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Ron, I'm sorta surprised You aren't getting a response or answers on this topic. There is a Re-apolstery shop in Canton N.C.,, for Automotive stuff. He does seats but not things like door skins. Your seats weren't too bad for using as a starting point. It might just be a place to check out. The shop is a fenced in lot on the west side of Canton....where the road splits at the traffic light. He has a Attack Poodle like mine (will lick your leg off.).

Two weeks ago I ordered the hose fitting from Myer's Studebaker Parts, and it was delivered on May 4. I installed it Friday evening May 10 and had a successful test drive. The problem has been fixed. Thank you for everyone's comments and information.

I recently purchased a 1963 R1 in running/driving condition, but it could be doing better. Can anyone recommend an experienced Avanti (or Studebaker) mechanic in central North Carolina? Brakes need attention as a first priority. Many thanks. Tom

You mention that idea and instantly this article came to mind. I read this the day it hit my mailbox. "From each pipe, it's pulled into separate 80mm mass-air-flow sensors and then into a belt-driven Garrett 2.1-liter supercharger. (The supercharger has an electro-hydraulic clutch activated by a console-mounted on/off switch to maximize fuel economy when you're not out to feed on Ferraris.)" - https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/ford-super-stallion/ Of course, I read that then and threw that idea into the back of my mind. A supercharger belt on a clutched pulley would be an interesting feature, a little bit like a bottle of nitrous you don't need to refill. It's an interesting idea for sure and I want to drive my Avanti GT tribute … a LOT. A fuel saving mode would make sense for my long haul drives. I've also had the thought of incorporating a "track key" like some cars have had. A couple keys, one with an economical fuel map and a 4500 RPM rev limit (handy for any valet purposes too) and one that hits with all the available horses through the whole rev range. --------- Edit beneath--------- I had to take an Internet gander at the A/C compressor you mentioned. Best I can find is it's known as [RV-2 or RV2] and "What makes it cool is that the internals resemble a mini-version of a V-twin motor." - www.originalair.com It sounds like you could be spinning your engine north of 6000 RPM, suddenly decide you'd like to engage that pulley, and it'd take the abuse while smiling and winking at you. "She's a brick, da na na, HOUSE! Da na na! She's mighty-mighty …"

I’ll probably never try it, but have wondered for quite some time if a dual groove mid seventies Chrysler-type air conditioning compressor clutch assy. could be adapted to the front of a Paxton supercharger …. allowing the owner of an Avanti to operate the supercharger at his discretion. by simply flicking a 12V electrical toggle switch.

Superchargers have come a long way since then. Having said that, I do marvel at the WWII birds that used artificial aspiration to make >1,000 horses at altitude. Thanks to the advances in pressurizing, today's kids build their car with boo-coo horsepower … right before #3 con. rod. requests fresh air and vents the block, and piston #4 exits the building. I have a desire to recreate RS1021 but I'll take a couple finagle factors. When it comes to the question of "To Paxton or not to Paxton" that's a tough one. Vortech / Paxton is a good and viable option today. There is TorqStorm. They designed an impeller to start generating meaningful boost at a lower RPM. There is Rotrex. Those Danes make different sized options, engine size and power goals dependent. There is ProCharger. Oh, yeah. ProCharger makes excellent superchargers. Powerdyne was an option but went under. Used options are available though. And those are just centrifugal companies.

Yes, that is the normal reality.

I agree, in a ''perfect sellers" world, we would all like to see a project car go to someone able (financially physically, etc) to bring the car back to it's original glory. But the reality is, as sellers, we just want to get cashed out and don't have the option so much to choose a Buyer.

R-2520?

It may seem like old technology today, but Robert Paxton McCulloch’s superchargers, designed in the very early fifties, seem (to me) to be engineering marvels! Especially the earlier sliding input pulley versions ….. there’s an awful lot going on there in a very compact package! Just the idea of a ‘clockable’ scroll housing, enabling his superchargers to be used on many different applications, seems like a stroke of genius!

Well said!

Git er Done, Ron.!!

If I was in your position I’d be looking for someone young, energetic, capable of doing the work and capable financially who really wanted the car. Look for that person who is mature enough that won’t dismantle the car and quit. If I found that right person I would give him/her any break I could just to see it alive again.

Whereabouts on the East coast? The state would be close enough. --Dwight (in Virginia)

That kind of sums it up. I know the '87's have a different chassis, and *largely*/ the same body, but are the seat mounts the same? Are any mods needed to use them?

I'm going to cross this over to the trivia forum, since you've been the only answer so far.

J12YC has Copper core. I believe current plug is RJ12YC. if you use resistor plugs do not use resistance wires.

I took some time today for a deeper look into this. I don't see a reason that some blended bumper cars can't have their front bumper tucked. Am I missing anything? I don't have an answer for cars other than the '83 20th anniversary and the ensuing twins [1984-5]. This might work on other blended bumper Avanti years, though I do not know for certain. The two front bumper bars could be chopped x-inches. The backside of the bumper (where my finger is touching) could be cut out. That allows space for the front lower fender. The filler panel could be cut back x-inches. The rear side portion of the bumper (which would be pushed past the well opening) could be cut to match the wheel well profile. & The top front of the bumper, needs to have some material removed, in front of the fender protrusions, so the bumper could be recessed. I'm all for keeping the overall appearance of the car, and I had a thought about the filler panel. A strategic 1/4-20 stud anchored from below would allow an action cam [GoPro, and the like] mount for recording track days or autocross events. Maybe I need to recreate/reshape that filler panel out of a balsa wood & carbon fiber sandwich?

Keeps getting more complicated - removed Champion J12YC ( C may be a G?) - made in USA. Rock Auto has ACDelco R43S (copper plus at $1.62), Champion 10 (copper plus at $1.78), Motorcraft SP474 (nickel at $3.76), ACDelco 7 (platinum at $3.07), and ACDelco 41833 (double platinum - pricy at $5.68 ea). Quite the variation in "upgraded" plugs. Worth the bucks? See screen print. Thanks to all!

workshop manual specifies J9Y, however, service letter updates this to J12Y with J10Y being one step colder as Dwight states.

Thanks to all!

I agree with the others assessment of this Avanti… I’d only add that round light Studebaker Avanti are somewhat ‘hot’ items right now, and this one may not be all that difficult to put back into at least ‘driveable’ condition…. I’d peg it’s value at 5K with a clean title.

One problem is that it's lacking paper work. Yeah, I'm really hoping the frame and hogtroughs are good enough where that would not be its fate.

A worthwhile restoration project for somebody who wants to do it. Please don't part it out. Although it may be solid, the Frame is rusty and IMHO the hogtroughs are likely to be thinning out. Might I suggest, pumping the tyres, wash it all over, shift it off that block to a more bucolic setting and photograph the daylights out of it- the good as well as the bad. Offer it at a fair price and sell it to somebody on the condition they don't scrap it. Post it at $4500 firm and see how you fare.

Oh, I think I was looking at the original "bard find" thread. Looks great even with the layer of dust! https://aoai.org/forums/topic/43609-i-would-like-to-let-the-avanti-world-know-i-have-a-barn-find-64-that-will-be-going-up-for-auction-in-november-it-is-a-64-r1-and-is-completely-apart-the-auction-will-be-in-hudson-fl-and-will-be-an-online-auction/ That would something I was wondering about. I was presuming that the hog throughs are more often as issue. I don't know how thick they are, but they do sound not that substantial when knocking on it. I don't know how the interior looks in pictures, but seems it would all need to be replaced. Feels like it couldn't be saved.