For decades, rumors circulated through the Avanti community about a planned "Roman Numeral III" emblem designed to mark the transition to the 1970 model year. In this historical deep-dive, Dan Booth finally solves the mystery using original factory blueprints discovered in the Nostalgic Motor Cars archives.

Have you noticed a series of unusual holes drilled into the inner fenders of your 1970s Avanti? Often called "Bird House Holes," these were a unique factory attempt by Avanti Motors to lower under-hood temperatures. In this article, Dan Booth explores the history of this design—from the early "progressive" hole sizes to the standardized four-hole pattern used after 1973.