In 1972 I opened an auto repair shop and having been exposed to Studebakers of my father and grandfather, my first car was a 55 Commander sedan. I specialized in restoring and repairing Studebakers and Avantis and by 1973 I was authorized Warranty for the Avanti and delt with Nate and Ari (Arnold) Altman. When they started putting power sunroofs in the cars, they had problems with their Pop rivets around the glass. I repaired a couple for owners and helped Nate with the proper way to do it. I did a lot of Corvette repairs also. I did warranty until Avanti was sold in 1983 to Blake and from then on Chevrolet dealers did the work. I am 78 and wished I would have bought one!
As a kid when I first saw this car I thought it was the sharpest and coolest car on four wheels. Time has passed and my respect for this car has not waned. The style is superior to anything that was made back then or even today. Studebaker made a wise decision to build this car. To see them in mint condition is wonderful, and the love and respect the owners have for the Avanti is just short of a god car.
Family members first drove the Avanti in about '63 at Putnam Motors in East New York section of Brooklyn. We had a relationship with them due to they're being a former Hudson dealer and we were a real hard core Hudson family. The Avanti was the R3 which was they're hottest supercharged engine with what were glass pack exhausts...they picked me and my brother up at school several times and caused a near riot. They had done this with other high profile cars but with the Avanti even the teachers were asking what it was! My uncle really peeled out leaving the school zone... golden memories....
As a 12 yr old kid in 1963, that year was noteworthy for two incredible automobiles: the Studebaker Avanti and the Chevrolet Corvette. When I first saw ads in Life & Look magazines, I thought these cars were from another world. So advanced in their styling and presence. The Avanti with its sharp, creased lines and the Corvette with its split rear window. I dreamed of owning one of these, but never did. But nonetheless, they were so advanced for their time. Both have held up style-wise over the last 57 years and remain so to many of us admirers.
I purchased a 62 GT Hawk (Grand Turismo) from a good friend in the 70's that needed a little mechanical TLC. It turned out to be one of the best cars I've ever had. It soon became our family auto for several enjoyable years. After joining the Studebaker Drivers Club in Dallas my family & I traveled to many SDC events & contests in Texas & Oklahoma. Years later I had sell my favorite car as it turned out due to a financial crisis. This story made me realize I was only following Studebaker's same issues. Life does that to us at times.
As soon as the Avanti was in a local showroom, my dad was smitten. As I grew up, I kept hearing of his passion to own one. When he retired, he finally bought one, a black R2. He never drove it. He bought a dust cover. Once in a while, he'd start it, back it out of the garage, and just look at it. When he moved to Florida, he sold it.
I was about 13 years old when I first saw the Avanti. I couldn't keep my eyes off of the car it was just so beautiful and sleek to me. Imagine my surprise when I learned it was a Studebaker model. The look of the car is timeless.
I’ve always admired Stude’s. In my neighborhood, we had a Studebaker mechanic. He drove home in one of my favorite Studes of all time, the Lark Daytona, then the Avanti. What a pair of cars to admire and love. Could never afford one back in the day, now, never have enough. Always wanted the Golden Hawk too!
My father had a '62 Golden Hawk w/ the 289 that he added a supercharger to. That was a very fun car and he won a few drag races for its class. I, of course, wanted an Avanti, as they were so "space aged" in appearance. Lucky me, my uncle got an R3 model w/ a Supercharger and gave us kids a ride. I fell in love w/ Avantis then, but have never been able to fulfill my dream of owning one, as they have become quite the desirable classic and demand premium prices.
When I was a young boy in the early 70s, this was the car that my folks dreamed of having. They never did, but we were never hurting in the car department. Timeless beautiful design.
I always love this masterpiece of automotive design Ray Lowery was a genius the 1963 Avanti, 1950 Commander and the even more dramatic 1953 starliner were fantastic , unique designs.
The first time I saw an Avanti was at a small Studebaker dealership on the show floor. The show floor was so small, you could only fit one car on it at a time. My hometown was on the 'iron range' in northern Minnesota. It was a 1964 model with a gold exterior. I think the interior was a tan color. It had thin whitewalls, with full wheel covers. The next summer I was shocked to see it parked on the next door neighbors adjoining driveway. Being a 16 year old car crazy kid, I would look out our dining room and just stare at it, whenever it was parked there. Still love the design. As a side note, years later my dad told me that he had a 1948 Tucker on order when they first came out! After the company folded he ended up buying a baby blue '49 Kaiser that broke down before he even got it home from the dealership. If only.....
A very outstanding video and a classy well deserved tribute to Ray Lowey and his design brilliance. From the Commander to the Avanti... I proudly have all three of those cars The 1950 Commander, 1953 Starliner, and the 1963 Avanti in 1/18 scale dielast models.
My dad owned a '64 Avanti. I remember going to the local market with him. A woman backed up and hit his Avanti. My dad jumped out of the car and looked at the damaged and then he screamed at the lady, "YOU BROKE MY CAR." Since it was make out of fiberglass, it was all cracked on the rear corner. My dad almost cried. It was a shiny red, supercharged Avanti. It was beautiful. I dream of owning a '64 today.
I'm 65 yrs old and from a boy I always loved the Avanti. I was a toll collector on a Jersey toll road for many years and I could not let a Avanti through my toll lane without a look around. Probably made a lot of people behind them mad but I had to gaze at them. Thank you for sharing these videos.
Same. 67, you young whippersnapper:) I had the same reaction to an Avanti as my first glimpse of a Gordon Keeble, and an E type Jag. (XKE to you guys). Happy days.
I remember I was in the 4th or 5th grade. I had ridden with my father into town (Kingsville Texas) and on our way home I saw this beautiful car parked next to a building. I asked my father what it was and he told me what it was. I had heard of Studebaker before. But did not understand the name, Avanti. To this day I think it is a beautiful car.
R. Loewy was a design genius! He designed everything from washing machines (Westinghouse) to railroad locomotives (GG-1). He had more impact on US industrial design than Harley Earle wished for.
In 1975 I hd a neighbor in Milwaukee who had an Avanti. One day while driving it a car followed him home. The driver admired the Avanti and produced a business and it was Wally Rank a car dealer who at the time had the second biggest classic car collection in the world. He offered my neighbor a blank check for the car and told my neighbor to fill in the amount. He refused the offer a true car lover.
That's crazy! I seen one of the newer ones, Camaro chassis, at Copart a few years ago, and thought someone made it, like a kit car, I didn't know they were still being produced in a factory! Guess I don't know as much as I thought! Awesome video!
My first car was a 52 Study commander with a borg warner auto trans. What a great car, an almost indestructible tank. Lasted many years and gave up the ghost in 1966. Wish I had it today.
I cannot remember the last time I even saw an Avanti; its been years (and I mean 4 or 5 years; probably more). But even 54 years after it's introduction, it is still one of the best looking cars I've ever see.
@@darrellblake799 You don't see them because in the two years Studebaker made them, they only made 4600! Have faith, I'm 70 and have had my '64 for 2.5 years.
