Chrome piece on the hood gunsight

[pantera928]

Did any of the N&A Avantis ever get produced with that chrome piece on the hood? I have seen several 1960s vintage cars with it but did not know if the owners added them or N&A built them with it. Some have the "S" and some do not.

 

Thanks

[mfg]

Just now, pantera928 said:

Did any of the N&A Avantis ever get produced with that chrome piece on the hood? I have seen several 1960s vintage cars with it but did not know if the owners added them or N&A built them with it. Some have the "S" and some do not.

 

Thanks

An Avanti ll was offered for sale a few years ago...the seller mentioned he ordered his car with the Studebaker hood ornament.

[pantera928]

16 minutes ago, mfg said:

An Avanti ll was offered for sale a few years ago...the seller mentioned he ordered his car with the Studebaker hood ornament.

I thought it might have been a custom order. Thanks

[Gunslinger]

Some very early Avanti IIs received the chrome piece and the "pirate's buckles" on the sail panels but the Studebaker "S" is blacked out.  If you look at early sales brochures they're very clearly on the cars.  The small "pirate's buckle" between the rear seat cushions was there as well but covered with upholstery...at least the '70 I had was like that. I don't remember whether there were any of the buckles on the door panels early on but there may well have been.

At what point the exterior emblems were dropped I don't know...it really made no sense to keep them with a blacked out "S" and made for a cleaner exterior look as well to my eye.  Not using them also meant they could be inventoried and sold through the parts department.

[pantera928]

10 minutes ago, Gunslinger said:

Some very early Avanti IIs received the chrome piece and the "pirate's buckles" on the sail panels but the Studebaker "S" is blacked out.  If you look at early sales brochures they're very clearly on the cars.  The small "pirate's buckle" between the rear seat cushions was there as well but covered with upholstery...at least the '70 I had was like that. I don't remember whether there were any of the buckles on the door panels early on but there may well have been.

At what point the exterior emblems were dropped I don't know...it really made no sense to keep them with a blacked out "S" and made for a cleaner exterior look as well to my eye.  Not using them also meant they could be inventoried and sold through the parts department.

Thank you!

[mfg]

13 minutes ago, pantera928 said:

Thank you!

I, for one, could not resist....I ordered the repo hood ornament and silver 'S' for my '83... and added them to the hood several years ago!

[Kodjo]

13 hours ago, mfg said:

I, for one, could not resist....I ordered the repo hood ornament and silver 'S' for my '83... and added them to the hood several years ago!

I'm considering this too! On the other hand, I want to keep my Avanti II original...

[mfg]

2 hours ago, Kodjo said:

I'm considering this too! On the other hand, I want to keep my Avanti II original...

I think Raymond Loewy would approve that addition! 😁

[pantera928]

2 hours ago, mfg said:

I think Raymond Loewy would approve that addition! 😁

I agree. Just got one

[mfg]

38 minutes ago, pantera928 said:

I agree. Just got one

NICE!!😊

[Desert Driver]

I put one on my '71. N/A would build your Avanti II with just about anything your heart (and wallet) desired. 

[Footer]

[Skip Lackie]

13 hours ago, Desert Driver said:

I put one on my '71. N/A would build your Avanti II with just about anything your heart (and wallet) desired. 

Agree.  My 74 has one, and I was told that the original owner specified that it be so equipped.  Can't prove it, though.

[mfg]

4 hours ago, Footer said:

HEY, HEY, HEY!!.....

What's this cool  item??? 😍

 

 

[Footer]

I thought I would like to have the emblem on my 83 but didn’t think the “S” would be the right fit. I bought the NOS raw metal piece from Nostalgic and had it chromed. I made a silicone mold from an original “S” emblem. An engraving shop cut out and engraved the black base, and I put it in the mold and poured the hobby shop clear goop over it. It took several tries to get one free of bubbles but I finally got one that turned out pretty good.  Thought it would be a way to pay tribute to Mr.  Loewry.   Mike

[Footer]

Whoops, Mr. Loewy. 

[mfg]

3 hours ago, Footer said:

I thought I would like to have the emblem on my 83 but didn’t think the “S” would be the right fit. I bought the NOS raw metal piece from Nostalgic and had it chromed. I made a silicone mold from an original “S” emblem. An engraving shop cut out and engraved the black base, and I put it in the mold and poured the hobby shop clear goop over it. It took several tries to get one free of bubbles but I finally got one that turned out pretty good.  Thought it would be a way to pay tribute to Mr.  Loewry.   Mike

Outstanding job...hats off to you! 🙂

[Kodjo]

5 hours ago, Footer said:

I thought I would like to have the emblem on my 83 but didn’t think the “S” would be the right fit. I bought the NOS raw metal piece from Nostalgic and had it chromed. I made a silicone mold from an original “S” emblem. An engraving shop cut out and engraved the black base, and I put it in the mold and poured the hobby shop clear goop over it. It took several tries to get one free of bubbles but I finally got one that turned out pretty good.  Thought it would be a way to pay tribute to Mr.  Loewry.   Mike

Great work, good idea. I thought the original were chromed too? Or were they polished aluminium?

[pantera928]

1 hour ago, Kodjo said:

Great work, good idea. I thought the original were chromed too? Or were they polished aluminium?

I am told they were chromed pot metal. Now how can I get a black insert for mine with the "S" or a custom job like Footer has?

[mfg]

39 minutes ago, pantera928 said:

I am told they were chromed pot metal. Now how can I get a black insert for mine with the "S" or a custom job like Footer has?

Studebaker International sells them with gold or silver 'S'.....also possibly plain without the 'S'.

[Footer]

I bought the NOS metal pieces from Nostalgic and had them chromed in Spokane. I think you can buy repops from some sites. I also did the pirate buckles but left them black. I’ve seen the “S” and plain black emblems for sale, I just had this idea to do something a little different and I got lucky with the result. Mike

[mfg]

3 hours ago, Footer said:

I bought the NOS metal pieces from Nostalgic and had them chromed in Spokane. I think you can buy repops from some sites. I also did the pirate buckles but left them black. I’ve seen the “S” and plain black emblems for sale, I just had this idea to do something a little different and I got lucky with the result. Mike

Boy, if Raymond were alive...WOULD HE EVER LOVE THAT!!! 🙂

[pantera928]

On 1/26/2023 at 6:20 PM, mfg said:

I, for one, could not resist....I ordered the repo hood ornament and silver 'S' for my '83... and added them to the hood several years ago!

How far should the front of that ornament be from the front edge of the hood?

Thanks

[Footer]

5 hours ago, pantera928 said:

How far should the front of that ornament be from the front edge of the hood?

Thanks

Mine is 2 1/2” back.  If someone could measure how far back the holes are to be drilled that might help too. Mike

[pantera928]

On 1/30/2023 at 7:42 PM, Footer said:

Mine is 2 1/2” back.  If someone could measure how far back the holes are to be drilled that might help too. Mike

Thanks Mike