Comments on: CarDomain Obscure Muscle Car Parking Lot: The 1963 – 64 Studebaker Avanti http://blog.cardomain.com/2009/09/09/cardomain-obscure-muscle-car-parking-lot-the-1963-64-studebaker-avanti/ CarDomain Blog - Crazy news and CarDomain Finds Sat, 30 Jul 2011 00:12:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Perinquus http://blog.cardomain.com/2009/09/09/cardomain-obscure-muscle-car-parking-lot-the-1963-64-studebaker-avanti/comment-page-1/#comment-116632 Perinquus Sun, 28 Feb 2010 07:47:25 +0000 http://blog.cardomain.com/?p=27198#comment-116632 The Avanti didn't BOMB big time. When it debuted at the New York auto show in 1962, it was the hit of the show. As soon as dealers were able to start taking orders for the car, the orders poured in. That's very far from being a bomb. What killed the Avanti was NOT disinterest or negative reaction from the car buying public, it was a combination of production delays, word of mouth about a problem with the car, and the state of the Studebaker corporation itself. The delays were caused by a strike at the Studebaker factory, plus delays getting bodies delivered from the Molded Fiberglass Company of Ashtabula, Ohio (which prompted Studebaker to move body production in-house). The word of mouth was about problems with the first cars delivered (again with the bodies; the Molded Fiberglass Company made the rear window opening just slightly too large, causing windows to come out at high speeds). That was quickly fixed, but the damage was done PR-wise, and scared a lot of potential buyers away. These two factors caused a lot of orders to be canceled. And finally, there were fears about buying a Studebaker -- ANY Studebaker, not just an Avanti -- in 1963. By then the handwriting was on the wall and the public knew Studebaker wasn't going to be in the car business much longer. Many didn't want to buy a car that they knew would soon be an orphan, even though it might otherwise be something they'd buy. And as far as them being invisible... I don't know what car shows you go to. I've got a '63 Avanti, and it draws attention everywhere I take it. Every time I drive it I see people taking pictures with their cell phone cameras, I've nearly been run off the road twice by another driver looking at my car instead of the road ahead of him, and as soon as I stop I'm almost sure to have someone walk up and ask me what kind of car it is. This thing is about as far from invisible as a car can get. The Avanti didn’t BOMB big time. When it debuted at the New York auto show in 1962, it was the hit of the show. As soon as dealers were able to start taking orders for the car, the orders poured in. That’s very far from being a bomb. What killed the Avanti was NOT disinterest or negative reaction from the car buying public, it was a combination of production delays, word of mouth about a problem with the car, and the state of the Studebaker corporation itself. The delays were caused by a strike at the Studebaker factory, plus delays getting bodies delivered from the Molded Fiberglass Company of Ashtabula, Ohio (which prompted Studebaker to move body production in-house). The word of mouth was about problems with the first cars delivered (again with the bodies; the Molded Fiberglass Company made the rear window opening just slightly too large, causing windows to come out at high speeds). That was quickly fixed, but the damage was done PR-wise, and scared a lot of potential buyers away. These two factors caused a lot of orders to be canceled. And finally, there were fears about buying a Studebaker — ANY Studebaker, not just an Avanti — in 1963. By then the handwriting was on the wall and the public knew Studebaker wasn’t going to be in the car business much longer. Many didn’t want to buy a car that they knew would soon be an orphan, even though it might otherwise be something they’d buy.

And as far as them being invisible… I don’t know what car shows you go to. I’ve got a ’63 Avanti, and it draws attention everywhere I take it. Every time I drive it I see people taking pictures with their cell phone cameras, I’ve nearly been run off the road twice by another driver looking at my car instead of the road ahead of him, and as soon as I stop I’m almost sure to have someone walk up and ask me what kind of car it is. This thing is about as far from invisible as a car can get.

]]> By: Pontiacdude210 http://blog.cardomain.com/2009/09/09/cardomain-obscure-muscle-car-parking-lot-the-1963-64-studebaker-avanti/comment-page-1/#comment-105945 Pontiacdude210 Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:01:47 +0000 http://blog.cardomain.com/?p=27198#comment-105945 Sweet cars, the front aspect was ugly but the mid section and back were well styled. And the engines....enough to scare a tuner away any day. Sweet cars, the front aspect was ugly but the mid section and back were well styled. And the engines….enough to scare a tuner away any day.

