Avanti

[Stuhawk]

Sailingadventure,

Sir, thank you , thank you, thank you. What can I say but "WOW" . I would have been glad to see a pic looking over the hood but a 9 minute video clip, well it almost took me over the edge, lol. That view and the sound of the engine/exhaust going through the gears was music to my ears. I will definitely look at that clip many, many times. It was just like I was the one driving. The "Fender Projections, Hood Scoop and Lazy S Insignia" all combine for a truly fun driving experience. If I may ask what year Avanti is this ?
Thanks again,
Tom

[Stuhawk]

plwindish,

Please excuse me but I intended to commit about your car pic on my last post. I'm guessing that's the 76 your talking about and if so it sure is pretty. Also those wire wheels make it look like a million bucks. Worth the effort to maintain them ! I'll bet your mighty proud of it and sounds like you have went to great lengths to make it modern performance along with modern ride and totally reliable. For sure no small feat. Your going down the road of "Miles Of Smiles"

[64V19816]

An Avanti is really as they used to say “A Lark in a Gilded Cage”. And though I’m a 40 year Studebaker owner/driver, realistically the Lark is a cheaply built transportation machine. The Avanti is a very rushed 6 week redesign with a Lot of flaws. The seats are horrible, where you want lumbar support, you find a hollow. Where you put your feet driving, you feel 80% of the heat coming from your exhaust pipes. When you try to fit your NOS AM-FM radio you spent 2000$ for, you find the space required to shoehorn it into position is about 30% too small. When you put down your power window, there’s a 50% chance it won’t go back up. They always seem to leak water somewhere, and combined with the ever present oil and gas smells the aroma inside is “unique”. The stock rear view mirror position is idiotic. Then there are the electrics....and grounds. Handling is nowhere up to what the car Looks like it should have. Wayyy to much front end weight, and remember it’s a Lark. ••••••• and always remember “There is Nothing more Expensive than a Cheap Avanti”•••••• My “been there done that” advice (which I wish I would have followed when I bought mine) PAY A LOT OF MONEY and get one that’s near perfect and well sorted out by an expert.

[Stuhawk]

An Avanti is really as they used to say “A Lark in a Gilded Cage”. And though I’m a 40 year Studebaker owner/driver, realistically the Lark is a cheaply built transportation machine. The Avanti is a very rushed 6 week redesign with a Lot of flaws. The seats are horrible, where you want lumbar support, you find a hollow. Where you put your feet driving, you feel 80% of the heat coming from your exhaust pipes. When you try to fit your NOS AM-FM radio you spent 2000$ for, you find the space required to shoehorn it into position is about 30% too small. When you put down your power window, there’s a 50% chance it won’t go back up. They always seem to leak water somewhere, and combined with the ever present oil and gas smells the aroma inside is “unique”. The stock rear view mirror position is idiotic. Then there are the electrics....and grounds. Handling is nowhere up to what the car Looks like it should have. Wayyy to much front end weight, and remember it’s a Lark. ••••••• and always remember “There is Nothing more Expensive than a Cheap Avanti”•••••• My “been there done that” advice (which I wish I would have followed when I bought mine) PAY A LOT OF MONEY and get one that’s near perfect and well sorted out by an expert.

64V19816,
Wow why dont you tell us what you reallly thinkabout the Avanti, ha,ha, lol. All jokes aside I appreciate your honesty and let the info fall where you may ! It's always best to know what your up against so there are hopefully no surprises, what you see is what you get. I agree your better off buying a candidate for more $$ that someone else has corrected the known flaws and made it road ready and dependable. The more I hear i'm starting to think twice about jumping in blindfolded.

[64studeavanti]

If you can and want to do the work, they aren't any worse than any other Stude or most brandX. Depending on what you are looking for, you can get a well sorted driver quality stude in the $20,000 - $30,000 range. The lower end is for basic R1 and the upper for well equiped R2. As I posted earlier, 70s and 80s go for about half that. Assuming my labor is free, I have invested 25,000 - 30,000 in each of my Stude Avantis. The 78, I only got it to run and did not do new interior, paint or any of the expensive stuff.

FWIW, I have invested a lot more money into the Speedsters.

As in the case with any old car, you are generally better off buying one that has had most of the work done.

[Stuhawk]

If you can and want to do the work, they aren't any worse than any other Stude or most brandX. Depending on what you are looking for, you can get a well sorted driver quality stude in the $20,000 - $30,000 range. The lower end is for basic R1 and the upper for well equiped R2. As I posted earlier, 70s and 80s go for about half that. Assuming my labor is free, I have invested 25,000 - 30,000 in each of my Stude Avantis. The 78, I only got it to run and did not do new interior, paint or any of the expensive stuff.

FWIW, I have invested a lot more money into the Speedsters.

As in the case with any old car, you are generally better off buying one that has had most of the work done.

For true and for sure......You ALWAYS end up with more $$$$ money invested than you planned on. It's like a big can of worms and one thing leads to another and another, etc., etc., etc. I'm sure you have been there more than once and speak from experience, thanks.

[64V19816]

LOL this is why “Normal” people lease a new Camry! Haha but the Avanti is a sensual experience only matched by watching Ann-Margret in the movie “Tommy”

[mbstude]

Gunslinger,
good info to know and record for possible future use.

Does anyone on SDC have an Avanti pic that they would share taken from the drivers seat looking out over the hood as if you were driving it. I am curious as to how the hood/scoop/ fender projections might look when driving.

