I'm driving my Avanti to an Identity Crisis..

[53k]

...motorcade tomorrow evening.
A little over a week ago I got a phone call from a man in nearby Shepherdstown (WV) asking if the Potomac Chapter, Studebaker Drivers Club would have any drivers who would be willing to donate their time and Studebakers to transport some large dollar donors to a gala Saturday evening. A local non-profit organization is sponsoring the party to raise funds for breast cancer awareness. Each year they ask antique car owners to participate as chauffeurs for the donors. So, I put out the word to the chapter. A couple of the usual volunteers had serious health problems and another who had carried folks in his '64 Cruiser said that he had sold the Cruiser and that his '61 Hawk wouldn't work because of the difficulty of women in gowns getting in to and out of the back seat of two doors. Just so we wouldn't be completely blanked for showing the marque I said I would be willing to drive my '64 Avanti. I warned them of the difficulty in getting people in and out of the rear seat and I sent a picture to illustrate the problem. The response was pretty interesting- "Paul, thanks for reaching out to your fellow Studebaker enthusiasts, and sorry for all the hard luck they are having. We would very much like to have you and your Avanti in the Identity Crisis motorcade. It is SUCH a cool car, and its futuristic styling is perfect for this year's sci-fi theme."

[StudeRich]

In that case, contact the '61 Hawk owner again and get it too! They MAY be able to deal with ONE passenger, if not 2 or 3.

[Gunslinger]

Great exposure for the marque, Paul. Hope you have a great time.

[jclary]

That's great! Glad it's "THAT" non profit. These days, you have to be careful.

There's at least one "Non-Profit" that might dismember your car and sell off the parts!

[53k]

Well, I drove my Avanti to the Identity Crisis. What an experience! I was one of only three antique cars to show up and the start was pretty discombobulated. The transportation coordinators were late getting there and they weren't sure what to do. They finally decided to send us ahead with our passengers and they asked that we come back for more. The theme of the event was Sci-Fi and the costumes were really wild (some very daring). I had two women riding with me and they were absolutely delighted to ride in the Avanti, especially since the AC was working. When we got to the destination, Wild Goose Farm, a major, big dollar party venue, I had to take their pictures sitting in the car and I let the one who was most interested sit in the driver's seat. When I got back from our drive, about three miles, they released us as everyone was covered for transportation out. We were asked to form up the motorcade at Wild Goose at 7:15 where we would start loading passengers for the return to town. The two women who rode out with me sought me out for the return trip and I gained one more nice young woman. The motorcade now included three stretch limos and a 60-passenger party bus plus our cars. We actually had a police escort lead us back to the disembarkation point. At all stops the Avanti drew a crowd, many pictures and many questions. I kind of felt sorry for the other drivers, one a really nice '63 Ford Galaxy, 406 engine with three twos and a four speed, the other a nice Rambler because I was drawing far more interest than their cars. There was a large crowd at the destination, TV cameras, etc. Again I was fielding questions, but had to move on after I discharged my charming cargo.
Would I volunteer again? You bet! And, I'll have more Studebakers participating too.

[GrumpyOne]

The Avanti was and still is a timeless machine. I miss having one...

[studegary]

That was nice of you to do that for the (Studebaker) exposure, but where are the pictures of your passengers?

[53k]

That was nice of you to do that for the (Studebaker) exposure, but where are the pictures of your passengers?

On their cell phones. I took the pictures for one of the women using her cell phone. I thought about taking my camera, but decided against it (bad decision).