It is a genuine shame the Avanti never became a hit because it was very genuinely a cool car and widely regarded as being years and even decades ahead of its time. Designer Raymond Loewy envisioned “a low-slung, long-hood-short-deck semi-fastback coupe with a grilleless nose and wasp-waisted curvature to the rear fenders, suggesting a supersonic aircraft.” It would have been ridiculously expensive to build such a complicated body out of steel, so management decided that the car’s body would instead be constructed from fiberglass. Following the original discontinuation, local Studebaker dealers Nate and Arnold Altman and Leo Newman incorporated as Avanti Motor Corporation to hand build a small number of cars. The Avanti returned in 1965 thanks to Altman and Newman under the brand name “Avanti II.” The Avanti IIs came with a 5.4L V8 from the Chevrolet Corvette and rested on a Studebaker-designed chassis. Only 300 Avanti IIs were constructed, and it is understood that even less have survived to the present day.
The white exterior to this Avanti II could be best described as having become a bit weathered over the years. Sure, the outside has accrued some marks along its journey, but everything is in its proper place. The chrome front bumper is straight and doesn’t show any wrinkles, but it does show some surface corrosion towards the passenger side. Both front fenders have some scuff marks, although it’s difficult to identify if those marks are heavy duty or if they could be removed with an in-depth washing. The hood has no warps, but the driver’s side of the car is clean. There do appear to be some scrapes and scuffs on and around the driver’s side door, and it also seems that some corrosion hidden behind the driver’s door has bled out onto the body of the car. The rear of the car is also particularly messy. Each of the top corners of the rear fenders have scuff marks, as does the center of the trunk lid. The chrome rear bumper and both exhaust tips are wearing their share of surface corrosion as well. The passenger door has multiple chips in the crease, and all four wheels are sporting some level of surface corrosion.
The red leather interior to this Avanti II complements that white exterior in a fantastic way. Unfortunately, however, the inside appears to have undergone the same amount of weathering as the outside has seen. The driver’s side floormat has torn along the door, and the dash pad seems to have two strips of duct tape covering some kind of damage that match the red pad almost perfectly. The center console has its own fair share of marks. The classic 70s fake wood has come off in a couple spots, both below the shifter and on both sides of the gauge cluster. The leather behind the shifter has a number of tiny scratches, as do the rear seats. Speaking of which the front seats are in fantastic shape compared to the rear. The back seats are creased and scratched; damage potentially caused by some kind of animal. The leather surrounding the side windows behind the B-pillar has also come loose at the bottom. The leather on the underside of the sunroof is also starting to sag.
The Avanti Studebaker and subsequent Avanti IIs were classically misunderstood. Fantastic power was not enough to sell the public on a car that had out of the box design, and it proved to be a grave endeavor for Studebaker. That being said, the Avanti is certainly a car worth preserving. The Avanti beat the Charger to production by two years, a car now known and beloved for being a four-seater with massive power. Studebaker always strived to be ahead of the times and the Avanti was no different. This specific Avanti will need some TLC to get back to show condition, but the precursor to the American muscle car is one that is certainly worth saving.