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boogieman

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Posts posted by boogieman

  1. After waiting an extra day my Avanti arrived yesterday (Sunday) at 3:30 pm. Needless to say, it is less than I hoped for but more than I expected, but aren't they all. It started right up, no smoking, trans engaged smoothly, and backed off the trailor. Easing it around back I had to begin the tedious inspection process. First thing was to unload the extra items included. Tires, steel wheels, Avanti logo wire hubcaps, etc.Then took a small ball-peen hammer to the hog troughs. Just as promised by the prior owner (since spring of '80) I was pleased the find the troughs completely solid front to rear on both sides of the car. The "metallic ring" of solid metal was music to my ears. This car is so original it hurts. Found one curiosity though. At the rear of the troughs, on both sides, there is a 1/4" hole drilled in the center botton about an inch forward of the rear wheel opening. They look to be original as the car was ordered with undercoating which is readily apparent around the hole. Factory or not maybe this is one thing that helped save the troughs. Not sure how as the car has a definate forward rake. Not much but noticable. Go figure.With the exception of the interior door/quarter panel inserts, it matches the build sheet exactly. Calls for "Brandy Suede" but has Gold velour instead.The doors, trunk lid, and hood all open and close easily. All body lines and gaps are uniform. Power windows, power locks, quarter windows, sun/moon roof all function easily. All the switches and lights function properly. Clean and dry underneath. No signs of any sort of leakage from any component. The gaskets all seem to be still soft and pliable. I have a trick to refurbish them which I plan to do anyway. The hood pad is seperating and pulling away from the underside of the hood. Not sure how or what to do there but I'll figure it out.Original owner bought it in the summer of '79 through Borg Pontiac in Downers Grove Ill. The 2nd owner, who I got the car from, bought it in the spring of '80. Seems the OP sold it to get a Delorean! Bad move on his part. Anyway, 2nd owner, Mr. Hoyt Lambert Sr., says the door panels are as he bought the car. How or when the change occured is anybody's guess.The car is perfect for my use. Plenty of little things to refurbish and address. Not a restoration but a preservation effort. I think the car is beautiful in it's Chocolat Brown Metallic-Natural Leather livery. And possible one of the few original cars left. Not restored but original.The re-paint in '08 leaves something to be desired. Thin in areas, fish-eyed in others, but presentable. A 10 footer at best. That really doesn't bother me though. I can buff and polish it back to a high shine as it is. Found only one stress crack issue at the front drivers side about 3" back from the leading edge of the hood.. A small crack between the forward hood opening over to the upswept body line. Maybe 1-1/2 " long. Not concerned about it. Original cars should look original. Warts and all.A neighbor 2 doors down saw and heard the transport truck driving up. He ran out to check. Says he was in "the car business" for 40+ years before retiring. He had no clue about the Avanti. Never seen one, never heard the name according to him. But he was impressed with the styling and color combination. Nuff said.So for now I'm sure I found a real gem. A diamond in the rough that I will polish back to as good as it can be yet retain the original un-restored quality of this car.Boogieman

  2. Stumped my insurance provider today. Seem they have no listing for Avanti, one or II, Studebaker or otherwise.

    Finally did an agreed value designation. They had no idea how to procede with the VIN #.

    $20,000, 5,000 miles/year, no deductables, high coverage, and $160.00 per year.

    This is in-line with my other specialty cars. So I be happy.

    You?

    Boogieman

  3. I am an avid crossword solver. Had a clue just now I have never run across before in over 50 years of puzzeling.

    6 letters, "Sporty Studebaker" I got that one!

    And one was in the background in the movie "In Time".

    Amazing that this obscure car keeps popping up.

  4. Will have to formulate a game plan when I actually get my hands on the car. My upholstery friend can at least re-do the seat foam if needed. Like I said earlier, the interior in my '35 has held up great. And comfortable to drive, too.I've tried posting pics but this system tells me they are too large to post. No clue as how to reduce the size.I did get a few old pics of the car, maybe 25 years ago. Then it had WSW tires and Avanti center-cap logo wire hubcaps. I get them too. And the original steel wheels. Same owner then and now. So the Mag 500's aren't original to the car. In fact, they look to me to be 15 x 7's.I do like the WSW and wire hubcap look. Nice to have options.Original owners manual and leather-bound original key set with "Return To Avanti if found" info intact included. Even the original paint code sticker on top of the vanity unit. Du Pont "Post Road Brown Metallic". Pics on Bob's Studebaker site. I would link to it if I had a clue how.This is a very original car. Proud to be the latest care-taker. My DIL has already claimed it for hers. When the time comes Dear, when the time comes.

