// -- end hiding. I also wonder what Ms Bavier might be driving if she were alive today. General Studebaker-Specific Discussion; If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. A Hummer might be big and sturdy enough, and surprisingly, the fuel mileage isn’t any worse than many cars in the 1950s got. today = new Date(); She bequeathed her money to various organizations within the town that was her home for her last 17 years. .comical, .comical TD Tired of the relentless fanfare, Bavier spent her retirement as a recluse, leaving 15 cats and no heirs when she died on December 6, 1989, eight days before her 87th birthday. And more info: After Andy Griffith moved on and the show morphed into “Mayberry, R.F.D.,” with the Aunt Bee character the only original cast member left, she had a bit more power. I wonder where that car is today, and if it’s still in the condition it was in 1989. 289 cubic inches, supercharged, 3 speed on the floor, runs and drives great.” The 3 speed wouldn’t bother a “car aunt,” it’s got a powerful engine, certainly enough hauling room for her needs, and best of all, it’s her favorite brand. }--> There’s a 1939 Willys, which might be quirky enough, but it now has a fiberglass body. Frances Elizabeth Bavier (December 14, 1902 – December 6, 1989) was an American stage and television actress. So, it’s pretty obvious that Andy Griffith and Don Knotts weren’t “car guys,” but the series did feature one unexpected “car gal.” Or to be precise, perhaps “car aunt” would be a more appropriate term. It’s hard to believe no one caught the error, especially with all the publicity over the hundreds of millions of dollars Ford supposedly lost on the Edsel experiment, which ended shortly before the debut of the show. After her death in 1989, the car was discovered with four flat tires and an interior destroyed by her cats. You will have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. Aunt Bea's 1966 Studebaker Daytona. 1966 was also the final year for Studebaker. The personal car of actress Frances Bavier, who portrayed the Aunt Beatrice of Sheriff Andy Taylor in television's Andy Griffith Show. Frances Baviers first introduction to the real South came in 1962 when she went to Duke Hospital to undergo the infamous rice diet. This 1966 Studebaker Daytona was Frances Bavier's last car. When an episode of “R.F.D.” called for Aunt Bee to drive, Bavier refused to do it unless she could drive her own car. Posted in Nowhere Road. Aunt Bee logged more Mayberry years (ten) than any other character. The most sought after piece, was her 1966 Studebaker Daytona, a green, two door sedan with four flat tires and a dented fender. The last car she bought was a 1966 model, the last model year for the make, made in … background-color:#eee8cd; font-size:12pt; Having used her fame in life to support many charities, in death, she did no less. // -- original script made by A1javascripts.com, modified by Steven Cass at Dangerwebs.com, please keep these credits when using this script Americas Treasured Aunt Bee Lives on in our Hearts! Miss Bavier bought it new in California during her residence there in the role of "Aunt Bea.". At an estate auction, someone paid $20,000 for it, claiming he wouldn’t touch it. { The car was purchased at auction in 1990 and now resides at the Denton Farm Park in denton, NC. color:#2266aa; It got world attention. Since 1966 was Studebaker’s last year of vehicle production, the Daytona was Bavier’s last new car, which she owned for the rest of her life. }-->