Vehicle Description
Real R2 supercharged Avanti. Largely original survivor in excellent
condition. Solid 'hog troughs' and floors. Beautiful interior with
full gauges and factory switchgear. Runs and drives well.
Studebaker's exciting Avanti is still affordable-for now! Aimed
somewhere between the Corvette and the not-yet-born Mustang, the
Avanti was intended to be a high-quality personal car with muscle,
a bit more upscale than the Corvette but not as pretentious as,
say, a Jaguar. Sadly, it wasn't enough to save Studebaker, but the
brilliant Raymond Loewy design remains as dramatic as ever-so much
so that multiple companies sprang up in the decades since to
continue the Avanti name. This is an original, however, and it's a
real R2 supercharged car to boot. Doing some automotive
archaeology, we're fairly certain this is a mostly original car
perhaps with one older repaint done decades ago. It does appear to
be the car's original color and a bright red Avanti is always a
striking machine. The fiberglass bodywork is in fantastic condition
with no serious cracks or other damage and it fits together better
than you might expect. The round headlights are a sign that this is
an original Avanti, and the slender factory bumpers are just too
cool. The chrome is in very good condition with no pitting on the
emblems and unique hood trim and it does come by those
'Supercharged' emblems honestly. That irreplaceable wrap-around
rear window is unmarked and even the weather seals are holding up
well. This car seems to have led a very good life. We believe the
interior is mostly original and it remains in outstanding
condition. It features highly detailed pleated door panels,
bolstered bucket seats with just a hint of wear on the outer bead,
and factory carpets. The light-colored dashboard coordinates with
the rigid headliner and door panels to make the Avanti's interior
feel bright and airy, and you can see the aircraft-inspired design
everywhere you look. The wrap-around instrument panel features a
very complete set of instruments, and they're all operation except
the clock. The center console houses cool chrome levers for the
heater and defroster, while an overhead consolette has more rocker
switches for the headlights, instrument lights, and other
functions. The seats are still firm and comfortable and aside from
a little fraying on the driver's outer bolster, all the seating
surfaces are excellent. Even the steering wheel remains undamaged,
which is a real rarity with these early plastics. A delicate chrome
shifter controls the Borg-Warner 3-speed automatic transmission
underneath and seat belts were added at some point for safety.
There's also a good-sized trunk out back that's fully
carpeted-another nod to the Avanti's up-market mission. The 289
cubic inch V8 is a correctly stamped RS supercharged unit.
Studebaker didn't use 'matching numbers' in the familiar sense, but
we have no reason to believe this is not the car's original engine.
The bright orange Granatelli/Paxton supercharger is easy to spot in
the engine bay, along with the chrome air cleaner housing and duct
work feeding the 4-barrel carburetor on top. It's a tight fit, but
it's obvious that Studebaker engineers cared about making this
special car look special even under the hood. There are chrome
valve covers and polished shielding for the ignition system that
looks a lot like they borrowed the idea from the Corvette. Power
steering and power brakes are part of the package, so the Avanti is
incredibly easy to drive and even with the supercharger, it's quite
docile. There's a good hit of torque available at almost any speed
and the Avanti was advertised at the time as the world's most
advanced production car (whether that was true is another story).
The Borg-Warner 3-speed automatic is a good pairing with the
supercharged V8, mostly staying out of the way with smooth shifts,
and we believe there are 3.31 gears out back, giving this car great
highway cruising capability. The suspension breaks no new ground,
but it does feature front disc brakes, which were cutting-edge tech
for 1963 (although even with power assist, they still need a pretty
good shove). As an unrestored car, the undercarriage is a bit grimy
but there is no structural rust in the critical 'hog trough'
support structures that run under the rocker panels and the frame
is incredibly robust. A dual exhaust system with glasspack-style
mufflers sounds awesome and you can see signs of conscientious
maintenance, including recent front brake calipers and hoses, newer
shocks, and right-sized 225/75/15 whitewall radials on the original
wheels with factory hubcaps. Documentation includes the original
owner's manual. These are still dramatic cars that command
attention wherever they go. This is a solid, clean, ready-to-use
example with the desirable R2 supercharged engine. With prices on
the move, if you've ever wanted an Avanti now is the time to grab a
good one. We've priced this one aggressively so it won't be around
for long. Call now! Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes
personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our
inventory prior to purchase.