  5. Good deal Bob. I haven't pulled the triger just yet. My concern is where and how the water gets in there. I would hate to fill and seal that area with no means of diverting the water away before it got there.

    As an example, if the cowl/plenum area drains through a trough so to speak, where does that water have to go? Through the floor vents to the interior? Or to accumulate until the cowl area is full? And the moon roof drains to where? And the quarter windows, assuming the exterior seals aren't 100% effective?

    Lots of questions I have no answer to as of yet. I may never do this but willing to investigate the possibilities. Not about to seal them off without some due dilligence.

    Mine are supposedly in good condition but will find out for sure when the car arrives here.

    Boogieman

  6. Thanks Bob. I already have the build sheet. No notation regarding rear end gears or ratio. Had no idea what was "standard". The 3.07 is about perfect for me as Texas has lots and lots of straight level roads leading off in any direction. I plan some serious highway mile trips. By the way my '79 is equipped with an L48 350, turbo 400 auto and no Twin-Track.

  7. I've read the rear in my '79 is a Dana 44 used in Jeeps, too.

    Any idea what gears I might expect in it as built?

    I've seen a pic of the rear but don't see a tag indicating ratio.

    The current owner says he has never been in there.

    Boogieman

  8. Oh I will. Having owned and built several unique cars, I am very familiar and comfortable with "the fish bowl effect". People just love to gawk at unusual well built cars.

    Even had a guy once flag me down and offered to trade his wife for my '65 Corvette coupe. No? How much you take for it then? $45,000? Give me your number. I'll call you. Never heard from that guy. Sold it.

    My '68 R/T Charger (1 of 211 built) won a Top 10 at the Mopar Southwest regionals. Proud of that. Sold it.

    My 1935 Plymouth Delux 2-door Touring sedan won a "Best Engineered" award at the '92 NSRA Southwest Mini Nationals. Very proud of that. And it won a "Sponsors Pick" at a regional Ronald McDonald House charity show. My favority award. Still own.

    And others.

    Boogieman

  9. My new toy is in very good condition. Rather than restore it I intend to get it back to top condition mechanically, have the seats recovered, and then preserve it to the best of my abilities. At less than 51,000 miles it's just getting broken-in. And it will see many road miles. I am retired and my dear wife passed away this past April from cancer. I have nothing to stay home for. Talked to Steve James the other day. He personally invited me to Fla. for a regional meet in April I think it was. Already making plans to drive there.And going to see my brother in Fayetteville Ark. soon. Some great mountain roads between her and there. Not to mention the myriad of local car shows and cruises. Going to be busy indeed.Boogieman

  10. Points well made. As with anything out of the ordinary, nothing is guaranteed. Given enough access the foam will force itself into and out of every opening as it expands. And I'm not suggesting the type of foam available in the spray cans from the home supply box stores. The commercial grade material is a dense closed cell formulation, unlike the other readily available stuff.

    No offense intended Bob, but can you be sure every square inch of the troughs in your '83 are covered and penetrated with the Por -15? It may be the case, I certainly don't know. If you are happy with your effort then it's settled.

    I am simply offereing a new and different potential perspective on the bain of inherent desigh flaws on our Avantis. The foam being considered is truly water, wind, and thermal isolating. I just need to determine where the water is getting in by what means before I procede with my idea.

    I know from reality that this is probably a temporary fix. After all, not everyone has the financial means to put another $5 grand into a car worth, in most case, barely triple that amount. Others need to wait and save for such an expense.

    Just throwing out grist for the mill. Every situation is different and alternatives just might add a little more life span and usefulness to the cars in question. Anything that extends the life-cycle ought to be considered.

    And some of our cars are about 50 years old, too. And many have been neglected to the point of shame for the previous owners.

    I do appreciate a lively debate.

    Thanks for your input.

