Ian Flemming's Avanti

[canalavanti]

I am to understand Ian Flemming (author of James Bond) owned a 1963 (round headlight) Avanti. Does anyone know the serial/Vin number of his car and what color?

[Gunslinger]

Ian Fleming owned a '63 R2 with Power Shift automatic. He insisted it be black in color. From what I've read, the South Bend people were apoplectic over that as black shows every flaw in the bodywork and paint. It eventually became an extra cost option to have that color due to the extra man hours in prepping the body and painting it. Fleming's car was allegedly the first Avanti painted black.

There was an article some time ago in Avanti magazine regarding which VIN Avanti was purchased by Fleming. There seems to be no documentation as yet discovered to show positively what car was his, so the research centered on the cars exported to England. Of the cars that were sent there, the article assumes the first R2 Avanti painted black sent to England was his, based on the assumption his was the first Avanti produced in black. It's likely so, but is still supposition until more positive documentation is found.

In the April 1963 issue of the British auto magazine Sporting Motorist there is an article on Ian Fleming and his Avanti. His British registration plate is "8 EYR". Maybe someone with access to Brit registration records can definitively find the car's VIN? BTW - the article also describes the car inaccurately as having a "turbocharger".

I don't remember the VIN identified as most likely belonging to Fleming. If I can find the right issue of Avanti magazine, I'll come back and post it.

This also begs the question...where is his car now? Ian Fleming died in 1964, so what ever happened to his car? Does anyone know? Maybe someone owns it and is completely unaware of its history?

That car would be sweet to own if provenance can be proven.