Pictures from the archive - My 63 Avanti

[SBCA96]

From these pictures taken YEARS ago, you would never guess that the Avanti

had just been resurrected from a mud grave a few months before. I had got

the car indirectly from the previous owner, who had it shipped from back east

where it have been a "show winner". The car had been "fully restored" in the

mid 80's, and then apparently won a few shows. The guy had it shipped back

here, and paid around 12k for it (kinda high for late 80's?). He drove it around

Santa Barbara California until blowing up first gear, and parked it. There is sat

on the side of his house for about 5 years, when my brother spotted it on his

Postal Route. It was sitting under a tree, 3 flat tires, sunk into the 'mud' on a

dirt driveway. The paint looked like black primer, completely dead, and there

was transmission parts on the floor, and in the trunk. I truely wish I had some

"before" pictures of it. Over two years went by after contacting the owner (he

didnt want to sell it, was going to fix it) before a friend of mine was looking to

buy an Avanti. I found the old phone number and he still had it. This was

about 15 years ago. Knowing that an Avanti parts car was over 6000 at the

time, my friend was uncertain what the guy wanted to get for it. We found out

that the car "had to be moved", and was in a storage yard downtown. During

a phone call, the owner asked if he would give him 3500 bucks for it. He agreed.

After paying back fees, my friend decided it was too much for him, and he

wanted a running Avanti. He sold the car to me for $4000, and then bought a

67 Avanti from Wayne (small world). Anyway ... here are some pictures of the

car after MANY hours of waxing with Meguiars three stage system :

Tom

Edited March 27, 2006 by SBCA96

[IndyJimW]

Graet car! The '63 round headlight has always been my favorite.

[SBCA96]

Graet car! The '63 round headlight has always been my favorite.

Thanks! It cleaned up nicely, I had no idea it would. Now the laquer paint

is thinning, and it scratches SO easy! I would love to get a more durable

paint job on it, and then there is the place on the pass rear fender thats

now lifting, and there are strange defects appearing in the paint. From a

few feet away it still looks good, thats good enough until I get the all the

mechicals sorted out. Its bad practice when restoring a car to paint first.

Tom

[IndyJimW]

Its bad practice when restoring a car to paint first.

Agreed. Mechanics, paint then interior. I wonder if those '63 headlights would look good on my '87.....

Jim

[SBCA96]

I wonder if those '63 headlights would look good on my '87.....

I am sure you could make them fit, but if I was going to go through that

much trouble, I would contact Avanti Motors, and buy the lights they are

using on the NEW Avanti instead .......... adapt those ... (minus the bump).

Tom