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Regnalbob was confused about the ‘DUE CENTO’ Studebaker Avanti….. The Paxton built Due Cento Avanti, mentioned in the latest issue of AOAI Magazine, was fitted with an experimental Studebaker engine referred to as the ‘R5’ and tested on the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1963…. It would be wonderful, in my opinion, to eventually see Greg Cone’s R5 engine reunited with Richard Bennett’s Due Cento Avanti!

Incorrect Bob…. The name of the turquoise Avanti, #9431, is: DUE CENTO THE NEXT GENERATION Nice try…. Keep swinging kid!!!

There are two Due Cento Avantis. The original Due Cento. The Next Generation Due Cento.

Highly unlikely the problem is converter…. If you have the 400 CI engine, the flex plate could have tossed a balance weight, but you would feel that right away just revving the engine in neutral.

A friend suggested the torque convertor could be out of balance. But everything is smooth reving the engine up high. Any thoughts on this?

Absolutely ! Still a tough job but better done than not. I find I have to split the Tubing longditudinally with a hack saw blade in order to remove it... never had much luck pressing 'em out.

RQB3263/81 .... UP DATE .... TRACK BARS REMOVED ....ONE HAD TO HAVE THE BOLT CUT TWICE ON BOTH SIDES DOWN THRU THE RUBBER BUSHING BY THE BACKING PLATE ...REALLY BAD CONDITION .... CLEANED, PRIMED, PAINTED AND NEW RUBBER BUSHINGS PRESSED THRU WITH LOTSA VASELINE ....ALL NEW GRADE 8 HARDWARE....AND TWO NEW STEEL SPACERS ON MONDAY ...... EXPECTING EASY INSTALL ...HAHAHAHAHA THE REAR SHOCKS I REMOVED ARE IN MY OPINION STILL QUITE SERVICEABLE ... AND ARE FREE TO ANYONE WHO WILL COME TO FLORIDA AND PICK THEM UP CALL BILL 386-466-6434 .....

It has been there since I purchased it. Previous owners took the body off the frame to paint and never finished the car after they put the body back on the frame. That's how I got it. A mystery car.

No it was not working since I purchased the car.

Every frame off that I do, I replace the rear shackle bushings in the frame while you can access them.

Like the article on the one and only ‘Due Cento’ Avanti in the latest AOAI Magazine….. Looking forward to the full story, which will be printed in the next issue!

Had a 1967 Impala SS that developed a vibration, my first car. Thought tires/wheel balance, did not fix it. My dad said he thought a U-joint was binding, removed the drive shaft and sure enough the rear joint was dry and locking up, was not loose, but tight. Back then we were able to buy a new joint for about $5.00 and he and I replaced it, vibration was fixed. Might be worth looking at the u-joints.

Did your p/s operate 0K before you did the repairs?

Is the vibration a recent development… or has it been there since you purchased your Avanti?

Not sure for Avanti IIs, but check that engine and transmission mounts are in the correct holes. For Studes, there are 2 sets, 1 for LHD and the other for RHD.

How about driveline angles? I had a similar issue with a 64 4spd and it was due to the spacers missing. here is discussion: https://4xshaft.com/blogs/general-tech-info-articles/driveshaft-angles?srsltid=AfmBOor0wf1cMqW-8ZB44Bme-ZMX7e3iMTewwuTZlsJauargt1YjTgVj

That's the only thing left I can think of. There's a shop about 50 miles from my house that can do it. If that doesn't fix it I don't know what will!

The driveshaft may need balanced.

Sorry for the late reply- its a standard 14 x 20 parallel flow type coil

Sorry, got no notice that there was a reply here and have not been back for a while. I probably do have the switch, or, you can easily repair these old switches because they are made to take apart. Just bend back the tabs, remove the guts, file the corroded contacts, put back togther.

I put the control valve seals in the correct way per the shop manual and turned the adjusting nut the proper turns again per the manual. I checked the orientation of the hoses as well. I even installed a new pump and have circulation. Maybe the power cylinder is not working and just passing fluid in and out? I have no leaks as well. (first time for that after owning 4 cars with the Bendix system!)

I still have a bad vibration from about 35mph on up. I can rev the engine in neutral up to 3,000 rpm and it's smooth as silk. But driving in gear the car vibrates. I put it on jacks and removed the rear tires and it still vibrates running in drive, so it's not tire imbalance. I also replaced the ujoints and the motor mounts and rear transmission mount. I'm baffled!

If somebody have an early Avanti II with 4 speed , i'm interesting about under car transmission pictures 😊 Thanks

The following is taken from Bob Johnstone's Studebaker Resource Website. My understanding was that the Avanti II, ie post 1965, the body was raised about 3" to accommodate the SBC 327. Similarly, I was informed the even the Studebaker R3's, the bodies were raised about 1.5-2 inches to accommodate the R3 supercharger airbox. I can attest to that, my 64R5335 was modified with an R3 type airbox but it rubs against the underside of the hood, the body wasn't shimmed up to accommodate it. I think the R2 airbox is lower in height and so it didn't require shimming. Newman - Altman spent 1965 re-engineering the car for the GM engine, upgraded upholstery and other amenities. There were no official 1965 models. Any cars titles as a 1965 are rare, most are regarded as '66' models. In '65, the R-series engine options under Studebaker also disappeared and the vehicle numbering system went from "R-xxxx' to 'RQA-xxxx'. They adapted the GM 327 Cubic inch/300 HP through a custom bellhousing and coupled it to the existing Powershift (FMX type) transmission. The remainder of the car stayed, as Studebaker had produced it, with the exception of the emblems.< The installation of the new engine required the body to be pivoted upward in front, in order to accomodate its dimensions. This was accomplished by using varying thicknesses of steel shims along the frame mounting points. The resulting, additional, three inch gap between the fender and top of the wheel was remedied by installing filler pieces at the top of the wheel opening. The 327 engine & 2.5" exhaust manifolds into 2.25" exhaust pipes remained throughout 1969 production. It in 1970 the 350/300 was installed and the exhaust manifolds went to 2" with 2" exhaust ( reportedly to be much easier to install ) . Again the 350 was coupled with the original Powershift (FMX) transmission or T-10 four speed. The first 350 equipped Avanti II was RQA0315. Ref.. The first 400 cubic inch engined Avanti was the first 1972 Avanti...RQB1801. That was with a 2-barrel carburetor. The first 400 cubic engine Avanti with a 4-barrel carb was RQB2050 (1974 model year). Ref.. For those that want a trivia point, the "II" in the Avanti II emblem was made from the Lark's V-8 emblem, by cutting off the first 2 characters of the "VIII" - (VIII -> II) Nate Altman and Molded Fiberglass Co (MFG) Page 1 Page 2