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studegary

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Posts posted by studegary

  1. ANSWER....................RQB 3650!

    I believe RQB 3650 is the 1983 Avanti that was used as a prototype for the 25 - 20th Anniversary Special Editions.

    Was it just that Avanti (and the Anniver. cars) or all of the rest of 1983 production (and following) that had the Avanti gauges?

  2. This post should be in the parts section, not the trivia section.

    There is a guy in Georgia that has been trying to sell a few 1990 bare bodies. Other than that, I can not help.

    What do you need, specifically. We don't even know if you need body or interior parts.

  3. Close enough!....RQB 3807 was ONE of the twenty five special edition 20th anniversary model Avantis!

    It was the seventh one, not counting the prototype that was made before the production run of 25.

    I remember being in the factory during their build.

  4. Thanks for the added info. In doing a little more research I found a Studebaker sales letter dated 6-10-63 stating the Avanti R3 ultra-high performance engine would be available on or about August 1, 1963 at a delivered price of $1031.00 over the standard R1. The last comment in the letter states includes "This engine... is a replica of the equipment that produced speeds in excess of 168 mph at Bonneville and is covered in Sales Letter 103, dated Sept. 27, 1962, is not regarded as ideally suited for city driving under heavy traffic conditions. We offer no gwarrenty on this engine because of the highly specialized conditions of its use." I was unable to find the 103 Sales letter. It may be an interesting read regarding performance as well. Also I ment to say August of '62 not April in my first post. April was when the Avanti was first introduced at the NY auto show.

    The 6/10/63 Sales Letter that you reference is No. 161 and references the R3 as 304.5 cid.

    Sales Letter 103 is dated 9/27/62 and is three pages long. The relevant parts are; "As first announced on April 25, 1962, the racing version of the Avanti engine, designated Model R-3, is available as an extra cost option. This is the special 299 cubic inch supercharged engine built in conformity wth A.M.A. specifications dated July 24, 1962....In view of the current backlog of unfilled Avanti orders, no firm delivery date can be promised at this time. Pricing information will be furnished later." There is no mention of performance in this Sales Letter.

    I believe that the R3 did not really become available until the 6/10/63 Sales Letter and then as a 304.5 cid engine.

  5. Can anyone name eight mechanical items especially made up in 1965 to enable the Chevy Corvette engine to be installed in the then new Avanti ll..................?

    Perhaps a trick question. I do not remember the 327 Chevrolet engine that was used in the 1965-1970 Avantis as being a specifically Corvette engine.

  6. Gary, your OP question did not specify that.

    Factory installed was implied (and I was referring to regular factory options, otherwise, every four, six or eight cylinder engine that has been installed in an Avanti would be fair game for the question).

    You were the one that "suggested" that I put some trivia questions on here.

  7. Didn't the Granatelli's make some of the B blocks into 299 c.i. R3's, having both 299 and 304.5 c.i. sizes?

    Yes, they did, but they did not fall within my criterion. I was referring to normal, factory options - refer to Sales Letter #161 (above quotes).

  8. Yes, I was referring to normal factory production.

    I do not consider the 299 engine to be in that category. Factory Sales Letter No. 161, 6/10/63 covers the R3 engines. It states: "The Avanti R3 ultra-high performance engine will be available on or about August 1, 1963....Cylinder block with 304.5 cubic inch piston displacement."

    I consider the 5.7 Litre engines to be 350's, since that is what they are commonly referred to as.

    The one that I thought that most would miss is the 244 cid (4.0 Litre).

    Therefore, the answer that I was driving for is eight.

  9. Certainly!....the then Studebaker owned Paxton Products 'Due Cento' Avanti!....The indents in the roof panel (over the doors) were painted in a contrasting silver color. (main body of this race-prepared Avanti was red)

    I would not call that a factory two-tone paint job. I believe that Paxton modified the car post-production.

  10. Wrong Gary,....289 'Blake' Avantis were assembled in 1983....the highest post Studebaker Avanti production year. (You're no doubt thinking of the fiscal year)

    And,...as NO Avantis were built in 1986, it cannot be called an 'Avanti PRODUCTION year',....can it.

    And, Avanti production in 1991 totaled SEVEN vehicles maximum. (In actuality, possibly less!)

    Where are you getting YOUR numbers from? PERHAPS it is a better source than the old numbers that I have and John Hull's fairly recent book.

    I did NOT refer to "...an Avanti PRODUCTION year...". I simply referred to "model years" in general.

  11. I have a strong interest in 2001-2007 Avantis. This includes a current offer on one.

    They were sold new with both Avanti and Pontiac/Ford paperwork and numbers.

    I forsee problems with getting a title and registration as an Avanti in NY. If I am succssful, this leads to another problem with the NY State inspection. The dash (viewed through the windshield) VIN is for the Pontiac/Ford and not for an Avanti. For the annual NY State inspection the car's OBD II port is hooked up to the state's computer in Albany and the bar code is read on the registration sticker on the windshield with a scanner hooked to the computer. The car's computer will state that it is a Pontiac/Ford and not an Avanti and the sticker bar code will state what it is registered as.

    If it is titled/registered as a Pontiac/Ford, rather than an Avanti, this leads to valuation and identification problems. In the case of a loss, you would only be able to collect the meager value of a used 2001-2002 Pontiac or 2005-2007 Ford. If it is possible to get specialty insurance as an Avanti, then it could not be registered as a Ford/Pontiac for state inspection purposes.

    I guess those that do not have state inspections, or at least not the kind where there has to be a computer hook-up between the car's OBD II and the state's computer, have it much easier.

    I hope that I have spelled out enough to define my potential problems with purchasing one of these cars. I would appreciate comments and especially personal experience with these items.

  12. The point is that 1984 (265) is the highest production year and not 1983 (212). If you check the serial numbers from John Hull's book with the cars on Bob's web site you will see this is fact.

    The serial numbers for the 1991 start at 1201 and end at 1217. You say only seven were built, yet there are 11 on Bob's site with the

    highest being 1213.

    Do you have evidence to prove otherwise?

    Unless you do I have to believe that John Hull's figures are accurate.

    From Studegary - (I can't get that left margin line to go away for my reply.):

    I am using data that predates John's book by many years. I general, I agree with John's book, including 1983 at 212 and 1984 at 265. The Serial Numbers that I have for 1991 are 1201 to 1215 (that would be 15). Perhaps John uncovered some additional information that brings the number up to 17. In either case, it is not seven as previously stated. Does anyone know of a 1991 with a higher number than 15?

  13. As 1986 is considered a non-production year for the Avanti,.....The CORRECT answer to Gary's original question would be.....Lowest...1991......Highest...1983.

    PS---Sorry guys, but we may as well get it right!)

    From Studegary - (I can't get that left margin line to go away.):

    I stated:"...what model year had the lowest production..." That would include zero (1986), not just the years that did have Avanti production. 1986 is a model year, just not one that included Avanti production.

    1984 had a higher production number than 1983.

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