Lower scoop paint

[brad]

There is a discussion on the SDC forum about the lower scoop being blackened out on Avantis. I was of the opinion that the body was all one color when they were new and left the factory. Others thought differently.

Now I am not sure. I've seen factory photos where they were not, and air brushed magazine ads where they were!

What is the consensus?

[Gunslinger]

Might there have been a running change where Studebaker began blackening out that area? If so, there would likely be a service letter to that effect as most, if not all running changes were in service letters to dealers.

Also...Avanti bodies were supplied both by Molded Fiberglass and later by Studebaker themselves. MFG supplied complete, painted bodies...might theirs have been supplied without blackout in the scoop area and Studebaker assembled and painted bodies receive the blackout treatment? Or the other way around? Were only certain body color cars receiving the blacking out? Was the blacking out done at the dealer level?

I really don't know...just throwing out ideas. Apparently there's examples of original cars done both ways. Would it take determining body supplier by body number and compiling a data base to see if only one maker blacked the scoop out?

I would guess either would (or should) be acceptable for a restoration unless some definitive determination can be made which cars should have a blacked out scoop and which shouldn't.

[J Boyle]

Anyone out there with an unrestored 63?

Other questions, coments, crank opinions?

[KZ's 63 Avanti]

Anyone out there with an unrestored 63?

Other questions, coments, crank opinions?

I am restoring a 63' R2. The scoop area on mine is the body color, which is white.

[okc63avanti]

Before my frame off restoration my car was avanti white. The scoop area under front bumper was painted white. It is my opinion the older photographs where the scoop area appears black is a function of shading captured by the camera versus factory cars with black paint inside the scoop area.

[Twnchgr]

The scoop area on both of my Avanti's is same as the body..

[GAWen]

My 1971 which has had 2 repaints, still has a blocked out mouth. Hum, wonder why?