Classics Revealed: The Unbelievable Studebaker Avanti

[neildickson]

An Avanti is really special to drive and ride in. Even today, they are very unusual and strangely modern. You feel like everyone is looking, and that your in something gold plated. It's a nice, very special feeling. It's a car to be proud of.

[davethorstry]

That is the very first time I have heard someone say that the Studebaker was not reliable. Maybe he means because it stood for so long, but then he should say so! In my lifetime I owned no less than five Studebakers, that last a 63 Hawk GT. For me they were the most reliable.

[ronaldgarnes]

My family had Starliners & Commanders when I was little. The "Lunitic Fringe" comment finially allowed me to understand my fascination with "Studie's".

[citibear]

The Avanti is a timeless beauty. I fell in love with it when it debuted. I was 5 or 6 years old at the time. I hope you are still driving and enjoying your car, Bill Magnusson!
I always felt that Jensen Motors of England must have liked the styling of the Avanti, because there seemed to be a little bit of design similarity in the rear roof section on the Jensen Interceptor.
Thank you TFLCars for this video, even though it is almost 7 years old!

[JeffDeWitt]

Another styling feature that isn't immediately obvious is if you look at that asymmetrical bulge in the hood and follow it to the cabin the instrument surround matches it, so the bulge really starts at the Studebaker logo at the front of the hood and carries all the way past the instruments in the passenger compartment.

[inkey]

I saw my first Avanti at about 10 years old and it was love at first sight

[merlemorrison]

if gas is leaking out, either the floats are set too high - or - you have bad gaskets/warped carb

[branon]

It'd be awesome to own one, but with the supercharged 289 motor :)

[JeffHogge-nf]

It's such an absolutely beautiful car. I think it's the "WHITE" color that highlights it's shape even more. Beautiful interior too. I just absolutely ache to own It!❤ Jeff

[gregorytimmons]

If you think the front end or any other part of this car is ugly just keep moving and don't even consider one because you just don't get the whole Avanti "thing".

[stephenarling]

Most beautiful skin on a Lark chassis ever!

[TIJoe-tequ]

Once had a rich, eccentric neighbor who collected masses of Studes on his property. He brought me a stripped-out Avanti rolling shell for me to work on in my body shop. It was a blown one, but the motor was out. Someone had stripped the entire body with either a grinder or heavy grit on a sander, leaving every panel of the fiberglass gouged and wavy. Had to fill and block every square inch of the car by hand to bring back the shape. Then he was so cheap that instead of spending money to buy the original paint color, he asked me to use some burnt-orange Centari he had lying around from another job, and he was such a scrooge he wouldn't spend 20 bucks on catalyst! I got it straight but never painted it, probably out of disgust, and I don't remember him even paying me.
I thought the car was cool, especially the aircraft cockpit style, but didn't really know the car was a legend. I'd love to have all the dozens of kinds of Studebaker that were on his property.

[USCG.Brennan]

"That's not reliable" the interviewer the car at the point of this video was FIFTY YEARS OLD!!!

[winston]

Tom Kellogg, Bob Andrews, John Ebstein, Raymond Loewy. Who was the fifth?

[johnsarab]

I'd like to have one. but I would cover the ugly front with a bra.