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Saga of a cheap Avanti

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  • Saga of a cheap Avanti

    After all the flack I took for parting out a few Avanti's, I decided to save the one I'm working on now. As you may recall the PO spent 18K on the car, and it was still a turd, needing paint and interior. The reason I hate to do rough cars, is one thing leads to other. i.e., installing a interior from a parts car, meant swapping the dash. Swapping the dash exposed the need for a wiring harness, the new harness meant a alternator swap from a GM single wire to factory, factory meant a new voltage regulator.
    With all new wiring, why not fix the clock, tach, trunk light and miscellaneous lighting issues and install new red bulbs ? Then I started to fix much of the work done by the "restoration shop', i.e., the vacuum for the upgraded Cruise-O-matic was hooked to the float vent for emissions on the Edebrock !!!
    After a few months of playing, the car runs great, the AC blows cold, and at least the PO's brake rebuild was done right. I replaced the dry rotted tires with 4 new radials. Now that I've gone this far, I'll rebuild the steering bell crank to tighten up the steering and see what comes up next.

    The bottom line, a car I paid for $4500 for, and could have parted for 10K, I'm now in $6000 and lots of labor and will be lucky to get 6-7 K for, but its saved. It's now a running, driving turd with a decent interior.
    JDP Maryland

  • #2
    Good job! Thanks for saving her. And I bet you will recover your investment. I paid $8,500 for my non-running, no brakes, broken supercharger, etc. R2. We are now up to an investment of over $16,000 with me doing most of the labor work. But now we have a rescued Avanti. Needs paint and seats redone, but she scoots down the road real nice and smooth. We are most happy.
    John
    1963 Avanti R2
    Marshall, VA

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    • #3
      I'd still like to rescue a basketcase Avanti. I should have bought the one JDP had for sale 10 or 11 years ago. (at least I think it was John's)
      Jamie McLeod
      Hope Mills, NC

      1963 Lark "Ugly Betty"
      1958 Commander "Christine"
      1964 Wagonaire "Louise"
      1955 Commander Sedan
      1964 Champ
      1960 Lark

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      • #4
        Future generations appreciate your investment of cash and time!
        ~Matt Connor
        '59 Lark 2-door

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        • #5
          Preserving these cars might not seem to make sense if you look at the cash involved, but the car will be there for the next generation to marvel at, and for that, I thank you!

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          • #6
            fwiw, John, I bought a '63 R1 for $3000 that also needs everything. I'm not in the business, but wanted to take a wreck and fix it up, so i suppose we're coming at this from different directions. At the end of the project, we'll both be upside down, but maybe not as much as one might think. And we'll have resurrected a couple of special Studes whose remaining population now numbers maybe 2000. That's got to be worth something, hasn't it?

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            • #7
              Originally posted by starliner62 View Post
              I'd still like to rescue a basketcase Avanti. I should have bought the one JDP had for sale 10 or 11 years ago. (at least I think it was John's)

              Trust me, I can find you one.
              JDP Maryland

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              • #8
                As a young whippersnapper; I thank you for saving it. Makes my chances of owning one someday a little higher. (Not by much, but a little! Haha!)
                Dylan Wills
                Everett, Wa.


                1961 Lark 4 door wagon
                1961 Lark 4 door wagon #2 (Wife's car!)
                1955 VW Beetle (Went to the dark side)
                1914 Ford Model T

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                • #9
                  John, think of the Karma!
                  Don Wilson, Centralia, WA

                  40 Champion 4 door*
                  50 Champion 2 door*
                  53 Commander K Auto*
                  53 Commander K overdrive*
                  55 President Speedster
                  62 GT 4Speed*
                  63 Avanti R1*
                  64 Champ 1/2 ton

                  * Formerly owned

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                  • #10
                    Ya know, about a year ago I pondered buying a '64 Avanti on eBay that was located in coastal NC. It was a red R1 and hadn't been driven since the 70's. The A/C compressor had been removed. And there was some weird connection between Studebaker and Sears on this particular car as far as the battery, tires, etc. It only went for $4650 (less than I expected). But after reading JDP's "Cheap Avanti" stories for years I'm kinda glad I let it go....


                    Originally posted by JDP View Post
                    After all the flack I took for parting out a few Avanti's, I decided to save the one I'm working on now. As you may recall the PO spent 18K on the car, and it was still a turd, needing paint and interior. The reason I hate to do rough cars, is one thing leads to other. i.e., installing a interior from a parts car, meant swapping the dash. Swapping the dash exposed the need for a wiring harness, the new harness meant a alternator swap from a GM single wire to factory, factory meant a new voltage regulator.
                    With all new wiring, why not fix the clock, tach, trunk light and miscellaneous lighting issues and install new red bulbs ? Then I started to fix much of the work done by the "restoration shop', i.e., the vacuum for the upgraded Cruise-O-matic was hooked to the float vent for emissions on the Edebrock !!!
                    After a few months of playing, the car runs great, the AC blows cold, and at least the PO's brake rebuild was done right. I replaced the dry rotted tires with 4 new radials. Now that I've gone this far, I'll rebuild the steering bell crank to tighten up the steering and see what comes up next.

                    The bottom line, a car I paid for $4500 for, and could have parted for 10K, I'm now in $6000 and lots of labor and will be lucky to get 6-7 K for, but its saved. It's now a running, driving turd with a decent interior.
                    edp/NC
                    \'63 Avanti
                    \'66 Commander

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      In Jan 1966 I purchased my '64 Avanti from the original owner.

                      Talked him down to 2,400.00

                      Still proudly own the car.......but I bet dollars to donuts from that date till now I have 'dumped' in 50K to keep her as close to new as possible.........and she still needs paint........but let the next poor 'sob' lay down 20K for prep&paint......the car is a strong ten footer.......but i am able to drive her, and most old car heads appreciate the fact that she needs paint...but the engine and interior are mint.........I guess even if I were to prep and paint I would never drive her....first stone chip on the front cap.........that's all folks ........rubber room time:-)

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                      • #12
                        In the summer of 1966 I almost bought a 1964 Avanti. Drove great and didn't look too bad for a Chicago car. He wanted $2700 and wouldn't budge. I offered him $2400 but he wouldn't talk. If it had been a four speed I would have given him $2700 for it.
                        Rick
                        Kingman, AZ

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by ddub View Post
                          John, think of the Karma!
                          I'll take a hit now and than for the Karma, but can't afford to do it too often. Not so much the money, as my time since selling Studebakers is my job.
                          JDP Maryland

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                          • #14
                            Was R2 with 4speed, removed blower installed factory A/C
                            Originally posted by sasquatch View Post
                            In the summer of 1966 I almost bought a 1964 Avanti. Drove great and didn't look too bad for a Chicago car. He wanted $2700 and wouldn't budge. I offered him $2400 but he wouldn't talk. If it had been a four speed I would have given him $2700 for it.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              What happened to the Stereo business?

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