Good morning! For our fourth day of last-minute gift ideas for the hopeless project-car junkie on your list, I’ve got two cars with a historical connection through Studebaker, once the pride of South Bend, Indiana. That’s right; we’re going to dive into a little bit of Midwestern history today, and look at two amazing cars that you almost never see, or even think of.
But first we should finish up with yesterday’s Euro sedans. I honestly didn’t know how this one was going to unfold; I knew my preference, but I didn’t know which one you were all going to want. As it turns out, we were in agreement, and the Peugeot took a comfortable win, almost as comfortable as that blue leather interior is sure to be.
And excellent job with all the Purple Rain references in the comments! That ain’t Lake Minnetonka, indeed. (If you grew up under a rock, or are too young, or, like David, both, there’s a scene from the movie you have to see. I won’t link to it; just Google the phrase “purify yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka.” But don’t do it on your work computer.)
Now, for the short version: Studebaker started in 1852 as a maker of horse-drawn wagons, and began manufacturing automobiles in 1902. James and William Packard began building automobiles in 1899. After decades of triumphs and troubles, the two companies merged in 1954 to form the Studebaker-Packard Corporation. Unfortunately, all this did was transfer Studebaker’s money woes to the solvent but high-end Packard, and drag both companies down. The party ended not with a bang, but a whimper, in 1958 for the Packard marque, and in 1966 for Studebaker.
Studebaker’s halo car, the brilliant Avanti coupe, was the company’s last gasp, and never got the chance to become the Corvette rival it was meant to be. After Studebaker closed its factory in South Bend, Indiana, two enterprising Studebaker dealers, Leo Newman and Nate Altman, bought the factory, tooling, and Avanti trademark and continued Avanti production, using Chevrolet engines. Avantis of some description continued to trickle out of various factories, under various owners, off and on for another four decades.
So, that’s the origin story of our two heroes. Now let’s take a closer look at them.
1955 Packard Patrician – $4,900
Engine/drivetrain: 374 cubic inch overhead valve V8, two-speed automatic, RWD
Location: Redmond, OR
Odometer reading: ad says 100,000, which probably means unknown
Operational status: Runs fine, but needs brakes to be drivable
1955 was a big year for Packard, even if it was to be its last gasp. The flathead straight-8 engine, in production since the 1920s, was finally retired for a new, modern overhead valve V8. Packard’s own Ultramatic two-speed automatic transmission was upgraded and revised for better performance (sadly at the expense of some reliability). And a fresh new exterior design by famed designer Dick Teague brought Packard out of the postwar era and into the Jet Age.
Packards were never inexpensive cars, but this top-of-the-line Patrician was something special indeed. Intended to take on Cadillac and Lincoln, the Patrician was every inch their equal in every aspect except sales – fewer than 10,000 Patricians were built in 1955, making this a rare car. Its 374 cubic inch V8 runs well, according to the seller, but the car needs brake work before it can be driven. Luckily, old Packards have enough of a following that parts shouldn’t be impossible to find.
Cosmetically, it looks like a reasonably clean survivor. The upholstery is in good condition, as is a lot of the interior trim, but the carpet and headliner are missing, and some other bits look partially disassembled. You won’t find a carpet kit for this car in the typical mail-order houses – this isn’t some common ’55 Chevy, after all – but a good specialty shop should be able to provide the correct carpet in the correct shade of green, and stitch up a headliner as well.
The three-tone paint is in good shape, but not great. But if it’s original, as I suspect, then a little patina is greatly preferable to stripping it all down and repainting it. All the trim looks intact, except for one hubcap. With a little elbow grease and some brake work, I think this could be a really nice weekend cruiser. And it would certainly stand out among “lesser” 1950s classics at shows.
1982 Avanti II – $5,000
Engine/drivetrain: 305 cubic inch overhead valve V8, four-speed automatic, RWD
Location: Crestline, CA
Odometer reading: 64,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives great, current registration
When production of the Avanti resumed in 1965, it was christened the “Avanti II,” with no trace of the Studebaker name attached. Leftover Studebaker chassis were used originally, along with Chevy Corvette 327 cubic inch small-block V8 engines. Power levels went up and down along with the rest of the automotive industry over the next decade or two. By the time this 1982 model was built, power came from a rather weak-sauce 305 V8, backed by a TH700R4 overdrive automatic.
This Avanti runs and drives well, and is currently registered and smogged. Underpowered or not, the Chevy drivetrain is reliable, and you can get parts for it anywhere. The rest of the chassis is based on the old Studebaker design, which means a live axle on leaf springs in the rear, and upper and lower A-arms in the front, hung on a conventional steel frame. This one has new brakes and exhaust, and is ready to roll.
