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SBCA96

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Posts posted by SBCA96

  1. I designed my own system back in 2006 using a modern caliper, a slide over 11 rotor and an option of a 13 inch rotor.  Its all over each of the Studebaker forums if you do a search.  I havent been posting much recently, but I have lots of content once I start again.  My brake setup was featured in a few articles in Avanti magazine.

    https://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/forum/your-studebaker-forum/tech-talk/83439-rad-ideas-mustang-gt-and-cobra-brake-adapter-bracket-update

    I still have some in stock.

    Tom

     

  2. The 1969 Avanti failed the California smog test decades ago, back when they required one for title transfer. We had to take it to a smog referee. It still failed, when my brother told the Ref that it was a "Corvette" engine and in 1969 the Vette had air injection. Because Avantis were low production, it was told to us by Avanti Motor Company, that it wasnt required. A note from AMC was needed to show the Ref and the car passed. Now in California, cars 1974 and OLDER are smog exempt, so I doesnt matter.

    For the record the Ram Horn manifolds have plugs in the holes.

    Tom

  3. Holes drilled and ready for final fitment check.

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_031.jpg

    Everything checked out so add some paint ..

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_033.jpg

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_034.jpg

    Bolted up.

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_036.jpg

    I through bolted the "tab" sticking up on the outer corner, feels pretty stout.

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_038.jpg

    Trial fit with a used battery looks good. This is a 75 series GM battery that fits Camaro, Caprice, Impala etc ...

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_039.jpg

    Napa had a battery sale .. AAA discount and a 10 dollar rebate ..

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_040.jpg

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_041.jpg

    Bought this conversion cable end from Oreillys .. you cut off the top terminal end and slide into the end tighten a set screw.

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_042.jpg

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_044.jpg

    Tom

  4. Time to remove more material not need ...

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_020.jpg

    Some guess work on hole locations by marking with the tray sitting ON the sway bar bolts ..

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_021.jpg

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_022.jpg

    A couple "Hail Mary" holes drilled... (one had to be slotted after trial fit)

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_024.jpg

    Flattened this a bit as the room next to the inner fender looked tight (I think it would have worked, but whatever)

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_025.jpg

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_026.jpg

    The stud to bolt to the fender below..

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_027.jpg

    Got dead on with one hole, the other needed slotting.

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_028.jpg

    Trial fit looks good..

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_029.jpg

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_030.jpg

    Tom

  5. Obviously the long metal piece spot welded to it wouldnt work given the angle they put the battery at and how
    close the frame sits below so it had to be bent over. After a few measurements I found that the thickness of
    a 2x4 would space the box where I wanted it off the nuts that hold the sway bar stand. For a Studebaker the
    body sits lower, so I feel this piece can be removed the holes drilled through the tray at these locations. Since
    the body is at this height now, that will have to wait.

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_011.jpg

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_012.jpg

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_013.jpg

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_014.jpg

    Next was some trial fitting, some guesswork and some luck. Cutting off the excess material not needed...

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_015.jpg

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_016.jpg

    They have a stud on this corner. There was still material left on the battery box in the fender, so a hole was
    drilled here to use it.

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_017.jpg

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_018.jpg

    Marked with a sharpie.

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_019.jpg

    Tom

  6. As some of you may know I recently acquired my dads 1969 Avanti II after his death last year. The car was
    originally from California, and now its back from a 20 year vacation in Michigan. It spent most of its time in a
    garage, years ago it received a 1989 Camaro TH700R4 that was in my 1960 Hawk, and sports my Avantis '63
    steering wheel (which will go into storage after I get a Grant replacement for it).

    The car has the factory Corvette 327 engine, which I got running after first getting a battery to sit under the
    hood in the factory location. Avantis are known for having blown out battery boxes, the box was molded into
    the fiberglas fender and without enough bracing to handle the abuse. Most look like this by now ....

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_019.jpg

    with this piece no longer attached ...

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_032.jpg

    So the quest to fix this began. Many suggested to put the battery in the trunk, but I really didnt want to deal
    with that effort, back where its supposed to go was best. Much fiberglass work was what I was told, but I did
    not see a reason for it to be fiberglass, why not attach it better? I wanted to be sure that the mod would allow
    me to lower the body later to Studebaker height (by removing the spacers) after I visit the engine height. So
    attaching to the FRAME was key. I also wanted to go to a side terminal GM style battery and get away from
    the top terminal setup.

    First was to get a battery tray .. I wanted one with some material attached to work with, this 1990's Chevy
    Suburban looked like it would work nicely.

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_001.jpg

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_002.jpg

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_003.jpg

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_004.jpg

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_005.jpg

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_006.jpg

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_007.jpg

    1969AvantiBatteryTray_008.jpg

    Tom

  7. I think if I was faced with this issue, I might be looking at improvement rather than replacement. Consider

    cutting open the door and installing a crash bar into it, that supports and door and hinges. One thing that

    bothers me about my Avanti is how it would (or wouldnt) fair in a side impact.

    I cut apart a 1994 Firebird door a few years back that had been t-boned by an SUV, the door was almost

    torn apart, but the crash bar was there. It had gone from straight to curved and now I use it as my prybar.

    The car was hit so hard it went into a spin and hit a center margin, breaking off both rear axles.

    I am sure the passenger would have been killed if the seat had been occupied, but imagine what it would

    have looked like WITHOUT!

    Tom

  8. Interesting. I have both a 3rd Gen Camaro cover and a 4th gen Camaro cover. I guess this weekend I will try them.

    I can tell you having both these cars next to the Avanti, the Avanti looks like a Miata by comparison, the Camaros

    are quite wider, which makes the cover fitment seem impossible.

    Since I posted this, my current cover has started to fall apart, and I ended up with a second Avanti, a 1969 which

    had been owned by my dad. So now I need two covers, they have to be outdoor use.

    I got a quote that was almost 250 a cover, which when you are buying 2 (well three, as I need one for my wifes 78

    Camaro) it starts to approach a grand very quickly.

    Tom

  9. You might be interested in this site, they are building the IRS designed by Ford for the 1st Gen Mustang.

    This was rejected by Ford when it was decided that it made no improvement (and was costly). The early

    Mustang is the same size as the Avanti (some say Ford used the Avanti in some of their design) so this

    should fit fairly easily.

    http://mustangirs.com/pdf_articles/Hot_Rod_Magazine.pdf

    Their site :

    http://mustangirs.com/products.php

    Tom

  10. Thanks, with all the upgrades I have done to the car, the seats made the best results, the

    car was really NOT comfortable to drive more than around town. With the Camaro seats

    I can drive 55 miles and not feel bad at all. The lack of a lumbar support is murder. The

    next nice upgrade was the TKO 5 speed, as my Avanti had the 3 speed manual and not

    synchomesh. The large brakes eliminated the leaking stock cylinders and the wheels I

    like how they ride/handle. I wish I could drive it right now, but the throw out bearing went

    south and I hurt my neck working on my wifes car. Pulling a trans right now could be bad.

    Tom

  11. How well have the aluminum Studebaker heads held up at the exhaust ports? I recall them being

    rather long and couldnt possibly have "coolant circulating around" them. Just saying that I would

    be quite surprised a casting company would make a part they know will not hold up ... though I am

    also concerned and voiced that to Dave as well.

    Tom

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