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avantifred

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Posts posted by avantifred

  1. END98:

    I grew up in Wantagh, NY.....When I was 17 and without a NY senior license I went on my bike to the Stude dealer where your dad bought his car on Sunrise Hwy in Merrick to see the Avanti. When the salesman told me it was over $5k - that was it for me and life got in the way for about 40 years. That showroom is now a "Canco Tile" showroom.

    You are so lucky... BUT I must add that my car #5255 also has a very interesting story !. GOOD LUCK

  2. Have you ever had a problem where the horn doesn't always "beep"? Assuming the horns & the relay are good !!

    You may move the steering wheel just a little & it sometimes works !

    You took the steering wheel off a dozen times & still no solution to the problem!!

    By now you (like me) are clueless !!

    If this sounds familiar & you reply to this post I'll give you the Jon Meyer absolute solution !!

  3. Have you ever had a problem where the horn doesn't always "beep"? Assuming the horns & the relay are good !!

    You may move the steering wheel just a little & it sometimes works !

    You took the steering wheel off a dozen times & still no solution to the problem!!

    By now you (like me) are clueless !!

    If this sounds familiar & you reply to this post I'll give you the Jon Meyer absolute solution !!

  4. Well fellas .....I guess you're all a lot younger than I am (70 years) BUT before 1968 when the "federal car" was controlled by the Feds & the EPA.......whenever the headlights were on the parking lights went out. It wasn't until 1968 when they both stayed on. SOOOOOO the good news is that you may NOT have a problem at all !

    GOOD LUCK

    AVANTI FRED

  5. Looking at the photos.... I'm sure that you've heard the phrase." There's nothing more expensive than a cheap Avanti"....this phrase definitely applies here. I would say that unless you're one of those lucky folks who are the financial 1% that the presidential candidates speak of .....RUN...RUN....RUN away from...NOT towards this Avanti !

    There are many other "fish" in the Studebaker "sea" to choose from !!

    Of course this is just my feelings on the matter...GOOD LUCK on your decision (choice).

  6. Friends & I previewed the auction on Thursday & looked at the Avanti in detail. It did appear to be a solid #3 car, which did run fairly well. The hog toughs were undercoated which did concern me BUT the doors were not sagging at all. The car was bid up to $18K or $18.5K so far an R1 ,auto with A/C it was a pretty good value. A 10% bidders fee was also added to that figure & if it was a phone bid there was a 13% fee. Soooooo what do ya'll think??

  7. Thanks for the reply Skip. Let me clarify...... My '64 has never had any octane additives. I ONLY put in 93 octane (corn-laced) gasoline. I have never so much as even checked the timing with a light & have literally prayed over that beautiful set of dual-points. Old #5255 runs SOOOOO good, but like I mentioned previously the car did "ping" under full throttle kick-down into second gear. BUT not after the third tank-fill of no-ethanol 93 octane. I am not sure of the :brand" of gasoline that I purchase. We also must remember that the compression ratio of the R2 is lower than that of the R!. I totally agree with what you said but when the vacuum/boost gage is pinned to 5# with no detonation it's music to my old ears!!

  8. Here in central Virginia we're able to purchase 93 octane non-ethanol gas. Granted I pay a $0.40 per gallon premium..........BUT

    After just 3 tank-fills the difference in unbelievable.! Before I had some bad detonation noise under full throttle accelerations !

    Yesterday while trailing behind a slow-poke I passed him (her) ! Unbelievable...that old Paxton went to a full 5 pound boost & the old Avanti just rocketed past. The 1965 289 mustang behind me couldn't believe the acceleration......neither could I for that matter. No pinging just movin' up to 80mph in an instant in a 55 zone .........off the gas real quick too !! SO.... if you can get the "no-corn" gas -get it and see the difference after 3 fill-ups!

  9. Steve,

    I bought these on E-bay. These are a direct replacement from the original style (#57) incandescent bulb. Just be sure to order the "super bright" LED.

    Just as a side note you will find that the dash light dimmer on the overhead switch panel will no longer have any affect on brightness when you hit the switch. Like I said before you'll be soooo happy that you won't have to ever do this replacement again !!

    Fred

  10. Steve......No such luck. I'm #10 ring size with a palm like a catcher's mit. If my fingers were a little longer it might have been a little easier though. Rest assure there will be a little blood shed, some aching bones the next morning BUT wait till you see the results at night and knowing that you won't ever have to do that again !! Interesting to note that both the owners manual & the shop manual list only one bulb for the speedo !

    Fred

  11. While I was "under there" I vowed never to do this again! Just replace all the bulbs with red LED's. Also, be aware that even though the shop book says that there is only one bulb in the spedo my car, #5255, had 2 bulbs in the speedo. It seems Studebaker wanted you to see the spedo even if one bulb went out ! The clock is not bad, the temp is not bad, the speedo is do-able, the tach is tuff, the gas is not bad, the vacuum is really bad & you may (will)need to remove the radio ! Even with the radio out.....it's a bear !! GOOD LUCK

    Fred

  12. OK.....You guys really got me digging now. I have a copy of the "vehicle inspection check off" it is dated Sept 11th '63. Seven days after the build date.

    Now for a new number in the fray of things....the "line #432", in the case of my car, vin #5255, this number is grease pen painted painted on the left end of the dash panel under the stainless steel close-out plate. This car was then delivered to the dealer in Arlington Heights,Illinois as a car just for stock. Marvin Bradley did NOT personally order this Avanti. He traded a 1962 Hawk GT and took delivery on Dec 23rd 1963.I believe that's the date the last Avanti was built !.... Right??

    I don't know if this clears things up or muddies things up even more BUT...... after more than a half-century we are the care-takers now .........and let's face it ......we love it !!

    AvantiFred

  13. I've been reading this line for a while & I figured I'd put my info in for vin #5255 built on Sept 4th '63........the engine # is RS J309

    that's also the number on the block. 72K miles never out & running VERY strong on no-ethanol 93 octane fuel. The difference after 3 tank fills is VERY noticeable!.......I hope this sheds some light on the matter!

    Fred

  14. There are SOOOO many dead Saturn's in salvage (junk) yards all over this country that it really shouldn't be too hard to locate one. You probably can be "picky" & choose a really nice one ! Our president's "cash for clunkers" has seen to that !!!

  15. Thanks for the info Schuyler.........Mine is still original BUT I've marked the Gates # in my original parts book for future reference (maybe even for Avanti #5255 next & third "caretaker".

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