Your answer to the puzzler this week was predictable but BOGUS. The Checker Marathon of 74 or later would be easily distinguished form the earlier models by the change in the bumpers and headlights.
The Avanti II was identical from 1965 until 1982. Production levels never achieved the threshold that mandated the changes that Checker and everyone else had to meet. The Avanti II was almost identical to the 1964 Studebaker Avanti, but the II was added to the name and the rake of the vehicle changed. The 63 Studebaker Avanti was the best looking of all of them and the R2 was way ahead of its time.
My answer exactly! And you COULD get the Checker in other colors – Gray, for instance. But Keith you’re absolutely correct – Avantis were virtually indistinguishable throughout their lifespan (except for the interiors which did change a bit).
As I pointed out in an earlier thread, and as the OP mentions in this thread, the non-Studebaker Avanti (the Avanti II) did not have the “rake” that the originals had. Truthfully, I can pick out the difference between models easily, due to this difference.
Then there is the issue of the 5 mph recoverable bumpers, which the Avanti II had to have, just like all other cars by the early-mid '70s. The retrofit for this federally-mandated requirement was…not pretty on the Avanti II (BIG black rubber bumper guards), thus making this later version easily distinguishable from the earlier version. And, then of course, we have the side marker lights that were required by the time of the '70s models.
No matter how you slice and dice it, the Puzzler answer is bogus.
Both the Checker and the Avanti had differences in their appearance from the '60s to the '70s.
While the differences were not in the body itself, the differences were noticeable all the same.
First, I limited my answer to the Avanti II only and second, the Avanti II did not produce enough cars to meet the threshold, so it did not have to have 5mph bumpers, and I’ve never seen one with that until the 82 model when the Studebaker chassis ran out and they switched to a GM platform.
I noticed those bumper steps too… Good thing they are for new and constant innovation for avanti II…