WayneC
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Posts posted by WayneC
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Seems like I once had that info, but I cannot find it now.
I need a part number (EIS, NAPA, etc) for the dual brake master cylinder used on the '80 Avanti
(2-bolt, with brake lines lines to bottom front and side left).
My research on other forums indicates it MAY be a master cylinder used on Ford vehicles with front disk
brakes in the mid to late 60's (66/67 T-bird, 67 Fairlane 500, 68/69 Torino).
Anybody know for sure what was used?
The car has been sitting for a considerable period, and the master cylinder chambers were dry
when I checked it after finding the car had no brakes (the brake pedal goes to the floor, and there's
evidence of fluid having leaked where the M/C meets the booster).
Anybody know how to tell if a booster is bad, when you can't use the brakes because the car is
laid up with a probable bad master cylinder? There's no obvious evidence of copious
leakage around the vicinity of the six wheel cylinders, and it would be strange for both front and
rear to leak dry at the same time (although I suppose that the rears could have leaked
the fluid out some time previously without my knowing it since the front brakes kept working).
The booster may have sucked the fluid past the M/C piston seals; but it may not have, since
after I added fluid it seems to stay in the chambers with the engine running (pedal still goes to floor).
If it IS a bad booster, I probably will need to get it rebuilt before I install a new M/C, but that's
a large expense I'd rather not incur unless it's necessary, because this is not a car I intend to
keep long term... I need to simplify my life in my old age.
I can hear air exhausting (or being sucked in) from somewhere as I push the brake pedal to the floor,
but that might be normal (possibly even a good sign, since the M/C offers no resistance to the
pedal travel)... I'm not sure.
Thanks,
Wayne
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I feel certain someone out there has put headers on their Avanti II, and I would really appreciate some help to point me in the right direction, as there is only one speed shop around here, and they have not been very helpful.
Would prefer something a little longer than 'block huggers'. I have a mechanic that has a mandrel tubing bender, but it would be easier if I could find something from another vehicle that would fit.
Thanks in advance.
Thomas
I haven't done it, nor do I know of anyone that has, but here's some thoughts....
I'm pretty certain the stock cast iron manifolds are from a Corvette, so "shorty" headers that
would fit a 63-67 Corvette would likely fit the Avanti. I doubt they'd make a lot of improvement
in the power department, though, and they'll transmit much more exhaust noise than cast iron.
Probably the only thing they'd add is chrome bling, aside from a weight savings. If it's a weight
savings you're after, check out later model Corvettes with lighter weight manifolds (but they'll
have air injection fittings on them, too)... I'm not certain what year they started using tube manifolds,
but I think perhaps with the C4 in 1984, and for sure by 1995.
I doubt you can even find aftermarket "shorty" headers for a 63-67 Corvette, perhaps for the
reason I stated... the stock exhaust manifolds work just fine.
As for longer (full length) headers, they are available for Corvettes, but chances are slim to none
they'd fit an Avanti because the routing and outlets won't be correct. And, be aware that
the routing of the exhaust on the driver's side is especially tricky, in that the pipes have to avoid the
steering box & column as well as allow access to the oil filter... if you've ever changed the filter you
know what I mean (I may still have some wrist burn scars); long individual-port header pipes will only exacerbate the problem, it would be near impossible to fit 4 pipes through there, not to mention the
difficulty of accessing the oil filter and #7 spark plug if you did shoehorn them in.
You are also going to face some issues with the heat riser, and the alternator mount.
Sorry to be negative, but not really worth doing, in my opinion... I'd spend that money on more
fruitful engine mods.
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Anyone know exactly how the door panel goes back on? I have the door panels, a couple of round cardboard piece about 4 or 5 inches in diameter and a couple of round insulation pieces about the same diameter. Where do these little donuts go? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
You mean upholstery panels? If you have a parts manual, look at plate 21-10 on page 187.
The cardboard pieces are a mystery.... I would expect that a foam rubber donut goes over the door handle pivot post, between the upholstery panel and the door (or the mechanism from which the pivot post extends), likewise between the upholstery panel and the door lock pivot mechanism, and that there would be a nylon separator disc between the decorative door handle escutcheon and the handle itself.
