Our story...a history

[James Bond]

I'd like think that we would all like to know how we came to own our gems. I may be right, I may be wrong. Either way here's my story, if you want to tell yours...so much the better.

It started a long time ago, more than thirty years ago, my wife and I were in rural New York, looking for a Christmas tree. A completely snazzy car came in the other lane. I said, "What the hell is that!", or something of the like. An immediate impression was made, the car never left my mind! Forward three decades later.

Enter my friend and boss, Paul. He owns a 1950 Studebaker Champion, a beautiful car! We got to talking, I was thinking I'd like a car with a history as a daily driver. I looked in the local car seller rag. I saw what I think was a 1957 boat...meh! So I went home and for the heck of it went on ebay. I looked at a mess of cars, then said to myself "Why not search Avanti?" So I did. There were some nice cars, but they were too far away to consider, a thousand miles or more.

Then there was one, about a hundred miles away...I couldn't believe it! It was a 1989 model, from the pictures it looked silver on the outside, with a light gray interior...fine by me! I asked my wife about bidding on it, she said to me, "As long as you consider it my thirtieth wedding anniversary to you". Hell yeah! No problem!! All I got you was a diamond ring! So I placed a bid, "Reserve Not Met'" was the response, I place another, the same. I did it again, trying to save a few bucks, no good. Finally I said to my wife, "One more bid, I placed it. "Reserve Met" came up. I was thrilled! Now you would think and auction would in at an reasonable hour. Say four in the afternoon, silly me. This auction ended about three in the morning. So I set my alarm for a little before that. When it went off, my wife said to my "Don't you want to see if you've won?" "Won what?", my sleep deprived mind said...then I realized...oh yeah! Fumbling fingers found their way to the site, completely expecting to be disappointed.

What? Wait! Are you sure? Really? Yes, my bid had won. Picking it up is another story.

Please, tell us yours!

[Charlie Kile]

_{And the rest of the story? Charlie RQB3921}

[Guest dapy]

Three Avantis. Three stories. Too much to recite here and not always favorable. I now have a 1989 convertible that came from FL by way of eBay that is not only my daily driver, but my only driver. Happy ending.

Get them out of hiding and on the road.

[plwindish]

I started looking in earnest for Avanti #2 in my life during the summer of 2010. I had a 64 way back in time, 1966-69. Marriage, children, being drafted all got in the way on Avanti ownership back then. Forty-some odd years later, after raising 7 kids and a couple of careers, I wanted to get another Avanti, looking on Ebay and Hemmings. I found a 76 Avanti II located only 45 minutes from me through a Hemmings ad. I looked at the car and talked at length with the owner, a 76 year old deciding to downsize, selling the house and car as well. He had owned the car since 1984, keeping a file with all the repairs that had been done on the car. The car had 58000 miles, but he had not put 7000 miles on it during the 26 years he had owned it as proved by the records. I bought the car and he delivered it to me on 01/03/2011.

The spring of 2011 saw the car's 400 motor getting rebuilt and livened up for today's traffic. A rebuilt 200R4 was put behind the now 365 HP, 460 # tq 400 motor. Gauges were replaced, gas tank cleaned and sealed, gas lines replaced, Turner brakes added with rebuilding the rears and replacing all the brake lines. AC was worked on and recharged. 13 yr old tires were replaced before driving it to the Gettysburg AOAI Meet. 2012 saw the suspension being rebuilt, both front and rear, wire wheels added, 89 body mirrors added and an invisible bra installed. 2013 saw a trip to Colorado Springs for the meet, a drive to St Louis for the Upper Mississippi Valley Zone Meet and quite a few cruise nights. The next project is replacing some of the worn Gladstone acorn vinyl on the driver's seat-back bolster and center portion of the rear seat back and bottom as well as adding an arm rest consul that hinges down over the e brake.

I've had a lot of fun and enjoyment driving the car to meets and have the car to what I feel is reliable driver status. The car was repainted in 1989 but still shines and shows real well despite numerous touch-ups.

[J Boyle]

Not much of a story, but it does show how good Avanti owners are. I found a car near South Bend. Being far away...not to mention not being an Avanti expert...it was impossible for me to judge the car before committing to purchases it.

I look in the Avanti magazine and notice that Mike Baker, the (then) soon to be club president, lived in the area. I call him and ask if he knows of anyone local who could look at the car. To make a short story short, he inspected it himself when he went to South Bend for the opening of the museum. He wouldn't take any payment for his services.

