![](https://aoai.org/forums/uploads/set_resources_3/84c1e40ea0e759e3f1505eb1788ddf3c_pattern.png)
mangusta1969
-
Posts
4 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Posts posted by mangusta1969
-
-
You don't have to find the 57 bulb to find a compatable LED. Just the base has to fit and work. Look for a Ba9s base, and you will have many ,many to choose from. For the brightest LED's search for Cree LED's.
Brad,
Thanks for your input. There are so many Cree LEDs out there it is a little overwhelming. Do you have a specific Cree LED recommendation to upgrade the 62/63 Avanti instrument lights? My original instrument incandescents are very dim.
-
Go to avantiparts.biz. They carry an LED tail light conversion kit that works very well. It's not really inexpensive but does a fine job.
Some have said you need to change flasher units along with this kit as the LED's don't create enough resistance to operate the flasher but I experienced no problems.
No doubt this is the "deluxe fix" for dim bulbs and to increase overall brightness, but I have found that a more modern plug-in LED bulb replacement might be all that you need to improve the visibility of your rear brake lights and rear turn signals in an old Avanti. A big plus is that you do not need to modify your OEM parking light housings.
I just ordered and installed these plug-in units in my rear parking light turn signal assemblies. I would say that these LED replacement bulbs are about 50-100% brighter than the original 1157 bulb types and that they just plug into your existing tail light assemblies for the combination rear parking lights/brake lights. As long as you just replace these rear light bulbs, you will have increased brightness and no modifications are needed to your turn signal blinker units.
Try these units out:
-
All great advice above. The OP's original post has 2 questions, one about performance and one about which one to buy if they're both in the same shape and pricing. The two seem almost unrelated since it's hard to argue against buying an R2 at an R1 price or argue for buying an R1 for an R2 price.
It's a little hard to find the R2 performance specs, but Old Cars Weekly printed these numbers in a featured Car of the Week article in 2013:
"Due to the supercharger, the compression ratio of the R2 was at 9.0:1 Output of the R2 was impressive: 289 hp at 5200 rpm and 330 lbs.-ft. of torque at 3600 rpm." - See more at: http://www.oldcarsweekly.com/car-of-the-week/car-of-the-week-1963-studebaker-avanti-r2#sthash.BBaqP78B.dpuf
Those are pretty believeable numbers based on the car's measured performance "back in the day." Some of these old articles seem to quote some higher performance numbers for the R2, but the numbers are more applicable to the rare R3 models.
Here are the more widely available R1 performance specs:
240 hp and 280 ft lbs of torque
(see http://www.hemmings.com/mus/stories/2014/03/01/hmn_buyers_guide1.html)
Note that the R1 has much higher compression (10.25/1) than the R2 cars (9.0/1). In regular driving, this higher compression helps to reduce the performance difference between the two models, but the R2 is a significantly faster car when pressed hard.
Aftermarket wheels/tires for Avanti
in 1963-64 Avanti
Posted
Tom,
Those are definitely some nice looking 2003 Cobra wheels on your Avanti... Can you answer a few questions for me:
1. What size tires (F and R) did you end up with? I think you stated 245/45-17. Is that correct?
2. What size wheels (F and R) did you end up with? I think you stated 17x8, but maybe you are using 17x9. Would the 17x8 size result in less front fender clearance problems?
3. What are the wheel offset dimensions for your front and rear wheels?
4. If you used any spacers on the front and rear, what are the spacer dimensions and where did you get the spacers from?
5. Which lug nuts did you end up using and who supplies them?
6. Would the Cobra wheels work with the stock 63 Avanti front disk brake calipers and stock 63 Avanti rear drum brakes?
7. Do you still sell the machined disk brake mounting adapters for the brake assemblies that you are using with these 2003 Cobra wheels?
I am pretty sure you have previously answered at least some of my questions in various threads, but I thought it would be good to be certain and to have all of the answers in one place. Sorry for the extra work I am putting you through, but I am getting pretty serious about upgrading my 63 wheels (and perhaps brakes). Thanks!