Nelson

I wonder where Avanti Motors was getting them?

That’s too bad. Do you think the Avanti arm is a one use part?

So, do any interchange with the Avanti?

Sanding the sealer coat.

812 cord? Or Graham Hollywood with rear wheel drive.

Now I’m going to have to read that article again. Its been many years. I seem to remember a clutch problem. I need to read it again anyway. I’ll put it on the to do list.

Well, here are two photos of the 342 block with standard size Avanti piston in the bore to show the difference in bore size. The small hole is between the cylinders.

Exactly. Finding the photograph I’m talking about may have the body number visible from the aerial shot that I remember

Are you talking about the 342 block? I think the hole needed to be smaller for the increased bore diameter on this block. Bore diameter and chamfering made it useful for the R3/4.

Leo, I have R1016 which was the factory mule used at Paxton for R3/4 experimentation. It had at least one R3 engine in it during road tests. However, when it left Paxton I’m fairly sure it was equipped with an R4. In 1968 it still had the R4 but had the R3 blower setup on it. I’m trying to figure out the history on this car. Original owner is gone so information is getting difficult to track down.

Thanks, Leo. I am aware of the documented R4 cars but I am also certain Studebaker had an R4 engine installed in an Avanti, probably as a preproduction car. Many years ago I actually saw the factory photograph of the car, probably when I was doing some research at the archives prior to the museum. I’m sure that photo still exists somewhere but I’m having trouble finding it.

Maintain or increase distance from cylinder bore edge to hole edge in water jacket.

No, the R4 was red interior and so was museum car. I think the R 4 was all vinyl and museum car had cloth.

That’s strange. You would think that after all the cam problems they had in 51 they would have been trying to reduce valve train weight.

the museum car had a bench split seat. The R4 had buckets. However, pretty close.

Did you ever look at the wrist pin in a Stude? It is very strong but heavy. The ID gets smaller toward the mid section. Very strong but again a lot of reciprocating weight. I would think they could have saved several 1960 dollars per car if they would have taken a hard look at the rods and pistons.

I think he did/does run those pins. I never understood why you wouldn’t run full floating pins. I’m sure there is a reason. That bolt and nut and additional machining to the rods done by Studebaker had to be expensive. I wonder what they were thinking?

Well good, we all learn on this site! To clarify the rods on the R3/4 engines: only the first 50 or so engines had the special rods with pressed pins in the rod. After that the standard Stude rod was used.

Pins are not full floating in either one. They’re locked in place with a nut and bolt on the R1 and pressed in the rod on the R3/4. just nitpicking, sorry.

Let’s see: contacts on the switches burn and lose their contacts, the breaker under the hood goes bad, the fiberglass cracks around the regulator and water gets into the motor causing it to freeze up. Also the stops for the window travel get lose and allow over travel, wires on the earlier or rather everything but the late models have wiring that can break or short as it’s not in a controlled run at the hinge post as in the late 64’s. Etc. etc.

Could well be. I don’t think the combustion chambers were tampered with. I can’t remember what the tops of the pistons looked like ie. Flat or dished.it had R3 rods so I saved those and gave the crank and pistons to a fellow Stude nut who was going to try and do something with them. that never did happen.

Door fit?

It burned lots of oil on its trip to California.

Well the next guess will be three. It’s been years ago but I had all of them collected and probably still do. My memory is foggy but there were at least three different ones. You would never notice at first glance but the difference are significant and mostly in the wording. I wonder if the three (or more) are listed separately in the parts manual? I’m not home to check.

No. More than that.