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Gunslinger

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Posts posted by Gunslinger

  1. Different type fluids will make for different transmission performance in a Borg-Warner transmission.  While not an absolute statement…Type F will make for firmer shifts where Dexron will provide smoother shifts.  Mercon blends can be different as well.

  2. First…is your transmission a Borg-Warner or GM Hydramatic?  It could be either from that time period.  If GM Dexron is called for..or whatever equates to that today.  If a Borg-Warner…Type A Suffix A is no longer available and hasn’t been in a long time.  Most will recommend Type F in its place or equivalent.  

  3. The last I had need to check…Studebaker International sells a complete king pin rebuild kit. The only thing not included is the labor involved to do it.  I believe Studebaker International will want the old, rebuildable parts back so they can be put back in the food chain, so to speak.

  4. My wife and I watched The Nice Guys on Netflix…a 2016 movie with Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling.  It’s an action comedy…full disclosure…it has gratuitous nudity and violence.  It takes place in 1977 and part of the movie takes place at an industry auto show for the 1978 models.  Lo and behold there is an Avanti at the show.  There’s a gun fight and Crowe and Gosling’s characters use the Avanti for cover.  While no bullets hit the Avanti a Cadillac Eldorado does get blown up.  I guess the Avanti was not replaceable as the Eldorado was.  
     

    It was a pretty outrageous and funny movie.  Having the Avanti in it was a bonus.

  5. Considering that most...if not all...Avanti Motors employees were former Studebaker employees that assembled the Avanti it's not surprising that some would simply have continued doing what they did for Studebaker.  

    It's always possible it's a leftover Studebaker windshield with the mirror already mounted or a used replacement windshield installed later.

  6. The manual had to be printed and distributed to dealers by the time cars were to be sold.  Parts and suppliers could well have been changed after the manuals were printed.  That’s what factory service letters and supplemental documentation was for.

  7. If it hasn’t been turned over since 1963 how does anyone know it’s not locked up?  The seller is surely correct about a buyer needing to disassemble and essentially do a complete rebuild…all the way through.  All this needs to be taken into account by any potential buyer.

    This NOS engine has the potential to be as or more expensive to put into operation than a well used engine requiring a rebuild.

  8. On the ‘70 I owned I found replacements through Dan Booth at Nostalgic Motors.  That was about fifteen years ago so I don’t know if that’s still an option.  You might get the numbers off the lenses and do a web search which might bring up the original application.

  9. Spacers were standard on cars with a/c due to added weight of the compressor.  Avanti coil springs also have a tendency to compress with age and miles…contributing to the front suspension bottoming out and tires rubbing against the fiberglass.

    If the spacers are going to be reinstalled I would suggest new coil springs at the same time unless you know for sure they’re recent and not sagging.  

  10. There is a horn relay…probably under the hood but maybe under the dash.  Try tracing the wire back from the horns to it…it will either be under the hood or the wires will lead through the bulkhead between the engine and interior.  Don’t overlook the contacts and wiring in the steering column but the relay or the fuse (check the fuse box to see if there’s one located there) would be the easiest.                                                               

  11. For the average Avanti a 200R4 is a better choice for an automatic than a 700R4.  It has a better spread of gears and can be built to be stronger than necessary for the application.  The 700R4 was designed for larger heavier vehicles and performance applications.  My ‘70 had a 700R4 and the 1-2 shift was nearly immediate and very abrupt.  It was far too easy to spin the tires in any gear.

    Another potential issue with the 700R4 is due to its bigger case…it often requires new neutral safety switch and backup light switch arrangement to be fabricated.  There are differences in Avanti body dimensions so that need is not universal.  

    A good transmission builder can take into account the engine size, horsepower and torque, cam specs, rear axle ratio, weight of the vehicle and build a transmission to make for a great driving Avanti.
     

     

  12. 11 hours ago, John D said:

    I noticed you're recommending a Edelbrock 1403 on a Performer EPS manifold further up in the post. Did your experience with EFI seem worth it? 

    My RQB-2978 came with a Edelbrock TM-1 (Torker) single plane manifold, which I've learned is intended for higher (3000+) RPM apps. I've never been real happy with low rpm drivability, So I'm replacing it with a Performer EPS and slapping the Carter 9625 back on. I am not assuming the 9625 is ok; if I can't tune it satisfactorily I was considering a new 1406 as there isn't even a choke on the 9625. But EFI is tempting too. Is it worth the extra effort and $$$? Is the 1403 a better budget choice? Not racing, 700r4, 3.08 gears, rarely sees >4000. 

    To be honest...I put EFI on my car simply because I wanted it.  For as much as I drove the car it really wasn't cost effective.  It did work great though.  A carburetor is a much simpler way to go...and a cleaner looking installation as well.  

    For a stock or near stock small-block Chebbie a 500 cfm carb is all you need.  A 600-650 is fine as well is you re-jet it...it's a bit more than necessary as it is...unless you plan on spending time at higher rpms.  For any Edelbrock carb without an electric choke you can add one...Edelbrock sells them separately.  

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