Our family had a 1963 Avanti with white exterior, turquoise interior, electric windows, air conditioning and the R1 engine. We got the first one in 1966. It was "totaled" by a drunk driver in about 1970 while my mom was at a stop light. The insurance company replaced it after a national search with a 1963 white one with a burgundy interior. The whole family drove it at different times. In many ways it was compared to the bullet Thunderbird (1961-1963) as being a uniquely styled "personal" luxury touring car, but of course the T-Bird was a steel body, mass produced and had the advantage a large dealer network and common Ford parts. What we liked best about the Avanti was the styling of the exterior and interior. The original and the similar Avanti II are beautiful clean designs and that is where it should have stopped. The next generations altered the purity of the original design. I am glad I got to drive two of them, but in the end my mom preferred her 4 door mid-size station wagon and the Avanti was not a practical commuting to college car. There is a lot of online and printed history of Studebaker and I highly recommend a visit to the Studebaker Museum in South Bend. Thanks for your video. Also enjoy reading the comments.
rizzle razzleuno I would love to visit South bend Indiana Someday and I'm a big fan of Ray Lowry he's designed work was cutting edge way ahead of its time and design and execution
Dad and I both had Larks.... His, bought more or less new, was a '60, and it held up quite well, even with a teenage driver (me) beating on it. I bought a used one a few years later, and the Bondo fell out, leaving flapping fenders. Meantime, it wouldn't start in cold weather. Bad valves & such. No regrets except that we never bought an Avanti.... I used to drive past one Avanti location (no idea if it was a sales office, or just some kind of manufacturing) on Albert Street, in the early 90's. By then, they were dropping an Avanti body on a Chevy of some kind. I didn't have the money anyway.... Today, the wife has a small Chevy, and I inherited my dad's (and mom's) '98 DeVille. My '99 Lincoln finally wore out. The Lincoln was easier to repair, although nothing like my '89 Lincoln (both "Town Cars"), which were based on mid-80's Crown Vics, although changing a headlamp involved removing most of the grille. I still would love an Avanti, but.... Interesting story nonetheless.
Studebaker made several beautiful cars and the Avanti is, in my opinion, the most beautiful American car ever. I had no idea that they were still made. I thought they did not make any after 1970, I am glad that they are still made. I built a plastic model of Avanti in 1963 or 64 and there were several Avantis in the town that I grew up in. It was always exciting to me to see one.
My Uncle worked on prototype Avanti but the people he was working with saw the project as a chance to make lots of overtime and milked the job so that the cars were way late for the 1962 introduction. He quit and moved to Florida. For years he said that the other workers tried to drop a body on him because he was working too fast.
Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder of course . And for me the Avanti is indeed one of the most unique and elegant automobiles ever designed . I thought i saw one once with a porthole window on the side in the back, not sure . It must have been custom by the owner . The 55-57 thunderbird had the porthole windows in the back but no back seat like the Avanti
Tell me about it! The Avanti is indeed a stunningly beautiful and unique automobile, a real bit of desperate creativity. However, I found that the interior was too uncomfortable for my needs. That's why I went with the GT Hawk. I'm proud to say that I own a '62 model as my first car! It took me seven years to get her and I'm grateful for her. Cheers!
A cop pulled me over on the autostrada north of Genoa Italy just so he could inspect my 1954 Studebaker Champion coupe. Probably the only stude in Europe in 1958.
WAY WAY ahead of anything on the road at the time! One of the few cars around then that didn't look like a giant chrome grin saying "cheese" for a photographer.
Mr_Wizard I want one so bad back then. I wanted the white with black interior. Wound up getting a 69 Charger instead, Daytona Green w/black interior, but I think I still want one. Just too retired to let my wants lye.
@@fidelcatsro6948 and if South Bend hadn't cancelled the talks, Studebaker Canada would have been importing the Datsuns in 1962 or 63, maybe even manufacturing them for the NA market.
You've got to give props to a car that has been produced through five decades, period. I was at the '62 New York Auto Show, and the Avanti was a trmendous hit. Too bad it had two drags on it" one, it wasn't a "Big Three" car so the dealer network was good but not deep; and second, the introduction was ahead of the completely executed car, which hurt them. But the car....it's still a wow,as were Raymond Loewy's previous two cars for Studebaker, the Starlites...
Years ago, a friend of mine Douglas Arrango, owned one of these. It was something. The AVANTI is probably one of the finest that was built by Studebaker.
I learned to drive in a white Studebaker Hawk. The secondary color might have been gold. A Golden Hawk I think it was called. It had the body style with the fins like the purple one in the video. It had a plaque on the polished "swirl" dashboard with the name of the Texan it had been made for. So it must have been something special. My stepfather owned it. It had a Packard engine as I seem to recall he would talk about. Taking off from a stop sign while making a right turn I popped the clutch and it started "chugging." To keep it from stalling he said to hit the gas. I mashed the gas pedal to the floor and it took off screaming around that corner leaving one or two lines of "burn out" on the asphalt. Oops
For a limited production car, the Hawk did catch on, and was popular for 10 years. The delay getting Avanti produced was the fiberglass company's fault, and it cost Studebaker sales. Some early Avanti II's were sold at Studebaker's dealerships, or those dealers went on to sell Avanti, and this was planned by Studebaker of Canada before the South Bend board of directors shut it down. I don't think everyone either loves it, or hates it. That's way too extreme as far as hating goes. But, the front end looks have always been the decisive area. When it came out, it was partially because it had almost no chrome, no fins, no grill, and a lot of glass, and waa completely different and unconventional for 1962. Of course over the next 50 years, all cars took on these type of looks. But, the Avanti was first. Mike Kelly was the Avanti savior and it's eventual destroyer, bringing himself down as well by 2007.
I grew up in Studebaker. My father lived in a South Bend as a child and was a lifelong devotee. We had 1948 and 1952 sedans and I learned to drive in a 1960 lark with a 3 speed stick on the column. Passed my driving test in Seattle on the first try! Later in High School he bought a tricked out Lark hardtop. Bucket seats, 2 door hardtop, and V8. Then in ‘66 he traded that in on a ‘65 impala 2 dr ht with 327 v8, and Studebaker was toast.
There's still some folks out there, including myself, that are keeping the best from South Bend on the road. I'm proud to say that I own a '62 GT Hawk as my first car. It took me seven years to get her and I'm grateful for her. Cheers!
Building these cars in villa Rica ga was awesome!!!...on our way to work one morning...ridding out about 115 mph in a V6 cutlass we rolled up on Mike Kelly's son he dropped it to 3 gear and smoked the tires...it was like we hit the breaks....it was Paxton 425 hp LS 6speed from the t top firebird..long live Avanti....👍
My Father was always a very big Fan of the Avanti and over my life they have grown on me quite a bit although I haven’t. Found the right deal on one yet
I've always loved Avantis! At first I didn't quite like the later ones with the smaller headlights, and non- chromium bumpers, but that had just been a shock to the system, and I've realised the overall shape is still there! Love it now! Also ADORE the 4 - door "Rolls-Royce competitor"!
