20k: Not A Studebaker: 2002 Avanti LS1
The Italian word “Avanti” means “go ahead,” “forward” or even “after you” and is an expression you could use when letting someone in a door ahead of you. You could also use it when letting someone else bid first on a hideously odd looking re-bodied Chevy Camaro. This design harkens back to the original 1962-63 fiberglass bodied Studebaker Avanti, which was unique for its time and soldiered on as an independent marque after being orphaned by Studebaker Corporation’s collapse. Find this 2002 Avanti with LS1 power for sale in Miami, FL currently bidding for $20,088 with 2 days to go.
Recently the Avanti name came up in our research, but in relation to the Lister replica design that was started by Chuck Beck and sold to Avanti Motorcar Company. The story doesn’t end there, because in 2006 Michael Kelly, the Avanti CEO, was indicted in a huge real estate ponzi scheme bust, accused of bilking money from seniors and Señores alike. Regardless this Avanti is immediately recognizable as a 4th generation F-body Camaro from its sloping windscreen and highly positive wheel offset. For some reason GM was stuck producing cars with 1950s era wheel-fender gaps for 50 years while the rest of the world figured out how to properly stack-up suspension tolerances and create proper wheel-fender alignment. GM has finally caught on in the past few years, but even the C5 has fender-wheel offset that would make an Japanese economy car owner laugh.
Pop the hood and you’ll find the Camaro LS1 V8, an all-alloy 5.7 liter pushrod engine that puts out 325 horsepower. The Avanti uses a Camaro donor car and as such maintains the original engine, trans, suspension, pretty much everything except fenders, hood, trunk and bumpers.
Inside, the folks at Avanti do a good job trying to convince everyone that this isn’t a Camaro by adding embroidered Avanti logos on the stock Camaro seats, airbag cover, dash, door cards…very convincing…
If you are surprised at the current bidding price, you aren’t alone. However, this is a rare car (production numbers aren’t clear, but less than 100 per year) and the Avanti has generated a small but faithful following. Lastly, this is a very low mile example and looks to be in excellent shape. So…go ahead…it’s yours…
See another F-body based “not a kit car.” email us here: tips@dailyturismo.com
I saw one of these on the road once and thought it was the work of west coast customs or some aftermarket tuner. Now I know! Avanti!
Although the car doesn't look too bad it IS fairly hideous compared to the original.
~ always on Team Studebaker, but this may be the best Avanti, aside from its convertible sibling! it's the LS motor that does it for me.
These things make me so sad! I love the originals, So totally space age and out there. Forget the LS I'll take an original R2 with the Paxton supercharger and the 4 speed.
Looks okay needs a wheel change
I just barfed a little in my mouth looking at this thing…
The gigantic front overhang is absolutely hideous.
Neither fish nor fowl..but a little foul. It reminds me of a shape shifting Camaro that never quite made the complete transition and got stuck in that wiggly place where the cheeks smack back and forth as the time space continuum bends the sheet metal to and fro.
That or a noneties RX7 that needs to go to Jenny Craig.
~ sheet composite, if you please. do you
remember an earlier below-the-bumper radiator intake treatment on an American production car? i do not.
and then there might be that last-model-year debate.
So fugly, it's motivational! It manages to capture everything vulgar about the period Camaro, while getting a nose and tail treatment that is a real 'hommage' to this: powerslacker.com/rdr/vwrr.html
You guys have no souls. An Avanti is always beautiful because it is 'Different by Design'. The rest of the world thinks so, can you count how many times design elements have been copied over the past 50 years. Give credit where it is due.
The original Avanti had a soul. This "Avanti" has a laugh track.
This is simply a Camaro in drag, not an Avanti.
Who gives a flying wedge what any of you think, "fugly", "I threw up"? I hope you like AMC's. Pathetic and juvenile. If I could find an '01 to '07, I'd buy it in a hot minute. Avanti rules, it's been hot for 54 years. How many cars can you say that about, only one other, the Corvette.
Who gives a flying wedge what any of you think, "fugly", "I threw up"? I hope you like AMC's. Pathetic and juvenile. If I could find an '01 to '07, I'd buy it in a hot minute. Avanti rules, it's been hot for 54 years. How many cars can you say that about, only one other, the Corvette.
hee haw – reminds me of that old Far Side cartoon where one of the vultures is wearing the cowboy hat off the skeleton they have just picked clean and he's crowing, "look at me I'm a cowboy, howdy, howdy, howdy!"
anyhoo, the posting is 3 years old – we have matured a lot since then
i've used the time to study ancient languages – i'll translate my above comment into pre-Latin Flatula… pfpfpfpPPPPTTTTpffffpfffffTHTHffftttt
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Kaibeezy with the YUUUGE Trumpian sarcasm! Are you gonna apologize?
well, i did take the other bit down – but all i'm going to say is:
sometimes in the heat of debate and speaking on a multitude of issues, you don't choose the right words or you say the wrong thing – i have done that and believe it or not, i regret it – and i do regret it – particularly where it may have caused personal pain to fake-Avanti aficionados – ok, maybe i don't regret it so much
Three years later, I still wince a bit when looking at the front pics of the Avanti. But, de gustibus non est disputandum….I guess. To put the Avanti lover in perspective — Roseanne Barr got married three different times, to three different guys.