1964 Studebaker Avanti R2

Rare, Restored, Paxton Supercharged Studebaker Avanti R2 in Turquoise Paint

Avanti in Italian means "forward." And boy, did this one go forward — both in design and performance. When Studebaker president Sherwood Egbert called in Raymond Loewy to design a new generation of Studebaker passenger cars, Loewy promised and delivered with a unique sporting coupe of revolutionary design. At the time of its launch, it was the fastest production car in the world, breaking 29 records at Bonneville! Unfortunately, it was a brief shining moment for the memorable 1963-1964 Studebaker Avanti R2 before production and supplier problems shuttered operations. It was a car ahead of its time and why collectors seek it out today.

This particular Avanti R2 is an excellent example of what the factory was capable of and received a high-quality restoration at some point. Showing to be a late-production, numbers-matching car shipped from the factory in October of 1963, it is titled as a 1964 and wears the square headlight bezels defining that year. The P6432 Turquoise paint on the fiberglass body is from the original color pallet but is new since the restoration. The chrome bumpers and stainless trim are in great shape, as is the factory glass. A third brake light has been added for extra safety, as has LED taillights.

Under the reverse-hinged hood hides the secret to its speed records — a supercharged, numbers-matching 289ci V8 (bored to 305ci during the rebuild). One can't miss the beautiful orange belt-driven Paxton R2 model supercharger snaking its way across the top of the engine shoving air into the chrome carburetor hat. This combination was said to produce 290hp in its day, giving it excellent acceleration while still allowing low rpm cruising. The chassis features an independent front suspension with a leaf-spring rear suspension, which works well in combination with the Dana 44 differential (3.73:1 ratio). Paired with a TCI-built GM 200R4 four-speed-overdrive automatic and a custom aluminum driveshaft, it shifts smoothly and effortlessly. Getting the car slowed is a set of power disc brakes on all four corners. One can also note the factory dual exhaust pipes exiting the tail. You won't have any problem driving this car; it gets 18.1mpg on 87-octane fuel!

The interior is dripping with midcentury modern styling, featuring four slim-section vinyl bucket seats with an aircraft-style wraparound wood-veneered control panel. The Avanti Dash features a padded tuck-and-roll stitched vinyl with a neat little feature of a vanity mirror in the glove compartment for your passenger. To not molest the original dash, the previous owner added a Pioneer CD stereo on the passenger side, which can be removed easily for purists. The chrome and stainless center console shows a little age near the Avanti name but still shows well. It has a small but groovy gearshift lever, with air control levers that match the same ball-on-stem theme. The contrasting black carpet really makes the turquoise vinyl pop while drawing your attention to the wood steering wheel and gauge cluster. It is '60s styling at it's best with attention to detail on handles, latches, and levers.

If you are looking for a rare car that stands out in a crowd and stops people in their tracks, this is the car for you. It is a fun driving machine that will set you apart from most everything on the road. Give Art & Speed a call today for more details on this fantastic '64 Studebaker Avanti R2!