No kidding. Studebaker, which is undoubtedly the single most important automaker in American history, never deserved to die. It's a rotten deal all the way around.
I'm an automatic transmission Rebuilder and someone brought an Avente to my shop i was surprised to see that it had a 400 turbo Transmission it cost no more than a regular Chevy to rebuild, the customer just smiled and said see I told you so !who whould have thunk ?
14:47 note the Paxton SN-60 centrifugal supercharger visible under the hood on the passenger side of the car---the big red thing. The McCulloch V57-S variable ratio superchargers installed in '57 and '58 Golden Hawks, as well as the '57 Packard Clippers and '58 Packard Hawks had shown that the Studebaker 289 could run with the big dogs, and the R2 and R3 Avantis were among the fastest production cars in the industry in their day, setting records during Bonneville speed trials, not only in class C (5-liter maximum displacement), but also in the "unlimited" class, this with a Studebaker 289 bored out to 299 CID (4.9 liters).
In the late '70's a friend had one with the 289 Super Charger. He put in an Offenhouser intake and bigger carb. None of the muscle cars at that time could touch it. On the highway it would easily get upto 120MPH and felt planted to the road. It was an amazing car for its time!
@Jack Flash, that is cool! thanks for the info. in the 90s, i saw an ad for 2 studebakers for something like 500.00. they seller didn't really know what he had. i forgot to call him & when i remembered about a week later he had sold them. when i asked him if they were avantis, he said "yes, i think that's what they were. i just wanted to get rid of them". i am still kicking myself in the a$$ over that.
I loved the 63 Avanti with the more angular back window but this is fine . It was a unique, rare and revolutionary automobile . More people love the vette's but i'll take the Avanti over a sting ray anyday .
I especially love the low finned '56 Hawk and the 60"s Grands Turismo. Next fave would be the '59. However, if I could afford it, an Avanti with or without the supercharder would be in my driveway!
Really a shame that Studebaker didn’t survive. If the deal between Nash, Packard, Hudson, And Studebaker could have been reached, i wonder what would have happened. All 4 together might have really been a Big 4th! Studebaker was always innovative, always a bit ahead of their time. Perhaps a little too European looking. If I could ever own a classic car, it would be a Studebaker ❗️
Well first off the rambler was out before the lark . So compact yeah that was all AMCs market to start with... Secondly George Mason tye king pin of the deal that would have made them part of AMC died in 1954!! George Romney was guy who said no!!
I remember how the Nash factory on Capitol Drive in Milwaukee had to close for a while because some dope sent a burning smudge pot up the elevator. What? Don't have a job? You Asked For It.
If only Studebaker and Packard hadn’t taking so long to agree on a deal with Nash and Hudson who knows what would have happen. American Motors with Studebaker would have been cool but it is what it is.
You got some facts wrong....the Studebaker distribution system and dealers didn't disappear until well after the Avanti II was launched. The parts distribution system was in place until 1972 the last model year was 1966....so you could still go to a Studebaker Showroom and buy a Studebaker when Avanti's were being produced. Quite a few of those dealers also handled Avanti cars.
The Avanti looks like an unusually sophisticated 1970's car. Back in the 1980's, somebody had one in the neighborhood, and I thought it was something like a kit car. I had no idea that it was an artifact from the early 1960's! To be sure, somebody had a Nash Metropolitan as a daily driver, but we all knew that was an old car, along with the old, beat up Chevy Corvairs.
My optometrist, when I was a kid, was a doctor who’s last name was Studebaker. He drove an Avanti. He had a son, younger than I. He named him Park A.Studebaker. True story.
Rare sight nowadays...always loved them and if I had a chance to get one, would probably jump on it, if I could convince my wife we need another car...
Wow ! my Father always loved the idea and concept of he Avanti it’s kind of grown on me over the years although i really only like the convertibles personally
Its minor modifications by subsequent builders sometimes made it less beautiful. It is surprising how a slight change in the fender cutout can look so wrong.
When my father traded his 1955 Speedster (Sun Valley Yellow/Hialeah Green) in on a DeSoto, they were talking 'orphan'. The ironic thing is they stopped making DeSotos before Studebakers. Also, he discovered why he could pass other cars with the Stude in slippery weather, the DeSoto didn't have the road handling capability of Studebaker. The first car my wife and I bought for our wedding was a 1962 Lark, 6 cylinder, 3 in the tree, Riviera Blue, $2000. South Bend should not have been shocked. The strike really was the death of Studebaker.
Raymond Lowey gets credit for the styling but he did little except sell his service to Studebaker and serve as the public face for his firm. The actual design was by Tom Kellogg. Lowey also did little on the '53 Starliner (my dad had one!) . That one was by Bob Bourke.
Jamie Canivet I’m sorry Jamie , but you can’t take away from the fact that this was Tom Kellogg’s creation. Tom was a true visionary who I had the privilege to work with in the ‘80s. And of course I wouldn’t take away from Lowey’s genius. Toms respect and admiration for his former employer and friend was profound. Incidentally Lowey used to sign most of Tom’s sketches.
RESEARCH PLEASE! The car design *was* loved, but too many production troubles (e.g. front clip not fitting the body!!) and delays frustrated potential buyers - who switched, mostly to Big 3 offerings.
The first production Avanti sold to a customer has been restored and currently is part of the collection of Lemay America's Car Museum in Tacoma, Washington.
On the Avanti II, the "square headlights" (actually round headlights with square bezels - but in later years they would use actual square headlights) were a carry-over from Studebaker and not an Avanti II "refinement." Studebaker was still providing round bezels for a little while into the 1964 model year but switched to square bezels after about 50 1964's were made with round ones. You could also special order round after that so long as they still had parts for it.
first heard one start 1963 with the supercharger and the steel pack flow through mufflers option in nyc between the tall buildings the sound was the greatest thing I ever heard off the buildings .at 9 pm .. sent chills down my spine .. nothing else can compete , never will
Hi all some may not remember or know. What company did Mercedes-Benz hook up with to first import there cars. Yes it was Studebaker all others turned them away. How do I know this I worked for Mercedes-Benz of North America for 20 years in the Technical Training Department. I had and still my have Studebaker manuals some where. I also had fellow employees that came from South Bend when Studebaker sadly could not continue and they can to work for Mercedes. To add a a little more my Dad owned a 1955 Commander with red bottom and white upper top and according to him it had a factory continental kit which it had. I love Studebaker and would love to have one with an R3 motor
12:30 The Avanti design team: left to right Tom Kellogg, recent art school grad who thought at first that Raymond Loewy's (second from left) early morning call inviting him to help design a Studebaker sports car was a practical joke by one of his friends mimicking Loewy's French accent. Third from left was Bob Andrews, who had worked with Studebaker for many years, and finally John Ebstein (that is the correct spelling), a designer who had come to Studebaker after fleeing Nazi Europe. Loewy surrounded himself with many of the most talented designers in many fields. Loewy did not, contrary to rumors, design the Coca-Cola bottle, but he admired the form and it did show up on the Avanti. He did design just about everything from cream separators to Caterpillar tractors, Lucky Strike cigarette packs to locomotives, Coldspot refrigerators, the interior of the Concord and the Skylab space station, and the John F. Kennedy commemorative stamp. If you are reading this, it is likely that you have had contact with a dozen or more Loewy designs in your lifetime.
