Avanti #1 transmission question

[PackardV8]

It was great to see Avanti #1 in the LeMay and get the back story.  Thanks to all of those who gave time and money to make it happen.

In discussion, some of us were under the impression the first run of Avanti production used the 3-speed manual transmission and the 4-speed became available early on.  

In the data, it says #1 has a 4-speed.  Can those who know clarify/refresh our memory as to the 3-speed production?

jack vines

[studegary]

16 minutes ago, PackardV8 said:

It was great to see Avanti #1 in the LeMay and get the back story.  Thanks to all of those who gave time and money to make it happen.

In discussion, some of us were under the impression the first run of Avanti production used the 3-speed manual transmission and the 4-speed became available early on.  

In the data, it says #1 has a 4-speed.  Can those who know clarify/refresh our memory as to the 3-speed production?

jack vines

I seem to remember that the three speed was the standard offering for a transmission in an Avanti.  The 4 speed was an option.  The Price List of Oct. 1, 1962 lists the 4 speed transmission as a $188.30 option on Avantis, option/order no. 20.  The 3 speed with  floor shift was considered to be the standard equipment transmission, order no. 17A. 

EDIT: Yes, I know that the subject Avanti was built months before that date, but that is the price list that I located.  

Edited September 2, 2018 by studegary

[PackardV8]

Yes,  but supposedly, after that first run of 3-speeds, no more were ever built.  

And yes, it was impossible-to-comprehend Studebaker dumbshit to build any of their ultimate image builder cars with an antique 3-speed non-synchro transmission.

(Yeah, I know, Chevrolet was doing it too.  In the Corvette, the 3-speed was standard and the 4-speed was an extra cost option.  Your mother probably told you, just because one of your friends does something really dumb, you think about it and don't do dumb!)

jack vines

Edited September 3, 2018 by PackardV8

[studegary]

I believe that some of the thinking behind this was not that people would want the 3 speed, but that was a way to keep the base price of the Avanti (artificially) low.

[PackardV8]

Yes, unfortunately, that was SOP for US car manufacturers to make optional at extra cost what should have been standard.

Back when Honda began manufacturing cars, they were puzzled by this, as they calculated it actually cost more to have all those piddly options and keep track during the build which car got what.  They made all the little stuff standard and found that was more cost-effective.

BTW, I may have answered my own question; during research I reminded myself, as #1001 was an R2, reportedly, the package included the 4-speed as standard.

jack vines

Edited September 3, 2018 by PackardV8

[Gunslinger]

Base model Corvettes came standard with a 3-speed until 1969.  So equipped cars are pretty rare and proves rarity doesn't necessarily translate to added value...no one wants them except as a base to build a resto-mod or custom on.  Many, if not most of those base 3-speed Vettes of the era now sport 4-, 5-, or 6-speed transmissions behind a big-block or LS-engine.

[studegary]

1 hour ago, PackardV8 said:

Yes, unfortunately, that was SOP for US car manufacturers to make optional at extra cost what should have been standard.

Back when Honda began manufacturing cars, they were puzzled by this, as they calculated it actually cost more to have all those piddly options and keep track during the build which car got what.  They made all the little stuff standard and found that was more cost-effective.

BTW, I may have answered my own question; during research I reminded myself, as #1001 was an R2, reportedly, the package included the 4-speed as standard.

jack vines

I do not know about it being part of an R2 package, but I do know that 3 speed transmissions were not available with an R2 (at least in Oct. '62).  This meant that an AT or a 4 speed had to be ordered when an R2 was ordered.  

Edited September 3, 2018 by studegary
added date