Dwight FitzSimons

Years ago one could walk into a locksmith and get a Studebaker key made just from the key code (from the production order). They looked up the code in a book and cut the key. That's not true around here anymore, but perhaps there is someone in the U.S. who still does that. --Dwight

Both '63 and '64 Avantis came with two keys, one for the doors & ignition switch, the other for the glove compartment and console. By this point in time many Studebaker Avantis have had either their ignition switch (including the cylinder) or door locks changed, so will have different keys for the doors than for the ignition. But, when new they used the same key for the doors & ignition. BTW, with rare exception, 1963 Avantis used a different key blank than '64 Avantis. Studebaker switched at the start of the '64 model year. The two key blanks look entirely different. --Dwight

I have 215/70R15 B.F. Goodrich Radial T/A tires on my '64 Avanti and have never experienced any tire rub against the fiberglass fenders. I do drive the car aggressively in the corners as that is what I live for. With power steering I don't have any problem with any increase in steering effort over 205/75R15 tires. If you have manual steering that would be a different story. Also, how low the front of your car sits could be an issue. If it sits low then there would be less clearance between the tire and the fender. AFAIK B.F. Goodrich Radial T/A tires are the best handling tires available in a 15" size. --Dwight

It looks like there is a sticker on the outboard side of the supercharger nose, but it may just be a reflection. Below are pix of a supercharger with sticker and of a 51R battery installation. The supercharger sticker is available from Studebaker International and others. BTW, your engine serial number should be RS-2514. (BTW = By the way) --Dwight

Beautiful car in a nice color combination! I notice a couple things that I might draw your attention to: 1) Large, unusual looking battery. The original is a 3EE (very long & narrow). Some of us use a 51R, which is about half the length of a 3EE, and perfectly adequate for an Avanti. The 51R was used in 1970s - 80s Hondas. 2) Some of us replace the single-chamber master cylinder with a dual one for safety. There are kits available to do this. 3) The sticker on the supercharger goes directly over the hole (symmetrically). Good luck with your prize! If any questions just ask. --Dwight (I have had/have 5 Avantis)

I agree with your point. But, one does sometimes see some sloppy writing in these car mags. I do wonder why only manual transmission Avantis were dyno tested. If they were testing the entire drive-train then it makes no sense to leave out the automatic Avantis. --Dwight

IIRC, there are also 7/8" rear wheel cylinders that fit the 11" rear drum brakes on an Avanti. Perhaps they were used on a Studebaker truck??? Someone else would have to address the question of whether it is a good idea to use them on an Avanti. Perhaps the 7/8" rear cylinders would work with the larger Sumitomo front cylinders??? --Dwight

I'll note that the statement "each manual transmission-equipped Avanti was dyno tested at South Bend prior to shipment" doesn't exclude automatic transmission-equipped Avantis from having been dyno tested. I.e., the word "only' is not included in the Nov. 2024 Classic Car article. I just wanted to tie up that loose end. --Dwight

So, your Avanti is an automatic?

I'm not aware that any production Studebaker Avantis were dyno tested at South Bend. Engineering would have dyno tested Avantis during the development of the car, but only that. --Dwight

The Turner disc brake conversion does NOT come with new spindles. Replacing them would be a big job and nobody is manufacturing new ones. You keep your existing spindles, but need to install a spacer on your spindle by heating the spacer that Turner provides and pushing it onto the spindle. The spacer is a steel ring that you heat with a torch. Heating it expands the spacer and allows it to go on the spindle. When it cools it contracts onto the spindle and is locked down. That spacer is needed as a "seat" for the new inner bearing to rest on. The rest of the disc-brake conversion is straightforward bolt-on on the car. When I did mine I asked a friend to help me because I was a bit worried about the task of heating the spacer and getting it on the spindle. You have to heat it, then quickly push it onto the spindle before it cools down. I used a Mapp gas torch, which is similar to an ordinary propane torch except that Mapp gas burns hotter. I wanted to be sure that I got the spacer hot enough. But, others can report on whether a propane torch is sufficiently hot. One other thought: Turner recommends the stainless-steel braided hoses (because they do not expand from the pressure of the fluid when braking). The SS-braided hoses are an option that you may want to consider. If you have never done a brake job yourself you might want to farm the job out to a shop. But, if you have done your brakes yourself over the years you will find that installing the Turner discs is simple enough to do in less than a day without calling Jim Turner. But, he is very willing to answer questions if needed. --Dwight

