kramerdad1
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Posts posted by kramerdad1
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the motor I bought was for a 1976 MB. As far as I can tell it fits the MB 126, 300sd,380se,380sec,500se,500sel and probably a lot more. All I did was search for "Mercedes Benz motor" then looked at all the listings for a motor that looked the same as the sky top motor, rectangular, 2 wires, and was not a part of the transmission, in other words it was a stand alone motor. the only thing you need to check is the spacing of the mounting studs or mounting holes , there are two sizes, 2 1/4" and 1 3/4". you need the 1 3/4 motor. I just checked ebay and there are at lelast 10 listed, some as sun roof motors some as moon roof motors but they are all the same motor. unless you find a coupler that has a big end and a small end you'll need to modify the coupler so it will work. the coupler I got with the motor had 2 small ends so it needed to be modified were it connects to the transmission. the tranny shaft is a larger diameter then the couplers opening was so I carefully opened it up a little at a time until it was a tight press fit. mine has been working perfectly and I saved over 350 bucks.
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According to Bob at avanti restorations and dan at nostalgic motors all the calipers and discs were the same up to around 83 or 84. I have two good used rotors (lots of meat left) if you want to buy them.
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the roof motor on my 80 was removed some time in the past., I spents weeks calling dozens of people and suppliers to find a replacement. There was only one , and the seller wants $400.00 !!! I knew the Sky Top used a Bosche motor so I hit ebay looking at listings of Bosche motors and stumbled across a late - 70's early 80's Mercedes Benze roof motor that looked like the one used by sky top. two studs 1 3/4" apart , rectangular body, two leads and get this $29.00! unless you have the original coupler you'll have to make one, which I did using the mercedes coupler, took about 30 minutes and badda bing badda boom , works perectly.
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hi, Im the one who posted the ad on ebay. Ive rebuilt old cars for over 30 years, Im mostly used to the torque boxes on 65 and up mustangs which are truley structural. When I looked as the "hog troughs" the first question I asked was these are just stamped sheet metal not even channeled or boxed , all they look like are body fillers, so how can they be structural? I called Dan at Nostagic Motors for the facts. With over 40 years experience he knows more then any hobbiest thinks they knows about these parts. His reply was simple, most people do not understand the function of the throughs, they are there for side impact protection (which can be replicated with welded tubing running out from the frame and along the body, rather then a 6K replacement) and for a place to mount the roll bar to, otherwise in a rollover the roll bar would go through the bottom of the car.
so, being new to avantis, who am I going to listen to? half-baked hobbiests who think these are "torque boxes" or the man who worked for studebaker and has 40 years experience?
the same is true in the mustang world, a myth is started and no one steps back and says , hey, that doesn't make any sense."
my car has no troughs, it is not sagging, the door open and close just fine.
to add fuel to the fire dan also told me most people are just as wrong about the rear cross member, its job is not strucural or to support the body, its there to protect people in the event of a side impasct ( to keep the rear from accordianing ) and from a rear impact.
so there you go.
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does anyone out there have or know where I can get the electric drive motor for a 1980 Avanti with the Sky Top moon roof with worm gear "poz-e-power" drive? I can use one, working or not. If so please contact me directly at kramerdad1@aol.com, thanks
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just got off the phone with the "god" of avantis, dan booth, who has over 40 years experience and currently owns all the avanti blueprints, paperwork, dies and parts. the expert word on the troughs is that they were used for saftey purposes, not for body flex. the trough was used to support and mount the roll bar and for side impacts, not for any support of the body. Dan explaned that if you rolled a car without troughs the roll bar would go right through the floor and the roof would collapse, in a side impact the troughs protect you from crush injury, these were were very advanced ideas for the early 60's but that seems to explain why they were built the way they were, to support the roll bar, not for the body flexing. using that information Im going to repair the area were the rollbar mounts and run a lenghtwise chanel to do the same thing the troughs did but without all thje drama of installing throughs
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hope I didn't sound like I was going after you, just jaw-jacking about the cost of doing something that doesn't seem to be that necessary. Im interested in your idea about the rear suppoert however, can you post a drawing?
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bob, if I was putting big horsepower in any car Id beef up the frame too, all Im saying is rather then blindly tossing 4-5K into replaceing the troughs because thats what everyone else does, maybe its time to take a fresh look at alternatives (( L or U channels for example) rather then going through everything it takes to replace a part that may not actually need to be replaced by the same exact part that has already proven to be a bad design, especially in light of the cost and work involved.
In any sport a certain tunnel vision sets in, its true on all the other sites you go to, people have something in thier minds and when someone comes along with a fresh look at a resolution the fur flies. Go to any of the other sites, the MG site for example, the dogleg frames on the "B" all rust out, in the same spot, the "fix" was to replace the dogleg with an exact replacement, which in a few years, rusted out again, the debate was a different way to fix the problem. any outsider ( like me, I dont have a MG
who looked at the debate saw the problem for what it was, doing everything that everyone has done in the past and wonder why the problem is still there.I for one am not going to spend 5K recreating the same mistake the factory made, namely installing a part that is guarenteed to fail and takes a huge effort to replace, why would you? if it failed before, it will fail again, why not take a better (different) approach to solving the problem? If you are putting a 400 HP engine in your car its obvious that is not going to hurt its value, would fixing the throughs in a better manner lesson the value of the car if its a better way to do it?
