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Missing R3!


mfg

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The last few Studebaker Avanti R3 engines assembled at Paxton Products might be missing some of the 'normal' R3-type components.....What were the (possibly) missing R3 components?

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I don't know about how many R3 specific parts weren't there but some of the last R3 engines were shipped with R2 heads.  There may have been some cast iron intakes as well in place of the aluminum R3 intakes.

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Gunslinger----Packard V8.....Gunny 'nailed it' with the possibility a few late R3's got out the door with R2 heads and intake manifolds installed!:)...............

Not sure about they're lacking the R3 type 'floating' rods.:huh:

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A side note.........The Stude V8 engine in '63 Avanti 63R1025 is an early 'A' model 299 C.I. R3

The engine started life as a 289 C.I. R2, and the R2 style heads on that engine were indeed reworked by the Granatellis..........63R1025 was used in the early HOT ROD MAGAZINE road test, and was indeed very quick!......car is now in Maine.

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6 hours ago, scottgriggs said:

Not much of an R3 without upgraded heads...

Someone once estimated there are three times as many 427" 425hp Corvettes extant than Chevrolet ever built.  We know from shows, sales and wannabees there are more than three times as many R3 Studes out there.  How many have the correct components, only a competent disassembly will know.  

At a recent show, I walked by an R1 Avanti with an R3 airbox and hose on it; no supercharger in sight, but a passerby read the "R3" on the air box and gave a great dissertation about what a rare and valuable Avanti this was.

jack vines

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Longtime since I've been here and even looked at all the R3/4 data. Comparing old data to some of the latest I had, it seems as though the cutoff region was after B101. My B92 was gone thru by Myers and I have the photograghs showing all R3 specific parts present & accounted for. If I can recall some conversations with Nimesh he was rebuilding B103 at about the same time I was having B92 done. Can't find my specific notes on the phone chat but it seems he was actually casting up a couple of pairs of new R3 iron heads and I seem to recall some talk of issues trying to get custom rods made up. He sent me pics of the B103 rebuild(not  closeups) but the heads were certainly the right chamber shape and had larger valves. If he or his brother are still around they could confirm. B101 appears to be one of Nels R3 Avanti's and it was one I took reference pics of since it was a Granatelli Conversion car. Externally it looked correct, don't know about the internals or if he's gotten around to that one yet. Again he'd know best. In the listings I'm looking at, most of the R3's after those two were loose engines or listed as short blocks or having R2 heads. Interestingly B109 was listed as having R5 dished pistons(more accurately a step down).

After all these years we still don't have a firm grip on the actual hard number of R3's or R4's, but its certainly not a number above 100. At least a verifiable one. How many are left? again its just a guess but I'd go with 50% as my top number. Just too many open lines on the lists that have never been filled in to make me lean towards a higher number, that and the age of the data.

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Quote

conversations with Nimesh . . . Can't find my specific notes on the phone chat but it seems he was actually casting up a couple of pairs of new R3 iron heads 

Yes, I was told the same thing many years ago.  However, a conversation with one of our members here who actually bought the heads will be very enlightening.

jack vines

Edited by PackardV8
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