its likely still running under there.... has been since fall if it was parked with a full tank

 

With the appearance of Hot Wheels cars elsewhere on the MB, I thought it was about time that I showed my die cast model of a car that, to this day, is one of my favourite automobile designs ever. The book title is Cars That Never Were. This doesn’t apply to the Studebaker Avanti as you will see here. It did exist.........but unfortunately, not for long enough. The book pictured has a chapter on Studebaker prototypes that existed when the company folded. These were only “pushmobiles”, as none of them were ever produced. The designs of these cars is (in my view), stunning! This is a 1963 model. The Avanti was produced for the years 1962 and 1963. The Wikipedia article on the Avanti fails to do justice to the feat of the Studebaker Corporation, for the designing and building of this car.

 

Avanti went much longer then that into the 2000's... That being said the original design looks great, the later ones (Avanti II) post 65 lost the purity of the design and never worked for me. The wikipedia for these is a mess... Avanti (car) is actually the Avanti II and the Avanti (studabaker) page makes no reference to the continuation.

 

I knew of the Avanti II. I believe it was built using a lot of Chevrolet components. You are obviously more in tune with the differences between the Avanti and the Avanti II than I am. I wasn’t including the Avanti II production in the text of my post. I will edit out my link to the Wikipedia article since it seems to have bent your nose a bit. To me, the Avanti is still a beautiful design. The jury is out on how good a car it was, owing to production problems. Sherwood Egbert, president of Studebaker, saw it as the saviour of the company. Too little, too late.

 

Oh no you didn't at all... I was surprised about the issue with Wikipedia... Normally stuff like this is well curated, and I need to go look to see if there was some war between 2 people about it. I've never seen an issue like this before, the car stuff is all pretty well moderated and sticks to certain conventions and this one has multiple issues. Again you did nothing I was just really surprised at how poorly the wikipedia pages are set up.

 

The Avanti was designed for Studebaker by Raymond Loewy, who in my mind was probably the finest industrial designer of the 20th century.

Many styling cues for the Avanti actually came from the Lancia Loraymo, a one-off designed by Loewy ca 1959/60 and was used by him as personal transport for some time. The name is actually an anagram for LO(ewy) RAYMO(nd).

 

I have read accounts of the “skunkworks” group that was formed as the design for the Avanti was worked out. It is quite clear that the Loraymo very greatly influenced the Avanti. Thanks for the information. Loewy had his hands in the design of many consumer products other than Studebakers. He was involved in Studebaker dseign before the Avanti, and may well have been involved in the design of many of the beautiful concept cars that didn’t see the light of day when the ship sank. I prefer to think that Loewy was not involved in the ghastly Studebaker/Packard that was built in Canada, toward the very last. Ugh!

 

Saw this on the book of face.
Immediately spotted the watch.
I’m concerned that I’m becoming more of a watch guy than a car guy.



Help? I don’t know. Maybe? Not sure...

 

Perfectly acceptable to be both.

 

Ok good. Let me just get you in touch with my wife so you can let her know it is ok haha.
(...in background..."Hey babe, some random person on the internet said I can buy another watch and some car parts...")

Edit/Update: Can I come stay with you for a bit?

 

I love this thread.

 

Does this count? Snapped in Geneva yesterday evening...

 

I though I’d join in with some shots. The level of craftsmanship, quality and details on a six star restoration is mind boggling...

 

TonyC, man of taste!