Prototype Avanti ll!

[mfg]

At least a couple of Newman-Altman 1965 Avanti ll prototypes were built with the Studebaker Avanti "S" plastic hood ornament......True?

[murph the surf]

I'll call that false,as I'm pretty sure there was only one prototype Ibuilt in 1965..Also pretty sure that feature was actually continued  for a few years when regular production started in 1966.

[studegary]

3 hours ago, mfg said:

At least a couple of Newman-Altman 1965 Avanti ll prototypes were built with the Studebaker Avanti "S" plastic hood ornament......True?

I will also say False.   My understanding is that they were going to build one prototype, but ended up building four cars simultaneously.  The four cars were initially used as demonstrators.  

[mfg]

I would have also said false,......till I happened to notice the front cover of 'Avanti Magazine' issue # 140......There in full color are two prototype 1965 Avantis, with the one nearer the camera displaying the Studebaker "S" emblem on the hood!...................................

Answer to question.....TRUE!

[Gunslinger]

I've seen a number of early IIs with the hood emblem and sail panel emblems but they were all blacked out rather than show the "S".  I'm not sure whether they had the "Pirates Buckles" on the interior door panels but I believe they did.  In my '70 the emblem over the rear seat back is there but covered by upholstery.  I guess that was an easy way to hide the "S". 

I like that Nate eliminated the external emblems other than the Avanti scripts...it may have nothing more than they ran out of them for all I know.  I think the car looks cleaner without them.  The Avanti design is so pure it needs no excess ornamentation.  

[arkus]

my early #50, shipped 11/23/65 has black hood and sail panel emblems. the rear seat emblem is the studebaker "s". no pirates buckles on the doors.

[studegary]

23 hours ago, arkus said:

my early #50, shipped 11/23/65 has black hood and sail panel emblems. the rear seat emblem is the studebaker "s". no pirates buckles on the doors.

This is the way that I remember the early Avanti IIs - with the Studebaker type hood ornament, but with the S blacked out.