R5 Avanti

[wpsrea]

Sounds very possible, Joe. I do remember the displays with the cars and I thought the cars had the appropriate lettering and numbering of a race car. I lived just north of Boston at the time and the dealer was very small.

[wpsrea]

Sounds very possible, Joe. I do remember the displays with the cars and I thought the cars had the appropriate lettering and numbering of a race car. I lived just north of Boston at the time and the dealer was very small.

[JBOYLE]

quote:Originally posted by Guido

Joe,

I seem to recall reading that Studebaker used the services of Trans International Airlines (purchased in 1962 from Kirk Kerkorian) to shuttle Avanti's around the country for their debut.

Gary

I recently found a photo in one of my aircraft books of an ex-USAF Fairchild C-82 Packet with Avanti titles that was used to fly early Avantis around the country for dealer previews.
The aircraft is not marked with any airline name.

I've been meaning to write the author of the book and get permission to send the photo to the Avanti, the AOAI magazine.

63 Avanti R1 2788
1914 Stutz Bearcat
(George Barris replica)

Washington State

[JBOYLE]

quote:Originally posted by Guido

Joe,

I seem to recall reading that Studebaker used the services of Trans International Airlines (purchased in 1962 from Kirk Kerkorian) to shuttle Avanti's around the country for their debut.

Gary

I recently found a photo in one of my aircraft books of an ex-USAF Fairchild C-82 Packet with Avanti titles that was used to fly early Avantis around the country for dealer previews.
The aircraft is not marked with any airline name.

I've been meaning to write the author of the book and get permission to send the photo to the Avanti, the AOAI magazine.

63 Avanti R1 2788
1914 Stutz Bearcat
(George Barris replica)

Washington State

[Alan]

Dick and Lois Bennett came to Calif. After the 68 Bonneville runs. I remember him saying that he tried to get to Bonnie to watch the cars but got married and was pulling a car trailer with a Rambler Wagon. I helped load the car and parts on the trailer. It was sold to them by Bill Burke. Joe Granatelli was pissed. He pulled Burke into his office and chewed his butt. The cars were never registered for the street, off highway use only and they were supposed to have the EX name plates removed from the frames and the cars destroyed. But Bill needed the cash to run the 229 car. The Ford Cammer engine was installed in 66. and Bill ran 175.669 with it. Ran B/Gas Coupe, 67 177.028 and 68 182.867
Between 66 and 69 the engine and pieces dissapeared. Dick got the short block out of the 229 motor, 289 with a .040 over and the 224 crank. A set of R3 heads off the shelf and a few other parts. He was strutting around the shop saying I am Richard Bennett the third and I have never been so humiliated in my life. Joe wanted to strangle him. Crazy thing is he could have had the Ford Cammer engine too, they just wanted to get rid of him.

[Alan]

Dick and Lois Bennett came to Calif. After the 68 Bonneville runs. I remember him saying that he tried to get to Bonnie to watch the cars but got married and was pulling a car trailer with a Rambler Wagon. I helped load the car and parts on the trailer. It was sold to them by Bill Burke. Joe Granatelli was pissed. He pulled Burke into his office and chewed his butt. The cars were never registered for the street, off highway use only and they were supposed to have the EX name plates removed from the frames and the cars destroyed. But Bill needed the cash to run the 229 car. The Ford Cammer engine was installed in 66. and Bill ran 175.669 with it. Ran B/Gas Coupe, 67 177.028 and 68 182.867
Between 66 and 69 the engine and pieces dissapeared. Dick got the short block out of the 229 motor, 289 with a .040 over and the 224 crank. A set of R3 heads off the shelf and a few other parts. He was strutting around the shop saying I am Richard Bennett the third and I have never been so humiliated in my life. Joe wanted to strangle him. Crazy thing is he could have had the Ford Cammer engine too, they just wanted to get rid of him.

[mbstude]

Just for kicks, here's a 299 CI engine. The onwer stated that it was the 5th R3 built by the Granatellis, and the heads haven't been off since they put them on. Car was originally an R1, but that engine's been in there for 20 years or so now.



