MFG, but I don't remember hearing that was the reason for the shutdown. Did Otis Rome say that?
Shutdown aside, does anyone know how to tell if a particular body was assembled at MFG or Stude? How long were both in production together?
Mike

[Bob Langer]

South Bend bodies started at RQ-5001 and Ashtabula bodies started at RQ-101.

There were 291 Avantis built in June,1963.

Production stopped in early July,1963 and restarted Aug 5,1963.

July production was 30 cars.

[Mike]

[QUOTE=Bob Langer;584432]South Bend bodies started at RQ-5001 and Ashtabula bodies started at RQ-101.

That's what I was looking for! Thanks. Where did the fact come from? Do you have any information about the periods of overlap?
Mike

[Bob Langer]

[QUOTE=Mike;584433]

South Bend bodies started at RQ-5001 and Ashtabula bodies started at RQ-101.

That's what I was looking for! Thanks. Where did the fact come from? Do you have any information about the periods of overlap?
Mike

Body numbers came from the Avanti Parts Catalog.

I don't know for sure but there may not have been any overlap. It is possible that they used both bodies until the end.

[Silverplate]

My Avanti is R-4986 and was built by MFG.

[StudeMichael]

MFG built ALL of the body panels. In the beginning they assembled the bodies which were then shipped to South Bend. When the 1963 Corvette came out MFG stopped putting the bodies together for Studebaker. The contract that MFG had with Studebaker said they only had to make the panels.

[StudeMichael]

This is interesting:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19621216&id=QR4aAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GycEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3441,2686289

[Mike]

There's a production note in "Lamberti #17", April 29, 1963, that says Stude's production, (bodies not complete Avanti's, I think), is at 15/day; and they will continue to receive 6 or 12 a day from MFG for a while longer. So at that time, both MFG and in house bodies were being used.
Mike

[Gunslinger]

There's a lot of conflicting information about Avanti bodies I've read and heard over the years...I certainly have no idea of what the truth is. I've read that MFG sent Studebaker complete and painted bodies before. I've heard they eventually started sending the panels. I've read that one reason MFG was so supportive of Nate Altman and Avanti Motor Corporation was that they had about 150 Avanti bodies leftover after Studebaker cancelled the contract and it was a way to get them gone and paid for.

I have Robert Morrison's of MFG book and while he talks some about the Avanti he doesn't really clear anything up. We may never know accurate information.

[JBOYLE]

When the 1963 Corvette came out MFG stopped putting the bodies together for Studebaker.

Wouldn't that mean they would have quit shipping Avantis in the fall (or even late summer) of 1962?

[Mike]

Wouldn't that mean they would have quit shipping Avantis in the fall (or even late summer) of 1962?

Exactly. Until the "Lamberti Papers" figures, I hadn't realized that bodies came from both sources during much of Stude Avanti production. R-4986, mentioned above, would have been made in August of '63. This wasn't just a little overlap during a short transition period.
I think MFG gave the new Sting Ray priority back in '62 at the Avavti's expense. This caused a shortage just when publicity was generating sales. Stude began assembling bodies themselves to supplement the supply from MFG, with the idea that eventually they would do all of them. I wonder if they ever reached that point.
Mike

[studegary]

My Avanti is R-4986 and was built by MFG.

What is the body number of your Avanti?

[Silverplate]

What is the body number of your Avanti?

Body number 3874, my car was built on August 19, 1963.