]]> By: tmonster http://blog.cardomain.com/2009/09/09/cardomain-obscure-muscle-car-parking-lot-the-1963-64-studebaker-avanti/comment-page-1/#comment-105944 tmonster Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:50:40 +0000 http://blog.cardomain.com/?p=27198#comment-105944 i just saw one of these just the other day it was ahead of the times back then i dont care for the body style but sure came set up nicely i give them 2 thumbs up i just saw one of these just the other day it was ahead of the times back then i dont care for the body style but sure came set up nicely
i give them 2 thumbs up

]]> By: PureBusiness http://blog.cardomain.com/2009/09/09/cardomain-obscure-muscle-car-parking-lot-the-1963-64-studebaker-avanti/comment-page-1/#comment-105943 PureBusiness Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:07:46 +0000 http://blog.cardomain.com/?p=27198#comment-105943 Never seen one on a track!! Never seen one on a track!!

]]> By: Chris Trout http://blog.cardomain.com/2009/09/09/cardomain-obscure-muscle-car-parking-lot-the-1963-64-studebaker-avanti/comment-page-1/#comment-105942 Chris Trout Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:47:25 +0000 http://blog.cardomain.com/?p=27198#comment-105942 I love odd-ball cars. This one is no exception. I love odd-ball cars. This one is no exception.

]]> By: auzzy-man http://blog.cardomain.com/2009/09/09/cardomain-obscure-muscle-car-parking-lot-the-1963-64-studebaker-avanti/comment-page-1/#comment-105941 auzzy-man Sun, 13 Sep 2009 17:38:42 +0000 http://blog.cardomain.com/?p=27198#comment-105941 saw one of these at the weekly local car show; all i can say is uggllyyy. saw one of these at the weekly local car show; all i can say is uggllyyy.

]]> By: wsbob http://blog.cardomain.com/2009/09/09/cardomain-obscure-muscle-car-parking-lot-the-1963-64-studebaker-avanti/comment-page-1/#comment-105940 wsbob Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:59:36 +0000 http://blog.cardomain.com/?p=27198#comment-105940 A long-hooded, short rear-decked, four-seating, rear-driven, V8 powered (even supercharged?), American car, with over 300 horsepower? I would definitely call that an obscure muscle car. Especially since its main competition was the Corvette A long-hooded, short rear-decked, four-seating, rear-driven, V8 powered (even supercharged?), American car, with over 300 horsepower? I would definitely call that an obscure muscle car. Especially since its main competition was the Corvette

]]> By: sarahsmile90 http://blog.cardomain.com/2009/09/09/cardomain-obscure-muscle-car-parking-lot-the-1963-64-studebaker-avanti/comment-page-1/#comment-105939 sarahsmile90 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 03:48:42 +0000 http://blog.cardomain.com/?p=27198#comment-105939 Put it in the museum....this is no muscle car. Put it in the museum….this is no muscle car.

]]> By: satty12 http://blog.cardomain.com/2009/09/09/cardomain-obscure-muscle-car-parking-lot-the-1963-64-studebaker-avanti/comment-page-1/#comment-105938 satty12 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 02:11:27 +0000 http://blog.cardomain.com/?p=27198#comment-105938 Ugly as hell and weird looking but hey studebakers were known for there non traditional looks but mated with the paxton i will say yes it has every thing else a muscle car has. Ugly as hell and weird looking but hey studebakers were known for there non traditional looks but mated with the paxton i will say yes it has every thing else a muscle car has.

]]> By: 88eurotrash http://blog.cardomain.com/2009/09/09/cardomain-obscure-muscle-car-parking-lot-the-1963-64-studebaker-avanti/comment-page-1/#comment-105937 88eurotrash Thu, 10 Sep 2009 01:59:04 +0000 http://blog.cardomain.com/?p=27198#comment-105937 I can see the glass body and a v8 being something it has in common with the corvette buts that's about it. look for an Avante coming soon in the events section, It was seen at the Untouchables Car Show (soon to be posted live) the outside is all Stude but under the hood was all Vette I can see the glass body and a v8 being something it has in common with the corvette buts that’s about it. look for an Avante coming soon in the events section, It was seen at the Untouchables Car Show (soon to be posted live) the outside is all Stude but under the hood was all Vette

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