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murph the surf

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Posts posted by murph the surf

  12. Overhead Cockpit Controls

    in Avanti Trivia

    Posted · Edited by murph the surf

    I always thought so as well,but,false,according to an interview of Raymond Loewy by AOAI before his passing.According to Loewy,"some overhead cockpit controls" were one of the "key points of my theme" for the car."There have been stories that Egbert is the fellow who wanted that.Several others have taken credit for that.It was on the wall when they (the design team) arrived,and when I mentioned the idea to Egbert,when I showed him the model,he liked it very much"... 

  16. Avanti Design Costs

    in Avanti Trivia

    Posted · Edited by murph the surf

    Please choose the correct answer:   

    Raymond Loewy stated that,regarding the design of the Studebaker Avanti by Raymond Loewy and Associates,that "in a large Detroit styling division,the design of the body itself would have cost several hundred thousand dollars" He then stated that the cost to Studebaker for the Avanti for his firm's design of the car was   1) "about the cost of one very well known English luxury car"  2) "a few thousand dollars" 3) "we did the design for less than 1/4 the cost of a large Detroit styling division.

    aaaa.jpg

  20. First Avanti I Ever Saw!

    in Avanti Pub

    Posted · Edited by murph the surf

    I'll never forget the first Studebaker Avanti I saw.It was January 1969,I was 12 years old attending Conniston Jr. High School in West Palm Beach,Florida.The band teacher bought a used 1963 R1,white with tangerine and fawn interior,a/c and power windows and brakes.Seeing that gorgeous,unique car, it was love at first sight! I became obsessed,and read everything that I could find that had been written about the car,even writing to Avanti Motors,and receiving a nice informational packet from Charles Solliday containing the "Avanti Still Means Forward" article(the packet,of course,I still have!).Fortunately,I had selected band class as an elective,and when the band performed elsewhere,and we had to caravan to our destination,the band teacher,knowing how crazy I was for an Avanti,always made sure I was a passenger in his Avanti.Riding my bike home from school one afternoon,I spotted another Avanti,and I rode as fast as I could to catch up to the car,yelling for the driver to stop so I could see another gorgeous Avanti-he must have thought I was crazy.Fortunately,he stopped,and I got the chance to see his (also) white with tangerine and fawn interior,automatic with a/c car, and talk Avanti with him.It turned out that Fred was a Studebaker man,and,when production ceased in South Bend,he knew what a special car the Avanti was,and realized he better seek and find an unsold new Avanti from a Studebaker dealer. Fred's driver was a black '62 G.T Hawk,so the Avanti was purchased for his wife Connie.The car was always garaged and babied,and used sparingly. Fred was fairly impressed with my knowledge about the Avanti,and he and I became friends, always keeping in touch over all these years.I got a call from Fred in 2008,telling me that he was turning 80 and it that was time for him to let go of the Avanti.He went on to explain that he had had lots of people wanting to buy the car over the years,but he had decided a long time ago that there was only one person who would end up with the car.Unbeknownst over all those years,that person was me!.Fred and Connie's Avanti has been treasured by me for the last 9 years,and I periodically stop by to see Fred,and we'll go to lunch in "our" car.When I look down at the plaque that reads "Avanti-Expressly Built for Fred and Connie Splain"-I know things are just how they're supposed to be!!

  22. Avanti Pace Car

    in Avanti Trivia

    Posted · Edited by murph the surf

    Hmmm-never saw that article.Just can't imagine that Bill Dredge and Studebaker's PR Department would go to all those lengths to promote a LARK to be an Indy Pace Car-especially with their halo car,the Avanti, well under development and thought to be market ready just before the race . Mr Egbert wanted to have the Avanti 'to market" within one year of Board approval,and knew no time constraints.This would have been approximately April of 1962,and with the 1962 Indy 500 being held on May 30,1962,I would assume that they thought the car would have been ready for the event.I may be wrong,but logic tells me an Indy race would have been just the event to showcase their new performance car,and the Lark was indeed a second choice-but I'll certainly read the article.Thanks,Gunslinger.

  23. Studebaker Avanti Introduction

    in Avanti Trivia

    Posted · Edited by murph the surf

    Kirk Kerkorian.He made out like a bandit,as he sold the airline to Studebaker in 1962 for $10 million,bought it back from them in 1964 when things were bad for Studebaker, then sold it again several years later for an estimated $85 million. This diversification purchase by Mr. Egbert,along with Domowatt, did not work out as anticipated,and undoubtedly led to issues with Studebaker's Board of Directors.

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  24. Avanti Pace Car

    in Avanti Trivia

    Posted · Edited by murph the surf

    Correct-the Studebaker Avanti was selected to be the Pace Car for the 1962 Indy,however,the car was not ready on time,and the Lark Daytona ended up as the '62 Pace Car.The Studebaker Avanti became the "honorary" pace car for that race.

    Indy 4.jpg

  25. Avanti Pace Car

    in Avanti Trivia

    Posted · Edited by murph the surf

    While we're talking Indy 500's and Studebaker pacing the '62 race with a Lark Daytona convertible........is the following statement true or false?  :   while unheard of for a car manufacturer to pace Indy for two consecutive years, a Studebaker Avanti was initially selected to be the pace car for the 1963 Indianapolis 500. 

    indy 3.jpg

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