An R3 is considerably more powerful than an R2, all else being equal. I used to think it was fun to ease my R3 Avanti up over 100 on the primaries, then floor the accelerator and feel the kick from the secondaries kicking in (mechanical linkage). I don't do such foolish & dangerous stuff any more, of course, and haven't for over 50 years. These days I'm satisfied with just experiencing the feel of acceleration (and handling) without testing any limits. All my cars have high-performance tires, but I don't burn any rubber off them, I scrape it off in the corners. --Dwight

I grew up with PowerShift cars, so am partial to them. In the '60s I had an R2 PowerShift '64 Avanti. It provided all the performance fun I needed, for a time. I later put a crate R3 into it and that WAS all the performance fun I needed. My current R3 Avanti is a 4-spd, so, when I get it back on the road, I'll find out which transmission is more fun. At my age the 4-spd may become tiring. --Dwight

I believe that Dave Thibeault restores original VRs, but with modern electronic guts in it. He even puts a decal on top so it looks like original. The electronic VRs are much more reliable than the old relays. --Dwight

Yes, it seems like a bone-headed mistake to me. At least they woke up a year later. --Dwight

The car has no windshield wipers. --Dwight

They appear to be, although after all these years who knows what some precious owner did to them. Actually, I have two '64 Avantis and one loose antenna. The two Avantis' antennas are 42" and 48". The loose antenna is 52" long. --Dwight

I have two Avantis. One's antenna is 42" extended, the other is 52" long. --Dwight

There's nothing wrong with a 3EE battery, I just prefer a smaller battery (I use a size 25 in my '64). Modern technology has given us stronger, more reliable batteries in a smaller package, and I generally go with modern technology. Studebaker did, in '64, changing to a size 24. A size 24 is a car battery, a 3EE is a commercial battery. "Diehard" is just a marketing label. I don't know who makes their batteries for them. Actually, mfg has (I think) the ultimate solution: a gutted 3EE in the engine compartment and a size 24 in the trunk. Several of our SDC Forum experts have advocated relocating the battery to the trunk. To those who keep their '63 Avantis original, I say more power to them. I do like seeing all-original Studes at shows, with bias-ply tires, etc. I'm just not into 3EE batteries and bias-ply tires. --Dwight

I would think that's an even better option. I just don't want to go to that extent for a car that I'm going to sell. --Dwight

Thanks, it's good to have some confirmation that I'm on the right track. Actually, I'm just going to copy the owner of the black '63 Avanti in the pic. I have exchanged the 51 for a 51R and will start working on the simple bracketry needed and will have new cables made. --Dwight

I recently bought a group 51 battery for a '63 Avanti, but now wonder if I should have gotten a 51R (same except terminals reversed). I need to decide while I still have time to exchange it. The 51/51R battery is smaller and much lighter, is of modern technology, costs less, and lasts longer. What's not to like about a 51/51R (unless you're dedicated to originality)? The pic below shows a 51R installed in a '63 Avanti. Everything on this car looks well done, so I figure he knew what he is doing. He has re-positioned both hold-down posts and has made a bracket to move the fender-side post forward. It looks like these changes have made using a 51R battery a better choice than a 51, although it looks like either could be used. The 3EE battery is (LxWxH, inches) 19.3125 x 4.375 x 8.875 The 51/51R battery is ........................9.374 x 5.0624 x 8.8125 The 51/51R is ~0.7" wider -- should be no problem The 51/51R is ~ 0.75" lower in height -- no problem Comments? --Dwight

Walker makes a "Quiet flow" muffler that is supposed to flow better than a stock muffler, but be much quieter than a glass pack. They are available in different sizes, from the usual suspects. I haven't tried them yet, but plan to. --Dwight

Living near the mountains is what has scared me into replacing the front brakes on my all original '64 Avanti. For me, the deciding factor is the fact that one cannot stop a Bendix-Dunlop disc-brake Studebaker if one loses the booster. That can happen if the booster simply goes bad, or the engine quits, or the check valve goes bad. (If the engine quits you have 1 or 2 stops left.) Jim Turner has a new-design front disc-brake conversion kit. He now uses the caliper from late model Chrysler minivans. The cylinder size is the same as the GM calipers, so the stopping power will be the same. (The cylinder size is what determines the stopping power, not the pad size.) Hot Rods and Brakes also sells a kit for Studebakers. It also uses Ford rotors and GM calipers, but IIRC costs about $150 less than Turner's kit ($550 vs $700). Turner also sells a dual M.C. kit for Avantis. So does Dave Thibeault. The original Bendix-Dunlop disc brakes will do the job if everything in the system is perfect. Keep that in mind when making your decision. --Dwight

Just from memory that sounds about right. R3/R4 engines were built precisely and with loose clearances, so I assume those facts would mean the break-in time could be shorter. I'm not sure that I waited, though, with R3 no. B-86 back in the late 1960s. Well. I'm off to Morgantown! --Dwight