For Sale: The Dick Van Dyke Avanti

[rgallatin]

Dick Van Dyke 1963 Studebaker Avanti for sale

[plwindish]

Someone reported on the Studebaker forum that the car sold 7 months ago for $29,700 and the current owner is looking for $49,000. That's a nice investment return if you can get it.

[Guest dapy]

Celebrity cars sometimes sell (once) at a premium. The Van Dyke car stands on its originality. It is hard to imagine that 12K miles in 50+ years makes it better. In fact not being driven IMO is a liability. Who would drive on 50 yo tires?

By coincidence I just bought an AMX from Dylan Van Dyke...Likely Dick's long lost stepson twice removed.

Edited March 1, 2014 by dapy

[J Boyle]

Someone reported on the Studebaker forum that the car sold 7 months ago for $29,700 and the current owner is looking for $49,000.

That would have been me...

For $49K it better have Mary Tyler Moore (circa 1963) in the back seat!

[lschuc]

Seems like a hight price, but this is a survivor car that is as original as any car can be after 50+ years. Yes, it would take quite a bit of maintenance and updates to get it in driving condition, but probably would be worth it as a very low mileage survivor.

This was featured in 2012 in Avanti Magazine while still on display at the Los Angeles Museum of Art.

[mfg]

Certain Studebaker Avantis have exceptional value, I think this may be one of them. Partially because Mr. Van Dyke was the first owner, but more because of it's low mileage and originality. This Avanti, like the Rodger Ward Avanti, is special.

[Guest dapy]

Yes, well Ed McMahon was said to be the first owner of my 1989. Didn't seem to make a difference to previous owners.

I'm going to tell people mine was an Elvis car. Anything wrong with that?

BTW it is a 2014 Calendar car. That's the truth...

Edited April 5, 2014 by dapy

[mfg]

Yes, well Ed McMahon was said to be the first owner of my 1989. Didn't seem to make a difference to the previous owners.

I'm going to tell people mine was an Elvis car. Anything wrong with that?

No problem!, And if they ask further questions, just say Ed McMahon's first name was really 'Elvis', but he shortened it to 'Ed' at Johnny Carson's insistence!

[Gunslinger]

Celebrity owned cars (of whatever make) only occasionally add value. It really depends on who the celebrity was and how famous they were. Even celebrities famous years ago may be all but forgotten now.

While my generation knows Ed McMahon was Johnny Carson's sidekick (Johnny himself an Avanti owner), today's generation is more aware of Andy Richter as Conan O'Brien's sidekick. Shirley Bassey, another celebrity Avanti owner, is known to my generation as the voice of the Goldfinger theme...today's generation is more aware of Adele being the voice for Skyfall.

Now...if Ian Fleming's car was found and became available for sale...THAT would bring a pretty penny. That's a celebrity owned Avanti that would get attention...both status-wise and financially.

[mfg]

How true! I mentioned yesterday's passing of Mickey Rooney to the younger guys at the break table today....and all I got back from them were blank stares! (Mickey WHO?)

[Guest dapy]

Elvis and Ed and then there was Mister Ed. That's good for a horse laugh.

[murph the surf]

Bump with an ownership history of the Dick Van Dyke car

 

image_20171120_093539.pdf

Edited November 20, 2017 by murph the surf