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regnalbob, Thanks for the chart. I always thought my carpet and lower door panels were SALT & PEPPER but now I know that it is Fawn & Black.

Nice '64! Not to belabor the point, but I wouldn't worry about setting up some modification and be concerned as to whether you could undo it in the future, unless you were only doing the modification to see if you liked it. Set the car up as you'd like and go from there. I'd probably try to find some GM transmission Guru, unless you are one, and find a 4 speed with an overdrive with an electric control, if such a setup is available. That way, you might be able to keep the original 4 speed setup inside the car. Sounds like a very interesting project. Again, keep us posted. Good luck!

There is a hole under the gas tank that seems to have no purpose. The partition between the tank and rear seat is sealed with dumdum. Perhaps the dumdum is cracked, brittle or otherwise compromised allowing fumes to enter.

yes I did take them to the repair shop

A couple thoughts: 1) Even back in the day those electromagnet voltage regulators were problematic. The VR in my Avanti was converted to modern electronics by Dave Thibeault in Mass. Highly skilled fellow and very helpful. If your VR turns out to be the problem you might give Dave a call (late AM or late PM). 2) There is a modern alternator that looks more or less like the original and includes the VR. It also bolts right on. The conversion is written up in studebaker-info.com (IIRC). This modern (Japanese) alt. should be much more reliable than the original alt. & VR. --Dwight

Could be a weak battery…. Try a multi meter across the battery terminals with engine running… You should see around 14 volts if alternator is charging.

Did you take them off the car and take them to the place?

It seems like I can get a whiff of exhaust in my car but only when going down the road with the windows down. I’m wondering if the same great aerodynamics that don’t allow any buffeting with the windows down also allow the exhaust to work its way into the cab. Anyone else noticed this? Mike

I would block the hot side and see what happens.

Went ahead and did that. Exhaust manifold itself is around 275-300 degrees, exhaust pipe only a foot away or so is 110. DId they typical vacuum test for restricted exhaust and it showed no problem.

There is a local place here in Idaho that still rebuilds them. They put in new bearings checked it and the voltage regulator

The though about OD has crossed my mind even with the limited miles I've driven it. The Avanti is in the garage next to this one that also came with a 300hp 327. It has been swapped from a 3 on the tree... To a 3 on the tree with a overdrive behind the 3 speed. Making a very rare 6 speed in the column. Id love to do something like that which would be bolt on with minimal mods and could be undone at some point easily.

I have gone through and sealed every hole in the firewall where wires, hoses etc. pass through. I had a muffler shop weld the entire exhaust system and have new manifold gaskets. They could find no leaks. But when I drive, I still smell fumes. I'm baffled. I read somewhere about fumes that can get pulled in somehow from the end of the tail pipes? Does anyone know more about this and how it could get inside the passenger compartment? And most importantly, how to stop it!

Very nice looking car! If you're new to Avanti ownership, welcome! These cars are an absolute joy and get looks, questions, etc., whether driven to a car meet or the grocery store. Check this forum regularly for tips, help, etc. My '66 327/300, originally with the Borg-Warner automatic, has the Holley 4160. Your statement "... as original as I can..." is one thing, comfortable driving for distance is something else. I had the GM 700R4 (automatic) transmission put in which has an overdrive. If I were you, I'd investigate a manual with an overdrive -- 3100rpm at 70mph is a lot noisier, and a lot harder on the nerves, than 2200rpm at 70. Good luck and keep us posted.

The alternator looks to be rebuilt… Trouble could be in the voltage regulator.

Good thought!

Went ahead and checked. Temp at the manifold collector drops from over 300 degrees to 100 or so in front of the muffler.

From RQA0057-RQA0257 Avanti used a Holley carburetor but I don’t have what model Holley. Beginning with RQA0258 Avantis were equipped with a Rochester Quadrajet. Prior to RQA0057 Carter AFB carburetors were used.

I was. thinking the same thing and went out and looked, but very hard to tell from the top. Will jack it up tomorrow and find out. I'm going to start measuring the temp at the manifold and see if somewhere down the line it suddenly changes

I've recently inherited a 1967 4 speed Avanti. A partial restoration was started in the mid 80's but never finished. So it sat on jack stands from about 87 till last August. It's mostly compete but as part of the work done in the 80's, some newer 350 heads, amongst other things, were bolted into the original 327 block. I'm looking to put it back as original as I can so one question I haven't found an exact answer to is the carburator. There seem to be a lot of similar 600 - 650 cfm carbs listed on the Avanti (and Corvette) sites for the 300hp 327. It currently has a Holley 4777 in it which is close, and works for now, but as I gather the parts to put things back closer to original, I'd like to get the 'right' one.

That’s odd!…. It’s usually the driver’s side that runs ‘hotter’ due to the heat riser valve, located in the exhaust system directly under the passenger side exhaust manifold, diverting exhaust through the intake manifold and into the driver’s side exhaust manifold. This would remain true until the valve fully opens and then the exhaust temps basically equalize. Did someone install the heat riser valve on the wrong side? Short of that, there must be a restriction of some sort somewhere in the driver’s side of the exhaust system.

Was he mounting an A/c compressor there ?

My '63 R1 Avanti has distinctly lower pressure from the driver side exhaust pipe - probably a third of the velocity of the passenger side. I checked Youtube and found various ways of checking for exhaust restrictions, including using a thermal imagining camera . Don't have one, but used my trusty laser thermometer instead. The results were rather dramatic: Driver side muffler 104 degrees, can easily hold my hand on it. Passenger side over 300 degrees, hot stove territory. This is a fully rebuilt engine that runs (in my opinion) very strong. What could cause this?

The '63 R1 I inherited from my dad, an electrical engineer for NASA who bought it new, no longer charges the battery. What should be my first step? A tiny bit of background; when I got the car 8 years ago, it ran great. AC blows cold, everything works as it should. Then it sat too long. The horn and interior lights quit working. Otherwise, it still runs beautifully until the battery dies. Now the lack of charging. Could something other than the alternator be the issue? Dad moved the battery to the trunk and put a fake up front. Do people still rebuild alternators, as I saw my dad do for countless other cars and maybe even this one? I'm curious about that Wilson sticker... Paul in Sarasota, FL

Nice car. One of the first things should be to change the fuel line arrangement from the carb to the fuel pump. A rubber fuel hose laying on the block and water manifold is asking for a fire. There should be a metal line all the way except for the 2 inch long rubber pieces on each end of the fuel filter.