All Activity

Bob Doehler From Studebaker: The Postwar Years

Have a group of Avanti parts for sale to include: 1. Transistorized ignition bank with coil. Recently working and removed from car. (Make Offer) 2. Standard 3 wire alternator, was rebuilt last year, works great, looks clean. Went to a single wire style alternator recently. (NO PIC but can forward). ($150) 3. Surge Tank - Purchased about 3 years ago, looks fantastic but had a slight leak in seam. Should be repaired, too nice a tank to go unused. (Make offer) offer)

You're excused.

The "date-of-assembly" engine serial numbers began with the 1964 model year (not 1963).

Nostalgic is in Wixom Michigan. Would that be drivable for you? He sometimes has cars for sale.

No other thoughts here?

This is from 1979 or 1980 at the meet held at the Playboy Resort in Great Gorge, NJ.

On some of these cars you have to be careful when getting the correct alternator...sometimes the way the alternator case is clocked can put a connecting post or cable in a wrong position. Just because the car underneath might be a Caprice doesn't mean the Avanti hood line won't create a clearance issue. By all means get a different alternator if you want..just make sure of its mounting position before buying.

Caprice

Are you telling them that you have an Avanti or a Chevrolet Caprice? If it works with a Caprice, then it'll work on your Avanti.

If you’re fortunate, there may be an Avanti enthusiast near your future ‘find’ that’s willing to evaluate the car for you.

Available on 6 cyl.

Can I go home now??

After replacing the 305 with a 350, the old alternator looks terrible. I want to replace with a chrome unit but cant find the right fit. Jegs has a Powermaster , chrome with 140 Amps, but wont guarantee fit. Does our original have a 130 case. My part # is 321-383 10463092 with 105 amp, would like more Amps and in chrome. I have the tag on old alternator with part numbers and such. But Jegs say they cant cross reference My numbers to theres. What have you done?

If an upholstery shop isn’t interested in something as basic as that job…I wouldn’t want them as my upholsterer. Find someone who wants your business.

Nice! My '69 looks alike:

Mercedes is generally mentioned as the manufacturer of Avanti latches. But, that's incorrect. The company during the early Avanti years was called Daimler Benz. Mercedes is the end product, not the company. The name of the company from 1926 to 1998 was Daimler Benz. Named after Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz. It then became Daimler Chrysler and is currently named Mercedes-Benz Group AG. Mercedes was the name of the daughter of a driver who raced Daimler cars in the early 1900s. And so ends the automotive history lesson for May 9, 2026.

Why?

Many old time Studebaker owners did prefer the 3 speed o/d trans over the ‘straight’ 3 speed, or even the four speed. (Myself included) However, the T-86 was certainly less robust than the four speed, and the non- Syncro first gear was nothing to brag about!

How far away is the next closest upholstery shop? It shouldn't be a big ordeal for a shop. I had my '63 seat cushions done a few months ago when I had new upholstery installed.

I also would have said Mercedes…Dwight is ‘deep’ indeed!

Correct!!! That certainly goes deeper than the answer I had in mind. I was looking for the name of the automobile manufacturer that used the same latching system on their cars. Dwight, great show of trivial Avanti knowledge, take the rest of the day off. 😎

Actually, this statement is false!

Sorry Dwight, it wasn’t Mr. Doehler