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I see an '83-86 Thunderbird in there.
Even worse than those dopey 49 Ford conversions on 89+ T-Birds and Cougars that were a minor fad in the 90s.
Actually, the first time I saw this car, I mistook it for a Studebaker!
The Studebaker design came out too radical because its disloyal designers were working for the competition in their spare time and then tried to outdo Ford with their 1950 models. Here is the Bourke Studebaker design.
See http://www.hemmings.com/hcc/stories/2005/05/01/hmn_feature9.html for story.
Studebaker also made the front end of that design into a full-size model before the 1949 Ford appeared, but I cannot locate an image on the Internet.
Not only were Robert Bourke and Robert Koto disloyal to Studebaker, Virgil Exner was secretly working behind Raymond Lowey's back on his own designs for the 1947 Studebaker.
http://www.studebakerpictures.com/bulletnose.history.html.
Although the 1950-51 Studebakers look funny now, they were actually the best selling Studebakers of all time. Studebaker produced 343,164 cars in 1950 and 268,564 cars in 1951 which equals a total of 611,728 Studebakers with that nose job. That two year figure exceeds the entire number of Larks sold in eight years.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1956-PACKARD-PATRICIAN-80K-ACTUAL-MILES-VERY-NICE- -AUTO-/230622046951?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item35b2252ae7
The V8 and trans are smooth and powerful, but can be a service headache.
Bids seem not too bad even if it is one of the best ones remaining - it's still a big weird 4 door.
Things could have been worse. Consider what Nash did with the Hudson "Hash" in 1957
The Packard Executive was introduced in spring '56 and replaced the Clipper Custom. It had the 'senior' grille and revised side trim from the Clipper Custom.
The "senior" Packards consisted of "The Four Hundred", "The Patrician", and the Caribbean (hardtop and convertible only).
"The Four Hundred" and "The Patrician" were identically trimmed; one was merely the hardtop version of the other. So, "The Patrician" was Packard's top-line 4-door sedan in '56. They didn't build a 4-door hardtop.
My little hometown Stude-Packard dealer sold the 18th-from-last Caribbean convertible. The car survives in beautiful condition in Kernersville, NC. I've posted a link to color photos of it on delivery day in July '56 here before.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130528744668&
Hemmings Classic Car has beautiful photography, but some of their uninformed statements are mind-boggling to me. There's a photo of the interior of the Avanti mid-restoration with a serious comment about the car's 'rust-free floorboards'. Duh!
This is a nice car, same model as I own without the Skytop sunroof but with the R2 supercharged Avanti engine...a big plus in Studebakerdom. I'll be interested to see how it does, but his BIN isn't outrageous based on past history. I'd like to see pictures of the trunk side panels and corners, and I can't see why he wouldn't have removed the seat covers, but a sharp-looking car.
IMO this is the Studebaker that most shows its Benz affiliation of that time period.
One small thing I'd have to add...I think the chrome rear fender shields, which add just a splash of chrome in front of the rear wheel openings, really add a lot to these cars.
With the general economy, I'll be interested in how this car does.
Similar topic, today my wife and I got our signatures on the title to our R1 '63 Daytona Skytop notarized, as the deal with the same Australian fellow who bought my '64 is sealed now. The car will get picked up this weekend. After 23 years and a restoration which I didn't perform but was actively involved with, I may shed a real tear when the car goes. The sale price isn't $25K but it is comfortably within five figures.
The car looks not unlike the black one on eBay, but is a factory, creamy Ermine White with white folding sunroof and red bench seat interior with column shift automatic and factory air (that doesn't work). Remember that the original owners came to see it last fall, which was a wonderful visit. They traded it in '65 and hadn't seen it since.
I think 25K on that black car is pretty optimistic given its imperfect (admittedly nice and clean ) condition, but all it takes is two people to fall in love with it.
That's $1,100 more than I sold my R1 Daytona for, with the sunroof, but no rust.
