Avanti cars (non-Studebaker)
Encyclopedia
See also Studebaker Avanti
After the closure of Studebaker
's South Bend factory on 20 December 1963, cars bearing the name of its celebrated Avanti
sports coupé continued to be produced by a series of entrepreneurs, initially from left-over Studebaker components and later from General Motors
and Ford
chassis and engines. These replica cars created a following by some enthusiasts and collectors.
engine. This evolved to the 350, the 400 and, finally the 305. All Avanti IIs and their successors were built on left-over Studebaker chassis until 1987.
, who relocated production to Youngstown, Ohio
. His 1987-89 models were based on GM's G-platform
that underpinned the Chevrolet Monte Carlo
.
The company claimed that a second-generation automobile was styled by Tom Kellogg, the youngest member of the original Avanti design team, in the late 1990s. This car was based on GM's "F" platform Camaro/Firebird. Tom Kellogg was fatally injured in a car accident in California on 14 August 2003.
From 2004, Ford
chassis and engines were used. In October 2005 an internet report was published that "Avanti Motors" had "recently announced a new relationship with Ford Motor Company and was planning a big comeback". The new Avantis, very similar in appearance to the Firebird-based cars designed by Kellogg, were to be based on the current-generation Ford Mustang and were available as both coupés and convertibles. An internet report in 2006 said Kelly had sold the company in 1988 and repurchased it in 1999; and that the company had established a new factory at Cancun
, Mexico
, but the company foundered after Kelly was arrested in December 2006 and imprisoned without bail on major fraud counts.
Studebaker Avanti
See also Avanti cars The Studebaker Avanti was a sports coupé built by the Studebaker Corporation at the direction of its president Sherwood Egbert between June 1962 and December 1963...
After the closure of Studebaker
Studebaker
Studebaker Corporation was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 under the name of the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, the company was originally a producer of wagons for farmers, miners, and the...
's South Bend factory on 20 December 1963, cars bearing the name of its celebrated Avanti
Studebaker Avanti
See also Avanti cars The Studebaker Avanti was a sports coupé built by the Studebaker Corporation at the direction of its president Sherwood Egbert between June 1962 and December 1963...
sports coupé continued to be produced by a series of entrepreneurs, initially from left-over Studebaker components and later from General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
and Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
chassis and engines. These replica cars created a following by some enthusiasts and collectors.
Altman and Newman
After Studebaker had ceased production at South Bend, the "Avanti" model name, tooling and plant space were bought by local Studebaker dealers, Nate Altman and Leo Newman, who incorporated as Avanti Motor Corporation and hand-built small numbers of cars. They introduced a slightly modified version of the car in 1965 under the brand name "Avanti II". which initially had a 327-in³ (5.4 L) Chevrolet CorvetteChevrolet Corvette
The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors that has been produced in six generations. The first model, a convertible, was designed by Harley Earl and introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept show car. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car after...
engine. This evolved to the 350, the 400 and, finally the 305. All Avanti IIs and their successors were built on left-over Studebaker chassis until 1987.
| Year | Engine | Power | Wheelbase | length | width | chassis | transmission | instrumentation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 327CID V8 | 300 hp | 109 in (2,769 mm) | 192.5 in (4,890 mm) | 70.4 in (1,788 mm) | Full perimeter with X | 4-speed manual or automatic | Speedometer, Tachometer, Fuel gauge Fuel gauge A fuel gauge is an instrument used to indicate the level of fuel contained in a tank. Commonly used in cars, these may also be used for any tank including underground storage tanks.As used in cars, the gauge consists of two parts:... , Ammeter Ammeter An ammeter is a measuring instrument used to measure the electric current in a circuit. Electric currents are measured in amperes , hence the name. Instruments used to measure smaller currents, in the milliampere or microampere range, are designated as milliammeters or microammeters... , Temp. gauge, Oil Pressure Gauge, Vacuum pressure gauge |
Stephen H. Blake
On October 1, 1982, real-estate developer Stephen H. Blake bought the rights to the Avanti II. The state of Indiana guaranteed $1.9 million in loans to Avanti, as part of the financial package offered Blake when he bought the company. He made modifications to the car, which had remained unchanged since the production of the Avanti II model began in the mid-1960s. Rectangular headlights and modern plastic body-colored bumpers were introduced. He also dropped the "II" in the car's name. All subsequent cars would be simply called the "Avanti". Blake's company declared bankruptcy and he resigned in February 1986.Michael Eugene Kelly
The insolvent company was purchased by Michael KellyMichael Eugene Kelly
Michael Eugene Kelly is the owner of Yucatan Resorts, Resort Holdings International, Puerto Cancun and Avanti Motor Corporation...
, who relocated production to Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
. His 1987-89 models were based on GM's G-platform
GM G platform (RWD)
The General Motors G platform was an automobile platform designation used for mid-sized rear wheel drive cars first from 1969-1972 and again from 1982 to 1988....
that underpinned the Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Chevrolet Monte Carlo
The Chevrolet Monte Carlo was an American-made two-door coupe introduced for model year 1970, and manufactured over six generations through model year 2007. It was marketed as a personal-luxury coupe through most of its history, with the last model version being classified as a full-sized coupe...
.
The company claimed that a second-generation automobile was styled by Tom Kellogg, the youngest member of the original Avanti design team, in the late 1990s. This car was based on GM's "F" platform Camaro/Firebird. Tom Kellogg was fatally injured in a car accident in California on 14 August 2003.
From 2004, Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
chassis and engines were used. In October 2005 an internet report was published that "Avanti Motors" had "recently announced a new relationship with Ford Motor Company and was planning a big comeback". The new Avantis, very similar in appearance to the Firebird-based cars designed by Kellogg, were to be based on the current-generation Ford Mustang and were available as both coupés and convertibles. An internet report in 2006 said Kelly had sold the company in 1988 and repurchased it in 1999; and that the company had established a new factory at Cancun
Cancún
Cancún is a city of international tourism development certified by the UNWTO . Located on the northeast coast of Quintana Roo in southern Mexico, more than 1,700 km from Mexico City, the Project began operations in 1974 as Integrally Planned Center, a pioneer of FONATUR Cancún is a city of...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, but the company foundered after Kelly was arrested in December 2006 and imprisoned without bail on major fraud counts.
Further reading
- The Unlikely Studebaker: Raymond Loewy and the Birth (and Rebirth) of the Avanti at 'Ate up with Motor'
External links
- Avanti Owners Association International homepage Association for owners of both Studebaker and non-Studebaker Avanti cars
- Avanti Motors homepage Link to last known Avanti Company website with pictues of 2007 models