Dwight FitzSimons

Anyone who doesn't think that 4 door cars can be cool should look at yours. Nice job!

Here is the URL: https://www.worldwidevintageautos.com/vehicles/20939/1963-studebaker-avanti-r2 --Dwight

These guys may be of help. I don't know if they can supply a steering column, but at least they advertise that they fix them correctly. --Dwight

Just have the one, and it's going on 56J no.1. Both of my 56Js have P.S., but I've become shiftless in my old age and will stick with automatics. --Dwight

'63 or '64? AFAIK the rear arm rests are the same for both years, but the front arm rests are a little different on top. Perhaps, hopefully, either year could be used for your car. --Dwight

AFAIK, all modern cars have their air cleaner on the engine, but with a hose leading out to behind the grille in order to bring in fresh air. So, Studebaker had the right idea, just didn't implement it very well. For my car I'm stuck with the factory setup, which at least, is better than the R2's air cleaner. But, ideally, one could leave the air cleaner where it is on an R2 and do major surgery on the air cleaner and fender apron to bring in fresh air. The fresh air could be sourced from a hole in the fiberglass to the left (i.e., passenger side) of the radiator (behind the grille). Oldsmobile implemented a fresh-air intake well in the '60s on the 442. --Dwight

This is a good topic for discussion. I have an R3 Avanti that I will soon be putting back together, so I have a near-term need to know. I would assume that rotating the air cleaner so that the intake is pointed toward the grille would achieve a bit of ram-air effect. One wouldn't want to ever drive in the rain, though! --Dwight, R-5407, R3, 4-spd

Avanti63! is exactly correct. The same "can" is used on '64 R2 Avantis and '63-'64 R2 Larks & Hawks, just with different brackets depending on the application. There was an article in Turning Wheels about these air cleaners a while back. Someone may have that issue handy. We need more pictures to identify this one. --Dwight

It's definitely not original, so it's a guessing game as to what it might have been intended to do. Brake lights? Oil pressure idiot light? Parking light brake light?

IIRC the R3 air cleaner is the same "can", but with different mounting brackets, and it's mounted behind the grille. See below.

Thanks!

A picture would help. But, it's not stock in any event. --Dwight

Not sure what you have, but below are '63 & '64 R2 air cleaners. These were the only air cleaners used on '63 & '64 R2 Avantis. --Dwight

I just tried it again & it works for me. I assume the reason the link doesn't work for you is that I go through the login process (and you, of course, can't go through my login process). So, I don't know how to post a link that will work for others. Maybe log onto Facebook and search Mass. & '63 Avanti. --Dwight

Try an auto body supply store for the dum-dum. Or, is there some type of caulk in a tube that would never dry (sort of like dum-dum)? IIRC, the hose that loops down through the sail panel is used to vent the fuel tank. And, Avantis used that so they could use a sealed gas cap - correct? I assume that the thought was that gas could slosh out through a vented gas cap and damage the paint. Correct or not? So, is there really a danger of fuel sloshing out a vented cap? If not perhaps one could cap off the vent tube on top of the fuel tank & use a vented cap. Thoughts? --Dwight