Dwight FitzSimons

Yes, I did. I'll weigh a wheel in a box & let you know the shipping cost within a day or so. --Dwight

Your '78 Avanti is 55 years old, so the brakes cannot be in such great shape (unless they were just rebuilt properly). One thing to start with, after determining which type the fluid is, would be to bleed the brakes (in order RR, LR, RF, LF) and see what comes out. You will have to add fluid during this process. If the fluid is dirty then further investigation will be needed. If the brake fluid is low in the master cylinder then there is a problem. That fluid went somewhere. You likely have a leaking wheel cylinder, but it could be from a hose or line, or the MC. All of the advice from the other responders is good. Brake systems seems simple, but maintaining good, safe brakes is not simple. --Dwight

The lug holes are not wallowed out. The wheels show no apparent damage, except a nick or two on the rim edge. It's possible for any wheel to be bent. I have no way to check that, so I'll just have to give a money-back guarantee on that. The pix below may be the best looking one that I have, but I don't think there is any damage to my others. I'll look downstairs and see how many I have. Let me know your zip code and I will check USPS, UPS, & FedEx to find the cheapest shipping. Or, if you have a shipping preference I'll use that one. I have some wheel boxes that new wheels came in, so the packaging will be quick & easy. I may have a used wheel cover or two. I'll look. I notice that we are "next-door neighbors." I own R5407. Dwight FitzSimons, 1146 Simmons Gap Rd., Dyke, VA 22935-1103, 434-973-9410, studedwight@centurylink.net

That depends on the type fluid in the brake system currently. If it has DoT-3 or DoT-4, then put only DoT-3 or DoT-4 in it. DoT-3 & DoT-4 are interchangeable. I prefer DoT-4 because it is a bit less hygroscopic (absorbs less water). If it has silicone fluid in it then add only that. Someone else will have to tell us how one can tell which is which just from a sample. If you want to change from one to the other then the entire brake system must be cleaned. I have not done that, but others have and will probably chime in with that procedure. --Dwight (2 1964 Avantis)

The original wheels for a '64 Avanti were 15 x 5". Do you really want these? Many say that they aren't safe to use with radial tires. If you want the originals I have a couple spare 15 x 5" wheels I will sell ($45 ea + shpg). Many of us have been using 15 x 6" or 15 x 6.5" Ford or Chrysler wheels with radial tires. At least the original wheels are good for a spare that will fit in the trunk tire well. The fastidious, relentless previous owner (an aerospace engineer) of my '64 Avanti put a bias-ply tire on one. It fits in the well perfectly. --Dwight

It's probably a moot question anyway (in terms of finding one) because the R3/R4 flanged differentials are as rare as, well....R3/R4 Studebakers. I have a '66 Lark-type Dana 44 flanged differential on my '64 Avanti. Everyone seems to agree that this would be a good upgrade for a tapered axle. Or, installing the Phil Harris flanged axles. --Dwight

My answer depends on the question asked. If the question is as posed, then my answer is "square-headlight Avantis." If the question is: "Do you like round headlights or square headlights?" then my answer is round headlights." The 1964 Avantis have a number of improvements, such as more comfortable seats, that tilt me toward the 1964s. Plus, I am a "64 man." I have 2 '64 Avantis, 3 '64 Hawks, and 1 '64 Cruiser. The '64s are arguably the best post-war Studebakers. Most Avanti enthusiasts seem to prefer the round headlights. They give the car a more powerful look. Both look darn good to me, though. --Dwight

A 60 aspect ratio tire will drop your Avanti an appreciable amount versus a 70 aspect ratio. You might consider a 65 aspect ratio tire. Better yet, go to a tire store and compare the three side by side and make your choice. --Dwight

Jim, You may know this already, but......... The Avanti wheel covers were reproduced many (25 or so ?) years ago, by. I think, Studebaker International. I believe they sold out of them a few years ago or so. Wheel covers are not a high profit item, so that would factor in whether someone reproduces them again. But, there are used ones out there. After all, those who bought the new ones shouldn't need their old ones. Also, on ebay, someone is selling vinyl kits to replicate the black parts of Avanti wheel covers. I have used them and they are excellent.

Why not 215/70-R15? They may be a tiny bit lower in radius, but not enough to care about. That's what I have on my '64 Avanti and I like them. B.F. Goodrich Radial T/A - handle great.