Loewy was the greatest. Met his daughter. She was lovely and so admired her father. Also, had the chance to interview Kellogg. What a great opportunity it was for him and one he cherished.
5610winston I had the pleasure of meeting Bob Andrews about 35 years ago. It seems that although Mr. Loewy leaned Andrews heavily, Loewy did not like sharing credit. The film showed clearly that the team designed the Avanti, and it Andrews who headed the team. Andrews told me that the team agreed to take on the pressure cooker project only if Loewy stayed away from the studio until the team was finished with the design. You comment is the first mention of Bob Andrews I have ever seen since I had dinner with him years ago. Not a single publication I have found on Studebaker, Loewy, or the Avanti has ever mentioned Andrews. Thank you for remembering one of men behind scenes.
Thank you for sharing that. As I said, Loewy was well-known for surrounding himself with talented designers, and that while he was highly talented, he often claimed full credit for many designs to which his connection was rather tenuous. I have read that Loewy went into a ballistic rage over the Brooks Stevens design for an angular roofline over the '56-vintage lower body for the Hawk in 1962. I had always heard that Kellogg was chosen not only for his sense of line and form, but also because he had experience with Fiberglas speedboat hull design, and I remember the name Bob Andrews from the time when I was a car-crazy high school kid who loved the Avanti design, though Studebaker was long-defunct. Come to think of it, I don't recall the last time I saw an Avanti article that didn't name him. I do recall that one of the earliest issues of COLLECTIBLE AUTOMOBILE magazine (possibly Vol. 1 No. 1) included an in-depth article about the development of the Avanti design, and other articles in that publication including an in-depth biography of Tom Kellogg including his reminiscences of the Avanti team's work, and his work on the AVX-Avanti reboot. I happen to have the December 2017 edition of CA in hand (if you're not familiar with that magazine, it is among the most beautiful publications on the newsstand), and on page 62, included in an article about the cars of 1963, authors Kit Foster and the Editors of COLLECTIBLE AUTOMOBILE present a brief, but highly informative description of the Avanti design team's work: "Loewy...put Tom Kellogg, Bob Andrews, and John Ebstein to work on the project...." (CA, Vol. 34 No. 4). If you're not familiar with COLLECTIBLE AUTOMOBILE magazine, swing by a bookstore or newsstand. The December issue has been out since early October, and the February 2018 issue will probably be out by the second week of December.
Had the pleasure of working with John Ebstein on a transportation design project in the early 80's after he had retired (from Gabriel Industries). The prototype appearance model that was shown at the New York show was hand formed from sheet aluminum using roll forming techniques to create the compound curved panels. There were no completed chassis or running gear available, so it was just a hollow shell with 4 tires on a simple frame. Lowey hired John for his New York office not for design, but because he was a skilled airbrush renderer, airbrushing was key for presentation at that time. He recalled that several month period in the rented house as being extremely hectic. He said in general, Lowey would take credit for other designer's work, and would give clients the impression that he was the designer on a project, when in fact it was in most cases, a team effort. Lowey used to sign presentation renderings, that he had no part in creating. I found Ebstein was great to work with, had a good instinct for design and engineering, very professional. He would drive his white Avanti to the office on Fridays where we got to have a close look. I think it was an early 60's production unit, very impressive, with chrome bumpers, and 350 chevy V8. Couldn't stop raving about it. The offset hood strake, slightly oval wheel openings and subtle coke bottle pinched waist made it appear lighter and as if the car was in motion. A unique look and ahead of it's time.
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In 1972 I opened an auto repair shop and having been exposed to Studebakers of my father and grandfather, my first car was a 55 Commander sedan. I specialized in restoring and repairing Studebakers and Avantis and by 1973 I was authorized Warranty for the Avanti and delt with Nate and Ari (Arnold) Altman. When they started putting power sunroofs in the cars, they had problems with their Pop rivets around the glass. I repaired a couple for owners and helped Nate with the proper way to do it. I did a lot of Corvette repairs also. I did warranty until Avanti was sold in 1983 to Blake and from then on Chevrolet dealers did the work. I am 78 and wished I would have bought one!
As a kid when I first saw this car I thought it was the sharpest and coolest car on four wheels. Time has passed and my respect for this car has not waned. The style is superior to anything that was made back then or even today. Studebaker made a wise decision to build this car. To see them in mint condition is wonderful, and the love and respect the owners have for the Avanti is just short of a god car.
Family members first drove the Avanti in about '63 at Putnam Motors in East New York section of Brooklyn. We had a relationship with them due to they're being a former Hudson dealer and we were a real hard core Hudson family. The Avanti was the R3 which was they're hottest supercharged engine with what were glass pack exhausts...they picked me and my brother up at school several times and caused a near riot. They had done this with other high profile cars but with the Avanti even the teachers were asking what it was! My uncle really peeled out leaving the school zone... golden memories....
Avanti, love it or hate it. You can’t ignore it.
As a 12 yr old kid in 1963, that year was noteworthy for two incredible
automobiles: the Studebaker Avanti and the Chevrolet Corvette. When I first saw ads in Life & Look magazines, I thought these cars were from another world. So advanced in their styling and presence. The Avanti with its sharp, creased lines and the Corvette with its split rear window. I dreamed of owning one of these, but never did. But nonetheless, they were so advanced for their time. Both have held up style-wise over the last 57 years and remain so to many of us admirers.
I purchased a 62 GT Hawk (Grand Turismo) from a good friend in the 70's that needed a little mechanical TLC. It turned out to be one of the best cars I've ever had. It soon became our family auto for several enjoyable years. After joining the Studebaker Drivers Club in Dallas my family & I traveled to many SDC events & contests in Texas & Oklahoma. Years later I had sell my favorite car as it turned out due to a financial crisis. This story made me realize I was only following Studebaker's same issues. Life does that to us at times.
The Avanti was decades ahead of it's time.
As soon as the Avanti was in a local showroom, my dad was smitten. As I grew up, I kept hearing of his passion to own one.
When he retired, he finally bought one, a black R2. He never drove it. He bought a dust cover. Once in a while, he'd start it, back it out of the garage, and just look at it.
When he moved to Florida, he sold it.
I'll never understand people who do that.
I was about 13 years old when I first saw the Avanti. I couldn't keep my eyes off of the car it was just so beautiful and sleek to me. Imagine my surprise when I learned it was a Studebaker model. The look of the car is timeless.
David Owen the Avanti and the 1968 to 70 AMX by American Motors what a pair!
I’ve always admired Stude’s. In my neighborhood, we had a Studebaker mechanic. He drove home in one of my favorite Studes of all time, the Lark Daytona, then the Avanti. What a pair of cars to admire and love. Could never afford one back in the day, now, never have enough. Always wanted the Golden Hawk too!
