Special Report: Pebble Beach Concours Welcomes A “New” Studebaker

It may not be a surprise that products from the fabled Studebaker Corporation that span the company’s rich automotive history have appeared in the Pebble Beach Concours. They include several class award winners, such as a 1931 Studebaker Special racer (1st, 2016), a 1932 President Convertible Sedan (1st, 2017), and a 1954 Commander Starliner (2nd, 2018). However, one illustrious member of the company’s product line has been conspicuously absent from the show field. That situation will change in 2026 with the acceptance of a 1964 Avanti R3 as the first of the entire line to compete for Best Of Show.

At left is Studebaker Avanti R3 s/n R5089 which will compete for Best Of Show in 2026. It is seen in 2016 with s/n R5643, the last of nine of the R3 cars and coincidentally the last Avanti produced at the South Bend factory. (Courtesy of Dwight Fitzsimons)

Anyone unfamiliar with the Avanti may question the selection of a car produced in relative quantity (4,643) with the result that examples are seen at car shows around the country in some frequency. In response, the new entrant is an Avanti R3 carrying serial number R-5089, which identifies it as the first of only nine cars included in the total production that were assembled by the factory as R3 models. These were some of the last cars built by Studebaker in their South Bend, Indiana plant before vehicle production ceased there in December 1963. They therefore stand apart from the more plentiful Avanti R1 (2,805) and R2 (1,833) cars as well as the many aftermarket Avanti R3 cars that exist. Power for the original R3 comes from a 304.5 CID Studebaker V8 engine and supercharger comprising a package that provides 400 hp @ 6000 rpm. With this equipment Avanti R3s were capable (with the appropriate final drive ratio) of exceeding 170 mph, which they famously did at Bonneville in 1962-63 under the guiding hand of the Granatelli brothers of STP fame. Currently, they remain the fastest true production cars ever marketed by an American automobile manufacturer.

In addition to its interesting technical features, the history of Avanti R3 5089 starts with delivery to a dealer in Downers Grove, Illinois. It has since been the property of a succession of owners, including one who swapped the car’s Studebaker V8 for a 427 CID General Motors engine that made the car almost undriveable. Fortunately, a later owner located the original engine and reinstalled it in the car. In 2016 the car was beautifully restored by a subsequent owner after a reported 30+ years of storage.

Current owner Dave Kinney is overseeing the preparation of the Avanti to concours-level condition, including its complete conformance to original specifications and configuration. He has been an avid Avanti enthusiast for many years, evidenced by the fact that over time he has reportedly owned at least 100 Avantis since he first acquired a 1963 Avanti R2 years ago. After the latest restoration work is complete, his Avanti will make history in its appearance on the Pebble Beach Concours show field in Class O-2 Postwar Sports Touring.