mfg

Over the years I’ve worked on ‘a few’ Studebaker Avantis both R1 and R2. Living here in the rather cold northeast, carburetor choke issues (back when cars had carburetors) were quite common… so I do understand what over choking an engine looks, sounds, and smells like! The only time I’ve had choke issues with those early Carter AFB’s (going back to a 1958 Imperial I maintained) was when a component in the system (as I described previously) was misadjusted or not working properly….. Those carburetors were not designed for and DO NOT NEED a vacuum choke pull off. However, the bottom line here is that it’s your car, your carb, and if you’re happy with the modifications you’ve made… that’s all that really counts. Keep swinging!!!…. Ed

Also…. It’s important that the Carter AFB’s internal vacuum passage is clear and pulling warm intake manifold air up the choke tube and into the choke housing… This is critical on AFB’s for the choke valve to open in a timely fashion! If a Carter AFB carburetor, as used on a Studebaker Avanti, is set up properly, ‘band aids’ such as choke pull offs or electric choke conversions are completely unnecessary.

The idle speed ‘kick up’ is a good idea… Studebaker offered a retrofit kit for Avantis with A/C that accomplished the same thing….. However, the GM choke pull off shouldn’t be necessary if an R2 carb is adjusted and working properly, the intake manifold crossover passage is clear, the correct intake manifold gaskets are installed, and the heat riser valve is in place and working properly.

My ‘85 Avanti has an air filter assy similar to what you describe…It has a standard GM dual snorkel filter housing, which has twin flexible hoses attached, that pass through the L&R inner fender skirts down to holes in the lower valance… which have screens at their front keeping “rocks” out!

Your Avanti is AWESOME!!!!

I’ll bet Nelson Bove may know something about this… Hope he sees this thread!

If nothing else it’s very interesting information! Anyone else out there hear of this ‘64 electric fuel pump option?

I’ve never heard of that option… and I definitely question it. Additional info would be nice about this.

Thanks Nelson…. A factory tilt steering column is a complication I would never add to my ‘63…. If I happened to stumble upon one, I’d definitely pass it on to a ‘64 Avanti owner who felt the need for one…… As I mentioned in another thread under ‘Avanti Parts’, factory Stude Avanti tilt steering columns have much in common with early to mid sixties GM columns (same internals), and it occurred to me that a crafty person may be able to combine the GM tilt column with a standard Stude Avanti column, and create a ‘hybrid’. (or would it be a ‘Frankenstein’ ???)

Ha ha…… PLEASE don’t cut up your beautiful Avanti to find out for sure!!!!

Yes, with the complete Hawk drum brake system which a prior owner had installed, coupled with a stock Stude Avanti brake booster, allowed that Avanti to stop on dime, with light pedal pressure. (11” front drums, 10” rear — all self energizing.)

Sounds good AG-R3…. But I’m thinking your Avanti is s ‘B’ series, with ignition key on column ?

There’s another thread on this forum from someone who wants to find a Stude Avanti ‘tilt’ steering column. This reminds me of an acquaintance who, years ago, purchased a ‘67 Avanti ll just to obtain a tilt column which he removed and installed into his ‘ultra mint’ ‘64 Stude Avanti! The conventional column from his ‘64 went into the Avanti ll…. which he promptly resold!! PS… There’s a YouTube video (My Car Story) featuring this ‘64 Avanti named (something like) ‘64 Studebaker Avanti, supercharged and Turquoise.

Yes… you are definitely on the right track now… Best of luck!! PS…. If anyone simply HAS to have the earlier tilt steering column used by Studebaker, try to find a ‘61-‘66 GM tilt column as used in Buick, Olds, Chev, Pontiac….. I’ll bet a ‘crafty’ person may be able to combine a non- tilt Stude Avanti column with a tilt GM column and create a ‘hybrid’… an interesting project!

If you have a ‘72, and the ignition key is on the column, it’s a generic Saginaw. (Hard to believe steering wheel adapters for that column are hard to find)