Avanti

On the way to the Blue Room to see the woman I adore take the mic, I spotted this neat old sports car.




I asked, Is that an old Camaro? as I passed. I didn't really think so, but the way car companies work, I figured I'd find out it was a variant on the Olds Gran Torino I hadn't seen before or maybe Buick's answer to it.



It's a Studebaker. The long defunct company mainly associated with stodgy sedans tried, apparently, in its death throes to rival the Corvette, and George, the owner of his masterpiece of restoration, told me they mainly succeeded in match the 'Vette on price.

Like a really fast Edsel, I guess the Avanti was too little and too late to save Studebaker from the fate of Linotype.



George sure loves them, though, and he has two beautiful Corvettes, an antique truck and what I suspect is his next project under a tarpaulin, all vying for his love. Yet the Avanti, I can tell, has a special place in his heart.




A special place for me, too, because I enjoyed scoping it out, would even get a kick out of driving it, I'm sure, but I'm happy to let George pay the taxes and upkeep on the beast.