Avanti "Myth"

[r1lark]

Was looking at this eBay ad for an Avanti II:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/avant...orcev4exp=true

Found this interesting tidbit in the ad: "Ive talked at length with the gentelman who now owns Avanti about whether I should replace the "hog troughs". I was told there was absolutley no need to as the body will not sag or crack if they are rusty, which they are. It seems there is a myth about the hog throughs. they are not structural, they are NOT torque boxes as some like to call them. They are just stamped steel body fillers, according to Avanti their only purpose was to have a mounting point for the roll bar. So your choice if you want to replace them, this car has run without them for over 25 years without any sagging or cracks."

Just who does own Avanti now??

[Gunslinger]

I saw that as well. My reaction was...

[n29we]

Was looking at this eBay ad for an Avanti II:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/avanti-II-studebaker-avanti-/160960373521?item=160960373521&ViewItem=&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123&forcev4exp=true

Found this interesting tidbit in the ad: "Ive talked at length with the gentelman who now owns Avanti about whether I should replace the "hog troughs". I was told there was absolutley no need to as the body will not sag or crack if they are rusty, which they are. It seems there is a myth about the hog throughs. they are not structural, they are NOT torque boxes as some like to call them. They are just stamped steel body fillers, according to Avanti their only purpose was to have a mounting point for the roll bar. So your choice if you want to replace them, this car has run without them for over 25 years without any sagging or cracks."

Just who does own Avanti now??

my reaction too was

[DEEPNHOCK]

Best hog trough replacement sales ad yet....
If you never roll your Avanti over, the hog trough's mean squat...
It's like riding a motorcycle without a helmet.
Jeff

Was looking at this eBay ad for an Avanti II:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/avanti-II-studebaker-avanti-/160960373521?item=160960373521&ViewItem=&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123&forcev4exp=true

Found this interesting tidbit in the ad: "Ive talked at length with the gentelman who now owns Avanti about whether I should replace the "hog troughs". I was told there was absolutley no need to as the body will not sag or crack if they are rusty, which they are. It seems there is a myth about the hog throughs. they are not structural, they are NOT torque boxes as some like to call them. They are just stamped steel body fillers, according to Avanti their only purpose was to have a mounting point for the roll bar. So your choice if you want to replace them, this car has run without them for over 25 years without any sagging or cracks."

Just who does own Avanti now??

[StudeRich]

I got a good laugh out of that one also! Apparently this Man has convinced himself that the Avanti guy that said that was right.
That man is described as probably Nostalgic Avanti, but I don't know why he would say that, Roll Bar Mount?? Good one! It has been quite a while since any of Mike Kelly's people have been in the States.

[bezhawk]

I saw that too, and thought......"that, and working brakes are hightly over rated"!

[52 Ragtop]

"I saw that too, and thought......"that, and working brakes are hightly over rated"!"

Well, at least he's "Anticipating" a Turner Brake Kit! LOL

Jim

[spokejr]

Well, the ad has been pulled as it is no longer available. To whom ever bought (if somebody actually did), please give me a call. I have this fantastic piece of beachfront property in Florida for sale! I'll be glad to show it to you once the tide goes out.

Hey, Barnum said there's a sucker born every minute, I just wanna get a turn here...

Ken

[avantilover]

So, Jeff was implying if I'm correct that the Hog Troughs attach or connect the fibergalss bodyshell to the steel frame and if not in functional condition, body and frame will part company in the event of a roll-over.

That's correct isn't it?

Seems rather stupid to imply that something thought necessary by the manufacturer isn't required.

[Jackson]

The guy is probably correct if you limit the discussion to 1987 and later Avanti's, ie those not on Studebaker frames. My 1989 Avanti has no hogtroughs (modified Chevy Caprice frame) while both my 64 and 85 Avanti's have hogtroughs.

[sweetolbob]

If you don't believe hog troughs do anything, take them out as I have done with the 74 and see what is connected to them. Also, while they are out kneel on the glass floor portion of the body with my 215# 6'3" frame and hear what happens to the glass floors. Then get back to me on why they are not needed.

Bob

[Indyted]

I posted this also on the AOAI forum too. At the very least, the description of the need of hogtroughs is very short sighted. Especially how he concludes that the hogtroughs are not necessary......yet connect the roll bar to the frame. I write from experience. I am having my Dad's 1971 Avanti II have an off-frame restoration at Mike Baker's shop in Greenfield, IN. BTW, my father was Bob Andrews, one of the designers of the Avanti. This was is very own personal Avanti that he bought new from the Altman's in 1971. He drove it for almost 20 years, year round, in Michigan weather.

Essentially, over half of the hogtroughs were missing on Dad's Avanti. But what became more of a concern was the condition of the latter third of the frame. There was not only pack rust but also severe cross sectional loss such that the portion of the frame from the back axle to the bumper mounts had to be replaced with another frame ('62 Hawk). There were holes on the sides of the frame channels where there should not have been holes! It was my opinion that the car was a few pothole impacts away from a partial or complete frame/suspension collapse. The lesson I learned from this is that if you encounter an Avanti with severely corroded or missing hogtroughs, you better carefully look at the frame too. The corrosion between the two tend to go hand in hand, especially for Avantis that spent their lives in northern climates.

[Studedude1961]

I saw this eBay ad also and immediately thought about a dear friend of mine, new to Studebakering, who bought an early 1970s Avanti that looked pretty good but "just needed hog troughs." Well, after figuring out that replacing "just the hog troughs" and some of the frame was going to cost him more than his first house did in the 1950s, he reluctantly sold his Avanti at a substantial loss. How much happier he would have been knowing that hog troughs don't really matter!

John Waddell
Studedude1961
Omaha, NE

[r1lark]

Too bad, seems like a really decent car.

[spokejr]

Well, it's back. Now with a higher price since he has replaced the sunroof motor but he is divulging more flaws.

His solution for the hog troughs was summed up by replacing them with nerf bars!

At least now he is stating that Dan at Nostagic said he doesn't need hog troughs. I wonder if Dan knows he said this? I don't know Dan so I cannot say if he could have or not, or could he have made a flippant answer and the seller took him seriously?

Here's the current listing;

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1980-Avanti-/161012393965?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item257d1627ed#ht_518wt_1165

Cheers,
Ken