Welcome to another edition of Hooniverse Fastback Fridays. Studebaker was already on the ropes by 1960, and in one desperate attempt to be relevant again, turned to Raymond Lowey to design and produce a world class GT car. Many stories have been written about how he took a group of designers and engineers to Palm Springs and turned out a design proposal in record time. The proposal was for the Avanti, and the car itself outlived the company which spawned it.
Well, here are 4 different cars that carry the Avanti name, and each of them is hopeless in some way or another…..


Lets start out with this Avanti. This is an 82 Avanti II, and is more like the original Studebaker model than some of the others here. The ad states that it is equipped with a 383 CID V-8, Automatic Transmission, and all the luxury and convenience features one would expect from a grand touring car. It is unfortunate on the choice of wheels, but that can be easily rectified.

One thing that can’t be is the price, as the dealer is asking for $35,995. It has only around 18,000 miles, but is it really worth that much money? See the listing here.

The original Avanti was offered as a 2-Door Coupe only, but in the late 80’s and early 90’s, the New Avanti was offered in a Convertible Coupe, and a 4-Door Sedan (of all things). And here is a 1990 Sedan, which the seller states that it is #33 or a total of 90 sedans that were built that year. The lines didn’t translate well from Coupe to Sedan, and the interior is your typical Neo-Classic/Conversion Van crappy luxury. This thing is powered by the very anemic 305 CID Chevy V-8 that has been rebuilt. The rims are your craptastic Ultra three spoke aftermarket units, and the seller is upfront about the body needing work.

As of this writing, the bidding is north of $5,000, with an unmet reserve. It’s anyones guess as to how much this thing will command, so I leave it to you…. How much do you think the seller is holding out for? See the listing here.

Here is a 1979 Avanti Coupe that has been extensively modified by the current owner. The delicate front and rear bumpers are gone, and in their place is a customized body kit with ground-effects skirts, wheel spats, and a front chin spoiler. The elliptical wheel arches are also history, and the rims are hideous. The interior needs some work, but is all there.

The seller seems pretty proud of the body work, but what do you think. Would the work he put into it be better spent on a simple restoration rather than customization? This is one of only 142 Avantis produced that year. As of this writing, the bidding is at $8,200, with a reserve that hasn’t been met. How much higher should it go before this car is sold is a discussion I leave to you. See the listing here.

Our last Avanti is an actual Studebaker. It is a 1963 Avanti, with the Studebaker 289 CID V-8, needing a whole lotta work. This car has a salvage title, was last used in 1984, and did I mention that it needs a whole lotta work? The seller states that the car is “All There” but missing a windshield. It looks to be missing the compound curved rear window, and some of the other glass as well.

Currently, this car has a bid of $1,525, and there is no reserve, but once again I have to say this: It needs a whole lotta work! See the listing here.
Are any of these Avantis worth owning, or is the thought of owning an Avanti a nauseating experience unto itself? Let me know what you think.