Nelson
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Everything posted by Nelson
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I doubt they ever wanted to sell a lot of Avantis as it was more of a ploy to get people to change their perception of Studebaker and get customers into the show room. I think the Avanti was an expensive build for the company and the only way it could make a profit was to load the car up with options. So maybe s sedate version marketed to the wife or single woman may have worked. You have to remember though that back in 1963 a wife with family needed a four door and most women’s role in life was to raise a family not look cool in the work force.
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Interesting. Might be fun to try one on a Lark. Kick down would be an easy install but I guess you would need to plug the pressure limiting or over rev control hole.
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A driver, five balls, output bearing, two outer races, maybe the scroll housing and impeller.
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Also the pulley is displaced further from the Main body than the Paxton so the belts wouldn’t line up..
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Fair value for this '63 avanti in need of restoration?
Nelson replied to OpenRoad's topic in 1963-64 Avanti
If I was in your position I’d be looking for someone young, energetic, capable of doing the work and capable financially who really wanted the car. Look for that person who is mature enough that won’t dismantle the car and quit. If I found that right person I would give him/her any break I could just to see it alive again. -
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.
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Another question answered.
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Good question. My first thought was fiberglass. I think they were held on with twist cam lock fasteners which might or might not mean anything. Good to see you back.
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Anthony. I just sent you a private message..
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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??
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I know it’s narrower than what you typically see on the reupholstered seats out there.
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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.
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John Hull's book, "Avanti, the complete story".
Nelson replied to aardvark's topic in 2001-2007 Avanti models
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. -
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.
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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?
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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.
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Reproduction Halibrand Wheels - which are better?
Nelson replied to Boozeman's topic in 1963-64 Avanti
R3 Forward. Do you also have a Duster that you drag race? -
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.
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Back on brakes. Thanks for the input on check valves. I assumed that deletion of the check valve would be on all disc front drum rear cars that’s why I specified the disc brake version when ordering. Now I know. I wonder if the MC I took off was for a full drum car?
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I hate to say it but not a good way to build forum attendance.😬
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It sounded like you were bailing out of the forum? I wish you wouldn’t. It’s nice to have guys like you present. Those two guys have evidently been at it for a long time and it is childish. I even made a comment about it awhile back. I don’t know if you are from the East Coast but my parents lived there for about five years and I visited often. I think bickering like that is common place over there. It’s the only place I ever visited that people in the car behind you would typically honk the horn as the light was turning green.
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Agree. and Thanks.
No interest in bailing... just that I won't put up with Children at age 69.
No I'm originally from Detroit and then Chi-Town, moved to the Mountains in Western NC. Love running these Twisty Roads and switchbacks.
I'm aware of the idiocy and won't get involved except to call it out. I have 2 Avanti's and am out to learn, not bicker. Got a '63' and a '02'. One end of the spectrum to the other.
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Good. Glad you are hanging in there. Mfg seems to be ok but has a short fuse. Not sure about Reginal Bob but he does seem to like aggravating Mfg. The reaction toward you was really uncalled for. Maybe he had one too many beers.🤪😁 Anyway, the forum needs to keep going and there really aren’t many of us around so don’t want to lose anyone. It can be a real asset just like this conversation on dual master cylinders.
By the way, lm 74.
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Nelson, Thanks for the kind and encouraging words. I find in many forums that I've visited or been part of, there are always those who will start crap with others on their comfortable couch, that if ''person to person'' they wouldn't do so... OR they would get decked out.
That said, I try to hold back and stay above the infantile attitudes..I'm here for the Car info. On the SDC I met a (now) good friend with an Avanti. . That isn't my reason for visiting, however. I recently (Jan... see the For Sale and 2002 area of the site) bought my 2002 and you might see I've been trying to accumulate info on the Car. I also enjoy "like Minded" conversations.
I turn over vehicles for profit, but also enjoy the ownership of certain models.
Again, Thanks. Enjoy the Road!!
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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.
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I ordered the master cylinder for a 71 Roadrunner.. it looked exactly like the one on the car. We’ll see how it works out. Thanks.
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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.
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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.