mfg Posted October 3, 2015 Report Share Posted October 3, 2015 Studebaker had to make 'Avanti Black' exterior paint an extra cost option due to the added expense of obtaining the black paint pigment......True? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunslinger Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 False...the extra charge was due to the added effort (read that as $) in finishing the body and buffing the paint. Black showed any flaws in the finish and ripples in the fiberglass more than other colors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plwindish Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 False - Gunslinger has nailed it! Black Avantis were beauties when the bodies were properly prepared for painting and the paint was highly polished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfg Posted October 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 Both you guys are 'On The Money'....Answer..FALSE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lschuc Posted October 5, 2015 Report Share Posted October 5, 2015 When a Black Avanti was no longer an option, Studebaker replace Avanti Black with Avanti Gray..... until James Bond author Ian Fleming insisted on purchase of a black Avanti... and the factory went back to black. That's the author with his Avanti in attached photo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfg Posted October 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2015 Great photo!.....But a black Avanti with blackwall tires........Too much black for 'old mfg'!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plwindish Posted October 6, 2015 Report Share Posted October 6, 2015 Lew, What was the chrome piece over the front center bumper rubber strip? Early LED light strip? (haha) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunslinger Posted October 6, 2015 Report Share Posted October 6, 2015 It's common for cars in the UK show some kind of medallions on that display bar. I don't know if it for awards earned and awarded by the government or some other entity. I guess Fleming hadn't attached any by that point...maybe he just took possession of the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennW Posted October 6, 2015 Report Share Posted October 6, 2015 I recall reading decades back that Flemming was going to have Bond drive an Avanti for some reason, somewhere (instead of his Bentley) in his next book, but sadly he passed away before that. Anybody happen to recall a different, somewhat exotic Studebaker that Bond was a passenger in, during his visit to the US in one of the novels? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRitz Posted October 7, 2015 Report Share Posted October 7, 2015 (edited) I recall reading decades back that Flemming was going to have Bond drive an Avanti for some reason, somewhere (instead of his Bentley) in his next book, but sadly he passed away before that. Anybody happen to recall a different, somewhat exotic Studebaker that Bond was a passenger in, during his visit to the US in one of the novels? It was a Black 1953 "Studillac" Starlight convertible driven by American agent Felix Leitner in "Diamonds are Forever". A '53 with a Cadillac Engine. They were actually built & sold by Bill Frick Motors in Long Island, New York. Edited October 7, 2015 by BRitz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennW Posted October 7, 2015 Report Share Posted October 7, 2015 Exactly! I lived across the Sound in Port Chester at the time, so it was pretty cool to me at the time to read about a car "made" nearby why drooling over the '63/'64 Avanti I saw every day on the way to school. (had round headlamps, so I don't know what year car it was) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studegary Posted October 7, 2015 Report Share Posted October 7, 2015 It was a Black 1953 "Studillac" Starlight convertible driven by American agent Felix Leitner in "Diamonds are Forever". A '53 with a Cadillac Engine. They were actually built & sold by Bill Frick Motors in Long Island, New York. I thought that all of the Frick 1953 Studillacs were Starliners, not "Starlights". At least all of the ones that I have known of and those that still exist are Starliners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennW Posted October 7, 2015 Report Share Posted October 7, 2015 '53 Lowey (Bourke) Coupe body style is what I remember, dunno exactly what model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfg Posted October 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2015 I thought that all of the Frick 1953 Studillacs were Starliners, not "Starlights". At least all of the ones that I have known of and those that still exist are Starliners. And apparently Frick did ONE '55.....A President Speedster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennW Posted October 8, 2015 Report Share Posted October 8, 2015 ...and to