My father had a '62 Golden Hawk w/ the 289 that he added a supercharger to. That was a very fun car and he won a few drag races for its class. I, of course, wanted an Avanti, as they were so "space aged" in appearance. Lucky me, my uncle got an R3 model w/ a Supercharger and gave us kids a ride. I fell in love w/ Avantis then, but have never been able to fulfill my dream of owning one, as they have become quite the desirable classic and demand premium prices.
Please let’s not forget that although Lowey’s company was behind the Avanti it was Tom Kellogg’s visionary genius that penned the design.
When I was a young boy in the early 70s, this was the car that my folks dreamed of having. They never did, but we were never hurting in the car department. Timeless beautiful design.
In a world where the "global market," only gives us cookie cutter choices, I adore this car!
Man I remember when Wheel of Fortune used to have the Avanti as the big prize alot on their show
One of these was the star prize on a T.V. show? Boy would I have liked to have watched THAT!
Me too!
I always love this masterpiece of automotive design Ray Lowery was a genius the 1963 Avanti, 1950 Commander and the even more dramatic 1953 starliner were fantastic , unique designs.
Also the PRR locomotives and many corporate logos.
My parents’ first car as a married couple was a Studebaker Scotsman. A great car, that one!
The first time I saw an Avanti was at a small Studebaker dealership on the show floor. The show floor was so small, you could only fit one car on it at a time. My hometown was on the 'iron range' in northern Minnesota. It was a 1964 model with a gold exterior. I think the interior was a tan color. It had thin whitewalls, with full wheel covers. The next summer I was shocked to see it parked on the next door neighbors adjoining driveway. Being a 16 year old car crazy kid, I would look out our dining room and just stare at it, whenever it was parked there. Still love the design. As a side note, years later my dad told me that he had a 1948 Tucker on order when they first came out! After the company folded he ended up buying a baby blue '49 Kaiser that broke down before he even got it home from the dealership. If only.....
A very outstanding video and a classy well deserved tribute to Ray Lowey and his design brilliance. From the Commander to the Avanti... I proudly have all three of those cars The 1950 Commander, 1953 Starliner, and the 1963 Avanti in 1/18 scale dielast models.
I remember when the Avanti came out we all went to the car dealer to look at it. There was a long line of people!
My dad owned a '64 Avanti. I remember going to the local market with him. A woman backed up and hit his Avanti. My dad jumped out of the car and looked at the damaged and then he screamed at the lady, "YOU BROKE MY CAR." Since it was make out of fiberglass, it was all cracked on the rear corner. My dad almost cried. It was a shiny red, supercharged Avanti. It was beautiful. I dream of owning a '64 today.
Been my dream car since I first laid eyes on it. Always loved it.
I'm 65 yrs old and from a boy I always loved the Avanti. I was a toll collector on a Jersey toll road for many years and I could not let a Avanti through my toll lane without a look around. Probably made a lot of people behind them mad but I had to gaze at them. Thank you for sharing these videos.
Thanks for sharing your story.
Same. 67, you young whippersnapper:) I had the same reaction to an Avanti as my first glimpse of a Gordon Keeble, and an E type Jag. (XKE to you guys). Happy days.
Ed 2168 Studebaker Avanti was designed by Raymond Loewy he was a French designer
my dad mentioned you...
Great story.
Growing up in Japan & getting here in 76 I missed all of this. Thanks for sharing.
The Avanti was one of the two most beautiful cars of the 60's. The other one was the Jag XKE. Both cars stopped traffic.
I remember I was in the 4th or 5th grade. I had ridden with my father into town (Kingsville Texas) and on our way home I saw this beautiful car parked next to a building. I asked my father what it was and he told me what it was. I had heard of Studebaker before. But did not understand the name, Avanti. To this day I think it is a beautiful car.
What an excellent video. The historical footage was amazing.
Thank you.
@@KingRoseArchives IT'S A SHAME THE EDITOR CHOSE TO DROWN OUT THE PEOPLE SPEAKING WITH MUSIC.
FANTASTIC I'VE OWNED STUDES FOR
73 YRS SOLD MY LAST STUDE IN 2014
GREAT CAR , 👍 COMPANY
Lowey designs are respected and enduring.
R. Loewy was a design genius! He designed everything from washing machines (Westinghouse) to railroad locomotives (GG-1). He had more impact on US industrial design than Harley Earle wished for.
Trivia,
What's the oldest Studebaker, That's still in use today?
The Budweiser carriage that's pulled by the Clydesdales.
Great piece of history. Thanks.
In 1975 I hd a neighbor in Milwaukee who had an Avanti. One day while driving it a car followed him home. The driver admired the Avanti and produced a business and it was Wally Rank a car dealer who at the time had the second biggest classic car collection in the world. He offered my neighbor a blank check for the car and told my neighbor to fill in the amount. He refused the offer a true car lover.
No, the meeting worlds of two true car lovers.
That's crazy! I seen one of the newer ones, Camaro chassis, at Copart a few years ago, and thought someone made it, like a kit car, I didn't know they were still being produced in a factory! Guess I don't know as much as I thought! Awesome video!
My first car was a 52 Study commander with a borg warner auto trans. What a great car, an almost indestructible tank. Lasted many years and gave up the ghost in 1966. Wish I had it today.
I cannot remember the last time I even saw an Avanti; its been years (and I mean 4 or 5 years; probably more). But even 54 years after it's introduction, it is still one of the best looking cars I've ever see.
Michael Powell
.I haven't seen one since 1966. I still have a fantasy of owning this car someday. It needs to be soon I'm now 68.
@@darrellblake799 love this car, first saw one in San Fransisco in the late 60's. I'm 70 and still in love with the Avanti 😏😏😏😏
@@darrellblake799 You don't see them because in the two years Studebaker made them, they only made 4600! Have faith, I'm 70 and have had my '64 for 2.5 years.
@@riffkid But it has been made in every decade since Studie died.
Great documentary about the Avanti, I did not know the history of this car! Just love the incredible archived film footage used to tell its story!
Robert Mission Would like a Bullet Nose STUDE inserted. Great program.
How can anyone give this a thumbs down!!Thumbs down to THEM
I love how this starts by telling the backstory of Studebaker as a company.
Our family had a 1963 Avanti with white exterior, turquoise interior, electric windows, air conditioning and the R1 engine. We got the first one in 1966. It was "totaled" by a drunk driver in about 1970 while my mom was at a stop light. The insurance company replaced it after a national search with a 1963 white one with a burgundy interior. The whole family drove it at different times. In many ways it was compared to the bullet Thunderbird (1961-1963) as being a uniquely styled "personal" luxury touring car, but of course the T-Bird was a steel body, mass produced and had the advantage a large dealer network and common Ford parts. What we liked best about the Avanti was the styling of the exterior and interior. The original and the similar Avanti II are beautiful clean designs and that is where it should have stopped. The next generations altered the purity of the original design. I am glad I got to drive two of them, but in the end my mom preferred her 4 door mid-size station wagon and the Avanti was not a practical commuting to college car. There is a lot of online and printed history of Studebaker and I highly recommend a visit to the Studebaker Museum in South Bend. Thanks for your video. Also enjoy reading the comments.
rizzle razzleuno I would love to visit South bend Indiana Someday and I'm a big fan of Ray Lowry he's designed work was cutting edge way ahead of its time and design and execution
@@rodferguson3515 Studebaker ended it's manufacturing life in Hamilton Ontario Canada.
