Geoff

The five most expensive words in automotive maintenance are, "While you are in there." If I recall correctly, people in the Avanti circle have found some FoMoCo models with aluminum driveshafts fit with a little massaging: Lincoln Mark VIII ['93 - '98] Police (P71) Crown Victoria ['93 - '11] Panther platform Mercury Marauder ['03-'04]

Ha ha. I read this and my brain went to a Vinwiki video. It's one of the regular guests talking about Penske & Donohue during their SCCA Trans-Am years; the 20+ foot high tower of gasoline which filled Donohue's 30 gal. fuel tank in under four seconds. https://youtu.be/EC5KYwxvqjs?si=M_-t2YVvBuqpuJJj The whole video is excellent, the fuel bit starts at 10:02

I know factually the reverse lights and trunk access panel having been removed was a way to reduce air pressure inside the rear of the car. Fans of Avanti know that built up air pressure wants to blow out the rear window. Airflow under, around, and behind the car worked to suck out interior air from the holes where the reverse lights were. I'm in the dark when it comes to the clear tube and black rubber hose aspects without knowing specifically where everything was aimed. They could have been trying to get cool air to blow on the differential and/or rear brakes for all we know. The black rubber hose looping: would that be a way to "artificially" add force? On the same wavelength as the winged Mopars' spoilers. They weren't built that high to clear the trunk, that's the "plausible deniability" explanation.

I've visited Las Vegas a handful of times over the last eight years. I managed to hit up the Shelby museum a couple times because I wanted photos of the radiator isolation box and A-pillar fences/strakes on the Daytona Coupe. Anyway, here's one of the two blowers (other visible in background) on the remaining Cobra made as described in Bill Cosby's "200 MPH" comedic routine. Visible if you zoom in, "Manufactured by Paxton Products a div. of Studebaker Corp. Exclusively for Shelby American Inc."

Affirmative. With a black crinkle paint finish on the lid.

The crappy thing is, if you want to get a new one today it looks like this: https://vortechsuperchargers.com/products/vortech-maxflow-carburetor-enclosure-box-assembly?variant=35229934986 because Vortech and Paxton merged. With laser scanning and modern practices like 3D printing, Vortech/Paxton should be able to make repro's of the better looking original ones.

I sure can. I'm in the northeast US and only have a driveway available so maybe by late March but more likely mid-April is when I'll return to my project. She's got a nice heavy duty outdoor car cover on her now. Ultimately I'm going to remove the factory inbuilt moonroof and find another car's spoiler moonroof to install. The spoiler type vent at rear (as do many) and slide open but the panel slides above the roof. I was advised by ASC sunroofs & leather interior this change could give as much as 1.5" additional headroom. I kinda like the notion of that.

This is an interesting subject for me to follow for future reference (a handful of years down the road), though in the immediate future (Spring '25) I actually want to separate my moonroof frame from the roof panel. How best shall I go about performing said operation? I have no headliner, that step is clear. I see what appears to be putty clumps at the seam. Shall I grind those with a rotary tool, or oscillating multi-tool?

Jeebus! I could possibly shave 18 pounds off the car right there if I was to replace my two with an option from the plastics family. Plus maybe drop another pound or three by replacing the front vent wings and the rear vents. I just removed my doors to work on them in my basement over the winter, gahd zooks were they heavy. I love me some Colin Chapman philosophy, "Simplify, then add lightness." I already have the idea to replace my radiator's frame and the steel bumper beams with units made from billet aluminum, or carbon fiber.

Let's shoot in the dark, 2) fifteen pounds.

If we add a sprinkle of the Granatelli's work to the mix, I have a photo showing 70.4 (even bank) stamped on an early R2 --> R3 development car. The odd bank was stamped 70.6 (but I didn't photograph that one). That would be a drop in CR (9.7 & 9.676 to 1 respectively). This done in order to increase boost of course. Factory 289 (3 9/16" bore & 3 5/8" stroke) cylinder swept volumes: 36.1333009 cubic inches 592.1187 cubic centimeters A 58 cc combustion chamber equates 10.21 : 1

Oh, for sure! It could've been an evolution of the Flex or Taurus, or Escort/Focus. Borrow an old Mercury name and call it the Lynx. It is most definitely not a Mustang.

mfg is referring to the Mustang Mach-E. And yes, it's a disgrace to the nameplate. Some people bring up the Mitsubishi Eclipse, when discussing the Mach-E, as the Eclipse too went the way of the crossover body style. Mach-E, yuck!!

Let's flip a coin for the remaining two and select "3) eleven" LSC cars made for 1987.

I also haven't answered this. Maybe it's time I should. So yes, the Avanti is awesome. I even like the "fat lip" cars, the LSC, the 4-door, and convertibles. I'm no fan of the "cow catcher" but those are easily removed and the supports repurposed. I like: Champ pickup. I'd love to get a basket case early year Lark Wagonaire and a later junked Champ long bed, in order to build a quad cab long bed Champ pickup. Studebaker 289 powered and artificially huffed, of course. Some of the Lark lineup. I love the Lark Daytona, Chevybaker Larks, and even 4-doors are nice. I'm not a Hawk fan although I do like its predecessors; the cars which styling-wise morphed into the Hawk. I don't have a Champ although if I did, I'd want to do something to accentuate the embossed S T U D E B A K E R written across the tailgate. And in the background area have a mural of America's heartland, landmarks, or history.