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RQB3263/81/305 .... GOOD MORNING BEN FROM BILL IN SUNNY FLORIDA ...... I discovered the same situation on 3263 several years ago ... mostly due to gas smell in side car ... I removed the filler tube and cut and welded on a short piece of S/S tube the same OD as the tank tube and replaced the old leaking rubber connector with the correct ID from the local CARQUEST with new clamps ....all problems solved ... sorry no pics or at least I cant find them .....2 hr. job ... !!!

$18.50

@SCPO-PD - I would suggest following the adjustment procedure in the Studebaker Avanti shop manual, and also check that the linkage is assembled correctly. If you can't get it adjusted to work properly, there is another solution. On Avanti II's with the GM Saginaw steering column, there's another Park/Neutral safety switch on the column that can be used. Look under the dash, on the top side of the steering column, right next to where the brake pedal hinges and you'll see a switch with six terminals. From the left, the first two are for the Park/Neutral safety switch, the middle two are for the reverse lights, and the last two on the right are for the seatbelt buzzer, You will of course have to move the wiring over from the switches under the shift lever.

Well done Ron! (The sleek Avanti body had to be quite a challenge for Studebaker engineers… Very little clearance between engine & chassis… and likewise very little clearance up top between engine & hood.)

Rick The ends are solid. No hole for oil flow. The oil for the rocker arms flows from a passage in the head alongside one of the rocker arm / head bolts into the hollow rocker arm shaft. Be sure to remove the shaft end plugs and clean out the shaft. Best to remove the rockers and also clean the lube holes.

I did this same thing this morning to clear the 63R2 oil pan after I installed shorter motor mounts to lower the engine. It wasn't to fix the ram interference with the pulley, it was to prevent the bell crank from rubbing the pan. All it took was 1 standard thickness washer per bolt.

You’re welcome!…..A short money ‘fix’ !!

No idea?

Thanks for that tip, it is exactly what I needed. In response to Michael's question about mounts all is brand new. The oil pan is probably not chevy as it is chrome, likely chinese crap that may be the source of clearance problem.

OK…. The steering center bearing bracket and shaft assy can be lowered 1/8-1/4” into the front crossmember by removing the four bolts retaining it to the crossmember, and installing an equal number of flat washers at the four bolt locations (between the bearing bracket and bottom of crossmember)… then reinstall & tighten the four bolts. Doing this in effect lowers the bell crank arm gaining additional crank pulley clearance on the Studes, and pulley & oil pan clearance on the Chevys ….It’s important though, to be careful not to lower the center bearing bracket to the point where the bell crank arm interferes (or rubs) the front crossmember!

Yes, boot seal, and when I covered that 3 or 4 inch hole in the floor board behind the rear seat, the fume I smelled went away.

Why is a great question. Inferior metal? Bad batch?

Sorry, not #4!

It seems the older and wealthier people become, the more likely they are to complain about insignificant expenses. The motorhome group I was a part of for 10 years was comprised of mostly 70-80 year old couples. Everyone owned a rapidly depreciating $300K coach, yet many would pitch a fit if there wasn’t free coffee available in the morning. It’s the same here where people have the means to purchase vintage vehicles and then complain about a membership fee.

My guess is number 4

Yes you probably have an Avanti ll tank…. The diameter of the tank inlet was reduced when leaded gas was phased out.

the filler tube does not align properly with the tank. the car is a 63 and I believe the tank is a avanti two. The tank tube is smaller in diameter as well.

Probably through the 1” (?) hole provided to drain converter…. But more importantly ‘Why did this happen’?

We no longer want to sit at car shows, bur drive our Avanti around town during weekends and nice days. It gets thumbs up from other drivers, and just last weekend at a traffic light was asked if I made it in my garage from a kit? But overall, it is the older folks who seem to know that it is a neat car and not many of them around. I would think having a place to go to for those looking to buy or sell would be a good idea, look forward to seeing how this plays out.