I agree with stopping after the avanti II
Great story. Thanks.
Fell in love at age 22, realized dream at 62!
Make that age 12
The Studebaker Avanti and the Jensen Interceptor are the 2 coolest designs in automotive history with their giant wrap-around rear windows.
Tommy...Tommy ... Tommy... are you Ol' Binyon's long lost bro?! Because you said it ALL. (Especially the Jensen...)
@@binyon7 Ehh... I think both the Studebaker and the Jensen are knockout designs as well. They both did their jobs and did them well.
Dad and I both had Larks.... His, bought more or less new, was a '60, and it held up quite well, even with a teenage driver (me) beating on it. I bought a used one a few years later, and the Bondo fell out, leaving flapping fenders. Meantime, it wouldn't start in cold weather. Bad valves & such. No regrets except that we never bought an Avanti....
I used to drive past one Avanti location (no idea if it was a sales office, or just some kind of manufacturing) on Albert Street, in the early 90's. By then, they were dropping an Avanti body on a Chevy of some kind. I didn't have the money anyway....
Today, the wife has a small Chevy, and I inherited my dad's (and mom's) '98 DeVille. My '99 Lincoln finally wore out. The Lincoln was easier to repair, although nothing like my '89 Lincoln (both "Town Cars"), which were based on mid-80's Crown Vics, although changing a headlamp involved removing most of the grille.
I still would love an Avanti, but....
Interesting story nonetheless.
We had Studebaker Police cars in Australia up until 1966. They were quite popular here. Then the v8 Falcons came out and they switched.
They had 327 Chevy engines
Studebaker made several beautiful cars and the Avanti is, in my opinion, the most beautiful American car ever. I had no idea that they were still made. I thought they did not make any after 1970, I am glad that they are still made. I built a plastic model of Avanti in 1963 or 64 and there were several Avantis in the town that I grew up in. It was always exciting to me to see one.
I don't believe they, are still made." They stopped production of the restart.
My Uncle worked on prototype Avanti but the people he was working with saw the project as a chance to make lots of overtime and milked the job so that the cars were way late for the 1962 introduction. He quit and moved to Florida. For years he said that the other workers tried to drop a body on him because he was working too fast.
Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder of course . And for me the Avanti is indeed one of the most unique and elegant automobiles ever designed . I thought i saw one once with a porthole window on the side in the back, not sure . It must have been custom by the owner . The 55-57 thunderbird had the porthole windows in the back but no back seat like the Avanti
Tell me about it! The Avanti is indeed a stunningly beautiful and unique automobile, a real bit of desperate creativity. However, I found that the interior was too uncomfortable for my needs. That's why I went with the GT Hawk. I'm proud to say that I own a '62 model as my first car! It took me seven years to get her and I'm grateful for her. Cheers!
Truly stated, "The car that refuses to die."
The 1953 Starlight was the most beautiful car of its time.
No question, but I would add "American"....
A cop pulled me over on the autostrada north of Genoa Italy just so he could inspect my 1954 Studebaker Champion coupe. Probably the only stude in Europe in 1958.
WAY WAY ahead of anything on the road at the time! One of the few cars around then that didn't look like a giant chrome grin saying "cheese" for a photographer.
I personally disagree. The Gran Turismo Hawk is the finest car Studebaker built in my mind.
i'm 70, as a teen, i built the Avanti model car, always wanted one, i did get a new 68 Mustang
but never did get an Avanti
1947 amigo!! Mustang is a great car too! i was born in 1974 never drove any of those... only an old 1972 datsun in my life!
I'm looking still.but like the r-2 and r-3 original stude.
Mr_Wizard I want one so bad back then. I wanted the white with black interior. Wound up getting a 69 Charger instead, Daytona Green w/black interior, but I think I still want one. Just too retired to let my wants lye.
@@fidelcatsro6948 and if South Bend hadn't cancelled the talks, Studebaker Canada would have been importing the Datsuns in 1962 or 63, maybe even manufacturing them for the NA market.
You've got to give props to a car that has been produced through five decades, period. I was at the '62 New York Auto Show, and the Avanti was a trmendous hit. Too bad it had two drags on it" one, it wasn't a "Big Three" car so the dealer network was good but not deep; and second, the introduction was ahead of the completely executed car, which hurt them. But the car....it's still a wow,as were Raymond Loewy's previous two cars for Studebaker, the Starlites...
Years ago, a friend of mine Douglas Arrango, owned one of these. It was something. The AVANTI is probably one of the finest that was built by Studebaker.
I had a 56 silver hawk ,,or power hawk ,I can't recall it was so long ago,but it was a fine car,my wife loved driving it ,
King Rose. Good job with the music; anyone who adds ragtime, appropriately, to their videos gets a like from me.
In High school I had a 55 Commander . Took the big V-8 emblem out of the grille and it was really nice . it didn't stop there .
I learned to drive in a white Studebaker Hawk. The secondary color might have been gold. A Golden Hawk I think it was called. It had the body style with the fins like the purple one in the video. It had a plaque on the polished "swirl" dashboard with the name of the Texan it had been made for. So it must have been something special. My stepfather owned it. It had a Packard engine as I seem to recall he would talk about. Taking off from a stop sign while making a right turn I popped the clutch and it started "chugging." To keep it from stalling he said to hit the gas. I mashed the gas pedal to the floor and it took off screaming around that corner leaving one or two lines of "burn out" on the asphalt. Oops
the first series avanti's are the nicest ones, from a Peugeot fan
For a limited production car, the Hawk did catch on, and was popular for 10 years. The delay getting Avanti produced was the fiberglass company's fault, and it cost Studebaker sales. Some early Avanti II's were sold at Studebaker's dealerships, or those dealers went on to sell Avanti, and this was planned by Studebaker of Canada before the South Bend board of directors shut it down. I don't think everyone either loves it, or hates it. That's way too extreme as far as hating goes. But, the front end looks have always been the decisive area. When it came out, it was partially because it had almost no chrome, no fins, no grill, and a lot of glass, and waa completely different and unconventional for 1962. Of course over the next 50 years, all cars took on these type of looks. But, the Avanti was first. Mike Kelly was the Avanti savior and it's eventual destroyer, bringing himself down as well by 2007.
Oh, wow. My neighbour has one of these. It looks perfect in every way.
Love me an old Studebaker pickup!
I grew up in Studebaker. My father lived in a South Bend as a child and was a lifelong devotee. We had 1948 and 1952 sedans and I learned to drive in a 1960 lark with a 3 speed stick on the column. Passed my driving test in Seattle on the first try! Later in High School he bought a tricked out Lark hardtop. Bucket seats, 2 door hardtop, and V8. Then in ‘66 he traded that in on a ‘65 impala 2 dr ht with 327 v8, and Studebaker was toast.
