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If you feel the source of fuel leak is concealed, I’d pull out the rear seat and fiberglass back plate to reveal fuel tank and it’s connections.

I've got a bit of an emergency on my 1980 Avanti II, so pardon the cross posts elsewhere. I opened the shop today, after over a week of bitterly cold weather and was greeted with a very strong gasoline odor. A quick check shows it is leaking from either the fuel supply or return line, where the steel line attaches to rubber hose and disappears into the body behind the right rear wheel. The fuel lines are different than on Studebaker Avantis, so my workshop manual is of no help. Does the A II have the same loop of rubber up into the sail panel, and is this part of that? How do all of the lines run? Does anyone have a diagram or photos? I'll call Dan Booth if I must, not that he isn't great... he's just very talkative and I want this fixed ASAP. Tomorrow will get to maybe 40, so I can work out there without heat, I hope.

I've got a bit of an emergency on my 1980 Avanti II, so pardon the cross posts elsewhere. I opened the shop today, after over a week of bitterly cold weather and was greeted with a very strong gasoline odor. A quick check shows it is leaking from either the fuel supply or return line, where the steel line attaches to rubber hose and disappears into the body behind the right rear wheel. The fuel lines are different than on Studebaker Avantis, so my workshop manual is of no help. Does the A II have the same loop of rubber up into the sail panel, and is this part of that? How do all of the lines run? Does anyone have a diagram or photos? I'll call Dan Booth if I must, not that he isn't great... he's just very talkative and I want this fixed ASAP. Tomorrow will get to maybe 40, so I can work out there without heat, I hope.

Dear Dwight, according Jim Lime he didn’t received the second booster at Studebaker International. Can you please call him and provide him the tracking number? Many thanks, Paul

John Hull was a principle in Avanti Motors for maybe two years early on...not the entire run until the doors closed. The records he has would be incomplete at best since he left and would have little if any further access to such records.

1997: AVX1 Coupe and AVX2 Convertible Note: AVX2 was the only car built on the Camaro chassis 1998 AVX3 T-Top 2001 AV0001-AV0014 2002 AV0015-AV0037 2003 AV0038-unknown 2004 4 AV00xx Firebird cars located, 2 AV50xx SN95 cars located 2005 AV50xx, 3 SN95 cars located, 8 estimated production 2006 AV4001- 10 cars estimated, 10 located 2007 AV40xx-20 cars estimated, 10 located Several 2007 models were titled as 2006 models towards the end of production so the cars could be sold to the USA during closing so the Avanti VIN series is not sequential.

Glass and stainless frame off a 1981 Avanti II. Rear hinges are rusted and need replacing. Glass and frame are good!

I had the interior redone on my ‘76 4 years ago and replaced all the black belts (acorn vinyl interior) with tan color coordinated belts from Seat Belts Plus for the front and rear seats. The interior shop had to do a minor amount of work to get the front belt retractors to fit in the existing openings but got it handled and everything has been great with the belts.If I remember correctly, the belts were delivered from CA to IL within a week.

I had the 200R4 swapped into my ‘76 RQB-2392 in 2012. I did get the tv cable, shift rods and the shifter plastic shift indicator plate from Nostalgic and gave them to the trans shop that did the work. The swap from the THM400 was pretty trouble free as both transmissions are the same length, no driveshaft adjustment was needed. My engine dropped a little over 1000 rpm’s at 70 mph from the conversion, going from 3000 to 2000 rpm’s.

I just bought the John Hull book, and this may sound trite, but I like the fact that no one seems to know exactly about the production numbers, of the last generation of cars. I find it quite mysterious. I am a bit late for the dance, but candidly admit as a long time Studebaker owner, that this last generation of Avanti's was right in my wheelhouse, I bought a car that was ready to drive and invested much less that I did on the restorations of the 1957 TranStar and the 1962 GT Hawk. I just love reading all your comments, and I am taking notes on information.