Gotta love Halibrands.


Matthew Burnette
'59 Scotsman
'63 Daytona
Hazlehurst, GA

[mbstude]

Just for kicks, here's a 299 CI engine. The onwer stated that it was the 5th R3 built by the Granatellis, and the heads haven't been off since they put them on. Car was originally an R1, but that engine's been in there for 20 years or so now.



Gotta love Halibrands.


Matthew Burnette
'59 Scotsman
'63 Daytona
Hazlehurst, GA

[r5duecento]

The large mirror on the Due Cento was installed when the car was originally built. The Due Cento's origin was the original prototype Avanti built by the engineering department. If anyone has seen the car or taken pictures, you will notice that it does not have names or emblems, an unupholstered dash with a scribe where the glove box door goes and fake tail lights amoung other unique features, thus the large mirror.

quote:Originally posted by 8E45E

quote:Originally posted by JDP

I was there, and the Avanti was not a the only "R5"

b. The car shown was just a custom with dual blowers.

I figured as much, but since I never saw that car in person, I witheld comment. It looked too 'tame' (i.e. no hood scoop) to be one of the factory produced Due Cento's compared to the original photos such as these ones from Hot Rod magazine. But why, oh why the huge rear-view mirror?? Not much was going to pull up behind and pass him at 200mph!![:0]





Craig

[r5duecento]

quote:Originally posted by Alan

Dick and Lois Bennett came to Calif. After the 68 Bonneville runs. I remember him saying that he tried to get to Bonnie to watch the cars but got married and was pulling a car trailer with a Rambler Wagon. I helped load the car and parts on the trailer. It was sold to them by Bill Burke. Joe Granatelli was pissed. He pulled Burke into his office and chewed his butt. The cars were never registered for the street, off highway use only and they were supposed to have the EX name plates removed from the frames and the cars destroyed. But Bill needed the cash to run the 229 car. The Ford Cammer engine was installed in 66. and Bill ran 175.669 with it. Ran B/Gas Coupe, 67 177.028 and 68 182.867
Between 66 and 69 the engine and pieces dissapeared. Dick got the short block out of the 229 motor, 289 with a .040 over and the 224 crank. A set of R3 heads off the shelf and a few other parts. He was strutting around the shop saying I am Richard Bennett the third and I have never been so humiliated in my life. Joe wanted to strangle him. Crazy thing is he could have had the Ford Cammer engine too, they just wanted to get rid of him.

Just to set the record straight:
1. The car was not trailered, it was flat towed with a towbar.
2. I did not get any parts off of the shelf, only picked up the car. All of the parts that I got from Bill Burke were picked up at Bonneville the previous year.
3. I was never inside the shop, never met Joe Granatelli or had the pleasure to speak with him, never refer to myself as Richard Bennett the 3rd, except on legal documents and would not act that arrogant.
4. I never made a statement about being humiliated, but stated to Bill Burke and freinds in the parking lot that I thought it was disgusting that they would put another engine in the Due Cento.
5. If the Ford cammer was there, I didn't know about it. Bill told me that he borrowed the engine from Daryl Droke who ran a Mercury funny car called 'Top Cat' and was returning it to him after the '68 Bonneville runs.

[8E45E]

quote:Originally posted by r5duecento

The large mirror on the Due Cento was installed when the car was originally built. The Due Cento's origin was the original prototype Avanti built by the engineering department. If anyone has seen the car or taken pictures, you will notice that it does not have names or emblems, an unupholstered dash with a scribe where the glove box door goes and fake tail lights amoung other unique features, thus the large mirror.

Thanks for the explanation![^]

Do you still own the car?

Craig

[r5duecento]

Yes. I still own the Due Cento.

[StudeMichael]

Do you have any recent pics of the car?

[Invalid User Name]

I think this has to be one of the best & most informative threads I have seen. I thought I knew about Avanti cars, but I guess I didn't. [B)]

Doug
Venice, Florida
1950 Champion
9G F1

[StudeMichael]

This is the good stuff for sure! i was surprised to see a thread this old come back to life.