the value of an Avanti 2?

[he13bats]

I wanted to get a little info...ahem, the cold hard truth about the value of a certain Avant 2 I know of,

Sorry I don't have ay pictures but I know a savvy person can give me a good ball park idea with my details and my answering questions,

The car is a 72 with 400 small block and 400 auto tranny, the tranny has a stall converter and lower first gear. no carb it has holley fuel injection.

The engine smokes on start up could be valve guides or rings,

It has a dana rear end.

The several years ago the body was stripped and repainted pearl white, the moon roof was sealed shut with silicone.

the rubber is okay for a driver, the bumpers are on the medium to low side driver and really should be re chromed for top shelf.

It has a nice burnt cherry interior everything works as in lights, gauges, windows etc, he interior would be high end driver condition.

I was told the "hog troughs" are very rusted, and while repaired once the frame has a crack up near the front,

It had some up grade to the brakes but a corner or two are leaking a little.

So I am told this car would almost not be worth fixing and better candidate to part out,

Sad, the car "looks" sweet.

So give me the scoop what do you guys think the value would be?

Many thanks!

[Avanti83]

If you are looking to buy as a driver and can do the hog troughs, probably $4 maybe 5K. The conundrum with valuing it is the Hog troughs are a $4-5K hit at a body shop whereas you can do them for under $2K. The bumpers will add another $2K or so. I'll assume the frame is good for the purpose of discussion.

My guess is the car is $10-12K without the foibles so I'd offer $4K for starters and fix it.

I think he would have problem getting $4K in parts. Nothing special about the drive train, engine $300 if lucky, tranny $75, rearend $150. Interior, if you could get $1K you'd be lucky. Exterior panels only sell if someone needs them, then there is some money but you need to store them and someone that needs them has to find him. There is also some money in the small stuff but again a tough sell.

The siliconed sun roof is also an issue as if it was seriously leaking it can rust out the A-pillars. Not cheap or easy to find.

As one can see, Just to many unknowns to go much over $4K or so. If I needed one, I'd be all over it at that price. I paid $7500 for my 83 in 2009 and it had good hog troughs. http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/showthread.php?26174-The-search-is-over

JMHO, Bob

Edited May 3, 2014 by Avanti83

[mfg]

I agree with what Avanti83 is saying here. It really boils down to how much of the mentioned work you can do yourself. (troughs, etc.) If you have to send the car out for the needed repairs, it would probably be better to look for another Avanti in better shape, even if the initial cost is a few thousand more. Either way, this Avanti will be 'right' for somebody, and really should not be parted out. (in my opinion)

[Avanti83]

One last thought. If the Holley EFI is one of the newer self programming Avenger series with distributor it might be worth $1000 give or take. The older 950's, not so much.

Bob

[Gunslinger]

I agree with the others. Unless the asking price is low, I'd walk and look for a better car...even if the dollars are more. As great as Avantis are, they can kill you quick financially and make your hair fall out out prematurely or if you do it the slow way...death by a thousand cuts and gray your hair.

As for me...I would avoid a car with a sunroof. It's been too many years and too many headaches they cause if they haven't been cared for by previous owners. They drain into the hog troughs which hastens the rust. Engine issues can be handled...small block Chevys are simple and easy...even if you drop in a crate engine. The EFI is a plus...carbs are headaches...actually carburetors are voodoo as far as I'm concerned.

Unless you have the time and expertise to do the work yourself, look for a better one.

[he13bats]

Thanks guys, I will give more details that I can,

I love odd weird vehicles I owned many customs vettes and kit cars, I still have a gt 40 fake and vette along with a vow trike we putter around on,

I always liked the Avanti and my wife really digs it.

I am obviously not an Avanti person, well only a little by proxy, this is my dads ( 89 ) car,

I am a vette person owning them all my life I am in the process of a body off on my 69 bb convertible, so I "could" deal with the work the Avanti needs.

I have seen the troughs and the frame crack but it was too many years ago to recall details.

there is a fair amount of emotion and sentiment here as my dad has owned the car since the 80's but in the last few years of declines in health hasn't driven it, a car sitting seems to get worse and worse.

He has been thinking it might be best to sell it, I was a bit shocked myself when he said "part out" Looks wise you could still show it as it, in my vette world it would not be a candidate of parting out but rather a restore to someone who has that passion.

