Avanti build sheet.

[Samjoe]

Just got my buildsheet from Avantilady on Ebay. Just a small buildsheet with usual items. The ID # is 63R-1121. The car was originally shipped to Hamilton Ontario. By TA Burnett in care of Maris. Burnett is probably the shipper, but why Canada? The car I bought was in Oklahoma. Pretty long strech in between. But now I have the original motor # and the body tag number.

[StudeRich]

There are a LOT of reasons why it could have gone to Hamilton, ONT

#1 Would be a Ontario area buyer.
#2 Would be; it was sent to the Studebaker of Canada Limited, Factory to be a Demo, executive car, car show car etc.
There would have been VERY few Avantis in Canada by the early build date that must be on this Production Order, as that is a very early Serial Number. That opens lots of possibilities for Displays etc. by the Factory.

#3 It could have gone there to be in Inventory to ship to a Canadian Dealer.

Sometime in the last 47 years, it must have been sold to a U.S. owner.

[R2Andrea]

You might want to contact the SNM and get a copy of the Shipper. There is quite often information regarding special instructions that will not be found on the Production Order.

[Samjoe]

You might want to contact the SNM and get a copy of the Shipper. There is quite often information regarding special instructions that will not be found on the Production Order.

Kinda makes me feel guilty that I didn't place this through the SNM in the first place.
Malcom

[WCP]

Back in the '70s, I spoke to a person here in Kingston, Ontario that had a R1 Avanti that he had purchased in '63. He apparently had gone in to the Hamilton dealer to buy a GT Hawk, but was persuaded by the dealer to buy an Avanti, according to him, the first Avanti to come into Canada. This individual, a professor at Queen's University at that time, moved to California, I believe, some time in the 90's, and took the car with him. Prior to that I had provided him with information detailing what would be required to add air conditioning. I never heard back from him. The car was turquoise with possibly an elk interior. When I saw it, it had been repainted with a poor facsimile of the original color. The car was driven hard, according to the Studebaker service mechanic that handled the maintenance. I don't think I have the serial no. of that car recorded, and the service mechanic, if alive, would be very elderly now. I suspect that this is the car that you have.

[Samjoe]

Hi WCP,
This Avanti was originally Gold with fawn interior. And it has never had AC, wish it did. But the driven hard would be a correct statement.
Malcom

[WCP]

It may still be the same car. When I first saw it in the mid '70s, it was turquoise but that may have been a repaint. Gold with the fawn/elk combination was very popular in '63 but didn't weather well. My current R2 Avanti, R1236, was the Hamilton dealers car before it was sold '65, I think. It was also gold with the fawn/elk interior. Some time in the late '80s or early '90s, I supplied a used GT Hawk gauge, temp. I think, to the service mechanic to replace a failed one for that car. However, that may have been replaced with the correct one in recent years. I doubt that the owner ever proceeded with the air installation. I recall the mechanic telling me that the owner didn't like to part with his money.

I believe that car was a 4 speed, or at least manual, if my memory is correct. Mine was an automatic, but now a 5 speed manual.

[Welcome]

>>>The car was originally shipped to Hamilton Ontario. By TA Burnett in care of Maris. Burnett is probably the shipper, but why Canada?<<<

FWIW dept:

TA = Truck-away (vs. Drive-away vs. Rail)
Burnett = George F. Burnett Co, Inc. Auto Transporters
20450 W. Ireland Rd.
South Bend, IN