I have a 1969 Avanti II with 350 SBC. There is about 3/8-inch clearance between the bell crank/ arm and the oil pan. What is the condition of your motor mounts? is the rubber deteriorated allowing the engine to drop lower than it should? During restoration I replaced the mounts with ones for a 69 Corvette. Carefully examine the crossmember for any prior collision damage I saw one many years ago that bottomed out into a drainage culvert and dimpled the crossmember in an upward position.

I’m happy that this forum has lasted as long as it has. Once again, it seemed at the time (2014) the plug was going to be pulled on it…. and then the Trivia feature was started… and this forum seemed to come alive! My suggestion would be to get away from the buying and selling and ‘how much is it worth’ banter…. It turns people who really care about these cars off. Avantis have always been a ‘cult’ car. Even when new in ‘63 they didn’t get strong approval from the general public….. Can we really expect a lot more interest from young folks now? Let’s face it, kids today couldn’t care less about cars…. It’s a different world now… and we really can’t do anything about that! I say if you own an Avanti simply enjoy it, drive it, take it to shows, and you’ll probably have the only one there, and show goers will seek YOU out to learn more about your interesting car. Will that result in another Avanti owner down the road? Who knows!…Ed

Your suggestions of how to get younger buyers excited are all good ones and are also being done throughout the country today. The level can be increased by those who care but I'm not sure if it's enough. With that being said, I'm looking at something completely different. The old saying that we can't keep doing the same thing (no matter what the level) and expect different results is always true. I now work part time for an aftermarket Harley parts manufacturer/reseller. Started in 2011 and have the business trendline for the entire business in all markets, through all channels, which I manage, plus social media. And the trend is this, decline, decline, decline since 2017 (with the exception of the Covid spike). Harley and all related businesses are affected. It's the baby boomers, aging out (I'm one of them) and no new young buyers coming in. There are several known reasons for this and a couple that you can point the finger to Harley-Davidson and its culture that caused it. So what is the solution for Harley (and Indian who Polaris Industries recently sold off)? They are going to have to offer a product that the younger generation of bike riders want and provide benefits to those who buy them. The Avanti clubs across the country each put in their share of effort to do various events and functions that benefit their members and families. I'm sure a lot of them go way out of the way to participate in charities and other local events also. Yet with all of this and with the years of experience that AOAI has in promoting the brand, the decline continues. I have mentioned this car sales idea to a couple of AOAI board members who thought it was interesting. I've also shared the need to do what it takes to get a few Influencers on board with the Avanti Automobile and to increase our presence and activities on Facebook and Instagram. These are all untested and will take time and money. I'll front the money for my ideas and if they work, then the investment will be worth it. If not, then it's my loss and no one else can complain. So how does this look from the AOAI Boards perspective? Well at Palm Springs, there were 4 directors who got with me individually during the event and asked me to take over the forums and website. They know that some changes need to happen and are hoping I can make a difference. Lew, who has done a fantastic job over the years with these, plus the outstanding magazine, just doesn't have the time to do this and wants to slow down which I understand. The passing of the torch for both of these is a relief for him and exciting for me. So here we are, a couple of unproven new ideas and we will see if and how they go. I challenge everyone who uses this forum to come up with 1 New idea on how to grow the Avanti business. Let's see who participates!

Not pretty. Priced to sell as a solid body project.

Uncle.

I think you probably need to "read the room" regarding your perception of resistance to change. Rereading the comments posted so far, it doesn't seem to be resistance to change so much as resistance to a less than sterling idea. I manage an international vintage Porsche club and recently did a survey of members ages. No one was younger than 60. As with the Avanti, we all bought our Porsches because they were cars being built that excited us when we were young. Again, relating to the Avanti, we are no longer young and folks who are tend to be more interested in the cars of their automotive formative years, not the Avanti which stirs us. So the question to answer is, "How do we get younger buyers excited about the Avanti?". Get the Avanti out of the garage and into car shows, parades, charity rides, park it in your driveway, cars & coffee, and any other way that gets the car in the public eye and possibly sparks interest in younger buyers who could then become club members.