Studebaker Avanti bodies..........

[Hawklover]

Question for Bob Palma: Is it odd that South Bend body s/n's begin with 5001, and Ashtabula bodies begin with 101?
Additionally, is there any correlation between the body number, and the serial number of the actual car? Avanti 63R-3039 carries body number 63RQ-2076, I can not understand the correlation between the two?? I need a bit of Palma elucidation :-)

[8E45E]

John Hull is the one who did all the Avanti production & body number research:

https://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/forum/your-studebaker-forum/general-studebaker-specific-discussion/84948-studebaker-built-avanti-bodies-article-turning-wheels?82906-Studebaker-Built-Avanti-Bodies-Article-Turning-Wheels=

https://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/forum/your-studebaker-forum/general-studebaker-specific-discussion/73743-ok-sleuths-avanti-body-tag-mystery?71974-OK-Sleuths-Avanti-Body-Tag-Mystery=

https://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/forum/your-studebaker-forum/general-studebaker-specific-discussion/57229-dealer-screaming-for-cars-followup-mfg-point-of-view-october-1962-revised-proper-attachments?55877-Dealer-Screaming-For-Cars-Followup-MFG-Point-of-View-October-1962-Revised-Proper-Attachments=&highlight=gegax

Craig

[studegary]

Question for Bob Palma: Is it odd that South Bend body s/n's begin with 5001, and Ashtabula bodies begin with 101?
Additionally, is there any correlation between the body number, and the serial number of the actual car? Avanti 63R-3039 carries body number 63RQ-2076, I can not understand the correlation between the two?? I need a bit of Palma elucidation :-)

Not Bob Palma and I do not know why these questions were aimed at him particularly.

I believe that 5001 was chosen as a start just to be away from the Ohio numbers.

As with all postwar Studebakers, the body numbers are usually close, but not a match to the Serial Numbers. 3039 is the 2039th Avanti and 2076 is the 1976th body, so they are fairly close.

[Dick LeRoux]

My '63 Avanti R-2 has S/N: 63R-2658, Body # RQ-1741, & engine #RQ-1742. Definitely it's an Ashtabula car with the notation: "Service for retail delivery / tag courtesy pool car" I'd post the original build sheet if I knew how, but that's what the original documents say.

[StudeRich]

Your Engine Number cannot be an RQ.

[Dick LeRoux]

Rich,
Totally busted. I needed my +2 glasses. the engine # is RS-1742. I'm now duly chastised for not getting out the better glasses or magnifying glass when looking at the specs for this car.

[studegary]

My '63 Avanti R-2 has S/N: 63R-2658, Body # RQ-1741, & engine #RQ-1742. Definitely it's an Ashtabula car with the notation: "Service for retail delivery / tag courtesy pool car" I'd post the original build sheet if I knew how, but that's what the original documents say.

I wouldn't call it "an Ashtabula car". The body was assembled in Ohio, but the final assembly, making it into an Avanti car, was done in South Bend.
I would say that its original use was as a Studebaker loaner car.
Rich already noted the engine number (should be RS as you corrected).

[Hawklover]

Not Bob Palma and I do not know why these questions were aimed at him particularly.

I believe that 5001 was chosen as a start just to be away from the Ohio numbers.

As with all postwar Studebakers, the body numbers are usually close, but not a match to the Serial Numbers. 3039 is the 2039th Avanti and 2076 is the 1976th body, so they are fairly close.

Because he is knowledgeable, and candidly I fail to understand why that perturbs you?

[studegary]

Because he is knowledgeable, and candidly I fail to understand why that perturbs you?

It doesn't perturb me. I just do not understand why a question like this is asked of one individual, Bob or otherwise, when others may know the answer to what is being asked about.