1963 Studebaker Avanti

edited by David Barth, 1 March 2009.
Courtesy The Automobile Driving Museum in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Photos were taken in January 2009.

1963 was the first year for the Studebaker Avanti Coupe. Studebaker approached Lowey for an innovative four-passenger sport coupe to bolster sagging sales. It was a magnificently creative project, and the car, made mostly of fiberglas, was hailed for both design and engineering. Studebaker contacted the same company that produced fiberglas bodies for the Chevrolet Corvette. However, due to delays from the subcontractor, Studebaker set up its own fiberglas layup department for production.

Due to delays in delivery, many advance orders for the 1963 model were withdrawn, and only 3,834 units were sold, not nearly enough to cover production costs. Studebaker moved its production to Canada, and finally closed its doors in 1966.

Body Style: Sport Coupe 63R
Factory Price: $4,445
Production: 3,834 units of this model
Weight: 3,140 lbs.
Engine: V-8
Horsepower: 240 at 3,600 rpm
Displacement: 289 cubic inches
Wheelbase: 109 inches
Transmission: Manual, four speed, on the floor
Brakes: 4 wheel hydraulic; front disk brakes