Again, there are great people in the club.

Edited September 5, 2013 by J Boyle

[avantidavid]

Way back in 1975 my first car was a 1961 Studebaker Lark, 1961 Larks were it for me. I had a convert, cruiser, 2dr,and a 4dr. I loved Studebakers so I knew what an Avanti was. I loved the look of the car but at the time an Avanti was out of my price range. As the years went on I got out of touch with Studebaker's untill about 1994 when I saw a Avanti convertible. WOW I had to have one. So I did my research and I wanted a 1988 Monte Carlo chassis convert. I like the clean look down the side of the Avanti. In 1987 the front side marker light was above the molding where as in 88 it was inside the molding and The reason I wanted a Monte Carlo chassis was there again about the clean look of the sides of the Avanti, the Caprice chassis converts the gas cap was moved to the side of the car(instead of on top with the Monte Carlo chassis) and also as small as the trunk space is, on the Monte Carlo chassis where the spare tire is underneath the trunk where the Caprice chassis since the gas tank had to be moved the spare tire took up most of the trunk space. So my sights were set on a 1988 Avanti convert I wanteda white Avanti with the blood red interior. so I googled 1988 Avanti and a car popped up that was being auctioned in Illinois, there was one picture. It was a convert , the description said it was white with bright red interior. This was too good to be true. The picture was from the front. I saw that it had the front bottom spoiler on it. I thought dang this was a Caprice chassis as they all came with the front, rear and side spoilers on the bottom. so my search was still on. About a month later in my weekly google search up popped this Avanti again as it did not sell in the auction, this time they had more pictures and there it was.... a picture of the car from the side showing no gas cap on the side. YAHOO...! I got in touch with the owner and bought it, It was everything I wanted and more. This car had the blacked out option package that came standard on the 1988 Anniversary special cars. This car has about every option that was available, a luggage rack(blacked out)... front and rear bottom spoiler, under dash map light, it had a car phone installed from the factory at one time but all that was left was the bracket on the side of the console when I got it and other options too many to list. Sadly after almost 10 years I'm going to sell the car in the next few months, I need to downsize, but what a GREAT life I have had with Studebakers and Avanti's. I would not change a thing

Edited September 6, 2013 by avantidavid

[James Bond]

I loved your post..what a great story! The search, the search..then the discovery!! I understand the need to downsize...I'm heading towards that point as well. But I'm sure who you sell car to will appreciate it as much as you do. Oh, and by the way, I would LOVE a Lark!

[Guest dapy]

Today I talked to the seller of a Studebaker Avanti. He said it was listed at the AOAI Web site under "classifieds". There is a tab for "classifieds", but no information. Was told that it might be at this Forum, but we rarely see Avantis for sale here and no pictures. There are listings in the AVANTI magazine, some with B&W photos. The (in) frequency of magazine publication does not serve sellers very well in the "want it now" electronic age.

So the question before the house is where Avanti buyers go to find them? Wouldn't it be good if AOAI assisted sellers and thereby recruited new member buyers?

[Gunslinger]

All a prospective buyer has to do is join the forum and ask. Someone will likely answer. The SDC Forum is much the same. The AOAI can't be responsible for helping someone who doesn't make themselves known.

[James Bond]

All a prospective buyer has to do is join the forum and ask. Someone will likely answer. The SDC Forum is much the same. The AOAI can't be responsible for helping someone who doesn't make themselves known.

Agreed, but wouldn't it be advantageous to have a separate forum for buyers and sellers? A place where we can horse trade, and maybe expand our base. "Hey, if you want to buy a collector, check out the Avanti market site!" It could happen, although I don't know how to set something like that up. I guess we need more public relations, do we look to the association for that, and if no, how do we light a fire? Here's something, how about an Avanti day! A day when we, in all of our states, drive our classics to raise conscience . What do you think? Edited September 11, 2013 by James Bond

[James Bond]

Just as an idea...how about Raymond Lowey's birthday? Or perhaps the first day day of production? Maybe the last in America. Just some ideas...

[James Bond]

Paying for it and coming home was a bit of a pain in the ass! They wanted a $500.00 deposit, with payment three days later, as I remember. I called the seller and told him I would pay him in full, and take delivery in two days. Would that be acceptable? I assured him I would pay with a bank check. He was fine with that. The next day, his son called me and said a bank check would not suffice, he wanted a certified check...WTF! I contacted my bank, and I talked to others, there are no certified checks!! Only bank checks. I called the seller, and explained the situation, he was not aware that this demand was made. I told him "All I want do is make to the sale". He told me to come and pick up the car. He was in construction, I'd like to think his instincts told him that I was real, totally sincere. The trip home will follow!

