1964 Studebaker - The revolutionary Avanti was a '60s rocket
by BILL HOLDER
If you weren't around in the 1960s, you probably wouldn't know the heritage of this flashy machine. The Studebaker Avanti was a street rocket with a top speed of about 140 mph. Looking like a modern kit car in some eyes, the model was the first U.S. passenger car to have disc brakes, toggle switches and a built-in roll bar.
The revolutionary body lines cut through the air like a knife. By the way, several of the models were raced on the Bonneville Salt Flats during the 1960s.
Victor Price of Chillicothe, Ohio, has one of the rare 1964 models (only 809 were built) and he's seen only one other '64. Price, the fourth owner, says as a kid he used to know a used car dealer who loved Studebakers and always drove one. "I loved Studebakers, but Larks and Hawks. Never thought I'd get an Avanti," he said.
"Got it in 2000 from a Columbus newspaper ad and it was in pretty good shape, but needed a little TLC."
The car is very original with only a body repaint in Avanti red in the 1980s. The powertrain carries a 289 cid/230 hp engine with a four-barrel carb and dual exhausts. By the way, that engine was detailed heavily with chrome.
The transmission is a three-speed automatic hooked to a 2.73-geared rearend. "It cruises at about 80 mph but I have had it up to 100 and had about an inch of pedal left," Victor indicated.
The current owner explained that the car is built on a shortened Lark convertible X-frame. "That way, the fiberglass body was kept from flexing."
Victor indicated that one hindrance to the car was its price tag, a sky-high $4,444 for the time period. "It was even more than the Corvette, with which it competed."
Another interesting design point of the model was an off-center hood scoop which lines up with the driver's eyes. No doubt about it, the '64 Studebaker Avanti was far ahead of its time, and looks-wise wouldn't appear dated over four decades later.
Sure glad this one is still around to show what one of the "smaller builders" at the time could produce. It was really something in every aspect.