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I admit, Im new to Avantis but not new to restoring classic cars. I have over 40 years experience bringing old classics back to life so I have to ask...why bother? Ive replaced dozens of mustang torque boxes because they were actually structural, as far as I can tell these sheet metal hog troughs are no more then splash shields. Ive read several articles from respected avanti guys who also question the need for all the work needed to replace these parts. The '80 avanti I bought lost its throughs within 10 years of driving in Illinois' salt covered roads and now, 20 something years later the body has no cracks, the doors open and close just fine. Ive looked at replacement troughs and for the life of me I can't see were they add anything that a "L" channel or "U" channel wouldn't do far better and way easier. The Lark frame appears to be more then adaquate in supporting the body. Of course a "purist" would probably recall in horror but why does everyone automatically assume these parts MUST be replaced? Why? Can you actually proove these are structural? Call me crazy but if it aint broke why fix it? all Im going to do is remove the little that's left of the original parts, run a "L" channel front to back paint it and be done with it.
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hi, I tried to do the same thing with my '80. I got as far as removing the chrome bar with the rubber bumpers only to have a butt ugly rectangular mounting brackets left sticking out from the bottom of the car. I took a look at the bracket and it appears to be a part of the frame and not removable (unless I missed something) without cutting it off, so I removed the rubber bumpers and remounted the chrome bar, to my delight it actually looks pretty good and not at all as awfull as it is with the rubber bumpers on it.
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thanks for the information
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Being new to this forum and to Avantis I wanted to thank all of you who have helped me figure out some of the perculiarities of our Avantis. With that said Im now trying to find a wiring diagram (schematic) for my '80 and at the very least the layout of the fuse panel. I can't seem to find these anywhere. I found a '78 fuse panel layout, is this the same as the '80?
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Wayne C., you were correct. I was answering a different post. I am indeed looking for a passenger side complete lift mechanism. My understandiung is they are all the same up to about '84.
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the previous writters have it correct. the door closing lock mech is at the top on the early cars and towards the bottom on later cars, so you can mount the door just not close it. not to mention the key hole being moved from being mounted inside the door handle to below the door handle. I also need a motor for my power moonroof. if anyone knows of a (saddly) avanti II being parted please let me know. thanks, dean 505-414-0617
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its a 63 door, wont fit an '80 thanks though for the information. I did contact dan, he indeed has a complete regulator and motor. a little pricey but it beats having a 2x4 holding the window up.
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I just found out the reason my passenger window does not operate is because someone removed the entire window lift mechanism. does anyone have a line were I can source a compolete lift mech or if I have to a complete door for a 1980? if so please call dean 505-414-0617
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After a detailed examination RQB3108 is 100% 1980. the problem is going to be with illinois mvd. they insist they titled this cas for the first time in 1970 which is impossible but I am dealing with the govt. BTW, does anyone know a good source for parts? turns out the reason thr passenger window wont operate is because the entire window lift is missing. anyone got one for sale?,
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Im in New Mexico so its hard to track prior owners down in Illinoise, plus the MVD system in Illinoise will not give you a title history showing prior owners.
I have in fact contacted the Secretary of States Office and the plot thickens. They actually were able to go all the way back to 1970, they found the original, first time application for this car. according to the State of Illinois this car RBQ3108 was registered for the first time in 1970 as a 1969 Avanti. go figure. they are sending me a copy of the original title application. John Hull thinks this may be a '69 that was refurbished in 1980, but Im stumped. anyone have any information or ideas?
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I want to thank the members for all the replies in regard to my 1969/1980 Avanti RQB3108. This car was Built 8/19/1980 and shipped 10/2/1980 to Stuart Barnett in Park Ridge, Il. I just obtained it from the last owner who lives in Oswego, Ill. Somewhere in the past this car was mis-registered as a 1969. I am hoping that a member, especially someone in Ill might be familiar with this car and shed some light on its history. Its British Racing Green, camel interior and moonroof. dean alexander 505-414-0617. Thanks
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I appreciate in reply, but only the issuing state can change the Title. I guess I should have stated that Im in New Mexico. The seller has agreed to file for a corrected Title but I was hoping that someone may know the history of this car.
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Hi, Im new to Avantis which is probably why I have this problem. I purchased what was supposed to be a 1969 Avanti. I have in hand a title from Illinoise showing a 1969 Avanti VIN RQB3108. I have just discovered ( through the great help of John Hull who supplied the Build Sheet) that this car is actually a 1980. I bought this car out of Oswego, Il, does any one have any knowledge of this car? Its British Racing Green, Camel interior , moon roof. Thanks for any help, dean 505-414-0617 email: kramerdad1@aol.com
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Hi, Im new to Avantis which is probably why I hasve this problem. I purchased what was supposed to be a 1969 Avanti. I have in hand a title from Illinoise showing a 1969 Avanti seriel number RQB3108. I have just discovered ( through the great help of John Hull) that this car is a 1980. I bought this car out of Oswego, Il, does any one have any knowledge of this car? Its British Racing Green, Camel interior , moon roof. Thanks for any help, dean 505-414-0617
inexpensive sky top moonroof motor found!
in 1965-83 Avanti
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you dont have to remove the headliner. there should be a removable panel over the rear seats, when you take that off the motor/transmission will be visable.I'd post a pic of the motor I bought but I haven't figured out how to do it on this website. short of that go to ebay 130709214552, that is what the motor looks like.