Avanti Handles

[mfg]

Raymond Loewy's personal 1963 Studebaker Avanti had two handles on the console forward of the shifter.....What did these two handles control?

[plwindish]

Exhaust cut-outs.

[mfg]

Exhaust cut-outs.

Exhaust cut-outs.

You 'nailed it'!

[lschuc]

Very good, Paul!! You've been Studying Avanti Magazine!!

And this Avanti is currently owned by a member in the Los Angeles area.

[Gunslinger]

I gotta say...Raymond Loewy may have great at many things for customers and commercial products, but some of his "personalizations" to his Avanti don't add anything positive to the design. Look at some of his personal cars from the 1950's after his Studebaker contract was cancelled...some are quite bizarre though the best elements of each were incorporated into the Avanti.

Getting back to Loewy's Avanti...his additions to the car fly in the face of the design's "less is more" beauty. But that's just my opinion.

[mfg]

Exhaust cut-out's aren't mentioned much anymore.....but when I think about their effect....and look at those two 'cool' handles....the more I want to get my drill and sawzall out!! (common sense take control here PLEASE!!)

[lschuc]

Loewy had TWO 1963 Avantis. the one still in the U.S., in Los Angeles, has the exhaust cut-outs. The one still in France does not have cut-outs.