There's still some folks out there, including myself, that are keeping the best from South Bend on the road. I'm proud to say that I own a '62 GT Hawk as my first car. It took me seven years to get her and I'm grateful for her. Cheers!
Building these cars in villa Rica ga was awesome!!!...on our way to work one morning...ridding out about 115 mph in a V6 cutlass we rolled up on Mike Kelly's son he dropped it to 3 gear and smoked the tires...it was like we hit the breaks....it was Paxton 425 hp LS 6speed from the t top firebird..long live Avanti....👍
It was really designed by the younger designers that were housed in that rented Palm springs home. Lowey basically approved what they designed
My Father was always a very big Fan of the Avanti and over my life they have grown on me quite a bit although I haven’t. Found the right deal on one yet
After Rodger Ward won the 1962 Indy 500, Studebaker presented Ward with a white '63 Avanti. It was auctioned off a couple of years ago.
He finally got one! Glad to hear it. The pace car was a Lark and I thought that was sad.
I've always loved Avantis! At first I didn't quite like the later ones with the smaller headlights, and non- chromium bumpers, but that had just been a shock to the system, and I've realised the overall shape is still there! Love it now! Also ADORE the 4 - door "Rolls-Royce competitor"!
Still my favourite American car ( Although apart from this, I do like "traditional" ones with the fins). I've loved this design for 50 years!
This was my dream car as a kid.
Its a great tragedy so many excellent "independent" car manufacturers didn't survive. Studebaker built amazing cars. So sad.
No kidding. Studebaker, which is undoubtedly the single most important automaker in American history, never deserved to die. It's a rotten deal all the way around.
I'm an automatic transmission Rebuilder and someone brought an Avente to my shop i was surprised to see that it had a 400 turbo Transmission it cost no more than a regular Chevy to rebuild, the customer just smiled and said see I told you so !who whould have thunk ?
That's the joy of this car: very few "oddball" parts, especially in running gear. Even the Studebaker-powered cars are easily maintained.
I really love the Avanti and Studebaker 1950
14:47 note the Paxton SN-60 centrifugal supercharger visible under the hood on the passenger side of the car---the big red thing. The McCulloch V57-S variable ratio superchargers installed in '57 and '58 Golden Hawks, as well as the '57 Packard Clippers and '58 Packard Hawks had shown that the Studebaker 289 could run with the big dogs, and the R2 and R3 Avantis were among the fastest production cars in the industry in their day, setting records during Bonneville speed trials, not only in class C (5-liter maximum displacement), but also in the "unlimited" class, this with a Studebaker 289 bored out to 299 CID (4.9 liters).
Thanks for the deep understanding of their performance capabilities.
In the late '70's a friend had one with the 289 Super Charger. He put in an Offenhouser intake and bigger carb. None of the muscle cars at that time could touch it. On the highway it would easily get upto 120MPH and felt planted to the road. It was an amazing car for its time!
@Jack Flash, that is cool! thanks for the info. in the 90s, i saw an ad for 2 studebakers for something like 500.00. they seller didn't really know what he had. i forgot to call him & when i remembered about a week later he had sold them. when i asked him if they were avantis, he said "yes, i think that's what they were. i just wanted to get rid of them". i am still kicking myself in the a$$ over that.
mjt; That's a BIG 'ouch' there. One of those, 'Ah, if only ...' memories. Probably an estate inheritance. Oh well, eh?
@starmanskye, as someone we all know would say, SAD. VERY SAD memories.
I loved the 63 Avanti with the more angular back window but this is fine . It was a unique, rare and revolutionary automobile . More people love the vette's but i'll take the Avanti over a sting ray anyday .
The Studebaker Hawk is still a beautiful car today. That damned Avanti is the only vehicle that has died more deaths than Indian Motorcycle.
I'm proud to say that I own a '62 GT Hawk as my first car! It took me seven years to get her and I'm grateful for her!
I especially love the low finned '56 Hawk and the 60"s Grands Turismo. Next fave would be the '59. However, if I could afford it, an Avanti with or without the supercharder would be in my driveway!
@@jakekaywell5972 The removal of the fins made it look as elegant as the original design!
Suit yourself!
Hell you mean British Leyland !!!
Really a shame that Studebaker didn’t survive.
If the deal between Nash, Packard, Hudson, And Studebaker could have been reached, i wonder what would have happened.
All 4 together might have really been a Big 4th! Studebaker was always innovative, always a bit ahead of their time. Perhaps a little too European looking.
If I could ever own a classic car, it would be a Studebaker ❗️
Jeff King My thoughts exactly. American Motors would have been awesome with Studebaker-Packard.
I could have seen AMC as having this hierarchy: Rambler = compact; Nash = mid-size; Hudson = large; Packard = luxury; Studebaker = performance.
Well first off the rambler was out before the lark . So compact yeah that was all AMCs market to start with... Secondly George Mason tye king pin of the deal that would have made them part of AMC died in 1954!! George Romney was guy who said no!!
I remember how the Nash factory on Capitol Drive in Milwaukee had to close for a while because some dope sent a burning smudge pot up the elevator. What? Don't have a job? You Asked For It.
GREAT VIDEO! Very informative!
If only Studebaker and Packard hadn’t taking so long to agree on a deal with Nash and Hudson who knows what would have happen. American Motors with Studebaker would have been cool but it is what it is.
Wow. I never noticed the later Avanti used '93-'02 Lincoln Continental/Mark VIII door handles! Cool!
You got some facts wrong....the Studebaker distribution system and dealers didn't disappear until well after the Avanti II was launched. The parts distribution system was in place until 1972 the last model year was 1966....so you could still go to a Studebaker Showroom and buy a Studebaker when Avanti's were being produced. Quite a few of those dealers also handled Avanti cars.
thanks for the corrections.
The Avanti looks like an unusually sophisticated 1970's car. Back in the 1980's, somebody had one in the neighborhood, and I thought it was something like a kit car. I had no idea that it was an artifact from the early 1960's! To be sure, somebody had a Nash Metropolitan as a daily driver, but we all knew that was an old car, along with the old, beat up Chevy Corvairs.
My optometrist, when I was a kid, was a doctor who’s last name was Studebaker. He drove an Avanti. He had a son, younger than I. He named him Park A.Studebaker. True story.
Best Motorcycle in the World
Rare sight nowadays...always loved them and if I had a chance to get one, would probably jump on it, if I could convince my wife we need another car...
The Avanti will live as long as people refuse to let it die.
Wow ! my Father always loved the idea and concept of he Avanti it’s kind of grown on me over the years although i really only like the convertibles personally
And very few of them were made in Jamestown Ohio I believe.
F-body platforms were used I believe.
Beautiful in deed
Avanti was beautiful car!
Its minor modifications by subsequent builders sometimes made it less beautiful. It is surprising how a slight change in the fender cutout can look so wrong.
When my father traded his 1955 Speedster (Sun Valley Yellow/Hialeah Green) in on a DeSoto, they were talking 'orphan'. The ironic thing is they stopped making DeSotos before Studebakers. Also, he discovered why he could pass other cars with the Stude in slippery weather, the DeSoto didn't have the road handling capability of Studebaker.
