After Studebaker ceased domestic car production in 1964 and then quit building cars in Canada in '66, the home town dealerships, Newman & Altman, got hold of the rights to build the Avanti, Larks and even trucks, I think. However, they only proceeded with the Avanti II. The originals were built on modified Lark convertible chassis and I think they kept that basic from through the 1980s. THe original Avanti IIs were powered by Corvette 327s and later received 350s and 400s.
A buddy and I took a tour of the Avanti factory in 1984 when they were still built in part of the original factory. The bodies were molded upstairs, finished and brought downstairs for assembly. At this time they had just received body colored bumpers. There was a new one outside the factory which was stunning. It was platinum-colored with black trim and almost silver colored leather seats.
We also took a tour of the Studebaker National Museum and they let us go in the back unsupervised. Not on formal display was the only car Bendix (of brake and supercharger fame) ever built, a Studebaker school bus, a tracked Weasel and an army 6x6. In the showroom they had a blue Studebaker sedan with less than 6 miles on it, driven straight from the original assembly line to that dealership when it was new. They owned the Packard Predicta show car, which sat in it's own glass case. It had roll up stainless steel t-tops!
Across town at the Discovery Museum a red '64 Sedan was only display. It had only 22 miles on it.
I'm not sure many people today realize or understand what Studebaker meant to South Bend, Indiana. They were in business there from 1852 to 1964. I'm glad I owned one and would like to own another.