The Avanti II’s body, like the original Avanti, is fiberglass; this was originally done for cost reasons, since Studebaker could not afford new tooling for a steel body, especially for Raymond Loewy’s complicated design. This one looks like it may have had some collision repair done on the rear, and it needs to be repainted yet. I guess that means you get to pick your own color. The seller says new replacements are included for the front and rear bumpers, and the small chrome grille that fits below the front bumper.
The interior is quite nice, with red leather Recaro seats, a nice Nardi (or knockoff) wood-rimmed steering wheel, and a full complement of power features. It’s not in perfect shape, but it’s nice enough for a driver. And this is probably the cheapest running and driving Avanti you’re likely to find.
And there you have it: two orphans from the remnants of an ill-conceived marriage between two once-great marques. Either one could be a cool and unique toy with a little work, and both are a good solid starting point. So what’ll it be: the last-gasp luxury cruiser from the ’50s, or the continuation model of a stillborn ’60s sports car?
(Image credits: Craigslist sellers)
Raymond Loewy for the win! The Avanti is a beautiful design that was way ahead of its time.
Tough decision. Both seem well-priced and would need some work. The Avanti needs the paint and a different engine, the Packard a bit more. There’s a nice green interior vs. a somewhat outrageous whorehouse red one. Ultimately, I’m going Packard because the name “Patrician” would make me feel like a lord over the little people driving their more common-named cars.
I once got to put out an engine fire in an Avanti but I’ve never had the chance to do so in a Packard, so my vote is for the Patrician.
Man I was ready to go for the Packard without even looking at the Avanti, but that red interior on the way down…. Love it. Still picking Packard.
One car is from one of the most respected automakers in history. The other is a kit car from the 80’s. Not a difficult choice.
Used to call these Gen II Avantis Studefakers.
sometimes the answer is “neither” but today the answer is “both please!”
I’ll take a green interior over a red interior every time. Also, the Packard just looks a lot more solid to me.
I’ve never liked the look of the Avanti so it is a no go against almost anything else. Also an old neighbour had a 1955 Packard Patrician that he had bought in roughly 1962 with a damaged transmission. He completely restored it in retirement and would take us for drives in it. He was truly a man who wanted to learn everything he could and in his mid to late 80s bought an old RX-7 because he had never really worked on a rotary engine.
The Avanti is Loewy’s masterpiece. I’m going with it.
I’ll save the Teague design space in my hypothetical garage for an AMC Javelin.
OMG! I have hanging from a wall in my basement, a Hubcap from a 1955 Packard Patrician (Honest to Gawd) So I’m going to go for the Packard.
This is definitely a “¿Porque no los dos?” kind of day. Love a mid-50s Packard, but voted Avanti in tribute to my dad, who loved them. I’m imagining what it might look like in silver with C4 sawtooths.
“A nice Nardi (or knockoff) wood-rimmed steering wheel”
(Puts on glasses, slides them down nose to peer out from over them)
That, sir, is not a Nardi, it’s a Momo.
Packard. I’d go the other way if the Avanti was a Studebaker, and not the Chevy-powered mishmash.
The Packard is cooler, so I voted for that one.
Packard for sure. Get the brakes sorted, put a matte clear coat on it maybe lite bit of rat rodding and just enjoy. .
I opt for the Avanti, but the one Studebaker I’d really like to have is a Champ pickup.
That’s not a bad deal on the Avanti, the interior needs nothing, the drivetrain is as easy as you can get, it’s a California car, so the hog trough chassis extensions that always rust are probably fine, its maybe one Maaco Ambassador spray job away from being a presentable cruiser (and like a $15,000-$20,000 car when everything’s sorted)
I would say you can’t really go wrong with either. I went Avanti just for the easier time finding parts, and not looking as grungy as the Patrician
The green seats are enough for me to vote for the Packard. That car is a bit rough, but I love the style. It looks like it would look decent with a good cleaning. It could be a very nice car with a little bit of time and money. I need to start searching for unloved classics – $4,900 for a car like this is a bargain.
If the paint and much of the interior is original, I’m going with the Packard. I’m a sucker for survivors.
Oh, I want the Avanti. Love this car. Just awesome looking to me
Initial thought was Avanti because they are just so iconic, but that body work puts me off. Yeah, the Packard looks like an also-ran, but it is pretty darn nice for a survivor and would look great shined up and preserved (not full-blown restored). Both great finds for $5k! Packard for me!
Tough one. Packard is much classier, but the Avanti looks like it only needs a paint job. I went for the ugly Avanti
Avantis have never really done anything for me, and I sure don’t want one in primer. That Packard is lovely though. I’d love to cruise around in that.
Same, I’ve never been a huge fan of the Avanti. The interior on this one looks nice, but the exterior is still the exterior.
Big old Packard for me. Bonus is the green/green color scheme.
Another day I could really use a Both option but I went Avanti.
Agreed. That was a tough one. I chose the Packard simply because it is a bit classier. The Avanti was tempting though because it will be much easier to keep on the road.