Ron Ellerbe R4553 was here in SoCal from new until around 1991 when it disappeared in the Pacific Northwest. I showed as a modified until I sold it in 1975. I bought the car for $2100 from Jim Reynolds, Orange, CA in 1971. Jim was thought to be the fifth owner. The car was originally a R2 Powershift and had a '64 style interior in black. At the time I bought it the paint was an awful dark green and the engine, an R2 that had been upgraded to R3 (not a B engine) with heads, etc., suffering from the effects of overheating and a water pump failure. The body was very straight and the interior was intact. The car had a 4.09 rear end. After three years of cooling system struggles, I discovered that the water manifold had a pinhole leak that only blew at high pressure. A new manifold solved the problem. I got high compliments for the car, especially the engine compartment. Over four years, I spent several hundred hours and $2K to bring make the car fast and show presentable. Electrical systems were a challenge and the car rode as hard as a buckboard. The color was changed to a very sharp 72 Caddy Balmoral Green. I never did figure out what the factory color was. No pretense at factory originality as too much had been changed my the previous owners. That was my last Studebaker. I sold the car to a 55-57 T-Bird collector from Huntington Beach. That guy got a lot more car than any T-Bird in the Avanti. I last saw the car at an AOA meet in San Diego in 1977. A new owner yet again. I have learned that the car belonged to Jean Richter through the 80's and was sold again to a doctor from somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. John Metzker knew of its travels thru the early 90's and worked on it for Jean. I've lost track of it since. R4553 does not show up on any Avanti registries/rosters and never has. The car must have had at least 10 owners. May 2008