07-06-2010 01:53 PM    Bob Bryant

   Bob Bryant 

    Last evening I was at the Ocean Beach State Park for the Monday night event.
 A gentleman walked up and said that he had owned the first Avanti marketed. When 
I asked him about it, he replied he had been the dealer. Being aware that there
 had been more than one dealership in the area, I asked him which one and he 
replied "Lathrop Studebaker in New London."

    Last year I was at Mystic Seaport and saw my first ten cylinder marine
 engine and it was a Lathrop. i don't know if the two businesses were related
 in any way.