1

[James Bond]

Not much of a story, but it does show how good Avanti owners are. I found a car near South Bend. Being far away...not to mention not being an Avanti expert...it was impossible for me to judge the car before committing to purchases it.

I look in the Avanti magazine and notice that Mike Baker, the (then) soon to be club president, lived in the area. I call him and ask if he knows of anyone local who could look at the car. To make a short story short, he inspected it himself when he went to South Bend for the opening of the museum. He wouldn't take any payment for his services.

Again, there are great people in the club.

You know...that story does a heart good!

[James Bond]

_{And the rest of the story? Charlie RQB3921}

Checked out you car...really nice!

[James Bond]

Was at a small car show in Newtown Ct. At the local Stop & Shop supermarket. It was for a local food bank. After the DJ, all proceeds went to that charity There was about 16 cars. A vote for your favorite car was non-perishable food placed in a box in front of the car. Burgers and dogs, raffle prizes, were all donated, after the dj, everything went to the food bank. There were some pretty cars there. But if I may say, mine was the most awesome. This is from someone who is completely unbiased!!

[James Bond]

Part three, the ride home. My wife and and I pulled up in our getaway car, a 2001 Forester. We met the seller, a man in construction. He told us of how he got a bargain from a dealership who wanted out of the marque. He rightly boasted of the deal he made. Good for you!! He also told us why he was selling. It was a Porsche he had just bought. The car was amazing, He said "Go ahead...sit in it!" I said "No way!" He smiled. Like I said, he read us. He talked to us a little of the history of the car. The company was bought and sold more than once? Yeah, okay. He gave me the paperwork, we put on the plates, and we were on our way home!

[James Bond]

Next, a terrified wife, and the risk of arrest!

[James Bond]

Let me tell you a little story. A man and a woman went to pick up a car. They went from Ct. to NJ. to take delivery. Once there, these people put Ct. plates on this vehicle, not registered, mind you and proceeded to drive home. Husband followed D/W. Early on the highway, a state cop was on the side. They drive by, not so fast, so they weren't worried. He pulls out...fuh, fuh...fuh!!! He thinks..."I'm toast!" He's coming up in the other lane! This guy thinks he about to spend some time in the local clink and have his car impounded. Fortunately, the cruiser cruised on by, not to be seen again. The rest of the ride was tranquil, once their hearts slowed down!

[James Bond]

Let me say one simple thing. I work hard, I know you do too. When I get home, and press the garage door opener. I walk past by baby, stopping to look. Incredible! Is my baby really mine? The fact that it is, is a constant miracle to me!!

[Guest dapy]

Very interesting. Is there a deeper meaning?

[James Bond]

No, no deeper meaning. Just a continuing appreciation of what I have, of what WE have!

[James Bond]

Going to drive my baby into work tomorrow. Will be parking in a public lot. A supermarket is the anchor store. I get a little nervous doing it, but it's off-set by the joy of driving. Life is always a game of trade-offs.

[James Bond]

Driving to work sounded so good, that D/W and I took a little spin! The purring growl of the engine was and is music to my ears!. The more I drove it, the better it performed. I guess my baby is trying to tell me something!

[boogieman]

New to forum but have an interesting story. I am waiting on delivery of my '79.

In '64-'65 I was in high school. There was an import car dealer here in town, Snuffy Smith Motors. I was in school with his 2 children. After the Christmas break school resumed in Jan. '65. Hanging around in the parking lot that first day back I saw a new car coming in the lot. No, make that 2 cars. All of the car guys were stunned.

Leading the procession was a bright red with white leather interior Avanti. Right behind that was a white with red leather interior Avanti, as best as my memory recalls. Seems that Snuffy got his children these cars for Christmas. What a sight to behold. We were all stunned to say the least.

That was my first encounter with Avantis and I knew I had to have one someday. Who knew it would take this long to achieve and appreciate the car for the iconic things of beauty they are.

I am looking forward to enjoying my '79 with great entheusiasm and excitement. Let the games begin.

[James Bond]

I'm sure you'll love your car!! Just wait as the heads turn as you drive on by!