    Boogieman

  11. Before I bought my '79 I got the build sheet from Dan Booth for 1971 RQG 1615. It is located in the South Bend area. Has rusted troughs but a nice car none-the-less. Should anyone be interested in the car or the build sheet contact me. $30.00

    I also have the1970 and 1971 spec sheet with option pricing. $12.50 each.

    Looking for speciffic paperwork on the 1979 model year.

  12. Thought I'd stir the pot a little. Has anyone ever cut into a body to see exactly where and how water gets in there? From the cowl area but by what means? A passage-way, a drain hose, a gaping hole? What about the drain hoses from the sun/moon roof units? I have read of drain hoses in the windshield (A Pillar) posts, hoses to the rear in the B pillar, and even to the trunk area. Any of the above? All of the above? No standards?

    The troughs on mine look good in pictures. Haven't been able to inspect them as the car hasn't arrived yet.

    Depending on how the water gets into them, I'm thinking of a means to seal them completely. Might not work but based on info I'm willing to try something radically different.

    A good friend owns a structural spray foam insulating business. If the cowl, sun/moon roof, and quarter-glass areas drain there through hoses, why cant the hoses be extended/replaced to drain somewhere else or through the troughs to under the car? Then by access holes, easily covered with floor pan plugs, fill the troughs with structural spray foam. The expanding foam will fill every crevice, nook, and cranny of the area, and provide a stiffening quality to the area hanging over the frame between the wheelwells and completely seal that area from future water damage. Not to mention the sound and heat transfer properties inherent in the material.

    Being retired from the construction/remodeling industry I see this as a viable solution. I have used this type of sealing/water-proofing/ insulating material in the most unlikely of situations to great positive results.

    This could even produce positive results on cars with partially rusted-out troughs. Make simple aluminum/steel panels to cover the damaged areas. Pop-rivet them on. Fill with the foam. Sealed and structural support partially restored. Except in the roll bar location.

    Nothing is perfect but this is possibly a low-cost, temporary, viable, alternative, solution to $5,000 worth of expense and down-time.

    Let the debate begin.

    Boogieman

  13. Thanks. It was info from this forum that gave me the heads-up on what to look for and issues to avoid. My '79 has power windows, locks and moon roof. All are in great working order. Hog troughs very solid with only minor surface rust. The build sheet indicates the car was undercoated when built.

    My friend in the upholstery business has won several national, regional, and local awards for his work including ISCA, NSRA, and Goodguy awards. In fact, his very first complete interior, carpet to headliner and all in-between was on my '35 Plymouth 2 door touring sedan street rod that I built in 1990. I still have that car and the interior has held up beautifully.

  14. New to forum but have an interesting story. I am waiting on delivery of my '79.

    In '64-'65 I was in high school. There was an import car dealer here in town, Snuffy Smith Motors. I was in school with his 2 children. After the Christmas break school resumed in Jan. '65. Hanging around in the parking lot that first day back I saw a new car coming in the lot. No, make that 2 cars. All of the car guys were stunned.

    Leading the procession was a bright red with white leather interior Avanti. Right behind that was a white with red leather interior Avanti, as best as my memory recalls. Seems that Snuffy got his children these cars for Christmas. What a sight to behold. We were all stunned to say the least.

    That was my first encounter with Avantis and I knew I had to have one someday. Who knew it would take this long to achieve and appreciate the car for the iconic things of beauty they are.

    I am looking forward to enjoying my '79 with great entheusiasm and excitement. Let the games begin.

  15. Greetings. New to the world of Avanti. Just another old retired guy finally able to capture a dream. Have been aware of Avantis since they were announced in late '62. Finally found the one I want in Florida. It is, as stated, RQB 2897. Would have preffered an earlier model but this one will do just fine. I wanted and found the best car available for a very reasonable price. Even is the color combo I wanted, too. It is Root Beer Brown Metallic, tan leather and loaded with most options. Hog Troughs in great condition. All power equipment working properly. 50,600 miles on a 2 owner garaged car. One repaint in '08 in correct color. Needs some interior work due to Fla sun. Hardly different from Texas sun but thats the deal. A good friend has an upholstery shop so having that done is no problem.

    Spoke with Dan Booth and have the build sheet for the car. He even remembers working on the car from a factory service perspective from new. I am sure there will be questions. Let the fun begin.

    Would have attached picture but file is too big. No idea how to shrink it to fit. I'll figure it out and post pics later.

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