Welcome to the AOAI Forum and to Studenakering. There are at least two sources for replacement seat belts: Studebaker International (Indiana) and Stephen Allen's Studebaker (mystudebaker.com in Florida). Both give excellent service and products. Stude.intl has pictures of their seat belts. The seat belts are probably the same from both vendors. https://www.studebaker-intl.com/ http://mystudebaker.com/interior/studebaker-seatbelts/ There doesn't appear to be a replacement seat belt close to elk in color, so maybe black to match your black carpets? That is what I have done with my '64 (Claret interior). --Dwight

George Dimitsas once offered fiberglass filler panels for Studebaker Avantis & Avanti IIs which were intermediate between the Studebaker Avanti front wheel opening and the Avanti II wheel opening. We once had a chapter member with an Avanti II with that mod and it looked just right. To me, the Stude Avanti's front wheel opening is too large (high), but Avanti Motors overdid it when adding that filler panel. Everybody to his own opinion, though. --Dwight

R1, automatic and AC - that's a good combination for us older Studebaker fans. I agree with all that Desert Driver said. Get either Ford or Chrysler 15 x 6" or 15 x 6.5" wheels. A set of used Avanti wheel covers shouldn't be too hard to find, especially now that the Halibrand repro aluminum wheels are available. I'm not sure I would invest in a set of new tires unless you are going to either drive it or sell it within a few years. Tires time out whether used or not. An Avanti that can be driven home by a buyer will sell much better than one that can't. As far as market value I would guess $15k+ as is but cleaned up. --Dwight

Others have recommended a type 51 battery as a replacement for the 3EE battery in a '63 Avanti. Below are the dimensions. The 51 battery is 0.68 inches wider than the 3EE, so that is the critical dimension. The height is about the same (51 is 0.23" shorter). Below are pix of a '63 Avanti with a type 51 battery installed. It looks like only the rearward hold down is needed. --Dwight 51 and 51R battery dimensions: 9.375 x 5.0625 x 8.75 inches (L x W x H) 3EE battery dimensions: 19.94 x 4.38 x 8.88 inches

The drip rails ARE rain gutters, essentially like the ones on your house (they aren't upside down). From time to time Avantis are parted out. That probably is your best bet for a source. I would call Jon Myer in Ohio. They have a bunch of Avanti parts cars. --Dwight

Cool! --Dwight

Was the top of the surge tank reinstalled onto the bottom backwards at some point? The cap goes toward the center of the car, not toward the battery. I have seen a couple of these reinstalled backwards by a radiator shop that didn't know. The pic below is how it should be. --Dwight

Stephan Allen's Studebaker in Florida has had all of the Avanti small gauges reproduced. --Dwight

8-mm wires won't fit in the wire looms on a Studebaker Avanti, will they? Isn't 7-mm as large as one can go?

The letter is from William C. Dredge.

This may or may not be of help. Years ago I used 1967-69 Pontiac Firebird bolts to replace some engine compartment bolts in a '63 Avanti. They were sunken head bolts and looked like the originals. Another thought: Did Larks & Hawks use the same bolts? --Dwight

Type F can be substituted for type A, or you can use Dexron. This topic has been covered on the SDC Forum. The results are a bit different for type A versus Dexron, but those are better covered on the SDC Forum than I, an amateur, can describe. --Dwight

An early Avanti II is the perfect "canvas" on which to "paint" ones ideal Studebaker Avanti, starting with an R1 engine, and going from there.

Ni-Noc is 3M's trademark for "a self-adhesive film that can be applied to a variety of flat or curved surfaces." It is what Studebaker used on '64 Avantis for their wood-grained dash & console. Something was wrong with the material at that time, either it didn't stick, or came apart, or something. Di-Noc is still available today and is a good solution for replacing wood-grain finishes on dashes, door panels, etc. I believe that some of the 813 BKV black interiors in '63 Avantis had the Di-Noc wood-grain until it was found to be unsatisfactory--right or wrong, somebody? The Fawn-color dash & console on '63 Avantis was painted on. --Dwight

IIRC this late-1963 option for Avantis was called 813BKV (BKV = black vinyl). The list above states that 55 Avantis were so equipped. I guess that black was popular at the time. I would wish that Studebaker had chosen Elk for the solid-color option. "1833 R2 'variants'" is just a poor way of stating that this car is one of 1833 1963-64 Avantis equipped with an R2 engine. I would have used different words, either "equipped with" or "R2 option." That's a problem with BaT; they write the description, even though they're not experts on your particular make or model of car. --Dwight