I've always felt that Avantis are best viewed from the front seats. Here's a couple of '63's I've spent some time with.

[sailingadventure]

Sailingadventure,

Sir, thank you , thank you, thank you. What can I say but "WOW" . I would have been glad to see a pic looking over the hood but a 9 minute video clip, well it almost took me over the edge, lol. That view and the sound of the engine/exhaust going through the gears was music to my ears. I will definitely look at that clip many, many times. It was just like I was the one driving. The "Fender Projections, Hood Scoop and Lazy S Insignia" all combine for a truly fun driving experience. If I may ask what year Avanti is this ?
Thanks again,
Tom

The car is titled as a `64 but has round headlights. The Serial # is R4399, an R2 4speed. I have completely rebuilt or replaced every part on the car as well as adding A/C and real knock off wheels. Here are a couple of pictures of the car.

[Ron Dame]

Nostalgic Motors in Wixom, MI displayed a new Avanti dash pad that they are manufacturing at the SDC Int'l Meet last summer. The price was $2000.
-Dwight

I understand why a complex dash pad for a low demand item would be that expensive, and is the best fix. But I am disappointed there isn't a plastic cap available for a short term improvement

[Stuhawk]

The car is titled as a `64 but has round headlights. The Serial # is R4399, an R2 4speed. I have completely rebuilt or replaced every part on the car as well as adding A/C and real knock off wheels. Here are a couple of pictures of the car.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]70430[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]70431[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]70432[/ATTACH]

Sailingadventure,
that 1964 R2 4spd Avanti is absolutely gorgeous !!! Under the hood looks just as good as the rest of the car. You could eat off of the engine ! I to also like the knock off wheels. It looks like a brand new car that rolled off the assembly line in 1963-64 only better because all the engineering shortcomings have been corrected. By the way I have looked at your video clip several times and each time I feel the fever getting higher, lol. Thanks for sharing those pics. A car like that in that condition would be "Mucho Dinero" $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ "She's A Dandy"

[Stuhawk]

I've always felt that Avantis are best viewed from the front seats. Here's a couple of '63's I've spent some time with.

mbstude,
you and sailingadventure must be the 2 luckiest guys around to have and to hold those pretty Avanti's. That's a Kodak moment for sure looking out over the steering wheel and gauges as you travel down the road. That cockpit shot is awesome ! Those 1963 Avanti's really do take some nice pics, very photogenic Thanks for sharing those > It just tends to make the rest of us envious

[studegary]

The car is titled as a `64 but has round headlights. The Serial # is R4399, an R2 4speed. I have completely rebuilt or replaced every part on the car as well as adding A/C and real knock off wheels. Here are a couple of pictures of the car.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]70430[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]70431[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]70432[/ATTACH]

Your nice Avanti would now be considered a 1963 model. It was probably sold new after the introduction of 1964 models in which case Studebaker stated that they were to be titled as 1964 models (Service Letter G-1964-3). Your Avanti was built in May of 1963, well within the 1963 model year.

[Buzzard]

Stuhawk,
Don't be jaded by one person's (64V19816) opinion of a rather unique automobile. Two years ago we jumped into our 1983 Avanti (it had been sitting for a year so just an oil change and cursory checkover prior to departure) in British Columbia and drove mostly on back roads to the Studebaker meet in Kelso Washington. Afterwards we toured most of Oregon visiting friends and answering questions when stopped for fuel or what have you. It was a delightful trip full of great memories. The only issue(if you call it that) was a blown fuse on the cigarette lighter socket which was powering our Sirius Satellite stereo and also Valentine One radar detector. Not bad for a 35 year old car covering 2000 miles. As for his (assuming it's a he) comments regarding seating and smells. Spend 12 hours in Recaro seats and try to find anything wrong as they are truly superb. As for the smell, what is not to like about rich burgundy leather? Just my take but I feel some slack must be given for any older car trying to compete with Lexuses and the like.
Good luck in your search. In my opinion, you won't be sorry.
Bill

[Stuhawk]

Stuhawk,
Don't be jaded by one person's (64V19816) opinion of a rather unique automobile. Two years ago we jumped into our 1983 Avanti (it had been sitting for a year so just an oil change and cursory checkover prior to departure) in British Columbia and drove mostly on back roads to the Studebaker meet in Kelso Washington. Afterwards we toured most of Oregon visiting friends and answering questions when stopped for fuel or what have you. It was a delightful trip full of great memories. The only issue(if you call it that) was a blown fuse on the cigarette lighter socket which was powering our Sirius Satellite stereo and also Valentine One radar detector. Not bad for a 35 year old car covering 2000 miles. As for his (assuming it's a he) comments regarding seating and smells. Spend 12 hours in Recaro seats and try to find anything wrong as they are truly superb. As for the smell, what is not to like about rich burgundy leather? Just my take but I feel some slack must be given for any older car trying to compete with Lexuses and the like.
Good luck in your search. In my opinion, you won't be sorry.
Bill

Bill,
I'm not for sure but it seems all things being equal that the 80s models in factory dress might be more reliable than the originals as produced by the factory. Atleast that's what i'm gathering from reading all the posts. For every horror story you read there is a success story to rebut it. I applaud your trust in the 1983 Avanti and the adventurer you must be. To take a road trip like that in a Timeless Classic like the Avanti must have been exhilarating to say the least !! I hope you took lots of pics from inside and outside the car . To quote Ol Gus from Lonesome Dove "There's Nothing Like Riding A Fine Horse Through NEW Country". That must have been how you felt !! Kudos