Car & Track - Test - 1969 Avanti

[Ernie]

Did Nate Altman really put a Paxton blower on the Chevy engines?

Notice that hood!

If that car only had "todays tires!"

Enjoy!

(Put up with the Bongo Drums -- they go away.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g85RbmNkKqA&feature=player_embedded

Ernie N.

Edited February 6, 2011 by Ernie

[Gunslinger]

There was one made like that. It was sold on Ebay several years ago and I believe either an AOAI or an SDC member now has it.

I've seen two different sources for its creation...one stated the car was built for Robert Morrison of Molded Fiberglass and another source stated it was built for high speed runs at Bonneville. Allegedly Nate Altman considered it a monstrosity and wanted nothing to do with it, but who knows the truth of that?

Actually, I believe it's a '68 rather than a '69, at least one hot rod magazine identified it as such when they ran a story on it. Their article wasn't too complimentary on its performance but admitted the car was grossly out of tune when tested.

It's also been reported as having been painted several colors over the years...red to white to some outrageous candy color red, so I don't know what it is these days.

Supposedly, it's the only Avanti II supercharged by the factory...at least until the later cars after Mike Kelly owned the company (they weren't called Avanti II's by then anyway).

[Paul K.]

The "monstrosity" comment may have been true as Nate Altman Avantis were designed to focus more on being a Luxury GT and not a hot rod. Tires are so much better today, however, I've looked at that video quite a few times during this last year and it looks like the "twin traction" is not working.

[Ernie]

The "monstrosity" comment may have been true as Nate Altman Avantis were designed to focus more on being a Luxury GT and not a hot rod. Tires are so much better today, however, I've looked at that video quite a few times during this last year and it looks like the "twin traction" is not working.

I thought the same thing, Paul, but every-so-often it appears that both wheels are spinning.

[Paul K.]

That Avanti is such a BEAST. I would love to drive it.

[MikeValent]

That one has the blower mounted where my a/c compressor is. A prior owner had a Paxton SN/2000 installed on mine - on the passenger side (the alternator was moved to mount under the blower). The PO had a second "gunsight" grafted onto that passenget side of the hood. With a hole cut into the normal hood contour at the blower's highest point, the fairing gives the extra maybe 1" clearance that the blower needs. Of course, in my opinion, it also degrades the look of the car.

Don't know what the blower did for the 327 or 350 on the late-60's Avanti, but with the 305 mine came with, the blower at least provides decent performance. Without it, the 305's a slug.

Question: The carb bonnet on that car isn't the stude one. Any idea who makes or made it? I really want to get rid of the Paxton's airbox and replace the Holley with a sealed Edelbrock carb.