Recently at a clasic car show here in town I saw a 1963 Studebaker Avanti. After more than 40 years it looked as fresh and exciting as it did back in ’63 and it drew the most response from the crowd. This beautifully designed car was low and relatively small yet boasted room for 5, unlike the Corvete. There was even a full trunk, unheard of in this type of car. I always had a special fondness for Studebakers. Often their ideas were outlandish but the cars they produced were always exciting. I drove a 1955 Speedster with 4-speed and OD. It had no power steering yet handled better than any car I had ever driven. By 1962 Studebaker was in trouble yet again. Poor management and manufacturing techniques plus lack of sufficient money forced them to redesign the same old design again and again. Then President Sherwood Egbert came up with an idea. Making sketches on scrap paper he designed a car that had a “Coke bottle” look to it. Armed with only that idea he sent master designer Raymond Loewy and his team to Palm Springs. There they were virtually locked away in a rented house for 30 days. When they came out the Avanti was born (Avanti being Italian for “forward” or “advance”). To save money they decided to use a fiberglass body. Thus those graceful lines could be used. It was mounted on a Lark frame which basically dated back to 1953. The engine was so tight, especially the ones equipped with superchargers, you could barely get a hand in there to check the oil. The car came with disc brakes standard, seat belts as an option, and a padded built-in roll bar. It was a sensation! Problem was, they could not keep up with production due to a series of problems, especially the fiberglass body, so many buyers switched to the split window coupe Corvette. Avanti came with a series of options; something for everybody. The engine models were designated R1, R2, R3 and R4 with only one legendary R5. The R5 produced 638 hp and set a land speed record of 196.62 mph. The other models were just as awesome with the R3 boasting 304.5 cu in and 335 hp which was stretched to over 400 hp with the right modifications. Race legend Andy Granatelli broke 34 US land speed records in the Avanti alone. He broke other with the GT and the Lark and eventually Avanti was dubbed “World’s Fastest Production Car.” They say you can tell a lot about a man by the toys he plays with. In ’63 and ‘ 64 several famous people owned Avantis including: Dick Van Dyke, Ian Fleming, Frank Sinatra, Johny Carson, Jay Leno, Rod Serline and many more. A testament to the car’s unique design is the fact when Studebaker went out of business others bought the rights to the car and over 40 years and many owners the car is still being produced today. While mostly women were buying T-birds men were atracted to Corvette and Avanti. From my perspective I can see why. Category:Home › Autos • Will the trend toward economy-size car models lead Americans back to buying smaller-sized cars? — part 2 • You should never use after-market auto parts when maintaining or fixing your car • Should a new car be rust-proofed? • Will the trend toward economy-size car models lead Americans back to buying smaller-sized cars? — part 1 • Five safest cars in North America • How to ensure your teen drives safely after getting a license • Pros and cons of using an hydrogen generator for your car • DIY automotive maintenance: How to change the oil
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