Visalia's a town of about 130K. We have most the major chains here, yet it's still small enough that alot of folks know alot of other folks - or so casual conversations seem to reveal. As such, I know most of the Studebaker folks here'bouts - and they know me. So when something new shows up, it's always interesting to learn about it and meet the associated persons.
About two weeks ago, the wife came home from an errand run and was anxious to ask if I'd seen a blue Avanti around town - I hadn't. There's been a few Avantis around here, but the last one (that's been seen on the road) was about 5 years ago - and I understood that it sold to some distant locale. There ARE several here'bouts that aren't runners - they just sit - one completely dismantled, parts reworked and collecting dust as they've waited 20 years to come back together! That one happens to be resting abouit half a mile from where I sit right now. My suspicions are that it'll sit there until it's part of an estate sale.
Anyways.... back to the blue one the wife saw. I'm coming home from an errand run yesterday and an held up by a traffic light. Whoa! Hey, there's that Avanti! It wheels thru the intersection and turns to head in the direction I'm going. OK, so I'm gonna follow him until he stops someplace - which ended up with me on the other side of town from where we were!
Several times I'm right behind him (in a rice burner) and get to see how erratically his brake lites are functioning (or not).
So when we finally park at this storage facility, I'm out and introducing myself. I tell him what fun it is to watch this roadable artwork in motion. Of course, he likes such praise. And I proceed to lay it on as I'm walking around and peering inside. It's sort of a turquoise metallic with a cream interior - a '63 model. I ask if the "Supercharged" plaques on the fenders are telling the truth and he's all too willing to pop the hood and show off the orange huffer that excites the carb.
I observed that the taillights problems were likely with the turn signal switch (it was really floppy) and he countered that he'd had the brake light switch changed just last week. I explained that while that was all well and good, the erratic functions I saw whilst following would make me look to the TS switch for resolution. He did confess he wasn't aware the TS had anything to do with the brake lites.
So anyway, he's lusted for one since 1963 and finally found the money to live that dream. Good for him. One more Stude on the road - and a nice-looking one at that. OH - he allowed as how the car had come from Thousand Oaks, CA if anyone might remember such in that area.
About two weeks ago, the wife came home from an errand run and was anxious to ask if I'd seen a blue Avanti around town - I hadn't. There's been a few Avantis around here, but the last one (that's been seen on the road) was about 5 years ago - and I understood that it sold to some distant locale. There ARE several here'bouts that aren't runners - they just sit - one completely dismantled, parts reworked and collecting dust as they've waited 20 years to come back together! That one happens to be resting abouit half a mile from where I sit right now. My suspicions are that it'll sit there until it's part of an estate sale.
Anyways.... back to the blue one the wife saw. I'm coming home from an errand run yesterday and an held up by a traffic light. Whoa! Hey, there's that Avanti! It wheels thru the intersection and turns to head in the direction I'm going. OK, so I'm gonna follow him until he stops someplace - which ended up with me on the other side of town from where we were!
Several times I'm right behind him (in a rice burner) and get to see how erratically his brake lites are functioning (or not).
So when we finally park at this storage facility, I'm out and introducing myself. I tell him what fun it is to watch this roadable artwork in motion. Of course, he likes such praise. And I proceed to lay it on as I'm walking around and peering inside. It's sort of a turquoise metallic with a cream interior - a '63 model. I ask if the "Supercharged" plaques on the fenders are telling the truth and he's all too willing to pop the hood and show off the orange huffer that excites the carb.
I observed that the taillights problems were likely with the turn signal switch (it was really floppy) and he countered that he'd had the brake light switch changed just last week. I explained that while that was all well and good, the erratic functions I saw whilst following would make me look to the TS switch for resolution. He did confess he wasn't aware the TS had anything to do with the brake lites.
So anyway, he's lusted for one since 1963 and finally found the money to live that dream. Good for him. One more Stude on the road - and a nice-looking one at that. OH - he allowed as how the car had come from Thousand Oaks, CA if anyone might remember such in that area.
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