YouTube channel Cars And Zebras has posted a video that shows the battle between two classic cars at the Mid Michigan Motorplex. Watch the clip to see a 1970 Buick Skylark take on a 1963 Studebaker Avanti, after three rounds, only one car can come out on top, and it's clear that both cars are up to the challenge.
A Drag Race Between Two Classics
Taking a look at the specs of both cars quickly reveals that it is a pretty fair fight. The Studebaker Avanti R2 features a 289 cubic-inch V8 engine with a supercharger and 6 PSI of boost outputting 289 horsepower and 303 lb-ft of torque. For 1963, a manual transmission was available but the one that's about to race has a 3-speed automatic. At 3,610 lbs, the Avanti is fairly light and is relatively rare in this configuration with only 1,552 Avanti R2s made. The Avanti travels from 0-60 in 8 seconds and had a fairly high base price of $4,370 when new, which was more than a base model Corvette at the time; in 2022 dollars, the Avanti would cost over $44,000.
The Buick has a high performance 350, the same one offered in the GS, outputting 315 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque and with mods, the Skylark could be more powerful. Like the Studebaker, the Skylark also has a 3-speed automatic. The Skylark is slightly lighter than the Buick GS of the time, weighing in at 3,724 lbs, giving the weight advantage to the Avanti.
Taking Off The Line
From the start, screeching tires make it obvious both cars are ready to move. In round one, the Skylark takes off to an immediate lead and manages to stay ahead of the Avanti virtually the entire stretch returning a time of 13.7 seconds with a top speed of 100.15, besting the Avanti's 15.8 second time and top speed of 89.8 mph. In round two, the cars start off more closely and the Studebaker eventually overtakes the Skylark, returning a time of 14.09 seconds and 100.64 mph, slightly faster than the Skylark's 14.13 seconds and 98.04 mph. In this race, the Avanti's supercharger shows its advantage, with the ability to defeat the Skylark despite trailing it midway down.
In the third and final bout, the Skylark takes an early lead but the Avanti quickly lessens the gap between the two. The Skylark ultimately finishes faster with a 13.81 second time and 99.66 mph against the Studebaker's 14.10 second time and 100.43 mph top speed; however, the Skylark had a red light for the front tires crossing the starting line before the light turned green to begin, giving the Studebaker an automatic win.