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1963 1/2 AVANTI RUNNING CHANGES


Rick Allen

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Can anyone confirm the vin or production #s of the 30, running changes made in 1963 production, which were referred to as the "1963 1/2" Avanti, either the starting or finishing number?  Some sources list as 4808 to 4837, and the last '63 produced as 4893 (or 92)?

So if those numbers are correct then Studebaker produced 56 more 1963 models before the 1964 cars started production?  

Lot of confusing information to there to unravel. 

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Yes, that's a question which always stirrs up debate.......

A good friend of mind owned R4943....a round light Avanti with no cowl grill and '63 'small' parking lamps...yet this Avanti has a '64 all black interior with black carpeting, round console knobs, woodgrain steering wheel, dash, console, etc....

Definitely a 'transition model' Avanti!

 

 

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42 minutes ago, mfg said:

Yes, that's a question which always stirrs up debate.......

A good friend of mind owned R4943....a round light Avanti with no cowl grill and '63 'small' parking lamps...yet this Avanti has a '64 all black interior with black carpeting, round console knobs, woodgrain steering wheel, dash, console, etc....

Definitely a 'transition model' Avanti!

 

 

Yes, I know how it is I'm in  a similar situation; is/was your friend's car titled as a '63 or '64; seems with that production # is would be a '63?,,,

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1 hour ago, Rick Allen said:

Yes, I know how it is I'm in  a similar situation; is/was your friend's car titled as a '63 or '64; seems with that production # is would be a '63?,,,

He had it titled as a '64 Avanti..and always referred to it as a 'transition model.'

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2 hours ago, Rick Allen said:

Yes, I know how it is I'm in  a similar situation; is/was your friend's car titled as a '63 or '64; seems with that production # is would be a '63?,,,

Production Avanti serial numbers.

1963     63R-1001 through R-4834

1964          R-4835 through R-5643

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14 minutes ago, regnalbob said:

Production Avanti serial numbers.

1963     63R-1001 through R-4834

1964          R-4835 through R-5643

If a Studebaker Avanti that's 'technically' considered a 1963 model was left new and unsold into 1964, It would be titled and sold as a 1964 model....This unusual circumstance adds to today's confusion!

Edited by mfg
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Ok, I've heard that before and it makes sense the way things were back then.  So, now I ask, are you referring to a an unsold '63 car that's sitting on a dealer's lot into '64 or an unsold '63 at the factory yard not sold or shipped to a dealer, or both?  Thanks, keep the information coming,,,

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Studebaker sent a directive to dealers that any unsold new ‘63 Avantis were to be titled as 1964 models when sold.  That might be one reason the “63” prefix of the serial number was dropped.  That’s why there are many Avantis titled as a 1964 when they’re actually a ‘63.
 

Avanti Motors supposedly occasionally did the same…if an unsold Avanti II wasn’t sold until later they titled it as the later model year.  Things like that led to the federal government mandating the 17-digit VIN beginning with the 1981 model year with a model year code in it along with other information.

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20 hours ago, Gunslinger said:

Studebaker sent a directive to dealers that any unsold new ‘63 Avantis were to be titled as 1964 models when sold.  That might be one reason the “63” prefix of the serial number was dropped.  That’s why there are many Avantis titled as a 1964 when they’re actually a ‘63.

The following is what Studebaker included in the 1964 registration and licensing data sent to dealers.

352053215_Scan_20230129(2).thumb.png.0c3051852df132e99705de01143dcda4.png

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