So, door>foam donut>door panel>chrome escutcheon>separator disk>handle
A further check of the workshop manual: it mentions "hardboard discs" but doesn't say in which order it
goes on... instead it tells you to "remove the rubber spacers and hard board discs from the regulator and remote control shafts and note their position for proper reassembly", which doesn't help much. I guess I'd put them between the foam donut and the pivot mechanism, eg, on the door side of the foam donuts rather than the panel side.
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THANKS GUYS.
I'm not sure exactly what your switch looks like (black flat-rocker style?)... if you can't find the originals you may want to check out the switches used in Series 3 Jaguars (mid-80's XJ6 and XJS) to see if they are a suitable substitution, as they sound similar; they are a semi-shiny black plastic push & hold rocker switch, and seem to hold up well. If you found a jag in a junkyard, you could also get the harness connectors to match, as the switches have pins that slide into the connectors. Here's what the Jag switches look like...
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<snip>
See if you or a machine shop can fabricate a bracket similar in concept, but moves the front facing with the mounting holes forward four inches. If that can be done, you can either drill new mounting holes for the two rear hold down bolts or add extensions to the seat's rear brackets to continue to use the factory mounting bolt holes.
This way the seats and seat tracks don't have to be modified and there are no permanent changes to the car. It may require you either get seat belt extensions or longer belts.
<snip>
I had some adapter brackets made for one of my (non-Avanti) cars a while ago, because I wanted to put some non-stock seats in the car. I measured mount positions carefully, removed the seat and sliders, and re-verified/measured the spacing of the mounting holes for the slider/floor and for the slider/seat, then designed an adapter to mate the new seat to the old sliders. So in my case, the adapters bolted to the bottom of the seat, then the sliders bolted to the adapters, then the sliders (with seat attached) were bolted to the floor.
It will take a little engineering work on your part to design an adapter to raise the seat and position it further forward. In my case, I did not want any additional height or fore-aft adjustments, although I was forced to alter the fore-aft positioning a little because the bolts otherwise would have interfered with each other, and the thickness of the adapter raised the seat a bit. I cannot recall how the Avanti seat attaches to the slider and the floor. Whereas I designed an adapter bracket with as little height and fore-aft differences from stock as possible, you may need to use a piece of rectangular steel tubing to gain height, and you can offset the mounts on the adapter to place the seat closer to the firewall. You may find you need a smaller-diameter steering wheel if you move the seat 4" higher.
I needed some fancy machining to fabricate my adapters, so I had them made from my design for about $60 per seat.
Here's a photo of my adapter brackets (which were painted black before installing):
The smaller holes are tapped to hold the slider-to-adapter bolts, while the "larger" holes are countersunk to recess the bolt heads of the adapter-to-seat bolts (which would otherwise interfere with the slider).
Your design would probably go between the floor and the slider and be nothing more than a rectangular steel tube with 2 holes drilled in the same relative positions top and bottom (except the upper set of holes would be shifted forward the desired distance), with perhaps a couple of nuts pre-welded in place if needed.
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Just a bit more information...
I was looking around my computer files and found a few previous posts I'd saved that
led me to a vendor (TCI) with some pertinent information on transmission swap issues...
1. They have a TV cable bracket for Edelbrock carburetors: #376710
(they have brackets for other carbs as well)
2. They have a tech writeup on adjusting the TV cable with that bracket: http://tinyurl.com/ywfev7
3. Installation Do's and Don'ts: http://tinyurl.com/2cnm36
4. Numerous parts to assist in electronic tranny swaps (4L60E, etc): http://tinyurl.com/272loc
5. FAQ's on tranny swap issues: http://tinyurl.com/297ppx
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<snip>
might I suggest a much easier swap? The
TH700R4 is a 4 speed auto trans, will bolt directly to your GM engine, and its an
all in one piece. Get one from 1987 to 1993 and you are good to go, make suret
you add a cooler if you dont have one already. If you want more longevity, have
a local shop add extra clutches to the 3/4 pack, and add a "Corvette" servo. Its
probably the single best upgrade you can make. My dad just did his 1969 Avanti
and loves it (thats your old baby Wayne!
