See Andy Granatelli at the top of his game, going fast and making headlines, in this 1962 factory film featuring the fabulous Studebaker Avanti at Bonneville.
In August of 1962, Andy Granatelli came to the Bonneville Salt Flats with three new Studebaker Avanti supercharged R3 models and an assignment: Make some exciting headlines for the South Bend-built sports car, introduced at the New York International Auto Show in April, only a few months earlier. And that he did, setting 29 new international speed records for production cars, including a flying kilometer at 168.24 mph and a 10-mile record average of 163.90 mph.
The three Avanti coupes Granatelli brought to the salt reportedly included a practice car, a back-up car, and the actual record car. Some Avanti experts (we’re not the experts by any means) say the red Avanti featured in this short Studebaker film was not the actual record setter, that the car that set the records was gold. If so, it wouldn’t be the first time the PR folks glossed over some details in the effort to tell a good story. But in any case, the film provides a wonderful glimpse of Bonneville in the 1960s, the beautiful Avanti at speed, and Andy Granatelli, 38 when this film was made and at the top of his game. Video below.
The sound track was not a Stude,,they have a exhaust sound more like a flathead Ford. Siamesed exhaust ports do that.
About that exhaust note, like Mac said “ …it wouldn’t be the first time the PR folks glossed over some details.”
What I find amazing is that a car that is 54 years old is more stylish than most anything found in showrooms today.
Great Video!
I wish I owned one of the record setting Avantis but, sadly, I don’t. I do own the ’62 Studebaker E40 truck which was used to pull the trailer load of them to Bonneville. It’s pictured behind the red Avanti in the lead photo and can be seen around 4:45 in the video. Would love to get one of the cars to reunite the old friends.
Own Avanti r1 1963. Got a 1st at Gettysburg. Love the car.