64Avanti

The ones that Lionel Stone had cast used the original tooling. They were somewhat difficult to get good castings. When we used that tooling back around 1972 the foundry had to scrap about 20% of them.

He should order a rule book and determine what class he might fit into with the LS3 before he spends a lot of money to modify the car with a full roll cage, replacing side and rear windows, installing engine and interior fire extinguisher system, parachute etc. etc.

As to the question that was asked about stock or modified although I very much appreciate a well restored vehicle to original condition I have a habit of modifying cars. I can't help myself. In the end I would say it is your car do what you want.

With an LS3 engine in the Avanti you are looking at being in an altered class (I am out of California at the moment so can't be specific.) and the record for that is way over 200 mph. The current record for a supercharged Avanti in the classic supercharged class is about 199 and is held by Dave Bloomberg. This class requires using the original engine which can be modified but you can't do an engine swap. By the way it takes about 600 hp to go 200 mph in an Avanti.

What 170 mph land speed record? There isn't a current 170 mph record that would apply to an Avanti with an LS3.

Actually the 299 R3 was not stroked, it was just .060 over. The proof is the R3 crankshaft drawing shows that it is for the 299 and 304 engine.

As long as the change doesn't really show, like a transmission wouldn't, I think changing the transmission is fine. I would rather a transmission change than an engine change in an Avanti. I must confess that I did change an engine in a 63 Hawk when I was in school. I still have it but will change it back to a Studebaker engine (modified).