Nelson

I can’t say that I saw an article on Berner’s car. It would have to have been late 60’s to early 70’s. I was at his place around that time frame looking at a white 63 R2 GT that he said was the test car for the first full pkg GT. I think tha car is up in Washington now and owned by the Bells. I think he was dismantling his race car at that time

Mike Salamanivich owned and drove Studependous,a straight axle 60 Lark sedan running an R3 with R4 intake. The R3 came from his mother’s Avanti. I still have correspondence letters from Mike from back in my college days. I even got the cam specs from him and had a duplicate cam made from the same company in California. If I remember correctly he was in the 10’s with the car. Bergner also ran a Lark with a modified Stude engine. I don’t have any real good info on that car. A B300 engine number would hint that it was built by someone later than the Granatellis. I think Studependous was featured in Popular Hot Rodding back in the early to mid 70’s?

I don’t remember the PO for that car saying “sold rush” but I might be wrong. It was an R3 so would think they had to be ordered special.

I don’t think the red vinyl was ever discontinued? Wasn’t 5642 white with red vinyl for instance?

Now, what do you do about the lead cable seal on the main bolts?

The Cadillac powered Avanti that was probably destined to be an R4 ac prototype? Whoops! Sorry, too late a serial number.

I’ve had several Avanti II models but never had to change plugs thank God. I did change a fuel pump on one and it wasn’t a fun task. I’d be putting in platinum plugs hoping to never have to change plugs again.

Bob. I that photo the old Paxton Products building?

Thanks for the compliment The same can be said for you, Bob. I indeed enjoyed our long conversations and look forward to more of the same in the future.

We met you guys at them Palm Springs meet last week. I think I remember Idaho plates on your Avantis? It must have been a great road trip! The no ac, windows down and loud sure brings back memories. I remember going to the nationals in Dallas Tex forty plus years ago. I drove down in a black 64 R3 stick. It was hot as hell all the way down and back. Over 100 degrees while we were there and humid. I was a lot younger then so I guess it didn’t bother me as much. I remember at that meet Denny Lockman showed up with his freshly painted 64 on a trailer behind his Buick convertible. I also bought an Avanti II while I was down there. I don’t even remember how I got it home. The good ole days!

I went with a friend and split the gas and motel room so those cost were minimal. The meet was 300 miles from eastern Phoenix. We left at 4 am and drove close to the California border and refueled as we didn’t want to get screwed on the California gas prices which were more than a dollar per gallon higher than Arizona. That fill up took us there, around the town for a few days and all the way back home. We booked two nights at a motel about five miles from the main event at $75 per night for two nights. Registration was $55, I bought an AOA 40 yr pin for $5 and we ate at McDonalds and Dennys. I met a lot of great Avanti people and looked over many Avantis. There was no parts meet so no costs there but that was a little disappointing as I drove my F150 thinking I might need it in case I bought something big or heavy. Fortunately that didn’t happen🤔. Over all I really enjoyed the show and I’m glad I was able to attend. I am disappointed in the lack of any type of hype prior to the show. Nothing on this forum or the SDC forum prior to the meet. It just seems like the fire is going out. The SDC and Avanti national meets really should be at the same time and location even if they had two different meet head quarters. They need to kiss and makeup for the good of both clubs.

Anybody going to the Palm Springs meet next week?? I should be there for a couple days. Hope to meet up with a few guys from the forum.

Hey Gunslinger. I just noticed you are in Sun City West. Are you a snow bird? I’m over on the east side of Phoenix for the winter.

That was planned and prototypes or at least one prototype was built. The bore of that engine was 3 7/8 inch. With the std stroke of 3 5/8 the displacement went to 342 ci. Oil gallies on this block had to be moved upward and outward to gain clearance for the larger bore. A longer stroke by 1/4 inch would yield 365 cubic inch. I believe this engine was aimed at the 1965 model year.

What is stamped on the pad on the engine block under the fuel filter?