Strange Avanti dash?

[wcarroll@outrageous.net]

Ummm, what's going on with the dash on this Ebay Avanti? Is it some sort of prototype dash or something? It sure looks strange to me...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Studebaker_W0QQitemZ280286928973QQihZ018QQcategoryZ6472QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ht_500wt_0

http://community.webshots.com/user/s2dbaker?vhost=community

[PlainBrownR2]

To help jog your memory....[)]
Expected a fawn color(the color of the instrument panel, etc) on the dash pad? That's something of a new color to me as well. [)] [8)]

[wcarroll@outrageous.net]

Yes the color is interesting, but the shape is what really caught my eye. In addition to the extra layer/shaping it also appears to have specially made/shaped end caps.
Just wondering if this is someone's unfinished attempt at a redesign or some sort of factory deal. It kinda has that design studio/prototype look to it

http://community.webshots.com/user/s2dbaker?vhost=community

[StudeRich]

The reason that dash looks so basic and prototype looking, is it appears that someone made that whole dash out of 1 in. thick sheets of foam, it does say "Factory Maplewood Dash" though????? What the?

Some more funny business is going on under the hood, this car appears to have a '64 left front inner fender, because it accepts a standard group 24 battery in one pic, but in another it has been moved to the Trunk! It must have been wrecked and had a replacement fender or fenders.

Then there's the Color! the ad says Blue on Blue but it looks to be a original interior, and we know there were no Blue interiors or exteriors! The pics appear between the correct Avanti Turquoise GREEN and a blue, so who knows! [?]

Early '63 serial number!

Definitely IS a different Avanti! [:0]


StudeRich

[ceecab]

Look closer--there are two different engine compartment pictures

[Retired]

OK, Let's, Hit It. Here are the answers received from seller:
No, the dash is not custized,The wooden dash was spcial factory option.Both photo of engine are the same. Steering is wrapped with a leather like material. Can send more photos if you prefer.
The two black area on rear shelf are speakers.
I don't believe Studebaker ever offered such a dash but,I asked Richrd Quinn to check out the serial number at the archives. Look what seller had to say about the engine photos????.





Richard

[Gunslinger]

I sent the "seller" a question about the two engine compartment photos. I also asked him what kind of scam he's running. Here's his answer to me (which he did not post on the auction page):

"No, Both engine photos are the same engine. THe coolant and the rear battery placement has been performed the previous owner. I don't know details. Hafta ask the previous owner in my next life.
The dash IS a factory dash, It was a $450 option.
Lot of money in those days
No scam, sir! It is what it is!

- hradec1"

Then...I received another reply from him:

"Hi,
About the avanti on ebay. You are right. There was pix of two different engines.
I used it to study the differences.Somehow, it into my ad in error.
Thanks for bringing to my attention."


That still doesn't explain the dash he says is factory original. While I'm certainly not the authority on Avanti's, I have owned and read every piece of information on Avanti's for nearly forty years, and I've never seen or heard of any factory dash options like that. It looks far too good to be nearly fifty years old, plus it simply doesn't "fit" the flow of the lines of the car...far too angular. That doesn't go with Loewy's design themes at all. It has to be something someone added, no matter how well it was done. There is an aftermarket stereo installed, so the dash has likely been off.

Whether the seller is simply misinformed or a scammer, I can't say. Something, though, doesn't pass the smell test.



Poet...Mystic...Soldier of Fortune. As always...self-absorbed, adversarial, cocky and in general a malcontent.

[Gunslinger]

Wooden dash!!!??? That makes no sense at all for the seller to say that! Putting a wooden dash in place of a safety padded dash is ridiculous for any car maker to do that.

I can just see after a collision the lawsuits against Studebaker for facial disfigurement due to all the wood splinters!

What a crock for the seller to try and pass that off. If he actually believes it he must wear aluminum foil hats with antennas sticking out them.




Poet...Mystic...Soldier of Fortune. As always...self-absorbed, adversarial, cocky and in general a malcontent.

[Bob Langer]

The last picture of the engine compartment is from this listing.

http://tinyurl.com/696uj5

Bob Langer
Glenshaw,PA

[JBOYLE]

IMHO..
It looks lke someone needed a new dash and didn't want to buy one...so he made it.
(a CASO going to new heights or should that be lows?...)

Looks wood and a bit amateurish.
He went out of his way to shape it like the production dash, which is another argument that it wasn't an option or an alternate factory unit. Why make an option of something that looks like wood shop version of the production dash? If a designer wanted to go in a different direction, it would have been shaped less like the production piece.

I agree, I've never heard about an optional dash. With all the documents out there, it would have been seen by now.

And with Studebaker touting the safety benefits of its nice padded, curved dash..I just don't see them offering something that looks like that.
Weird.

BTW/IMHO: It's stories like that that give Studebakers a bad name.
Can you imagine all the people who have seen that car and heard that story...and believed it?
They must think "That's way they went out business...offereing something like that. They deserved to go under."


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

Washington State

[Avantidon]

IMGO and after some researvh, the dash in this car is noyt original and was not installed by the factory, In no way did Studebaker come close to manufacturing or offering that wood dash as a special factory option. If you review the 1963 Avanti Dealer Book there is no mention of that type of dash as an option. At the same time further research showa that based on Studebaker's financial position in early 63 when this car was manufactured they would not have done it. As for the engine compartment pictures they indeed are from two different cars. One shows a single master cyl. while the other shows a dual master cyl let alone one shows a battery while the other does not. This car is no in the Avanti register. I truly wonder how much knowledge this person has on this car. As for his responses to Bruce and others, yhey also make me wonder what he really knows. If it was me and I wanted this car, I would make sure that I had a very knowledgeable Avanti person look at it before even bidding. Just my two cwnts worth on this one.

[JDP]

OK, not the way I would have done it, but not a bad execution and decent workmanship. Had he have padded and covered the shell it would have been better. No way I would call him a scammer though, just misinformed.

JDP/Maryland
"I'm a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it."
Thomas Jefferson

[StudeRich]

This White one in Wash. is almost as funny! Why would you spend $5000.00 to completely re-do the whole interior in LEATHER, paint all the dash and console, recover the door panels, replace the seats etc. etc. to make it look nice.

And then run around like a nutcase with a rattle can of gold spray paint and do the wheels, all of the wiring harness, parts of the inner fenders, Power Brake Booster, Master Cylinder, Wiper Motor etc. with over spray everywhere? Duh!
Classic car lots, "improving" the cars, aren't they great?

quote:Originally posted by Bob Langer

The last picture of the engine compartment is from this listing.
http://tinyurl.com/696uj5

StudeRich at Studebakers Northwest -Ferndale,WA

[8E45E]

quote:Originally posted by Gunslinger
That doesn't go with Loewy's design themes at all.

Not to mention, Sherwood Egbert's safety theme as well. The Avanti was supposed to be the safest car on the road in 1963 with the roll bar, Safety-Cone door latches (borrowed from Mercedes), etc. And Studebaker did advertise how safe the fully padded dash was; something hard wood will never offer.

Craig

[Green 53]

Maybe paintim613 may have seen this car. It is definitly not factory stock. Looking at the Arizona license plate it would have been licensed for the first time by this owner in 2008 because of the number sequence.
Denny L