further wander off track - I keep seeing ads for Jay Leno's Garage premier on CNBC tonight and one of the cars shown is a Hawk, arguably the worst or best configuration of the original '53 coupe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRitz Posted October 8, 2015 Report Share Posted October 8, 2015 (edited) I thought that all of the Frick 1953 Studillacs were Starliners, not "Starlights". At least all of the ones that I have known of and those that still exist are Starliners. Sit down with a nice warm cup & read this Studegary...http://www.kustomrama.com/index.php?title=Bill_Frick_Motors My friends laughed at me for buying an Avanti.. "That's an Old Mans Car" Why? "Style" I said. Fortunately, I'll never be a part of the "know it all clique", But I continue to learn. MFG, Your trivia posts have led me to a wealth of information, Thanks! Edited October 8, 2015 by BRitz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studegary Posted October 8, 2015 Report Share Posted October 8, 2015 Sit down with a nice warm cup & read this Studegary...http://www.kustomrama.com/index.php?title=Bill_Frick_Motors My friends laughed at me for buying an Avanti.. "That's an Old Mans Car" Why? "Style" I said. Fortunately, I'll never be a part of the "know it all clique", But I continue to learn. MFG, Your trivia posts have led me to a wealth of information, Thanks! Thanks for the interesting link. I do not know the source of this contemporary writing, but it does say Starlight and Starliner. However, if you look at the period advertisements, both the 1953 and 1954 ads show a Starliner and the 1954 ad specifically states Starliner (with no mention of Starlight). I have never known of any Frick Studillacs that were not a hardtop or have I seen a picture of one. Does anyone here have a, know of or have a picture of a Frick Studillac that was/is not a hardtop? I notice that one option was knock off Borrani wheels ($630). Bob Bourke put these on his own 1954 Starliner when it was new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRitz Posted October 8, 2015 Report Share Posted October 8, 2015 (edited) Sit down with a nice warm cup & read this Studegary...http://www.kustomrama.com/index.php?title=Bill_Frick_Motors My friends laughed at me for buying an Avanti.. "That's an Old Mans Car" Why? "Style" I said. Fortunately, I'll never be a part of the "know it all clique", But I continue to learn. MFG, Your trivia posts have led me to a wealth of information, Thanks! Thanks for the interesting link. I do not know the source of this contemporary writing, but it does say Starlight and Starliner. However, if you look at the period advertisements, both the 1953 and 1954 ads show a Starliner and the 1954 ad specifically states Starliner (with no mention of Starlight). I have never known of any Frick Studillacs that were not a hardtop or have I seen a picture of one. Does anyone here have a, know of or have a picture of a Frick Studillac that was/is not a hardtop? I notice that one option was knock off Borrani wheels ($630). Bob Bourke put these on his own 1954 Starliner when it was new. Found this one, maybe a removable hardtop? IDK, The car from "Diamonds are forever" https://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/articles/literary_007world_northamerica1.php3?s=locations Why it's white..... Considering...http://flemingsbond.com/studillac/ Edited October 8, 2015 by BRitz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfg Posted October 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2015 Sit down with a nice warm cup & read this Studegary...http://www.kustomrama.com/index.php?title=Bill_Frick_Motors My friends laughed at me for buying an Avanti.. "That's an Old Mans Car" Why? "Style" I said. Fortunately, I'll never be a part of the "know it all clique", But I continue to learn. MFG, Your trivia posts have led me to a wealth of information, Thanks! Nice of you to say that,.....Thank You! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studegary Posted October 9, 2015 Report Share Posted October 9, 2015 Found this one, maybe a removable hardtop? IDK, The car from "Diamonds are forever" https://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/articles/literary_007world_northamerica1.php3?s=locations Why it's white..... Considering...http://flemingsbond.com/studillac/ The link shows a highly modified 1953 Studebaker Starliner. How would we know if that car was a Studillac? In any case, it would have started as a Starliner, not a Starlight. The only factory 1953 convertible has never had its front modified like that. It was a 1953 that was "updated" to appear as a 1954. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRitz Posted October 9, 2015 Report Share Posted October 9, 2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUMqZ_2TFIk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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