)Tom
I'd second that suggestion, why fool with an extra overdrive unit, put in a newly rebuilt
TH700R4.... do it right and sell the overdrive.
Tom, I'd be interested in knowing what needed to be done to make that swap, in detail,
eg, driveshaft, mount, linkage, electrical issues... next time I need a tranny overhaul I'll
be thinking about using the TH700R4 instead. Was it covered in the Avanti Magazine and
I've forgotten? (it's tough getting old) If it hasn't been, it would make a nice article (hint).
I do have a short writeup I saved, perhaps from this forum (but I forgot to note the
name of the person that posted it); it mentions serious difficulty with adding a TV cable and
adjusting the cable by using a pressure gauge, but not really enough details given for a novice
to actually do the swap. It also mentions a kit from "Dave" (not sure who that is, Thibeault maybe?).
Other issues it mentioned were:
1. shifter rod pivot length may have to be changed, or a Chevy shifter used
2. driveshaft needs to be shortened and fitted with the proper mount ears for a Chevy yoke
(note: actually, I think you can buy special U-joints that allow a mismatch of yoke & driveshaft)
3. elongate holes in the crossmember to accommodate the tranny support
4. Modify the exhaust pipe on the left side to offset further left to avoid the TH700R4 pan,
and enlarge the "X" crossmember opening to accommodate that offset.
5. wire the torque converter lockup to function automatically (writer says this is a big deal
and that he not only has a manual switch for lockup, but he also used a temperature
switch to force lockup when tranny temp gets to 210!)
6. use the TH700R4 only with a numerically low axle ratio, unless the engine has a HP cam
and needs to run at high RPM
Someone added the observation that the passenger footwell needs to be altered a bit
to accomodate the 700R4 servo housing... that isn't an insignificant issue, since it may affect
the rug as well! This poster said the 200R4 tranny avoids some of the clearance issues.
(I'm vaguely remembering something about a replacement shifter dial available, maybe from
an 80's Avanti, that has markings for this swap, but darned if I know where I saw it).
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OK, first off you should have a 3 speed trans, the Avanti auto was a 3
spd until they used the 4 spd OD until in the early 80s. You should be
seeing a "Powershift" automatic in there, which is a Borg Warner unit.
<snip>
Tom
Was the chewed up gear you found a plastic gear??? Was the gear
actually on the cable, or on a steel cylindrical fitting at the end
of the cable?
My '71 has a GM turbohydro 400, so it's possible you have a GM tranny.
I don't know what was used in 1970, so I'm going to assume a GM tranny.
I think all GM transmissions have the same setup for the speedo cable,
and I've had some experience with GM manual transmissions.
I cannot recall exactly, but if you look at where the speedo cable
enters/attaches to the tranny, it should have a screw-on collar that
allows you to remove the cable from a cylindrical fitting that is housed in
the tranny. There is also a tab retained by a screw that presses/holds the
cylindrical fitting in the hole. If you removed only the tab to pull the cable
out of the tranny, the fitting would still be attached to the cable.
When you've removed the cylindrical fitting from the transmission, there will be a
plastic gear on a shaft, either left inside the tranny or more likely protruding from the
end of the cylindrical fitting... the plastic shaft on the gear nestles inside the fitting,
with the gear at the inside end of the fitting; the squared end of the cable slides
into the outer end of the shaft of that plastic gear.
The plastic gear mates to a steel drive gear inside the tranny,
so that steel gear is likely undamaged (the plastic driven gear is purposely sacrificed).
It is highly unlikely that something INSIDE the tranny caused the speedo failure.
That gear you removed is chewed up, and something chewed it up, most likely binding inside
the CABLE housing, so replace the cable. Check the speedometer, too, to make sure it's not
causing the binding; connect the new cable to the speedometer and spin the cable
from the tranny end, first by hand, and then with an electric drill, to run the speedometer
to be sure everything is turning freely with near-zero resistance, no funny clicking noises.
Clean out the fitting and the fitting cavity in the tranny to get rid of any plastic particles,
and lubricate the cavity lightly with white lithium grease.
