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Message to Bob Johnstone…. Hi Bob.., if you check any of the rosters sent out to AOAI members over the last several years, you’ll see that every 1985 Avanti listed has its internal four digit serial number preceded by the letters RQB. I feel that ‘AAV’ did not become the standard prefix until the 1987 model year Avantis… Thanks, Ed ( Of course, when it comes time to register a 1985 Avanti, it’s the seventeen digit VIN number that only counts!)

That sounds right Dwight… but try to find H14Y’s (a Champion plug I always liked) at your local FLAPS quick & in a hurry!!!

Yes you are right… but at this point in time the J12Y’s seem to be a reliable, easily found, universal fit…. (If there actually is such a thing!) And, I’m my opinion, this plug also works well on ‘non-R’ Studebaker V8’s!

The Champion RJ12-Y’s I installed in my ‘63 R2 seem to go on forever!

No, I’ve never tried that…. but I have used aircraft wing tank ‘sloshing compound’ …which did an effective job encapsulating the rust in an Avanti’s I once owned fuel tank.

AG-R3……S I O website?

That indeed is my silver 1985 Avanti, RQB4234, in the above photo…. I probably should have corrected Mr. Johnstone on his ‘AAV’ mistake when I first saw this photo years ago….. As we can now see, errors like this tend to confuse people!……Ed

Very crafty!

The factory build sheet, available at Nostalgic Motors, will contain both the internal RQB car number… and the VIN number needed to register your 1975 Avanti….(if there is one?) I don’t believe the now common seventeen digit VIN number came into play until 1981.

The internal car number, used at Avanti Motors during the build, began with ‘RQB’ for the 1985 model year Avantis… Not ‘AAV’…… Mr. Johnstone may have used both the ‘AAV’ and the ‘RQB’ prefixes for ‘85’s in his roster, but the Avanti factory didn’t ! Just want to avoid future confusion here.

No Brooks…. You are the proud owner of RQB-4152!

I know that my Avanti (RQB4234) is listed on the Johnstone website… and it may say AAV there, (haven’t looked at that in awhile) However, I’m simply stating what the Avanti factory placed on the car itself….RQB. In my opinion, the ‘AAV’ prefix started with the 1987 model year Avantis (major change to Chevrolet frame) Of course, there were no 1986 model year Avantis!

Sorry, but I must disagree with you here… I presently own a 1985 Avanti… and the number stamped into the stainless steel factory plate mounted on the left ‘A’ pillar is….RQB 4234.

Congrats!… I also own one of the rare ‘85’s…. However, I think that if your Avanti still had its internal serial number stainless steel plate on the ‘A’ pillar it would read…RQB 4152 (Not AAV)

When new… definitely R-12.

Well, the fuel line itself is 3/8”… and the fittings are 9/16” (wrench size)

If anyone does decide to push out the rear window… I’d order a weatherseal ahead of time The last Avanti rear glass I replaced ( I’ve done two) definitely needed a new weatherseal.

Side glass & 1/4 windows (and vent wings) should not be a problem… even for the home mechanic… however, the rear glass is something entirely different!

I’d guess the best way to do it would be to remove the rear glass and apply the film with the glass on a stand upside down… a lot of extra work though!

By the way… you’re lucky to own an ‘85 model year Avanti… Blake tried to improve the car… and a few of the more important changes were… larger diameter front & rear sway bars….. shorter steering arms…. improved engine air intake arrangement… and a major change from the earlier Bendix disc front brakes to a modern GM ventilated front disc with sliding brake caliper and larger kidney shaped brake pads.

Also, a period (‘82-‘86) Chevrolet passenger car shop manual would have all the info you’d need concerning the engine/ trans…..and the Computer Command Control (ugh!) system.

The ‘high fuel tank situation’ has been a chronic Avanti problem since day one!

Be aware it’s easy to damage the two rubber o-rings when splitting the cases for a thorough clean out… Think space shuttle ‘Challenger’ !!

I was lucky to obtain a good used pair of manual Avanti window regulators a fellow from Florida sold me… He was parting out a wrecked ‘64.

A 160’ thermostat may also help ( If your current thermostat opens at s higher than that temperature)