AOAI Magazine Issue 212!

[mfg]

Like the article on the one and only ‘Due Cento’ Avanti in the latest AOAI Magazine….. Looking forward to the full story, which will be printed in the next issue!

[regnalbob]

On 11/28/2025 at 1:24 PM, mfg said:

Like the article on the one and only ‘Due Cento’ Avanti in the latest AOAI Magazine….. Looking forward to the full story, which will be printed in the next issue!

There are two Due Cento Avantis.

The original Due Cento.

 

The Next Generation Due Cento.

 

[mfg]

On 11/28/2025 at 1:24 PM, mfg said:

Like the article on the one and only ‘Due Cento’ Avanti in the latest AOAI Magazine….. Looking forward to the full story, which will be printed in the next issue!

Incorrect Bob…. The name of the turquoise Avanti, #9431,  is:

DUE CENTO THE NEXT GENERATION

Nice try…. Keep swinging kid!!!

 

[mfg]

Regnalbob was confused about the ‘DUE CENTO’ Studebaker Avanti…..

The Paxton built Due Cento Avanti, mentioned in the latest issue of AOAI Magazine, was fitted with an experimental Studebaker engine referred to as the ‘R5’ and tested on the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1963….

It would be wonderful, in my opinion, to eventually see Greg Cone’s R5 engine reunited with Richard Bennett’s Due Cento Avanti!

 

 

[mfg]

2 hours ago, regnalbob said:

There are two Due Cento Avantis.

The original Due Cento.

 

The Next Generation Due Cento.

 

‘Due Cento The Next Generation’ was owned and built for Bonneville speed runs by the late James Lange, who was an extremely talented Studebaker Avanti enthusiast…..

RIP James

[mfg]

I’ve never been a fan of hood scoops  on Studebaker Avantis… However, the air scoop which the Granatellis added at the front edge of the Due Cento’s hood looks, to me, mean & aggressive…. I like it!!

[mfg]

One detail on the ‘Due Cento’ I’m not very keen on is the full rear fender  skirts!

I understand they were added for important aerodynamic reasons… however, as far as looks go, I doubt if very many current Studebaker Avanti owners will be replicating them!!!

[ronmanfredi]

If you guys had been at the AOAI convention last September like we were, you would have received the full accurate story, met Bennet, hands on the car and received the multi-page booklet on that car and the history of it.

[mfg]

8 hours ago, ronmanfredi said:

If you guys had been at the AOAI convention last September like we were, you would have received the full accurate story, met Bennet, hands on the car and received the multi-page booklet on that car and the history of it.

Did he mention if there is any possibility of reuniting R5 engine with this car?

[ronmanfredi]

10 hours ago, mfg said:

Did he mention if there is any possibility of reuniting R5 engine with this car?

They don't know where the original engine is.

[mfg]

13 minutes ago, ronmanfredi said:

They don't know where the original engine is.

Yes they do!

[mfg]

The gentleman that now owns the Avanti ‘R5’ engine is a visionary!

Many years ago he had the initiative to pursue the Granatelli brothers for all the unique R5 engine parts, (back when no one else was especially interested in these parts), he finally acquired them….

Setting those parts to one side for years, he ultimately reassembled this one of a kind engine…..

Now, I’m not sure if he’s using the original damaged block or not, and it’s been said the pistons were changed, but all the peripheral parts are now assembled, with the engine now sitting on an engine stand.

Once again, it would be wonderful to see this unique R5 engine again under the hood of the Due Cento Studebaker Avanti!

 

Edited December 3 by mfg
Spell.

[mfg]

I noticed the accent color which the Granatellis applied to the Due Cento’s red exterior, as well as the graphics, have not (yet) been applied to the car….

These details will eventually make this special Avanti even more exciting!

[mfg]

With all the visible aerodynamics installed on the Due Cento for the Bonneville speed runs, I wonder if that Avanti also had a full belly pan?

Edited Saturday at 10:44 PM by mfg
Added text

[Gunslinger]

I had read accounts say the Due Cento had full belly pan streamlining.  I’ve seen no photos of it though.

[mfg]

Checking out the Due Cento in person is definitely on my bucket list!

BTW…. any Stude/Avanti fan that hasn’t yet toured the Studebaker National Museum in South Bend, Indiana, should, if possible, try to get there…. Great take!!