Summary

A magazine dubbed the Studebaker Avanti, America's most wanted automobile with R-3 motor, automatic transmission, power disc brakes, sway bars front and rear, roll bar and Viper glass body. R-3 Avanti held over 20 American speed records at Bonneville.

Details

The 1963 Studebaker Model X or Avanti as it eventually called was a car ahead if its time. Ingrained in its design was the shape of many cars yet to be built, drawn from the talents of renowned industrial designer Raymond Lowery. It was the first American car, mass produced, to have front disc brakes. The body was made of fiberglass. Safety features included an overhead vinyl covered roll-bar, door re-enforcements, and door locks designed with a stainless steel pin and lock system to achieve a positive lock. The suspension had front and rear sway bars. Remarkably, the Studebaker designers and engineers got together from the conception to production, had the first Avanti built is less than six months at one-tenth the cost of a normal Detroit built automobile. This highly customized Avanti has an R-3 engine which produces well over 500hp, a 4-barrel carburetor with a Paxton Supercharger and an automatic transmission. This red beauty has been reupholstered in tan and white suede with 24-karat gold door handles. The underside if the Avanti is painted Candy Apple Red to match the rest of the car and is accented with orange and gold leaf pinstriping. The frame is painted Black Imron and the rear axle is chrome with a 24-karat gold center section. The oil pan and transmission pan are also finished in 24-karat gold and chrome. The engine compartment is truly something special. It is also in 24-karat gold and chrome. The exhaust system is polished stainless steel. On the performance side, once the Granatelli Brothers were finished with the 304ci R3 motor, the Avanti set 20 speed records. Among them was the 4-speed transmission record of 172 mph and the automatic transmission speed record of 168 mph. This Avanti was the highlight car for Hot Rod magazine, appearing on the cover of August 1981 edition and won Best Custom show car at the World of Wheels.