On the GM trannies, the plastic gear comes in colors according to how many teeth
are on the gear (to conform to different rear end ratios). I think you can simply go to
a GM dealer and get a new gear in that color, and they are not very expensive,
probably around $10 - $15.
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Does anyone know if new keys can be made from the key codes?
Thanks again
I don't, but...
Have you asked the seller if he might have an extra set he didn't send with the car?
New door and ignition locks are $65 EACH from Nostalgic Motor Cars: avantiparts.net
They may also know whether new keys can be made from the key code, or check with
a good long-established locksmith (with old books!). I don't know a thing about locksmithing,
but it may be possible for a locksmith to make a key for the ignition switch from a blank, if he
has the (removed) ignition switch to play with.... if I recall correctly, the ignition switch can be
removed without the key inserted. I haven't owned a Stude Avanti in many years, so I've forgotten,
does the same key fit ignition and doors? If so, then a key made by a locksmith specifically for
your ignition switch might fit the doors, avoiding the hassle of R&R'ing the door handles.
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Bill, did you receive the pictures I sent to your email address on sunday?
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Hi this is my first post here. My mom has a 1963 Avanti. I am currently bulding a model of it as a birthday present for her. I want to make it pretty detailed, but I can't go over there and start looking under the hood, or she might get suspicious (it is a surprise after all). Does anyone have some good pics of the Avanti engine? Mainly I want to see how the overflow tank is plumbed. I know that a hose comes from the radiator to the front of the tank, but does the overflow tank have a hose that runs to the engine, and if so where? Also how/where are the heater core hoses routed.
Any help is greatly appeciated!
Unfortunately I can't locate many photos of R1 engines on the net, and I don't currently own a Stude Avanti nor did mine have the stock engine.
On the 63 Avanti there is a short vertical pipe coming down from under the right rear corner of the tank that bolts to the thermostat flange on the intake manifold of the engine (eg, there is no thermostat housing, the tank pipe takes it's place); the pipe is only a couple of inches long and is an integral part of the tank. The tank goes cross-wise atop the front of the engine, with it's right end about lining up with the center of the engine, I believe.
The hose from the left corner of the radiator is an "S" shaped hose to offset toward the center of the engine.
You didn't say which engine your Mom's car has; if the car has air conditioning, or if you know the car does not have a supercharger, it undoubtedly has an R1 engine, which has a 4-barrel with a large round chrome air cleaner.
Try these Pics
http://tinyurl.com/2u7bfn ('64 R1 engine, which is pretty much identical)
http://tinyurl.com/39okp7 (R1 air cleaner in need of chroming)
http://tinyurl.com/2ocnvs (R2 engine: supercharger with small chrome cap air inlet over the carb, air cleaner is a large chrome cylinder behind the supercharger on the passenger side)
http://tinyurl.com/2q4d56 (R3 engine: supercharger with aluminum blower box enclosing the carb)
http://tinyurl.com/2pfgwu (R3 engine... this shows the overflow tank pretty well, same position as an R1)
http://tinyurl.com/2ny92j (R3 engine again)
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Lookin' good! Can't quite make out the lettering on the bracket... looks like -something- "automotive device"
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So, is there another way of going about this without redoing the fiberglass holes? Say, fabricating an add-on patch plate/bracket. By the way, my Avanti is a daily driver (107,000mi).
a
Bill Daly
I repaired the problem on the passenger door on one of my Avantis (a 66, I believe)
some years back by fabricating a bracket of stiff aircraft-grade sheet aluminum, about
a sixteenth inch thick. I had some elongated holes and some cracks in the fiberglass,
and you could plainly see the door panel bulging inward as the window was operated.
I cannot recall or describe exactly what I did, but I was able to fashion an odd-shaped flat piece,
perhaps a foot long, that nestled in a depression that connects various mounting holes of the
mechanisms involved (motor and regulator). I started by roughing it out on thin cardboard,
then drawing it precisely on paper (I was once a draftsman), with dimensions between the holes,
making a cardboard pattern from that drawing, trial fitting it, reiterating until I had a pattern that
appeared to fit properly, whereupon I traced it to the aluminum and fabricated a bracket.
