avanti ll with stude engine ?

[arkusvt]

was at a cruise last week and one of the guys there insisted that a handfull of the first off '65 avanti ll's were built with 289 stude engines. i have never heard of this in my 35 plus years of avanti addiction. i'm thinking stude gary could answer this one.

[SN-60]

To: arkusvt,------As You would know after those 35 years, If You come across a '65 Avanti II, (or any other year Avanti II) with a Studebaker engine under the hood, that engine was put in after the car left
the factory. PS......A Studebaker engine option would have been neat though!

[Gunslinger]

I've never heard of Avanti II's of any vintage being factory equipped with Stude engines...actually I've never heard of any post-Studebaker Avanti having a Stude engine...lots of other retro-fitted engines...Cadillac, Mopar, Ford, big-block Chevy, LS-series Chevy, Buick V6...but never heard of one with a Stude engine.

It's well established that the first few prototype II's had small block Chevy engines...the first being a Corvette 327 from a wrecked car.

[showbizkid]

It would make no sense to put in Stude engines, since the foundry had closed at the start of the '65 model year. They wouldn't have wanted to supply blocks for a third-party endeavor since they were keeping service stock for their dealer network, and knew that there would be no more new castings coming down the pike.

[StudeRich]

Maybe the gentleman was thinking Excalibur?

[SN-60]

Leave the Studebaker engine in the Studebaker Avanti. To install one in a Avanti II is 'questionable'....on many levels!

[studegary]

was at a cruise last week and one of the guys there insisted that a handfull of the first off '65 avanti ll's were built with 289 stude engines. i have never heard of this in my 35 plus years of avanti addiction. i'm thinking stude gary could answer this one.

You have been answered, but since you mention me, I will also chime in. All 1965 Avanti IIs were built with 327 cid Chevrolet V8s.

[rockinhawk]

How many were built in 65? I was thinking only about 5...

[Gunslinger]

According to John Hull's book, there were 56 Avanti II's for 1965.

[arkusvt]

thanks for all the answers ! i am now assured that the last 35 years of my addiction were not wasted.

[studegary]

Maybe the gentleman was thinking Excalibur?

Only the very first Excalibur, the prototype originally built for Studebaker, had a Studebaker engine. This wouldn't meet the "handfull" criterion either.

[Green 53]

At the IM in Estes Park 1987 a fellow from Colorado had a Studebaker engine in an Avanti II

Denny L

[studegary]

At the IM in Estes Park 1987 a fellow from Colorado had a Studebaker engine in an Avanti II

Denny L

I see that you added the other I before "someone" could comment on it <G>.
Wayne F. and I stayed up nearly all night (until five AM) at Estes Park straightening out the Avanti judging situation. I don't remember that car. It doesn't seem like only a quarter of a Century ago <G>.

[Avantidon]

Come to Colorado Springs next year Gary and we can stay up all nght again straightening out the Avanti judging. Just kidding as i do not think it is going to be a problem at all out there as both the SDC and AOAI organizations are in lock step on producing a great event. Just hope all come out to see what Colorado Springs is all about. I know I have been there several times and each time all I can think of is when will I be back.