Thank you so much. I do understand the process, I have restored six cars in the past two years in Southern California. I am new to the midwest and looking for a good mechanic here, prefer someone with Avanti experience because of the nuances. Terry

To be honest with you Dwight, I think the exposed carb on the R2’s actually look better than sealed in a box… however the ‘boxed’ carb is considerably safer!

I assume that the reason R2s didn't have carb enclosures is that it was cheaper to seal the carb. Plus, accessing the carb is a bit more difficult with the enclosure. But, they impress people so much that a fellow once tried to buy the enclosure on my R3. --Dwight

I’ve always thought that Studebaker should have equipped all their R2 equipped vehicles with a carb pressure box (as all ‘57-‘58 Golden Hawks were equipped) Although current owners carefully maintain the factory pressurized carb, back in the day, when many used these vehicles for everyday transportation and hoods weren’t lifted very often, gasoline leaks were somewhat common!

For mechanical work, find a mechanic who understands old cars in general. Go to a local car show and talk to someone with a 50's car. Anyone who understands 50's cars can understand an Avanti, because underneath, it's basically a '53. And the engine is very similar to early 50's Caddy and Olds motors.

Thanks the gauges say its charging its not on when its running just when shut off and does not go out had to disconect the battery glad car runs when ground cable is removed so I don't think its the alternater.

For some other ideas, here is a link for 81 Camaro. Should be similar for 81 Avanti. https://www.google.com/search?q=check+engine+light+ignition+switch+off+81+camaro&sca_esv=cc0212b912e0ef78&ei=3ql-afOrGfKekvQPiaCbUQ&oq=check+engine+light+ignition+switch+off+81&gs_lp=EhNtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1zZXJwIiljaGVjayBlbmdpbmUgbGlnaHQgaWduaXRpb24gc3dpdGNoIG9mZiA4MSoCCAEyBRAhGKABMgUQIRigATIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABMgUQIRigATIIEAAYgAQYogRIhSdQlgpYsBNwAXgBkAEAmAHcAaABnwSqAQUwLjIuMbgBAcgBAPgBAZgCBKACtQTCAgoQABiwAxjWBBhHwgIFECEYqwLCAgUQIRifBZgDAIgGAZAGCJIHBTEuMi4xoAexErIHBTAuMi4xuAeuBMIHBTAuMS4zyAcMgAgA&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-serp#lfId=ChxjMe

I have seen alternator warning lights come on dimly after ignition switch is off if the diodes are bad. Could the alternator be wired into the check engine light?

The check engine light comes on after you turn the engine off … keys out of ignition switch?

Hi I'm new to the association I have an 81 and my engine light comes on after I turn off the car any ideas. Thanks

One comment: These wheels are made of thinner steel than modern wheels and can be bent by a modern tire mount/dismount machine. I had it happen once. Of course, once they are bent they are ruined. --Dwight

Understood. Thanks for providing photos of the invoices. I had a similar experience with the vendor that sends out the printed invoice. Haven’t ordered from the vendor that uses the hand written one. Both were easy to identify. While I won’t say that I’d never order from either of them, or the other one that sent unacceptable parts, those 3 are now the last 3 that will be given an opportunity to earn my business. As fate would have it, those 3 are the closest to my location in Michigan. However, I’ve received parts in a more timely fashion from Arizona and Florida.

Good point. I would think that one might be able to hang the capscrews with just the heads in the solution, but would have to try it to find out. --Dwight

Dwight, Can you plate just the heads. I don't think you would want to plate the threads. Could cause binding I would think.

Bob. Don't want to bad mouth anyone directly but you have the states correct. When I called about the dried-up crumbling seals, the answer I got was There NOS. just got from a different seller, a pinion seal $90 sealing lip isn't close to orig. one. A rear diff gasket that is so old and shrunk I threw it away, same seller. Just received today from another seller an exhaust set from flange gaskets to hangers and clamps. Can't use the clamps as they won't fit the original hanger holes. The L brackets to the pipes are so thin, I wouldn't even use them and the rubber hangers are so bad, they weren't even cut from the same thickness part of a tire and have cracks in them.