The first car my wife and I bought for our wedding was a 1962 Lark, 6 cylinder, 3 in the tree, Riviera Blue, $2000.
South Bend should not have been shocked. The strike really was the death of Studebaker.
Was Dad's car Twin Traction?
2:40 -- WTF kind of tackle is THAT from the BENCH???? Whoa.
Raymond Lowey gets credit for the styling but he did little except sell his service to Studebaker and serve as the public face for his firm. The actual design was by Tom Kellogg. Lowey also did little on the '53 Starliner (my dad had one!) . That one was by Bob Bourke.
Doesn't matter. He had to advise his team and oversee the creation as well as sign off on the final draft.
Jamie Canivet I’m sorry Jamie , but you can’t take away from the fact that this was Tom Kellogg’s creation. Tom was a true visionary who I had the privilege to work with in the ‘80s. And of course I wouldn’t take away from Lowey’s genius. Toms respect and admiration for his former employer and friend was profound. Incidentally Lowey used to sign most of Tom’s sketches.
RESEARCH PLEASE! The car design *was* loved, but too many production troubles (e.g. front clip not fitting the body!!) and delays frustrated potential buyers - who switched, mostly to Big 3 offerings.
Great narration!
The first production Avanti sold to a customer has been restored and currently is part of the collection of Lemay America's Car Museum in Tacoma, Washington.
Nice video.
On the Avanti II, the "square headlights" (actually round headlights with square bezels - but in later years they would use actual square headlights) were a carry-over from Studebaker and not an Avanti II "refinement." Studebaker was still providing round bezels for a little while into the 1964 model year but switched to square bezels after about 50 1964's were made with round ones. You could also special order round after that so long as they still had parts for it.
first heard one start 1963 with the supercharger and the steel pack flow through mufflers option in nyc between the tall buildings the sound was the greatest thing I ever heard off the buildings .at 9 pm .. sent chills down my spine .. nothing else can compete , never will
Hi all some may not remember or know. What company did Mercedes-Benz hook up with to first import there cars. Yes it was Studebaker all others turned them away. How do I know this I worked for Mercedes-Benz of North America for 20 years in the Technical Training Department. I had and still my have Studebaker manuals some where. I also had fellow employees that came from South Bend when Studebaker sadly could not continue and they can to work for Mercedes. To add a a little more my Dad owned a 1955 Commander with red bottom and white upper top and according to him it had a factory continental kit which it had. I love Studebaker and would love to have one with an R3 motor
Always been my favorite!
Stellar Design!
12:30 The Avanti design team: left to right Tom Kellogg, recent art school grad who thought at first that Raymond Loewy's (second from left) early morning call inviting him to help design a Studebaker sports car was a practical joke by one of his friends mimicking Loewy's French accent. Third from left was Bob Andrews, who had worked with Studebaker for many years, and finally John Ebstein (that is the correct spelling), a designer who had come to Studebaker after fleeing Nazi Europe. Loewy surrounded himself with many of the most talented designers in many fields. Loewy did not, contrary to rumors, design the Coca-Cola bottle, but he admired the form and it did show up on the Avanti. He did design just about everything from cream separators to Caterpillar tractors, Lucky Strike cigarette packs to locomotives, Coldspot refrigerators, the interior of the Concord and the Skylab space station, and the John F. Kennedy commemorative stamp. If you are reading this, it is likely that you have had contact with a dozen or more Loewy designs in your lifetime.
Loewy was the greatest. Met his daughter. She was lovely and so admired her father. Also, had the chance to interview Kellogg. What a great opportunity it was for him and one he cherished.
5610winston I had the pleasure of meeting Bob Andrews about 35 years ago. It seems that although Mr. Loewy leaned Andrews heavily, Loewy did not like sharing credit. The film showed clearly that the team designed the Avanti, and it Andrews who headed the team. Andrews told me that the team agreed to take on the pressure cooker project only if Loewy stayed away from the studio until the team was finished with the design.
You comment is the first mention of Bob Andrews I have ever seen since I had dinner with him years ago. Not a single publication I have found on Studebaker, Loewy, or the Avanti has ever mentioned Andrews. Thank you for remembering one of men behind scenes.
Thank you for sharing that. As I said, Loewy was well-known for surrounding himself with talented designers, and that while he was highly talented, he often claimed full credit for many designs to which his connection was rather tenuous. I have read that Loewy went into a ballistic rage over the Brooks Stevens design for an angular roofline over the '56-vintage lower body for the Hawk in 1962. I had always heard that Kellogg was chosen not only for his sense of line and form, but also because he had experience with Fiberglas speedboat hull design, and I remember the name Bob Andrews from the time when I was a car-crazy high school kid who loved the Avanti design, though Studebaker was long-defunct. Come to think of it, I don't recall the last time I saw an Avanti article that didn't name him. I do recall that one of the earliest issues of COLLECTIBLE AUTOMOBILE magazine (possibly Vol. 1 No. 1) included an in-depth article about the development of the Avanti design, and other articles in that publication including an in-depth biography of Tom Kellogg including his reminiscences of the Avanti team's work, and his work on the AVX-Avanti reboot. I happen to have the December 2017 edition of CA in hand (if you're not familiar with that magazine, it is among the most beautiful publications on the newsstand), and on page 62, included in an article about the cars of 1963, authors Kit Foster and the Editors of COLLECTIBLE AUTOMOBILE present a brief, but highly informative description of the Avanti design team's work: "Loewy...put Tom Kellogg, Bob Andrews, and John Ebstein to work on the project...." (CA, Vol. 34 No. 4). If you're not familiar with COLLECTIBLE AUTOMOBILE magazine, swing by a bookstore or newsstand. The December issue has been out since early October, and the February 2018 issue will probably be out by the second week of December.
Didn't Lowey design the "Chrysler bldg:. In NYC?
Had the pleasure of working with John Ebstein on a transportation design project in the early 80's after he had retired (from Gabriel Industries). The prototype appearance model that was shown at the New York show was hand formed from sheet aluminum using roll forming techniques to create the compound curved panels. There were no completed chassis or running gear available, so it was just a hollow shell with 4 tires on a simple frame. Lowey hired John for his New York office not for design, but because he was a skilled airbrush renderer, airbrushing was key for presentation at that time. He recalled that several month period in the rented house as being extremely hectic. He said in general, Lowey would take credit for other designer's work, and would give clients the impression that he was the designer on a project, when in fact it was in most cases, a team effort. Lowey used to sign presentation renderings, that he had no part in creating. I found Ebstein was great to work with, had a good instinct for design and engineering, very professional. He would drive his white Avanti to the office on Fridays where we got to have a close look. I think it was an early 60's production unit, very impressive, with chrome bumpers, and 350 chevy V8. Couldn't stop raving about it. The offset hood strake, slightly oval wheel openings and subtle coke bottle pinched waist made it appear lighter and as if the car was in motion. A unique look and ahead of it's time.
I love the styling