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Nelson

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Posts posted by Nelson

  1. Anthony. Since you visit so infrequently, I have a question off this topic but would like the information. What do you know about Joe Granatelli’s Cadillac Avanti? Did it arrived with no engine or an R1. I suspect it was supposed to get an R4 with ac as when I looked at the car it had the lowered front control arms.

  2. Anthony. George Krem’s father had a 63 Avanti many years ago with an R3 engine. He was not impressed with the performance at the time. He mentioned he suspected cam grind issues so he changed out the cam. That car with engine were sold several times. The present owner has removed the cylinder heads or at least one head for some reason I don’t remember. He mentioned the pistons were notched to possibly lower compression. I believe the runners in the head were also massaged to increase flow. The engine was purchased from Paxton in the late 60’s and I believe it has a B number around 100. Speculation is that it may have the rotating assembly from R5 and possibly the cylinder heads also? The car also had a four row radiator which sounds typical for the Bonneville cars. I know Vince was assembling R3 engines as long as he could out of left over parts as long as parts could be had. Any thoughts as to the feasibility this engine could have R5 parts in its build??

  3. On 3/1/2024 at 7:07 PM, TMA62 said:

    Thanks for sharing. I vaguely remember seeing Dad work on that. He would bring his artwork home on occasion to view in natural light of our home. 

    A long time ago I was in the Detroit area at an AOA get together of some sort and I sat with your dad at the lunch table. He showed me that Avanti art work.He had some interest in selling similar art work at that time. I suggested he personalize each one with the car’s serial number on a front license plate. I wish I would have talked to him about doing one for me with that license plate idea but I didn’t. He then invited me out in the parking lot to look at another deign he had done on an Avanti on a longer wheel base. He was driving a Lincoln Continental at the time and had the sketch in the trunk. I worked for Ford and was happy to see him driving a Lincoln. Your dad was a nice guy and I was taken back that he would spend time with me much less show me his latest Avanti sketch.

  4. I imagine John is pretty tied up rebuilding his home that was hit by a tornado. I don’t know how his paperwork or records survived that event?

    As for records or history on the Avanti I’m certain the Studebaker years are fairly well documented as that was a well established corporation which kept detailed records of which many still exist. Avanti Motors probably kept good records but not nearly as detailed. As the company changed hands I would imagine a lot of those records were lost as the historical documents became less and less important to the new owners. I’m actually surprised at how much information John has been able to accumulate on the late Ford and GM based cars. If he hadn’t started his research endeavor when he did I’m pretty certain any genuine information gathering on the latest models would now be futile.

  5. There is no indication of water in the crankcase and no steam out the tail pipe. No sign of water in the trans either. I guess head gasket could be a problem but hoping not. The car is in Arizona and had no coolant in it when I bought it. I think it hadn’t been run in five or more years. I doubt if it had antifreeze in it in many years.

  6. Got my brakes installed and bled so I thought we might take it out for a test drive. I let it idle for about ten minutes and the temp stabilized at about 160 degrees. I shut it down and checked the coolant just for the heck of it. It looked more like a chocolate milk shake. So I ran about ten gallons of water through it but probably need to run even more as it’s still not clear. I’m pretty certain there is oil in the coolant but my first shot at it will be to by pass the automatic transmission cooler in the radiator. If this doesn’t fix it where would you look next? 

  7. I’m going through the rear brakes on my 63 Avanti. I notice on both sides on the front shoes the lower section has way more wear than the top. Is this typically an adjustment issue? The rear shoes are both wearing evenly.

  8. I got the master cylinder on, I replaces the front and rear rubber brake hoses and now waiting on the rebuild kits for the rear cylinders. I noticed the lower part of the lining of the front shoe on both sides is worn way more than any other surface. I’m thinking this is poor adjustment? Any ideas? 
    I also changed the rubber oil pressure hose to engine. I bought this Avanti a few weeks ago and just trying to get it back on the road. Really a solid old car and it’s gold with an original orange (tangerine) interior. I always liked that combination.

  9. 1 hour ago, Skip Lackie said:

    Agree with aardvark. It's not rowdy, it's childish.  Whatever you guys are pissing in each other's shoes about, it's not related to brakes, or Avantis, or Studebakers, or even cars.  It's wasting my (and everyone else's) time.

    I hate to say it but not a good way to build forum attendance.😬

  10.  

    The master cylinder came today and cosmetically it was dead on. I measured the new one and from the mounting face to the piston in the bore measured 1 1/4 inch which is the same as a Stude master cylinder. The one that was on the car measured substantially less. I have a feeling it wasn’t ever working correctly. This new one is an early 70’s Chrysler with disc brakes. We ordered the disc version thinking maybe it wouldn’t have a check valve. I didn’t take it apart to see. Does anybody know if it has a check valve and if so should I remove it?? I think the bore was the same on the new as the one I took off. I will double check it tomorrow.

  11. What dual master cylinder is typically used in place of the single unit. Car has original booster and braking system. The one on the car now looks like a Chrysler type but not certain and want to replace with a new one while redoing the original calipers, hoses and rear brake shoes.

  12. I did talk to my friend about the plenum and carb. He will sell them as long as you also purchase his aluminum R3 heads as a package. You would need to talk to him on price. I have no skin in this game just passing on information.

  13. Tim. I think Nemish Salanki has a fairly good reproduction of the 8k tach. And Phil Harris (Fairborn Studebaker) has Moser flanged axles being made for the existing rear end.

    i also sent you a pm.

  14. I know, Dwight. It’s hard to admit but sometimes you just have to give in. I actually have a set of nos foam for a bucket seat. Still feels pretty good and it will work well for a pattern.

    Honestly though, you’re old enough to remember the right interior color, grain, vinyl weight and sheen. I’m pretty certain you would prefer the exact component you remember. If I never saw, sat in or felt the original I would accept about anything close. Unfortunately that isn’t the case.

  15. Geoff. Probably yes but the car is really clapped out. So it depends on what you need. It isn’t my car just helping a friend in Phoenix. I had to fly home this week but will be back out soon. In the mean time you could contact him but you will need to pm me for his contact info.  He doesn’t want that information on the net.

  16. I buddy in Phoenix is parting a 63 R2 4 speed car. No engine or trans but lots of other stuff. He has a power steering setup minus the power steering pump. He has the steering box, control valve assembly, power cylinder and bell crank. All as is. He wants $750 for the setup. Also, if interested, the car has excellent California dry frame, title, serial plate, body plate etc. If interested pm me and I’ll forward his contact info.

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