Once the holes are elongated, however, it's tough to know exactly where they are supposed to be,
hence my trial & error approach with the cardboard patterns.... apparently I located the holes
with sufficient accuracy to do the job; it would be nice to have a car without the problem to use for measurements, and in fact you may be able to use the opposite door to assist in making a mirror-image pattern.
I vaguely remember having a problem (with the new bracket in place) remounting the armrest bracket,
and with the rod/wire actuator from the inside door lock lever; I can't remember exactly
what I did to overcome those issues, except to say they weren't major stumbling blocks.
I roughed the surfaces of the door and the bracket, epoxied the bracket into place on the passenger
compartment side of the door (I think I ended up using several slightly longer screws), and the window
worked fine thereafter.
The trick is to encompass as many mechanism mounting holes as possible with the bracket, since the
forces brought into play by these components push/pull against each other, eventually fatiguing
the fiberglass.
I have no idea whether the door panel on your later model car is the same as the one I repaired.
I've since sold that car, but I may have the pattern/drawing I used for the bracket somewhere in
the boxes of auto junk in my garage... If you email me, I'll look for it, and if I find it, perhaps
I can take a digital photo of it for you to give you a better idea of the bracket I fashioned.
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I've used dot 5 in several Avantis. I didn't take any special precautions drying out the lines, but in each case the changeover was done in the process of overhauling the brake system with new/rebuilt wheel and master cylinders and new flex hoses. I did it in an attempt to avoid any condensation/corrosion issues when I lived in northern climes, but I moved to milder climate a few years after the change.
I've had no problems I could attribute to dot 5 over about 25 years of using it, so Imy opinion is that the fears of mixing very small quantities of older fluids with dot 5 are overblown.
I certainly find no reason not to use dot 4, either, and I wouldn't be overly concerned about getting every last spec of dot 5 out of the system, but I would want to change the fluid throughout the whole system, not merely the rear or front brakes.
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Good information, I saved it for future reference, thanks for posting it.
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At what point did Studebaker change from round headlights to the rectangular version?
"Avanti" book by Bonsall says square headlights began in August 1963, which was considered the
start of 1964 production. Parts book says square headlights debuted on vehicle serial #4892
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Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will come up with an answer.
Meantime, I can't help you directly, but you might try clicking on "parts" at this website:
That will bring up an email compose screen and you could ask your question there;
however, I am not sure whether that website is still being maintained as there are
currently rumors about the viability of the company.
Secondly, you might try the same at http://www.avantiparts.net/ by emailing info@avantiparts.net
That vendor doesn't service your year Avanti, but it's possible they might have the info you seek (long shot).
Barring that, you may need to remove the bad part and see if you can repair it, or see if
there are any markings on it that could help you identify it (like a Delco part number or whatever);
or even improvise something new based on what you find.
PS: you could also try searching the web for aftermarket kits that may have been used on
your car, to see if anything looks like yours;
for instance:
http://www.a1electric.com/catalog/cat_elemtr.htm
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Can't answer the issue directly, but...
Which M/C is Jon Myers referring to? The original 63 Avanti M/C? Or was there a change during the 70's?
If the pedal feels hard, not spongy, once it reaches the end of it's travel, then mixed/aerated fluid is probably not an issue.
If I'm not mistaken, there is some adjustment at the booster linkage rod that pushes against the M/C... perhaps it can be adjusted (extended) a bit to give a higher-pedal/earlier starting-point to begin pressurizing the fluid. See page 15 of the brake section of the Avanti shop manual. You might also check to be sure there's no slop in the pedal mounting/pivot joints.
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Good advice from Gunslinger on troubleshooting an electrical drain. One thing I might add is that all electrical components are not fused, so if you remove the fuses and don't find a drain, and the test light is still lit up with all the fuses removed... disconnect the alarm, then if the drain is still present, disconnect the alternator; bad alternator diodes can allow a drain.
Also, have a good look around the vehicle in the dark, looking for things like a glovebox light that remains on,
and /or, remove bulbs from the trunk light, underhood light, glovebox light, etc.
And, look for things that aren't working properly.... maybe one of the wires to that device is the culprit.
