WTB 1963-64 Avanti

[studegard]

Looking to buy a 1963 0r 1964 Avanti. R1 or R2 considered but must be a 4 speed. Would prefer a nice driver or older restoration. No projects. e-mail at ellagee@charter.net

[Guest dapy]

Where are you and what is your budget? R2's tend to be more expensive and harder to find. Right now there are none to recommend at eBay which is a primary source. Have you checked Fall/Winter 2014 AVANTI magazine? There are four '63-'64's ads. All appear high miles and don't know whether manual tranny. (Also those are hard to find.)

[Guest dapy]

There is a R1 manual tranny at classiccars.com

[studegard]

I just joined the AOAI and haven't received any magazines yet. I'm located in south central Michigan and just started to look for an Avanti. I'm in no hurry but if I found a nice car I'm ready to buy. I have a trailer and don't mind traveling a bit to get a nice car. I'd like to find something in the mid 20"s.

[Gunslinger]

You should be able to find a nice car in that price range. Most go for less than that and usually require a lot of work.

[mfg]

studegard..I understand why you'd prefer a four speed car...Four speed Avantis are simply more 'sporty'...more fun to drive! However, from what I've experienced over the years, the four speed models have to be scrutinized closely. Let's face it, when these cars were brand new, the four speed versions were, in general, used hard. Racing, 'speed shifting', and over-revving the engines.....Many were 'beat on'. (esp the R2's) The auomatic transmission cars, in general, were used more leisurely. This really makes no difference if the Avanti you find has been completely and properly restored.....but if it hasn't...a thorough road test would definitely be in order.....Good luck with you're quest!!

[Paul K.]

Good advice MFG.

My 63 R1 is a rock solid original one owner Southern CA car. No rust, no cracks and mostly original paint. I wish it were a manual transmission. Its positives far outweigh the negative aspect (to me) of having an automatic. However, swapping to a manual transmission is not a big project and would give the opportunity to install a more modern 5 or 6 speed. All can look stock. I am considering doing this conversion if I decide to not sell the car to buy an R2 4 speed.

I personally do not think this modification would hurt the value at all. Since 4 speed cars are worth more than automatics and if it looks stock, it would at the worst be a "push". Also, the automatic car would be less to buy up front so that will help to offset the cost of the swap.

[Guest dapy]

Google "The Studebaker Guy" who is looking for a four speed.

[studegard]

I found a 63 R2 that I'm very interested in buying but it is an automatic. I know I can convert it to a 4 speed for about $2,000 and have it look factory. What are the pro's and con's about modifying a stock Avanti. I've also heard from other Avanti owners that they prefer an automatic. Is this just a personal choice or are there really some performance issues to consider?

[Gunslinger]

If you buy it...it's your car...do as you please. A 4-speed car generally brings a premium in value over an automatic, but a $2k premium is arguable. I think it's best to buy the best R2 car you can find and afford and make any changes and mods you want. That's cheaper and less hassle than buying a project car equipped the way you want and rebuild it.

Stude people in general don't much care whether a car is numbers matching or done strictly to the production order, though that is a factor. What's more important is that the car matches how Studebaker built the car as it's being represented...the color is an official color that Studebaker offered that year even if painted different from the way it left the factory. If you convert it from an automatic to a 4-speed it won't matter as long for judging (if that's your aim) as long as it's done the way Studebaker did it. Of course, there are purists that want to see every car the way it left South Bend.

I'm not a purist so my opinion slants different from those who are. If I was going to make the conversion...I'd look into a 5-speed transmission.