Gunslinger
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Posts posted by Gunslinger
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If you had a wheel cylinder leaking you do need to replace the shoes. If they get brake fluid into them they will start to disintegrate on you. If the number on your shoes is 228, they are for the rear of a '69 full size Chevrolet. The NAPA number is TS228. Other parts suppliers should have an easy cross reference for that if they use a different brake supplier than NAPA.
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I was at Corvettes at Carlisle yesterday and there was a customs headers designer and fabricator there...Kooks Custom Headers. I asked them about Studebakers and Avanti's, and by coincidence, one of the owners of the company owns a '63 Avanti which what was described as all original condition.
I asked about headers for Avanti's and Studebakers with Stude engines. I was told they could certainly design, engineer and make headers for the cars, though they haven't yet. As long as they had the car to make measurements and test fits, it would be no trouble. Costs would depend on how many units would be sold, which is likely a small number.
I'm just tossing this out for anyone who might be interested in having professional quality design and construction headers for their car. They're located in Statesville, NC. The headers they had on display certainly looked like quality, but for that venue I would expect their best to be on display.
Their website for anyone interested is Kooks Custom Headers
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Does the new distributor have vacuum advance or electronic? I would think vacuum or you would have knock sensors which the Stude engine doesn't have. You could have the vacuum advance hooked up to the wrong port. The Edelbrock carburetor has two places to connect the vacuum line to...ported vacuum and full-time vacuum. Edelbrock will tell you to hook up to the ported vacuum connector.
Since you've changed the distributor, the advance curve may not match the needs of the engine. It may need recurving. You may need to get a timing light that shows timing advance as well and find out what your total advance is, even if your initial advance is correct. If you're getting too much advance as rpm's increase, you definitely need to have the distributor recurved.
If the vacuum advance is coming on too fast and too much it can surely cause detonation. Engine temperature has something to do with it, but it is an aggravation of the problem, not the root cause.
A out of left field possibility...was the engine rebuilt? If so...were the heads shaved resulting in an increase in compression ratio? If the engine wasn't rebuilt, there could be deposits built up on the pistons, which also results in increased compression. I doubt if either would create the problem you describe, though. As I said...just throwing it out.
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My choice, eh? Try as I might, I just can't get those Yuengling bottles to fit into the pockets.
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I'd like to know as well, plus what tools are supposed to be included. Great question!
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I don't know what's been going on with their website, but they're open Monday through Thursdays. Call them...1-800-AVANTI-1. If anyone can help you for this, they can.
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Best bet would be Nostalgic Motors or possibly Jon Myers.
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You can add to that list a chrome bumper Avanti convertible in the movie "The Wizard of Speed and Time"...a science fantasy film from the '80s. Only the two prototype convertibles were chrome bumper cars so it was one of them used in the film.
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There's an Avanti II for sale on Ebay and one of the photos shows the four holes on the passenger side...right by the hood strut. The site wouldn't let me copy the photo but here's the link...
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I've always felt the trunk light in an Avanti left something to be desired...it only illuminated one side of the trunk and if it had any age, the protective lens over the bulb has usually become frosted or a milky white in appearance, diluting the light even more. I also didn't like leaving the light burning for extended periods at car shows when the trunk is required to be left open. Today's technology has provided an alternative.
I thought the LED light strips used by so many people driving custom cars could be adapted for trunk lights easily...and they can. They come in various lengths and colors. I chose white lights for practical reasons...blue and red wouldn't do for my purposes...especially since my trunk has black carpeting. My '70 Avanti has the rear window defogger taking up a lot of space in the middle so a long LED strip wouldn't work, so I chose two 5" light strips...one for each side of the defogger motor.
The two LED strips have adhesive on their back with a peel away cover. The fiberboard that makes up the car's rear deck doesn't make for a good surface for the strips to adhere to, I also added some contact cement on them and positioned them on each side of the defogger motor. I ran the wiring along with the defogger wiring and wrapped a nylon tie around them to keep the in place. I disconnected the 12V power lead from the stock trunk light and tied the hot leads for the LED strips to the hot line. I connected the ground leads to the mercury switch that makes and breaks ground for the trunk light. I replaced the stock trunk light where it belongs, but it it's no longer connected. The LED lights work just fine...they distribute the light evenly throughout the trunk, rather than just on one side. They make for less electrical draw and heat. If it wasn't for the defogger motor in the way I could have used an 18" or 24" LED strip which could provide even more light.
I can always add two more 5" strips and tie them in if I feel I need more light in the trunk but I don't believe it will be necessary. I'm also considering doing the same thing in the glove box.
Depending on where one buys the LED strips (I got mine at Pep Boys), it was less than a $25 investment for better lighting in the trunk. It was maybe an hour's worth of work, and I work slow.
