Mark L

I'm in the process of converting to a mechanical switch mounted under the dash that is actuated by the brake pedal arm. I had to cut, bend, and drill two holes in a piece of metal. One hole holds the switch. The other is where it's bolted to the dashboard. I'll add some photographs when I get a chance.

If you do install a backup battery, you may need to wire it in such a way that it doesn't try to also power the rest of the electrical system. Otherwise, it might drain quickly if something gets left turned on.

Michael, what would be the shipping cost to Washington state? You can use zip code 98290 for your estimate. The question was asked a few months ago in a different thread on the topic, but you didn't answer that question.

I looked, but all I could find was one roster from 2009. R1830 was not listed. I recently gave away a complete collection of AOAI magazines and newsletters going back to the first issue. I may have included the early rosters I'm thinking about with those magazines. If I do still have them and find them, I'll see if R1830 is listed.

I did have a few early rosters. One was not dated, but I believe it was from the late 60's or early 70's. The others were from the mid to late 70's. If I still have them, I'll take a look and see what I can find.

The 2025 AOAI meet will be in Washington, PA in the next few weeks. It is a joint meet with the Studebaker Drivers Club. The 2026 SDC International Meet is currently planned for Sept. 23-26 in Waxahachie, Texas (near Dallas). Assuming the 2025 joint meet is successful and the 2026 meet will also be a joint meet, the AOAI meet might be at the same location and dates. https://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/forum/your-studebaker-forum/general-studebaker-specific-discussion/2060021-when-and-where-is-the-2026-international-meet

My 63 has the same issue, but the opposite side. My hood prop is on the left side, and it's sagging on the right rear corner. In my case, I've determined the underhood reinforcement that goes from left to right across the under surface of the hood skin has disbonded from the skin. While the hood is open, I can see movement between the reinforcement and the skin when I gently lift and lower the right rear corner.

Avantis are generally quite rare everywhere. Yes, there might be more in North America, but even in the United States and Canada, many people have never seen one.

True, but if the knock sensor is detecting a knock and the timing is retarded, doesn't that mean a knock has occurred and the engine is already toast? The answer is 'no', because if that was true, the computer would also set the check engine light and the owner's manual would tell you to have the engine checked. I believe most automotive gas engines are designed to withstand a certain amout of light detonation without being damaged. Severe detonation over a "long" period would be a bigger problem. That leads me back to my original thought. I was taught that an engine can have light detonation and a knock sensor will pick it up before a driver will hear it. The computer will retard the ignition to elimimate the detonation and the driver will probably never notice anything was amiss. If a simple circuit to drive a light on the dashboard could be created that was sensitive enough to detect the voltage created by the knock sensor, it seems that it would be a helpful addition to a high compression, non-computer classic car, at least to let the driver know detonation has been detected. I wonder, though, if all the valve noise on a properly adjusted Studebaker engine with solid lifters would create false positive detections. The fameous sewing machine ticking comes from the tiny valve lash being taken up by each moving valve train.

Yes, that's what I had in mind. I know that a knock sensor detects the ping and can be tested by tapping something metal near the sensor with a hammer, but I'm not familiar with how the "signal" is read, or if a computer must be used to read it.

Randy Bohanon is selling a 1963 Avanti R2 automatic he recently had restored at NW Avanti. I saw the car in 2024 just after the restoration was finished. It's a beautiful car. Turquoise over turquoise. https://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/forum/your-studebaker-forum/sale-want-found-cars/2067012-1963-avanti-r2-for-sale

Since a knock sensor should theoretically detect a ping before the driver could hear it, could a knock sensor be installed on the engine and wired to a red light on the dash in such a way to alert the driver?

The final fracture occurred suddenly in the small, "frosty" looking area. The crack spread gradually across the larger area where the "tree rings" are located.

The car was originally shipped to Austrailia and raced on road courses. About 15 years ago it was restored back to it's original street-use configuration and sold. From the following SDC thread, the R4 may have been installed after the car left South Bend and soon after it arrived in Austrailia, expressly for racing: https://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/forum/your-studebaker-forum/general-studebaker-specific-discussion/11401-anyone-know-about-this-r4-car

Desert Driver, thanks for asking the question, because that's what teased out all the information. Recently my driver's outside mirror has become loose. I've discovered that somewhere along the way, someone used plastic sheetrock / wallboard inserts in the fiberglass instead of the correct well nuts. The screws are tight in the inserts, the inserts are loose in the fiberglass. Fortunately, the holes in the fiberglass are still really small. It looks like I'll be buying the correct well nuts very soon. Mark