Gunslinger
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Posts posted by Gunslinger
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Simplification and reliability. The Granatellis found a primary reason for failure was lack of uniformity of the planetary balls and tightened quality control to improve reliability.
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Simplicity and safety. It was a simpler setup and if the hood released at speed it couldn’t blow up blocking the driver’s view. Servicing was easier as well.
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Torque.
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Back in the '70s that fitting in the radiator hose was a popular aftermarket kit made by Prestone. They may still be made for all I know. It would have come with an angled pipe that snapped in in place of the radiator cap for coolant and water to exit...hint...stick a length of radiator hose in to direct outgoing coolant away from the car and not into the engine compartment.
Get some engine flush...maybe not necessary depending on how long since the engine has been flushed and follow its directions to run it through the engine and cooling system. Let the temps come down until you can safely open the radiator cap and release the pressure. Then you can connect a garden hose up to the heater hose fitting, and with the heater valve open and engine running turn the water on to the hose. As things run the fresh water will circulate and hopefully carry the scale and old coolant out of the radiator cap opening through the exit hose. When the water finally goes clear you can stop the engine and turn off the water.
Now you should have a clean cooling system...but only filled with water now. Leave the fitting in the heater hose open and pour in at the radiator cap opening (with the engine running again at idle) the appropriate amount of anti-freeze coolant for a 50-50 mix. Displaced water will come out of the heater hose. Once you've gotten the mix correct you can close the system back up and be good to go.
There are two things that you should consider before doing this...one is to open the radiator drain fitting at the bottom of the radiator to make sure it's not rusted shut. Soak it first with penetrating oil before trying to open it. This is only to make sure it won't be a future headache. The other is this could be a good time to replace the thermostat just on general principles unless you know it's not old. If you do replace it...get the fail-safe type...if it goes bad it is designed to do so in the open position so it won't overheat the engine and cause further problems.
There may be some YouTube videos on how to do this...look at some but remember not all advice on YouTube is good.
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Here's the Sebring Avanti...
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It could either have been for the 12-hours of Sebring and there was another event in the Bahamas I believe. Racing teams were assigned specific colors...the Brits had what came to be known as British Racing Green...the American Shelby team had a broad blue strip on white and presumably Studebaker received twin blue stripes over white to tell cars apart at a distance.
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Different pulley.
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250
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They’re 15” blades…most any brand will work. Just compare how any particular one attaches so you get compatible blades. You can also get 15” refills and insert them in the present blades.
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It’s not a Studebaker part but one sourced by Avanti Motors…sometime from the mid-70s or ‘80s. I may have some lists that give a more accurate time frame but I don’t have access to it at the moment.
One way to tell whether a part is originally a Studebaker part and still used by Avanti Motors is the part number…most Studebaker parts numbers began with “15xxx” and parts sourced later for changes by Avanti Motors were “17xxx”.
Avanti Motors would change parts for several reasons…a genuine improvement…they ran out of original Studebaker parts…a changed forced by government requirements…forced by circumstances such as General Motors changing engine and drivetrain specs.
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Look on Amazon.com…search for the number bulb and add LED to the search line. Lots of available choices and colors will pop up.
Also…be advised…some LED bulbs are directional in how they mount…the current flows one way…if you don’t install them properly they won’t work until you reinstall them the other way. I don’t believe that’s an issue with the dash bulbs or maybe any bulb used in an Avanti but is something to be aware of.
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There were no 1986 Avantis...too busy with handing the paint/body mess plus financial troubles from it...so probably 1985 era cars or possibly late '84 cars as well. Someone else may have a better handle on exactly what time period.
If you look at Avanti history...it's rife with production issues. Sherwood Egbert was a man in a hurry...he was known as "Mister Go-Go-Go". He wanted the Avanti put into production quickly and lack of testing made for production problems...warranty claims...you name it. The car's (and Studebaker's) name suffered for it. Steve Blake was a man in a hurry...he made many of the same mistakes and the car and company suffered for it. Mike Kelly and JJ Caffaro...much the same. Only under Nate Altman did the Avanti really reach its intended goals...and then that statement can be qualified as Avanti Motors had certain problems and limitations. After Nate's death the company pretty much lost its soul and driving force.
It makes one wonder with its convoluted history and mix of executives leading the company how the Avanti soldiered on and succeeded as well as it did for so long. There's just something about that fabulous design that Raymond Loewy and his team molded strikes an emotional tone in otherwise conservative businessmen that makes them want to risk it all on building the Avanti.
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The Delton paint debacle was more due to the new process body composition than the paint. The new body required much more curing time than the fiberglass used previously. When the Delton paint was put over it the body chemicals used kept coming to the surface and caused the paint to bubble and come off in sheets. If Blake had done some testing with one or a limited number of cars the whole debacle could have been avoided or at least minimized. Most likely...no one ever thought there might be a problem as Delton had a good reputation otherwise.
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I don't know at what serial number the quick steering arms began being used, but I doubt if it was immediate. The first thing Steve Blake changed...according to the ad...was the tires...Blake made Goodyear tires standard. It must have taken a bit of time to work out the engineering and manufacture of the quick-steering arms before installing them. I'd also say add time for testing but Blake was a man in a hurry and may not have done any testing...the new body and paint process debacle is evidence of that.
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No...the Newman & Altman cars started with the fork-lift steering box sometime after 1977 and the original steering arms stayed in use. As far as I know Blake kept using the fork-lift steering box but changed to the short steering arms to restore the steering to original specs.
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That's what the initial reports said...the latest report I read said it was steam burns from a steam powered vehicle he was tinkering with.
No idea which reports are accurate...but either kind of burns are horrible and painful. Let's hope Jay has a full recovery.
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Steve Blake purchased Avanti Motors prior to the introduction of the plastic bumpers…he initiated the change but design studies could possibly pre-date that.
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When the '70 I owned was converted to EFI the electric fuel pump was mounted close to the fuel tank...inside the frame rails and insulated there from vibration.
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Edelbrock used to sell their version of the Quadrajet which was and is an outstanding carburetor. The molds/castings for the carburetor were accidentally destroyed some years back so they had to stop selling them. Too bad...it would solve a lot of problems today without resorting to different carbs and intake manifolds for best performance.
Summit is a a great place for parts. Tell their techs what you want out of an engine and what kind of driving it will receive and they will give solid recommendations for the right mix of parts to achieve that regardless of name brand or house brand. I'm a big fan of Edlelbrock carbs and intakes and Lunati Voodoo asymmetric cams...gives good power and idle without the lope of a standard high lift design. But there's a lot of great products out there by many makers.
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Yes. I would have suggested an Edelbrock Performer EPS intake as well if there was hood clearance. The EPS is designed specifically for their square-bore carbs and posts somewhat better numbers than a stock intake or Edelbrock’s Performer intake.
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The last...if I remember it's a R-3 which makes it double rare....last Studebaker Avanti plus last factory R-3.
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Dan Booth at Nostalgic Motors is your guy for this.
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Not sure if it's the same...in the late '70s Avanti Motors ran out of original Avanti frames. A Lark-type non-convertible frame of thinner gauge was substituted with the "X" welded in and stiffeners added. Whether the "X" was the same gauge as the original I don't know.
I'll take a SWAG and say false...same design but possibly a thinner gauge.
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I don't have the information handy but at a certain serial number all Avantis came with black carpeting. It should be in the body and parts manual if you have it...it will give what serial number car the carpeting was black for all.
Fanned Avanti!
in Avanti Trivia
Posted
I would believe due to the Daytona’s higher hood line there is more room for a bigger diameter fan. With a vertical rather than slanted radiator there would be a greater area for the fan to cover.