Here are the photos I took before the installation, the light strips as they come packaged, and after they were installed.
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I'm not aware of anyone who has tackled such a project. It would take having access to every production order for every car and I don't know if anyone has such access...at least not without buying a copy for every car from the Studebaker National Museum. A database would have to be created for every interior color combination, which color combination went into a car with a Regal or Deluxe interior, etc. While a database would be set up, you could into which cars had an R1 or R2 engine, 3- or 4-speed transmission or a Powershift, a/c or no a/c, power windows, etc. You could also add to the database the exterior color so information can be extracted how that relates to other options. In fact...anything on the production orders can be in the database...tires, etc., as well.
It would be quite an undertaking...one that would really be interesting to have, but I don't see any one person being able to do it.
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You guessed it correctly...the holes were added to help vent the heat out. I don't know when Avanti Motors introduced them...my '70 doesn't have the vent holes so it must have been after that. When added emissions equipment, no lead gasoline standards, etc., required higher engine temperatures to meet those standards in the early to mid 1970's, that's the time I would guess the vent holes started being added, but that's just a SWAG guess on my part.
BTW - Welcome to Avantidom! You've entered a world unlike any other!
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My own wild guess would be somewhere from half to two-thirds might still exist...in whatever form...restored, survivor, modified, etc. I would consider a car that's derelict but still all there in that group. A car being parted out I don't think would qualify if it's missing its frame or body, regardless of how many other parts remain...they're just a bunch of used parts.
I guess you can make the argument that an intact frame with its serial number plate could count...it just needs to be assembled! I can go either way on that.
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As I recall, the late GM points distrubutors had a trap-door in the side. Open the trap door and insert a 1/8-inch Allen wrench to engage the point-adjusting screw. Then hook up a dwell tachometer and, with the engine running, adjust the screw until the dwell is within spec. I don't recall the exact spec off the top of my head, but 28 to 32 degrees rings a bell. Feeler gauges cannot be used with these distributors because there is stuff in the way.
Dwell tachs are not as common as they once were. If you go to your local NAPA store, they may not know what you are talking about, but it is in their catalog and they can get it for you. JC Whitney also carries them for ~$40.
You have it pegged exactly. The GM window distributor is the easiest distributor ever to adjust points...it amazes me why no one else copied it. Maybe it was a patent issue, who knows? If you don't have a dwell/tach, a quick and dirty way to set the points is to start the car, use the wrench to turn the points in (clockwise), and at some point the engine will cough or maybe die...back it off about a half turn and you're about right at the correct dwell setting. 28-32 degrees is correct with 30 degrees as your target. A dwell meter is still the preferred method It still takes a tach and timing light to set the timing after disconnecting and plugging the vacuum advance hose from the distributor.
I still have my Mac Tools engine analyzer from 25 years ago though I haven't had a points car in quite some time. It still has many other uses which makes me hang on to it. My Sun timing gun is over 30 years old and still does yeoman work. If you need a dwell/tach, there should be lots of automotive meters available with digital readouts that include dwell.
If you saw cracked boots on the wires, it won't be long if you don't start leaking voltage and getting misfires. In fact, you might be getting the occasional misfire now from the spark escaping and grounding out and not be noticing it.
BTW...if you can, buy a set of one piece points and condenser...much easier to install. I used to sell them where I worked years ago. I don't know if they're still marketed as I'm sure demand is low. In fact, they were made by Prestolite who made much of Studebaker's electronic and ignition stuff.
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If you have a stock engine and stock ignition system all you need is stock spec spark plug wires and whatever brand spark plug you like as long as it's the correct application and heat range. It wouldn't hurt to have thicker plug wires with low resistance ratings, but it really doesn't matter much outside of possibly having better radio noise suppression. You can get MSD, Accel, Taylor or house brand spark plug wires. It's a '70 Corvette small block engine so finding lots of choices shouldn't be an issue.
Standard grade spark plugs like whatever came in the car originally should be fine, unless you're experiencing a problem like burning oil that fouls your plugs...then a hotter heat range plug might be called for. You don't need the expensive, exotic spark plugs as they won't help a bit and will only lighten your wallet. AC spark plugs should have been standard in a GM engine and there's nothing wrong with them. I do like the AC RapdiFire plugs. I know many swear by NGK, as some do Autolite and Champion. But, any should give you good service. Leave the exotic plugs for modern cars that call for them as standard.
I don't know if your '70 is a late RQA or early RQB, but the RQB cars should have come from the factory with transistor ignition...no points and condenser. The distributor and cap look the same, so you would have to look inside to verify if it's a points or transistor unit. A transistor ignition will also have a control box on the right front area of the engine bay.
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Depending on which model Delco alternator it could be rated as high as 94 amps...maybe less. It's tough to know for sure without the exact model number. If you can read the model number off the alternator case you can look the amperage rating up online.