I had an intermittant drain issue with one of my cars that lasted a couple of years and I couldn't find it, and soon tired of shelling out big bucks to electrical shops that blamed one thing or another, disconnected the cigar lighter and completely removed the alarm system on my various visits, but never resolved the problem (I finally installed a battery cutoff switch to survive and stop the $$$ drain). It turned out to be a wire underneath the car (I think it was a backup light power wire) that had frayed insulation from rubbing/grounding against a frame crossmember... that frayed wire was inadvertently discovered by a mechanic one time when the car was up on the rack for other service. Unfortunately, some problems are tough to find.
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Hard to answer this sort of question without seeing the car, but my guess is in the $4k to $6k range from your description.
Here is an online price guide for collector cars: http://tinyurl.com/y239nq
As you describe the car, it may or may not be below the grading system used by the guide.
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Several Body shops here in Las Vegas have quoted as high as $10,942.00 to repair RQB1600. I have located the necessary body panels (less than $700.00), the rest is in labor and paint. <snip>
$11k to repair/replace the left fender sounds WAY too high to me. Decent paint for the entire body, however, can run upwards of $6k if done right, plus any needed bodywork that may be needed when the car is stripped down to fiberglass and inspected for prior damage. I would add perhaps $1k plus parts for the fender fiberglass work to that amount.
Be sure you've talked to a couple of shops that specialize in fiberglass (ie, Corvette repair).
I'm sure it'll be great to have her looking fresh again.
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I would like to know if someone has any pictures and/or instructions or suggestions to properly rig slings or what ever method was used to mount the body of an Avanti back to the chassis. I would like to know how they do/did it in the factory.
<snip>
I heard there was a video out about how Studebaker built the Avanti and would like to know where I can get a copy. Please reply to Mike @ mbreaz@yahoo.com. Your reply is appreciated.
Maybe I misunderstand your question, but here goes....
I can't recall ever seeing photos or a video of the Avanti bodylift process, but I've worked in auto assembly plants and I'm also familiar with the process used for Corvettes.... they are generally the same: a set of large "L" shaped padded frames are used to lift the body from beneath the rocker panels (2 per side, with a runner on the bottom connecting the 2 frames together and supporting the rocker panel), and with the vertical portion of the "L" bowed out and padded to avoid damaging paint, and the top of the "L" attached to a lifting device above the frame (generally an electric winch with a hand-held control).
Home restorers may have to be more inventive:
Corvette owners usually take the easy way out: they invite 8 or 10 strong friends to a body lift party; 3 or 4 per side lift the (bare) body while someone slides the chassis under it and verbally directs the lifters while they lower/position the body onto the frame. The same method is used to remove the body, and place it on a special rolling frame made in advance (of wood or metal) to fit/support the body.
Other methods include using 4 nylon straps connected together (at the top) to a lifting device such as a very sturdy portable engine hoist or ceiling-mounted chainfall/hoist, or even a home garage drive-on automobile lift, with the lower ends of the straps fastened with seat-belt type brackets to either of a.) bolts in the fore (firewall) & aft (in front of the rear wheels) body mount bolt positions, or b.) brackets they fabricated to attach to the door latch attchment bolt holes on the rear of the door frames and to hood latch attachment holes on the firewall. Padding, such as towels, are used to avoid damaging fiberglass panels. I've also heard of forklifts, backhoes, small cranes, or similar machines being used to do the lifting.
Lastly, there's a rudimentary method: having first removed the engine, tranny, and radiator, and having first disconnected anything connecting the body to the chassis... the body is lifted off the frame with a jack on a 2x6 or larger piece of board (just 4" aft of the firewall) for a cushion to spread the load (centered between the frame rails) and then a long 4x4 timber is inserted crosswise between the body and the frame so that the ends stick out several feet; the body is rested on the 4x4 and then the rear end is likewise lifted and another 4x4 timber inserted. Then a laborious process of lifting first one end (by jacking under the 4x4), then the other, shoring up beneath the outer ends of the 4x4's with some sort of shims (like 2x6x12 boards, or cement blocks, etc) each time, until the body is finally elevated high enough to roll the chassis out from under it so that the chassis can be disassembled, sandblasted, and restored; if the body is left off the chassis for an extended period, the front end should be similarly supported under the radiator support frame. Reverse the process to lower the body back onto the restored chassis.
