lschuc

Nelson, Both me and Brad have removed and replaced the fuel sending. unit WITHOUT removing the interior back seat. Go through the trunk and let the top half of the carpet over the back wall of the trunk (if there is carpet there) and remove the three screws that hold the 5-6 inches square piece of fiberglass to the rear trunk wall. You may have to loosen or remove the metal brace that runs across the top. Then you can reach your hand through the opening, remove the wires and using a short, stubby screwdriver or quarter inch small ratchet with a screwdriver bit, remove the screws that hold the sending unit in the tank and then lift the sending unit out. You'll have to turn it sideways and play with it a bit to get the float arm out all the way, but it can be done..... all without removing the back seat or tank.

The picture you show from the shop manual looks to be a smaller diameter fuel pump for a standard V8 engine, not the R-Series engines. Most likely the writers of the Studebaker shop manual did not update this or other photos or diagrams when the Avanti came out. The picture posted on the DeadNutsOn website shows three valves and springs, but I can assure you that you only use two valves, rubber disks and springs and the kit, if I remember correctly, comes with the needed two internal valves and springs. Maybe some of the Carter X fuel pumps use three valves in some applications, but not all. And when I searched on eBay for "1963 Avanti Carter fuel pump rebuild kit" the same type of kits show in my search results at nearly the same or high costs than the link I posted above. If you should get a rebuild kit for a standard Studebaker V8 fuel pump, that will not work because the diaphragm and all the internal parts are smaller than on the Carter X pumps.

I too have bought several of these fuel pump rebuilding kits. They are not for all Ford engines. Only the high performance Shelby Mustang type cars using the Carter X fuel pump. They are a high quality parts and use internal rubber parts that will not swell up or disintegrate with the use of alcohol that is on our fuel today. I got the kits from DeadNutsOn at https://www.deadnutson.com/carter-high-performance-x-fuel-pump-rebuild-kit/

Mark, Could this engine and transmission had been saved by Dick Vaux? When Studebaker shut down at the end of 1963, he worked at the regional parts warehouse in New Hampshire (I believe) and was told to take an inventory of all parts, send the part numbers to headquarters in South Bend, and then have all parts hauled to a landfill. He told me that he worked long nights and weekends to find an Avanti part and hauled them to his home so he could have them for his own Avantis. After his death in 2019, the family sold most everything, so maybe this went to WCD Garage where it is stored now, or to someone else?

Call the membership office. 763-420-7829

Studebaker International is working to make a new Avanti headliner with the correct square pattern, color and grain, but made from what looks like an ABS plastic.

Wish I could be there!!

I've seen this happen to me and others.... easy to get the hoses switched.

John Hora has said this a number of time, that the #8 car was used as the backup to the #9 Bonneville car.

https://aoai.org/newsevents/aoai-2023-international-meet/

The link is on the main AOAI page, https://aoai.org/newsevents/aoai-2023-international-meet/

Last I heard, the #9 car was still in the Studebaker National Museum.... unless just recently it was sent back to California to the man who inherited John Hora's estate. But I do not know if that has happened.

You may have the right and left turn hoses switched at the ports on the ram.

Yes, she did the door panels. She is getting ready to do door panels for me in the pleated Elk vinyl.

I've seen the tag in the past, and maybe it was something that Studebaker added in later production, but I am not sure about that. I think I might remember seeing these tags for sale from various Studebaker vendors.