Trivia!....Avanti plaque

[mfg]

Trivia...Studebaker offered a custom engraved plaque with the owners name to buyers of new Avantis. The fee for this plaque was $5.00.....True?

[Guest dapy]

Yes and no. For loyal and important customers, especially celebrities, the company offered a free plaque. My car belonged to the son of the former International VP. Free. My car also had a console plaque that said, "CAUTION Do not lower windows at speeds in excess of 120 M.P.H."

• Was that an authorized factory plaque?

[mfg]

From the info that came in the glove box of my Avanti...including a small brochure regarding this plaque...I understood it was given out free to any new Avanti buyer that applied for it. I think the "CAUTION.....120mph" plaque is not a Stude item, but one that was popular back in the seventies from auto stores like JC whitney.

[Guest dapy]

The "120 MPH" plaque was a result of several Avanti back windows being blown out. The factory fixed the problem. Joke or no?

[mfg]

I think that a few early Avanti rear windows did blow out if the side windows were rolled down at high speed....Studebaker fixed the problem with tighter fit tolerances and improved rear window fastening in later production cars. I still think that plaque is generic though, as I remember seeing them advertised in more than one period auto magazine.

[J Boyle]

The dash/interior of my car was very original when I bought it...I've since had to replace the dash pad and front seat covers...and it has the original owner's plaue on it, since verified by a card from the Studebaker Museum.

No sign of a "120 m.p.h." plaque...leading ne to believe mine never had one.

[Guest dapy]

Agree, but it makes a good story. Someone saw the 120 MPH plaque in an old VW.