Still, healthy for a 1963 domestic compact, closed car.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300580228269
I'm a big fan of the turquoise color, and the '63's round headlights in covers and non-woodgrain interior. It'll be interesting to see what it hits.
That is a very nice car and if the price stayed in the $12,000 range I would borrow money to buy it because I think that is less than half the price it is worth. My favorite color combination too.
No need to apologize for the Avanti. Plenty of rich and famous people were proud to own one (partial list here) http://www.theavanti.com/celebrity.html
The Chevrolet Corvette did not have a good beginning either, but few people are apologizing for that car.
By December 1953, Chevrolet had a newly equipped factory in St. Louis ready to build 10,000 Corvettes annually. However, negative customer reaction in 1953 and early 1954 models caused sales to plummet. In 1954, only 3,640 of this model were built and nearly a third were unsold at
year's end. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Corvette_(C1)
Even so, a '53 Corvette can bring $200,000 today. You won't see any Avanti at that price in the foreseeable future, probably not ever. Why is that?
I think that if the Avanti had been produced without a Studebaker affiliation or name it would probably be worth more today---like a Shelby Avanti or some such.
Car celebrity is like Hollywood celebrity sometimes--it's just a matter of luck, timing, etc, rather than actual talent or merit.
I reiterate that Egbert's '64 sold in excess of $75K a couple years back. I'm not sure how much it being Egbert's car added to that. It was an R3 which certain folks will pay a lot for.
Six-cylinders and a two-speed automatic only, and questionable styling (IMHO) for '53-55. Even though a Chevrolet product, they only built 300 '53 models--less than one-tenth the number of '63 Avantis built (the '63 model year was an extended one for Avantis, however, being introduced in spring '62). Chevrolet only built 700 '55's, even with a V8 available. That's less than one-fifth the number of '63 Avantis built, and even less than '64 Avantis built in the abbreviated '64 Studebaker model year.
The first Corvette I thought was a beautiful car was a '56...simple lines that still look great.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I hope whoever buys a low mileage car gets rock-solid proof of the miles.
My personal feeling is that most mass-produced cars are so plentiful that if you modify a few of them, no harm done. it's like like you are altering 1 of 8 existing or some such.
"The original tires have 5200 miles on them, and are still inflated with 1963 South Bend, Indiana air from ’63."
Might be hard to get more "vintage air" :P
Not related to this particular car, but this thread has a neat pic or two of ten new Avantis on two transport carriers in South Bend in what is probably summer '62. Studebaker President Sherwood Egbert is in the photo. I'll take the black supercharged car right above the truck cab in the front of the picture. (You'll need to page down a bit in the link.)
I believe the truck in the back of the picture has a sign that says "Avanti--The Flying Wedge". I did not know the car was promoted as a 'wedge' at that time...usually that word wasn't heard in relation to an automobile until much later.
http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/showthread.php?53024-The-Lamberti-papers-- 1
That's funny. Of course, if you fall for the nitrogen for tires folk story, the old air had to all seep out because they didn't put in nitrogen which never seeps out! (Never mind that 80% of our air is already nitrogen (N2).)
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
"The company claims the aerodynamic flying wedge styling of the Avanti gives it the appearance, while standing still, of speed arrested in time."
I don't recall anyone claiming the wedge look until the Triumph TR7 had the "shape of things to come."
WEDGE CARS
I think an Avanti is more attractive than a typical wedge design, which has fallen way out of favor today among collectors.
Whenever Studebaker tried to go upscale, it seems they ran into worst trouble. They did the same thing in the early 1930s, with dire consequences (bankruptcy). Maybe they had no choice, can't say, I don't know.
It's a lovely car. It's quite valuable...I'm sure the most valuable Studebaker one could buy... I believe they made fewer than 100 of them. What makes them valuable is that they have roll-up windows, dual sidemount and a rumble seat---so touring with one is quite comfortable compared to just about any other open car of that period.