[AM/FM RADIO]

56 minutes ago, regnalbob said:

An AM radio was not standard, it was an $85.00 option. AM-FM was not an option for 1963.

The following is a note from the 1963 Studebaker dealer price list.

A rear speaker could be ordered without a radio for $12.95.

Factory installed AM-FM listed for $154.50.  Dealer cost was $117.50.

Uninstalled dealer price was $149.50.   Dealer cost was $113.62.

106 AM-FM radios were installed in 1964 Avantis.

 

That's a lot of good information that I was looking for,,,thx

[AM/FM RADIO]

41 minutes ago, Gunslinger said:

I'm guessing the radio was installed post-South Bend.  It would have been specified on the production order if it was factory installed.  AM radios were standard equipment or could be specifically be a "radio delete" option with a blank plate covering the dash opening.  It could have been installed by the dealer or by a later owner.  When I had a '63 Avanti I installed an original AM-FM radio I bought during the '70s or early '80s...yes...they were still available brand new at that time!  The swap was not difficult.  

The AM/FM radio was a 1964 option...1963 cars would all have come with AM only radios unless dealer installed at the buyer's request.  It's possible some of the transitional '63/'64 cars might be factory equipped with an AM/FM but only a production order would verify that.  

Thanks for your reply.  So you feel AM radio was standard and being standard equipment would not be listed on the production order or dealer invoice but the rear speaker being an option, it would be listed (which is is)?

[AM/FM RADIO]

My recently purchased '64 round headlight R2 was trailer-ed home on Friday, most of the rest of the car I brought home in boxes, the interior is gutted except for the dash.  The car was in a storage trailer when I first saw it so Friday was the 1^st day I actually saw it in the daylight. 

To my surprise which I didn't notice in the trailer, I see it has an AM/FM radio installed with the rear speaker; I had previously ordered the dealer invoice and production order paper work and saw a rear speaker listed but no radio at all listed.  Looking on the Avanti Owner’s Asso. web page, a radio isn’t listed under std. equipment and only lists a “push button” radio on the optional equipment list., not specifying AM or AM/FM type.

So, my questions are:

Was my AM/FM radio dealer installed and if so, why was only the rear speaker installed at the factory and not any radio at all, as the “born reports” show?

Next, how rare or uncommon were the AM/FM radios back in ‘63/early ’64 models? And what was the listed cost for that radio?

[UNUSUAL INTERIOR METAL TAG?]

Thanks for your reply.  Yea, I've been in and out of auto parts stores for 60 years now and worked on a lot of cars over time but never saw a metal tag like this, but I guess it may be in which part of the country you live, and it doesn't seem like something a car maker would put in a car; let's see what others think; frankly I'd be surprised if someone said it was actually something Studebaker did back then.   Thanks again for your comments,,,

[UNUSUAL INTERIOR METAL TAG?]

The small metal tag (pictured) with remnants of glue on the back, was in the console of my recently acquired '64 R2, I'm wondering if this was something that was a standard tag in all Avanti and if so, where would it have been placed/located?

Or not an Avanti or Studebaker tag at all?,,, 

[OUTSIDE REAR-VIEW MIRRORS]

Thank you for your reply, evidently my car did not come with outside mirrors, it is a early '64 round headlight car, I will eventually get mirrors, where I'll put them I'm not sure but I do like the look of them on the fenders even though they are probably more effective on the door as you had mentioned,,,

[OUTSIDE REAR-VIEW MIRRORS]

Recently purchased a '64 R2 and it doesn't have any outside rearview mirrors and I don't see any indication that it had any.  The car did have a paint job many years ago and mirror holes could have been filled (can't think of why they would be), but the paint job was so bad I can't see any body-work being so good that I would not be able to detect holes that had been filled but I guess it's possible.

So, my questions are:

Were outside rear-view mirrors standard equipment or optional?  And if standard equipment, were there both right and left side or just left?

Also, what determined where they were placed, on the fender or the door; did the year of the car '63 or '64 dictate the location?,,,

 

 

['64 R2 CRANKSHAFT NUMBER]

10 minutes ago, Rick Allen said:

Thank you, that's a relief, I look again for the part #,,,

The forge number is very visible to find but where is the part number located on the crankshaft?,,,

['64 R2 CRANKSHAFT NUMBER]

9 minutes ago, Dwight FitzSimons said:

The part number for the R1/R2 (& 289) crankshaft is 1556929.  What you are looking at is the forging number, which is not the same thing as a part number.   (On rare occasions the two might be the same on some forgings or castings).

