Willy G. and Studebaker Motor Co.

[bowelder]

Started reading a book I got for Christmas, titled [ Harley Davidson an illustrated guide ] it stated that Willy G. didn't start working for the MoCo until 1963, up until that time he worked for Ford as a designer but also before Harley he worked for a designer by the name of Brooke Stevens who designed the body of the 1962, Studebaker GT Hawk. I wonder if Willy G. had a hand in that design? I had a GT Hawk for a time, strong motor and tranny but the body was prone to rusting.

 

[ol' school]

Studebakers... my Dad was a Studebaker man. Grew up riding in way too many of them. Interesting info 'bout Willy G... ThumbUp

 

[Jack Klarich]

They made heavy duty diesel trucks too, my dad had 1 some had continental gas motors others were 3 or 4 53 Detroit's NTC with a blower

 

[ol' school]

They made heavy duty diesel trucks too, my dad had 1 some had continental gas motors others were 3 or 4 53 Detroit's NTC with a blower

Yup, they were the only U.S. vehicle manufacturer that went from Conestoga wagons and buggys/carriages up to "modern cars and trucks".

 

[bowelder]

I'd love to get my hands on a restorable R2 Avanti

 

[Shimpy]

Yup, they were the only U.S. vehicle manufacturer that went from Conestoga wagons and buggys/carriages up to "modern cars and trucks".

A friend of mine named Studebaker told me the story. Of three brothers 2 of them went into the car business and the third became a farmer and failed trying to grow crops in stony soil. My friend said he is related to the dumb one.

 

[Ozarkryder]

One of my uncles was attracted to the unusual production cars. When we visited him we would beg for a ride in his Avanti. This isn't the actual car, but this is the same color and style:

 

[ol' school]

That is a pic of an Avanti II made from 1964 - 2006 by two Studebaker dealers, Newman and Altman that bought the rights to continue to built the Avanti after Studebaker went bankrupt. They were almost exact copies of the production car Studebaker made except for square headlight surrounds instead of the round ones Studebaker used.

 

[ol' school]

1963 Studebaker Avanti

 

[Ozarkryder]

1963 Studebaker Avanti

Yep, that's the thing - I don't have an actual picture, just found one of the right color on the interwebz. Didn't notice the headlights, but it has been about 50 years since he had it. He also had an affinity for AMC products, as they were different than the Big 3. I remember he had a Gremlin, Marlin and a Pacer. He had a Fireo for a few years before he died in the late 80's. He was a plumber around Detroit, and his work truck was a Corvair van.

 

[Gorilla]

I had a 63 and a 72. The Avanti II had a corvette drive train.

 

[ol' school]

Yep, that's the thing - I don't have an actual picture, just found one of the right color on the interwebz. Didn't notice the headlights, but it has been about 50 years since he had it. He also had an affinity for AMC products, as they were different than the Big 3. I remember he had a Gremlin, Marlin and a Pacer. He had a Fireo for a few years before he died in the late 80's. He was a plumber around Detroit, and his work truck was a Corvair van.

He definitely had an affinity for different automobiles in general! ThumbUp

 

[ol' school]

I had a 63 and a 72. The Avanti II had a corvette drive train.

Yup, the Avanti II's were Corvette powered. Was your '63 a standard R1 289c.i. Stude motor or one of the more hopped up versions?

 

[bowelder]

The Avanti's came in 4 different varieties R1, R2, R3,& R4 the R1 & 2 were 289 ci. the R2 had a Paxton super charger were as the R3 & R4 had 304ci. that were actually 289s bored at the factory. The R3 Also had the Paxton & the R4 had twin 4 barrels, compression ratios varied depending on model. The Grannatelli Bros. of S.T.P and Paxton super charger fame set a world speed record for production cars at the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1963, pushing the Avanti to 195 mph and the GT Super Hawk to 175 no small feat in that day & age. I'm going by memory on the speeds but within a couple of miles an hour.

 

[Ozarkryder]

He definitely had an affinity for different automobiles in general! ThumbUp

Indeed he did! He got the Marlin 4 or 5 years after AMC stopped production. He could have gone with the Javelin or it's AMX version, but those weren't distinctive enough, so the Marlin it was.

 

[Gorilla]

My 63 was a R-1.