Often times Avanti Motors' GM parts and accessories were maybe a year behind when GM introduced the same parts in their assembly lines. Avanti would buy parts ahead such as engines and accessories to get bulk price discounts and store the parts until used. That would often mean last year's GM components were used in this year's production. That could well be the same with alternators.
Look at a Summit Racing catalog and you have a big selection of replacement alternators...direct bolt-in as well as one wire alternators. If you go more than maybe 100-105 amps you may need a heavier wire in the harness to handle the extra amperage. In that case, I would suggest a one wire alternator and use a heavier gauge wire direct to the battery to avoid wiring harness issues.
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These are my opinions and anyone is welcome to agree or disagree..
With respect to Studebaker vs. Altman cars...
Studebaker Avanti...the original and most likely to retain future value. A bit cruder than an Avanti II as it's more performance oriented. The supercharged cars definitely have panache the others don't.
Altman Avanti II...known for superb build quality (at least until Nate Altman's passing in 1976). More refined than Stude cars and intended to be a high performance touring car than for pure performance. Of course, after 40+ years build quality isn't an issue anymore. Outside of the occasional anomaly of a garaged low mileage car, all Avanti's built are either in need of a rebuild or have been rebuilt by now.
Studebaker Avanti...few interiors and paint colors in comparison. One would think it should be easier to restore, but in practice, no way...hard to find proper matching vinyls, carpets, etc., to do so.
Altman Avanti...huge variation of interiors, exterior colors, etc. Many were quite bizarre in color schemes and trim. Since essentially no two were built alike you can change whatever you want and not really hurt the value as long as it's done tastefully.
Chevy power vs. Stude power...the Chevy engine is probably the easiest engine of all time to find parts for...stock or performance. The Studebaker engine, while an excellent engine, is easy to find stock parts for, but you generally have to order them and wait for delivery. Performance parts for Studes are available, but not inexpensive and the selection is limited.
Transmissions...the Borg Warner Power Shift is an excellent transmission, but servicing isn't as universally easy as a GM tranny. The BW T-10 4-speed is also an excellent unit if you're determined for a manual. With an Altman car a swap to a 5-speed like a Tremec would be simple in comparison to doing the same in a Stude engine car.
Basically...to my way of thinking, a Studebaker Avanti is a great car. I've owned one and enjoyed it for years when I was much younger. When I wanted another Avanti I wanted an early Altman car...I felt I could make whatever changes I wanted without hurting its value. I'm more of a purist when it comes to the original cars...that doesn't matter for Altman cars.
If you decide on an Altman car, I would limit my choices to pre-mid 1970's. Outside of the drivetrain, they were still almost all Studebaker...parts are easier to find. After the mid-'70s, some original parts ran out and they started adapting more and more from other makes. That certainly doesn't make them bad cars, just finding parts sources after that point gets a little trickier. The later cars are nice, though as you mentioned, pretty heavily detuned for emissions controls. Again...my opinion...feel free to disagree.
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My '02 has no light like you're describing. I checked the owners manual and it shows no light of any kind there...not even an optional feature. I thought that if your car has a manual transmission it could have something to do with the skip shift feature, but that's an indicator light on the gauge cluster. The only blinking light my car has is the security anti-theft light mounted on top of the dash near the windshield. It blinks when the engine is off but makes no noise.
Maybe it's something that Avanti Motors added? If you decipher this mystery, please let us know.
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The good news is that it's repairable and the parts are available...though some may be quite expensive. The bad news is that unless you're capable of doing the work yourself, it will cost more than the car is worth to repair it right...even if the frame itself is not damaged. I have no idea of the condition of the rest of the car...frame, torque boxes, interior, engine condition, etc.
Unless you're interested in a long, expensive process, give it a lot of thought. The fact that it was your mom's car can add a lot of emotional attachment to it and that can certainly outweigh practicality and normal common sense. There's nothing wrong with that, especially if you plan on keeping the car rather than looking at it as an investment. I have more invested in my '70 than I could expect to get in return, but that's not why I rebuilt the car.
My own feeling is that every Avanti that can be save should be saved, but I also know that's simply not a practical proposition. We do need parts cars to keep otherwise unavailable parts in the food chain for other cars to stay on the road.
Think it through...get estimates, add up the parts you know it needs, try and figure the cost of labor, than double it (at least)...and you might have an idea of how much money you're going to need. You didn't say if there's any insurance coverage on repairing the car either...that will certainly make a difference.
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It looks great! That really pops! Congratulations and kudos to Myers Studebaker for the quality of their work.
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I can't say for sure, but I would think if you determine what steering column you have (American Motors or Mopar), you can probably use what would have been installed on that make column. Avanti Motors may well have used an aftermarket system as well that could work on whatever steering column they used. Somehow my memory tells me they used kits from Dana Corporation, but are now sold by Rostra.