--Dwight

Thank you, that's a relief, I look again for the part #,,,

['64 R2 CRANKSHAFT NUMBER]

Took the crankshaft out of my '64 R2 engine as part of rebuild but was surprised to see the number was different than what the book called for; the book calls for a 1556929 for the R2 Avanti 289 but the number on my crank is 1556444 as best as I can make out, the 2nd last number looks like a poorly stamped "4".  If anyone knows these numbers and can tell me if the crank I have is not correct for the engine, please let me know; I am reasonably sure the engine was never apart as far as I can tell,,,

['64 R2 CRANKSHAFT NUMBER]

Took the crankshaft out of my '64 R2 engine as part of rebuild but was surprised to see the number was different than what the book called for; the book calls for a 1556929 for the R2 Avanti 289 but the number on my crank is 1556444 as best as I can make out, the last number looks like a poorly stamped "4".  

CONTINUED ON NEXT POST WITH PICTURES

[R2 ENGINE PARTS]

11 hours ago, Pete Rutledge said:

Jon Meyer has everything you will need, including hypereutectic pistons made in the USA.  I finished rebuilding my R2 289 this past year after getting all my engine parts from Jon.

I got frustrated trying to use Meyers website, is there a secret to using it?,,,

[R2 ENGINE PARTS]

Thanks for all who made recommendations, I'm doing my homework, want to make sure I get all USA parts,,,

[R2 ENGINE PARTS]

 

20 hours ago, Nelson said:

Are you looking for standard or over size?

Not bored yet but probably .030,,,

[R2+ Camshaft Recommendation]

Rebuilding my '64 R2, and am looking for a replacement camshaft, not looking for a radical grind, just something close to stock, I hear of the R2+ cam mentioned often, is that a good choice and where to get one,,,

[R2 ENGINE PARTS]

Where can I buy engine parts for my R2 289?  Looking for pistons, rings, bearings, etc.  so far, places I have checked, sell things like pistons that are made "off shore"; anyone know who, if anybody, sells USA made parts?,,,

[AVANTI 3 SPEED AUTO I.D.]

I'm wanting to confirm this is an Avanti R2 transmission; the tag is worn off but there are other numbers on the case so maybe someone could I.D. for me?

[1963 rear seat?]

I just purchased a '64 R2 which was last inspected in 1972 and had sat in a un-heated garage (cement floor) until it was purchased and put into a storage container 5 years ago; and then I bought it 3 weeks ago.  The seats, door panels, etc. had mold on them, I cleaned them several times with Spray 9, and then treated them with Zymol cream leather conditioner, I was luck in the fact that, aside from some minor surface rust, the seat bottoms were relatively rust free,,,  

[REAR AXLE I.D.]

Thanks for your reply.  Did non-TT Avanti rears have mounts for traction bars or was it just for the TT rears?,,,

[REAR AXLE I.D.]

Took more pictures today, little hard to read but it's a Dana 44; is this a rear used in Avanti?,,,

[REAR AXLE I.D.]

Tags from a 289 '63 Hawk, I know the 3.31 is the ratio but what is the 43-13 on that same tag and what is 45C indicate; and is it a dana rear and is it the same unit (except for different ratios) that was used on the Avanti?

[Engine Block Replacement]

18 hours ago, mfg said:

Agreed, but how many Stude dealers followed through with that procedure we can only guess...I purchased a '63 GT Hawk (with a replacement 289) years ago, and the block pad was left blank.

That wouldn't surprise me, I'm sure some dealerships weren't as diligent as the Studebaker corporation would have had them be,,,

[Engine Block Replacement]

1 hour ago, mfg said:

The short (or long) block engine would have been shipped to the dealer with a blank serial number pad,  then the dealer was expected to stamp original serial number onto replacement block with 1/4"  I.D. punches.

Thank you, that makes sense, it would keep the original number as it should!,,,

[Engine Block Replacement]

Okay I'm starting a new question:

If an Avanti engine is replaced under warranty by Studebaker, whether it is a 63 or 64, how is it identified(numbered/stamped)?

I realize because of the relatively short production run of Avanti and assuming a 12-month warranty, it is possible it may be hard to find that any engines were replaced under warranty and how they would have been identified.

 

[SUPERCHARGED ENGINE NUMBERS]

1 hour ago, 64studeavanti said:

Here are a couple of picture if engine numbers. These are definitely stamped.

I agree; what do you think of the latest enlarged picture?