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Can anyone tell me what chassis the '88 was built on? And, is it basically that entire car underneath? (for repair & replacement purposes). Looking at one for sale and have never contemplated a post Stude or Altman model. There's no manual with this one - anything to be wary of?
Many thanks!
Caveat: I'm not an owner of these later cars, although I did have one for a few months (sold for financial reasons unrelated to the car, and the car was trouble-free)...
There is no manual.
The '88 uses a mid-80's Monte Carlo chassis and driveline (engine, trans, differential, suspension, brakes, and steering), with the Avanti body adapted to fit it; I think the chassis was also used on Buick GNX series cars. Finding a shop to do mechanical maintenance should be very easy, and a GM chassis manual for the Monte Carlo should cover it if you're a backyard mechanic. Chassis parts are readily available from GM or the aftermarket.
The Studebaker shop manual will cover the body pretty well, leaving the dash and the electrical system, especially power options, as the only part of the car that may need some exploration/research when repairs are needed; I believe there is a booklet available (hand-drawn by an Avanti owner-enthusiast) that covers many of the circuit diagrams (although not showing the wiring routing through the car), but there may be problems identifying and finding specific parts, like power window motors or parking brake cables or mirrors or light fixtures, for example.
You might try contacting the Avanti company http://www.avantimotors.com/ to ask about the availability
(or non-availability) of parts for the car.
I can't tell you any specific items to be wary of. Check it out thoroughly, inside & out, top & bottom, as you would any used car, and all should be fine as long as you can find a good electrical technician and a GM repair shop you trust. Owning a late model Avanti doesn't present the kind of parts/maintenance problems you'd have if you bought a Clenet or a Panoz.
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I should make it to In N Out by around
9 pm tonight, if you want to swing by with your Avanti.
As for your issues, rattles usually are exhaust, and if your idle is bad ... my Avanti has a
symphony of exhaust rattles, some from directly under the floor, and some from behind.
I would put some plugs in, it certainly can not hurt, and if you cant remember the last time
they were done ... also .. there is a little light (too bad I am at work already or I would
have brought it) you can get (Walmart) that you put next to spark plug wires to check if
they are working right. I found 5 suspect wires on the wifes 78 Camaro with it. Its about
5 bucks - simple to use. Brake pull is usually leaking or stuck wheel cylinders in the front,
look for wet or shiny insides on the inside of the front tires.
The tool is made by "Katar Hand Tools", part #92A, its called a "Spark Plug Firing Indicator".
Made in the USA.
Tom
I'm out of town, so won't be able to make the In & Out trip anytime soon, and the car
issues will have to wait for my return.
The rattles aren't exhaust, I stopped at a muffler shop and had that checked;
I'm guessing shock mount bushings.
The suggestion on plugs is a good one, and I will probably change
them to eliminate the possibility, although I suspect vacuum leaks.
Spark plug wires are another possibility, but I think a remote one...
the tool you mention probably isn't any different than using an inductive
timing light, and I do have one of those.
Part numbers or apps for 80 Avanti master cylinder???
in 1965-83 Avanti
Posted
Well, I'd hoped to pick one up locally.
Thanks, that may be a way to tell... actually the engine runs and idles very nicely, just as it always did, so perhaps my worries about the booster aren't warranted.
Sure... I didn't add the fluid to fix the brakes, but rather to see if I could cause more leakage to see where it was leaking fluid. Hadn't thought about Dot 5,
usually the M/C has some sort of tag if it uses Dot 5, but I do intend to drain the old fluid before refilling and bleeding.
Yes, I know... just hard to get psyched up to put money and effort into the car at this time;
I'm getting too old to be crawling around under cars, but I can't get the car out of my steeply inclined driveway to tow it to a shop (not that they'd know anything about Avanti brakes, anyway); I have another Avanti I intend to keep, this one will probably go.
Still would like to know the part number or application of the master cylinder.