You might be better off buying and installing a new aftermarket setup...all the parts will be there and have a warranty and customer support. There are a number on the market...some have a turn signal stalk and control that looks factory (depending on what year car the steering column is from), and some have a switch that either mounts under the dash or snaps onto the turn signal stalk. Summit Racing sells kits, as does JC Whitney and others.
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I don't have the answer but with that engine/tranny combination it's gonna scream!
You can get the upgraded motor mounts from Nostalgic and go with it. That's what was done with my '70 and there were no problems at all. I have a GM 350HO 330hp crate engine with a 700R4 and aluminum driveshaft...it can smoke the rear tires all too easily so you might have trouble keeping tread on your rear tires!
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Have the tech install some a/c leak detector in the system and make sure there is a leak. Is the system cooling normally? If so, don't worry about it until there is a verified problem.
Cars today don't have receiver/dryers like cars used to. I think the replacement part is called an accumulator but it's mounted in the engine bay. Much easier to use than the dryer mounted under the front end. It's how my car is set up now...I can post pics of the setup if you want. The disadvantage is you have to have new hoses etc. and mounts for under the hood. It all depends on how much you want to spend.
You can probably come up with a condenser from a catalog the same size...maybe have to fabricate some mounts for it. The dryer would be long obsolete and I doubt if any local place would carry any dryer much less that one. Again, you may be able to match it up by dimensions with one in a catalog, but honestly, just calling Nostalgic is probably the fastest way to go and will fit without fabricating anything.
My own recommendation is either get what you need from Nostalgic or upgrade the entire a/c system with new design parts...compressor, condenser, accumulator, hoses...everything. You can run into trouble way too easily trying make do with parts adapted that look "close enough".
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First...pressure test the system to make sure the leak is actually coming from the radiator. No point in going to the trouble of pulling it out and finding it's something else.
Yes...removing the hood is part of the job. It's not difficult to remove, but it helps to have a second set of hands. Once the hood is off and safely stored, it does make access to the radiator much, much easier. The procedure for a '78 should be identical to a '63 or '64 as shown in the shop manual. Be careful when undoing the transmission cooling lines.
Any good radiator shop should be able to repair it for you. If it needs a new core, shops order them by dimensions...the make of car really has little to do with it. The shop can then attach the side tanks after making sure they're in good shape. If you do need a core, have the shop order a core with increased fins per inch. That greatly increases the cooling area and makes for much more efficient heat transfer.
You might also contact Dan and Betty Booth at Nostalgic Motors. I believe they carry reconditioned radiators. You can compare obtaining one from them with shipping costs to a radiator shop re-coring and repairing yours.
I've done it before...it's not a tough job considering how many other repairs on an Avanti are a royal pain.
Help - Pinging Problem
in 1963-64 Avanti
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I believe the passenger side vacuum connect on the Edelbrock is the ported vacuum, so you're OK there. That temperature thing is baffling...not sure what to make of it and its connection to the problem. How is your PCV valve connected? The Edelbrock carburetor is not drilled and tapped for it like the original AFB was...you have to drill and tap the connection...Edelbrock says to do so in the front, not the back as on the AFB. That shouldn't make a difference for your problem...just bringing that up.
If it turn out your distributor actually does need recurving, it would have to be taken to a shop with a distributor machine just for that purpose.
Detonation is generally caused by too low an octane gasoline, timing advanced too far, the compression being raised, excess temperatures allowing the cylinder head or combustion chamber temps to be too high for the octane rating of the fuel to keep from having pre-ignition (detonation), or some combination of them. 185 degrees is simply not too high to cause that under normal circumstances. It can be a combination of things...maybe the compression ratio was raised, combine that with the timing or timing advance being wrong, add high temps and detonation can happen, but it just doesn't seem too likely for such a complete set of circumstances like that occurring.
I think you really need to get back to basics and eliminate what it's not. Make sure the engine is actually operating at the temperatures the gauge says and not grossly above that. Make sure the engine is tuned properly...timing according to specs (with the vacuum advance disconnected and the line plugged), good spark plugs and gapped correctly. Make sure there's no vacuum leaks anywhere. If everything checks out normal and correct, and the problem still occurs, at least you'll know what it's not.
Do you still have your original distributor? if so...reinstall that and see if the problem occurs. If it doesn't, you know the problem is in the distributor you installed. Does your Mallory have an optical trigger or a magnetic trigger? They both should have an air gap that needs to be set...that should be checked.
You haven't said, but do you have a Mallory, MSD or other brand capacitive ignition box added on? They're not always compatible with some electronic distributors and can cause problems (don't ask how I know that).
There has to be a simple cause for this...I hope you find out soon.