Anyone know anything about this unusual Avanti

[Red350DropTop]

If you are on the Facebook Avanti group you may have seen the Avanti GT is back in the United States from Mexico. It made me drudge up this photo of a ?factory built car that I have never heard of or seen. Anybody got any info on it? The only info I have is from the webpage. It appears to be a car enthusiast page in Malaysia. I assume the pictured car is in Malaysia.

Based on the dash I would think it was made in the Avanti factory but it could be custom. Obviously RHD and the "watchcam" are different. Has fender flares like the Avanti GT, but is on a LSC chassis. Can't see front bumper but rear bumper is different than any 87-89 coupe or 4 door bumper. Could be an all custom job on a LSC.



Source here: http://70sownersclub.blogspot.com/20...studbaker.html

[unclemiltie]

http://www.studebaker-info.org/Avanti/AVGT/avgt.html

[64V-K7]

If it really is a factory car, it certainly took a lot of work. Had to be big $$$ and this one needs a bit of TLC. Quite unique....

I wonder why they never turned the gearshift handle around. I'm fairly sure if you flip it around, it will still work..

[plwindish]

That just looks to me like a regular factory LSC converted to a right hand drive. The back bumper was modified for tail pipes, couldn't tell if wheel wells were flared or not. I don't think it was anything specially made from the factory. Converting to RHD might be a little pricey, I'm sure our Aussie friends can give us insight on that cost.

[Warren Webb]

What gets me is the "gunsight" part of the dash & the windshield & it's moldings have it on the exterior view. At first I thought the picture was reversed but the ignition switch isn't reversed. Just weird. Think of all the parts that would have to be special for just one car?

[stude dude]

I have seen photos of this car before but don't have any information on it. This is the only RHD Avanti I have ever seen that had the hood and cowl 'gunsight' panel moved to the RH side. As far as the windshield and stainless trim goes, thats pretty easy. Our windshield supplier will make a RHD Avanti screen on request, and the stainless pieces are the same but assembled differently. And authentic appearing molds have been made for RHD dashes. Its all the fiberglass work in the hood and cowl that is really challenging. And they wipers need to be reversed too!

Chris.

[swvalcon]

But they put the steering wheel on the wrong side.

[plwindish]

Stude dude, I'm curious as to what a right hand drive conversion would cost. Any idea? Are many cars imported into Australia not converted to RHD and driven on the roads?

It has to be a little tricky using the little finger to depress the shift lever button changing gears or putting in park.

[Ken Stewart]

I use to work in a Ford Assembly plant and they use to do special things for special people. High end for Gov. people in the White House could have there cars done to suite them. This was done a good bit. Ford, GM, Chrysler and even Studebaker like High end Gov. people driving there cars. This could have been one?

[Xcalibur]

If the car is in the Far East it would not be that big a deal to have been converted there to what we are looking at in these pix. Labor and expertise is exceedingly cheap and plentiful. I was shocked during my time there at what was being done and the silly cheap prices of same. It looks like this car was either not quite finished, or left to deteriorate pretty badly.

[avantilover]

The cost for converting a modern vehicle like a Mustang or F-150 or similar is $30-40,000.

Cars which are 30 years old like my Studebaker and Lincoln's can stay LHD as long as the headlights (high beam) shine to the left so as not to blind oncoming drivers.

[avantilover]

If you are on the Facebook Avanti group you may have seen the Avanti GT is back in the United States from Mexico. It made me drudge up this photo of a ?factory built car that I have never heard of or seen. Anybody got any info on it? The only info I have is from the webpage. It appears to be a car enthusiast page in Malaysia. I assume the pictured car is in Malaysia.

Based on the dash I would think it was made in the Avanti factory but it could be custom. Obviously RHD and the "watchcam" are different. Has fender flares like the Avanti GT, but is on a LSC chassis. Can't see front bumper but rear bumper is different than any 87-89 coupe or 4 door bumper. Could be an all custom job on a LSC.



Source here: http://70sownersclub.blogspot.com/20...studbaker.html

The webpage is from a country near Indonesia and Malaysia called Brunei Darussalam.

[stude dude]

Stude dude, I'm curious as to what a right hand drive conversion would cost. Any idea? Are many cars imported into Australia not converted to RHD and driven on the roads?

It has to be a little tricky using the little finger to depress the shift lever button changing gears or putting in park.

Its been a long time since anyone in Australia converted an Avanti to RHD, so I'm not sure of the current cost. This was a common procedure in the 1990's when it was required by law in some states. These days its no longer an issue and most Avanti owners prefer to leave them original. And I believe LHD cars experience stronger market values.

[Red350DropTop]

Maybe it is wishful thinking but everything I google on the Sony Watchcam puts it around 1986-1989. It makes me doubt the conversion was done years after the car was produced. Who would invest the all the money to make it RHD and then put a antiquated TV monitor in the dash?