AMT Avanti issue date ?

[Jon Haigwood]

Anyone know the date of issue for the AMT AVANTI 20175-150 ? 

Thanks

[Howard Cohen]

The date may be marked on the box or the instruction sheet or the back of the decals if you have them. 

[Jon Haigwood]

11 minutes ago, Howard Cohen said:

The date may be marked on the box or the instruction sheet or the back of the decals if you have them. 

Not on box . not on instructions , no decals  

[BigTallDad]

1963, according to ebay (there's one for sale)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-1963-AMT-Trophy-Series-Studebaker-AVANTI-3-in-1-Model-Kit-1-25-2064-150-/152823217823

[Jon Haigwood]

I thought it may be an original issue until I found this on google. According to Wiki they didn't make one in 64

[BigTallDad]

The one shown on ebay has the same box art you originally posted.

[MrObsessive]

Stude did make Avantis for '64. One way to spot a '64 is the square headlight bezels as opposed to the '63's round ones like that box art shows. I thought I heard once that those bezels were optional so there might be a number of '64's without 'em, but they were made. That was the end of the line though as Studebaker production had ceased in South Bend, Indiana (late '63?) and moved to Canada, so the '64 model year was a very short one-----at least for Studebaker.

Of course, Avanti's would live on for many years after, but as its own marque and not under Stude.

Edited May 5, 2018 by MrObsessive

[Jon Haigwood]

This kit shows square headlights and round headlights optional 

[Mark]

The kit was first issued in 1965.  Auto World carried every current AMT kit back then, and the Avanti first appeared in the 1965-1/2 catalog.  The Avanti was never an annual kit, it was a Trophy Series kit.

As for the year of the car represented by the kit, it is most accurate as a '63.  It has the long/narrow battery which was changed during '63 to a more conventional one.  The square headlamp bezels were an option for '64, not all '64 cars had them.  No '64 Avantis had the long/narrow battery so, to make a correct '64, some rework will be needed.

  

[Jon Haigwood]

41 minutes ago, Mark said:

The kit was first issued in 1965.  Auto World carried every current AMT kit back then, and the Avanti first appeared in the 1965-1/2 catalog.  The Avanti was never an annual kit, it was a Trophy Series kit.

As for the year of the car represented by the kit, it is most accurate as a '63.  It has the long/narrow battery which was changed during '63 to a more conventional one.  The square headlamp bezels were an option for '64, not all '64 cars had them.  No '64 Avantis had the long/narrow battery so, to make a correct '64, some rework will be needed.

  

Yes it has the long narrow battery. Not sure what direction to go on this , but I may just do a custom such as the one in the pic 

[Mark]

The round headlamp bezels are Studebaker truck units, installed at a different angle from when they were used on trucks.  Most Loewy Associates sketches and mockups for the Avanti used quad headlamps, but Studebaker had a bunch of those truck pieces left over so that's what got used...

[espo]

• My understanding is that the round headlamps came about when production was moved to Canada. It may just be an old wives tail, but that is what I have been told by those who are sure that they know of such things.

[MrObsessive]

David, the Avanti was intro'd in late '62 as a '63 model with those round bezels, and Studebaker didn't close the plant in South Bend, IN until very late the following year when the '64's were in production.

Every '63 Avanti I've ever seen had those round bezels, although that doesn't mean there weren't exceptions as what could have been the case especially in those days. I don't know how true this story is, but the Avanti was originally planned to be introduced as a '62 model in late '61.

Studebaker not being familiar with the production of the fiberglass bodies ran into many quality issues with the pilot models. By the time the car was ready for the public for the next model year............guess what?? Many people were absolutely blown away by Chevy's new for '63 Corvette Stingray and Stude lost a lot of sales due to that.

Just goes to show that sometimes you've got to be in the right place at the right time.

Back in the mid '90's through the mid '00's, I was living above what was once a Studebaker dealer in an apartment. Believe it or not, there was a non running Avanti and a Hawk that sat in the garage below me for the longest time. Not long ago, I got nosy and drove past my old place and decided to take a look. Both cars were gone (the landlord REALLY let the place get run down), and I happened to see the Hawk parked at my old landlord's residence later on. HOPEFULLY that Avanti found a good home and was restored to be in tip-top shape as it richly deserves.

[dodgefever]

22 hours ago, Jon Haigwood said:

I thought it may be an original issue until I found this on google. According to Wiki they didn't make one in 64

That's the atrocious Palmer kit, nothing to do with AMT.

[SSNJim]

18 hours ago, Jon Haigwood said:

Yes it has the long narrow battery. Not sure what direction to go on this , but I may just do a custom such as the one in the pic 

Yep, that really needs to be built.

[Mark]

6 hours ago, espo said:

• My understanding is that the round headlamps came about when production was moved to Canada. It may just be an old wives tail, but that is what I have been told by those who are sure that they know of such things.

Avantis were never built in Canada, nor were GT Hawks or trucks.  When Studebaker ended production in South Bend, the Avanti, GT Hawk, and all trucks were dropped from the line.

[BigTallDad]

On 5/5/2018 at 3:11 PM, Jon Haigwood said:

Anyone know the date of issue for the AMT AVANTI 20175-150 ? 

 

Has your question been answered?

[Jon Haigwood]

Yes Mark answered the initial question. And others added some very helpful and information and insights. And I thank you all. 

[Art Anderson]

21 hours ago, Mark said:

Avantis were never built in Canada, nor were GT Hawks or trucks.  When Studebaker ended production in South Bend, the Avanti, GT Hawk, and all trucks were dropped from the line.

Round headlight bezels denote the '63 Avanti,  which while it was publicly unveiled as the "Honorary Pace Car" for the 1963 Indianapolis 500 Mile race, wasn't ready for that task, so Lark Daytona convertibles were used.  The square headlight bezel was pretty much the only styling change for 1964, and was what Newman & Altman continued with during their production of the Avanti II.  I have a good friend here in Lafayette who as a '63 R-2 Avanti--it still goes like a scalded dog when prodded!

Art

[espo]

32 minutes ago, Art Anderson said:

Round headlight bezels denote the '63 Avanti,  which while it was publicly unveiled as the "Honorary Pace Car" for the 1963 Indianapolis 500 Mile race, wasn't ready for that task, so Lark Daytona convertibles were used.  The square headlight bezel was pretty much the only styling change for 1964, and was what Newman & Altman continued with during their production of the Avanti II.  I have a good friend here in Lafayette who as a '63 R-2 Avanti--it still goes like a scalded dog when prodded!

Art

I stand corrected. the Newman & Altman team later sold the rights to the Avanti to someone in Ohio and the State of Ohio guaranteed some loans to get the car in production. The company then was sold again and I think that was Florida and the new owner was killed in an auto accident. The whole thing went to Mexico and the new owner was busted in a big Ponzi scheme and was put in jail around 2006. Very sad ending.    

[Mark]

The square headlamp bezels were an option for '64.  A few '64 Avantis were built with the round trim pieces.

[BigTallDad]

On 5/5/2018 at 3:11 PM, Jon Haigwood said:

Anyone know the date of issue for the AMT AVANTI 20175-150 ? 

So the original question has been asked and answered...why the additional dialogue?

[Snake45]

2 hours ago, BigTallDad said:

So the original question has been asked and answered...why the additional dialogue?

Apparently, we like talkin' Avantis and don't get the chance to do so all that often. 

[Jon Haigwood]

2 hours ago, BigTallDad said:

So the original question has been asked and answered...why the additional dialogue?

Why not ? The additional dialogue was very informative to me and others.