bob caser

That would be this car the "Due Cento " . This photo was taken behind the Paxton building with the car sitting minus engine and transmission. Bob Caser.

The interior in this car is all NOS , gauges , carpet, steering column, and seats. Ed Reynolds had complete vinyl interior pieces at one time at a bargain price. It would be impossible to duplicate this today at any cost. Bob Caser

Long story . I was showing another Avanti in 1985 at the annual La Palma show. This was a modified car, and it won first place in it class. This guy walks up and introduces himself., and we start talking about this car R5487 car and also about R5051 which was being repainted at a local body shop. At this time it was a very nice car with 39,000 miles and never modified. This individual is interested in seeing the car and we make arrangements to meet at the body shop while looking at the car he tells me he had a turquoise 64 in the past and it would be great to build a show car out of my car. So the body shop and this guy proceed to move forward on my car and I support the money side and now realize we are building a trailer queen of Pebble Beach standards. So from 1985 to 1990 they proceed to build "my" show car. The car has been in storage since 1990 only needing the bumpers to be completed and installed.Everything mechanical was rebuilt and no fluids were installed. The engine is turned over by hand and oiled. This is a over restored Avanti something that I now regret. Jon Meyer, John Metzker, Ed Reynolds and Gary Johnson all contributed to this show car. Oh the guy and I became good friends until his passing. His name : Tom Kellogg Bob Caser

I still have it, R5051. Bob Caser

There would have been more than 9 production cars , if the dealers and the factory would have been more attentive. The client base was not the "HOT ROD" magazine reader, which did publish the most complete article regarding the R3 engine. An Avanti with a R3 engine would retail for close to $6,000 dollars and it had serious competition at that price. Bob Caser

Having been a buyer of a new Avanti , 10-24-1963, I was never offered a tray or ever received a form to fill out regarding such. From my point of view the dealers had little interest at this stage of their carriers with Studebaker. In August and September talking to two local dealers regarding ordering a R3 from the factory there was no interest on their part of taking such an order. I was living in the Metro New York area hardly a small market. Bob Caser

Cheesy fix is correct. When installed I have no idea how it would protect from heat transfer. Cheesy Fix is correct, how this piece of plastic would help with heat transfer is beyond me. Putting the box over the shifter would probably have been a ckoice Bob Caser

Inside windshield rear view mirror