The holley set up is old, like from the 80's the first one they released, it has always worked fine,

The moon roof, my dad just never liked it, wished the car didn't have it, it worked and at the time it was stripped and painted it worked then for reasons I do not fully get he disconnected the switch and taped off the top and body and did a silicone "seal" in the seam, I will ask but I believe he told me it never leaked.

He mentioned the draining into the troughs so perhaps that was some motivations to keep that a tad dryer.

sentimental value aside if I was to buy and take on the car I would have to fix the issues and in my case it would have to be a daily driver, I would believe a 6 cylinder and over drive automatic tranny would be a nice ticket.

( people scoff that I always drove the classic vettes daily so this is not alien to me )

I can't be held cut in stone but believe that my dad would be thrilled to get about 4000.00 for it to a person who really wanted one and would bring it back up to snuff.

again, many thanks,

[Avanti83]

Could you post a picture or two. The reason I ask is 1989 models sat on a GM frame and I don't believe they had hog troughs, although I'm an 83 and older guy.

A few pictures of the car and damage might add light to the discussion and change some of the input.

If it's earlier than the preceding discussion applies. This can give you some background. http://www.classic-car-history.com/avanti-car-history.htm

Bob

Edited May 3, 2014 by Avanti83

[he13bats]

Again many thanks!

just got off the phone with dad, he wants to go ahead and try to find the right buyer,

He calls this car "his old friend" and while lots of sentiment and emotion here it will not be reflected in the asking price,

however, he will only sell it to the "right" person, no flippers please it needs to be someone with a passion to fix it up ( or at least try ) and have the ability and means to do it, I have two large projects and it's just not the right timing for me to take it on, ( my thing is vettes, i would have to learn Avantis )

the price is between you and him but I assure you it will be a very fair price to the "right" person,

He is 89 and less than perfect health and wants me to have people go through me for his contact info and all you know to weed out the "wrong" people,

so please do not go look him up and contact him without hitting me first.

The car is in Jacksonville Florida.

A few new things I learned today, the car was painted by Ben Rew and is a 1972 with the HT's my dad seems to believe it has a stude frame of some kind,

Dad wired it up with relays and has all the wiring diagrams, he was a Navy aircraft tech so he knows what he was doing,

It comes with schematics of what he did, he also wanted me to mention he has a collection of AOIA magazines and paperwork and has been a member since he bought the car in the 80's

Sorry, but it will be a few days before I can get pictures posted, the car is stunning to "look" at both in and out it's the other stuff that brings it down.

I am going to post it in the classified ads here and ask people who are serious about taking on this project to hit me up first,

Many thanks!

the13bats@aol.com

Paul.

[he13bats]

I am hoping for more help,

Since I posted the ads online whew, scammers, and lowballers, one fellow said give up trying to sell it's not worth anything,

another guy says because I asked him to call me first due to dads health I'm a con man,

People want to trade things ranging from lawn mowers and dirt bikes to animals.

Another fellow says because I know a lot about vettes I am a fake saying I do not know Avantis.

I have bought and sold lots of weird kit cars and customs I know it can be hard but boy o boy...some real winners out there hiding behind their computers.

So with the pictures in the for sale thread and all the info i have posted here and there what is the realistic ballpark for this car,

I looked all over the net for what they sell for the problem with projects is I didn't find any with as nice interior /paint/body as dads,

Dad isn't wanting top dollar just a fair going rate to get her sold,

Many thanks for opinions and help,

Paul

the13bats@aol.com

407-496-8334

[Avanti83]

The best place still remains Ebay, here and the SDC forum. I will say that it looks better than I expected from your initial description. Price remains difficult without pictures of the underside. It does have a decent interior and the body looks quite good as well as the chrome. Driver quality.

At a minimum with frame and hog trough issues $5-6K, if they don't need much repair probably $7-8K as it sits.

My 83 with minimal HT and frame issues and high end leather interior went for $7500 three years ago.

JMHO, Bob

[he13bats]

Thanks Bob,

So 5K would not be out of the question?

BTW the number on this car is RQB1860

Edited June 24, 2014 by he13bats

[Guest dapy]

I think that would be a fair price.

Edited June 24, 2014 by dapy