Body Tag Numbers

[Mike Sal]

Are the body tag numbers just as random, relative to VIN numbers, in Avanti's as they were in regular studebaker cars?

[mfg]

I believe that the Studebaker Avanti body numbers were just as random as found on their other cars.

[Gunslinger]

There's no correlation of body number to chassis serial number. All Studebakers did get body numbers.

When Molded Fiberglass fabricated Avanti bodies, they shipped complete, assembled and painted bodies to Studebakers. The body tags were an inventory control thing most likely. Since they were shipped painted, there was no way a body number would correlate to a serial number...if a turquoise bodied car was called for on the production sheet, then the body guys would get a turquoise colored body, record the number and send it to the body drop line.

When Studebaker cancelled Avanti production, that left MFG with something like 150 Avanti bodies unshipped. When Nate Altman and company wanted to begin production of the Avanti II, MFG was more than happy to help out...it got rid of otherwise dead inventory Avanti bodies that took up lots of valuable space. There bodies likely already had body number tags installed and when Avanti Motors took body assembly in-house rather than be shipped complete bodies, they likely discontinued the use of body tags at that time. RQB1516 was the first Avanti II to not use the body number tag, so I'm speculating that's when Avanti Motors began assembling bodies in-house with panels supplied by MFG.

[studegary]

In my old hand written notes, I see: "1516 - last w/ body no.".

One of us is off by one body. Not that it is al that important.

[Gunslinger]

The paperwork I have says "body numbers discontinued begin RQ-B1516". The way I read it is that 1516 would be the first without the tag and 1515 would be the last with one.

And as you said...it's not important.

[studegary]

I wonder if RQB 1516 still exists. That would be a good way to verify the cut-off/change.

[regnalbob]

I wonder if RQB 1516 still exists. That would be a good way to verify the cut-off/change.

From Bob Johnstone's Website.

http://www.studebaker-info.org/Avdb2/avantirqb/70qb1516/rqb1516x0411/rqb1516x0411.html

[Gunslinger]

That's one pretty rough looking car...roached out. It's difficult to tell but there doesn't seem to be a body tag but the remains of a sticker of some type. That's sad to look at...as much as my RQB1574 needed when I had it rebuilt, it didn't look that bad when I purchased it.

[studegary]

The paperwork I have says "body numbers discontinued begin RQ-B1516". The way I read it is that 1516 would be the first without the tag and 1515 would be the last with one.

And as you said...it's not important.

I will change my notes to agree with yours (no tag starting with 1516).

Note that 1516 does not have power windows. I think that this is unusual for a 1970.

(I can not imagine pulling that heavy trailer with a Raider.)