[Custom Outside Mirrors]

There's some pictures of a custom Avanti on Studebaker forum with similar mirrors. Car belongs to a Malcom Berry.

[dual master cylinder]

For an excellent source of technical data on Studebaker's and Avanti cars please visit Bob Johnstone's website

http://www.studebaker-info.org/

The dual master cylinder information can be found by clicking on Bob's technical pages and then click on master cylinders in the index list. I believe a dual master from a large block V8 MOPAR car form early to mid seventies will mount directly to Studebaker power booster. (Please note the information above on doing the above conversion, especially about pressure tail light switch). If you would like to order a ready to install kit from one of the many Studebaker vendors please search TW and or Avanti magazine advertisements.

I think Myers Studebaker, Ohio and Dave Thibeault, Maine both carry dual master cylinder conversion kits for the Avanti.

I hope this helps,

[Ted Harbit injured in drag race]

It would appear that the Chicken Hawk is a total lost, but we can all be thankful that Ted is alive and recovering nicely.

[Avanti Friendly Aftermarket parts?]

Zach,

My 1963 R1 is currently being restored/modified by Michael Myers. I would give him a call and discuss your engine and trans mods with him. He is very experienced at doing this type of work but if you are not close to Ohio then there are others in the SDC universe who have done a lot of similiar type of improvements that you may live closer to.

My R1 is a previously a 1 owner from 63 to 2000. I picked mine up from JP in Maryland in 2001 after it had been sold in a couple of auctions. It has about 130,000 original miles on it and was still running strong. I took it to Michael in late Febrauary and he has started working on it. My plans are to bore the cylinders 0.060" and using new hypertunic pistons, Michael will rework my R1 valve heads by enlarging the combustion chamber slightly, porting the valves and installing larger SS valves. All this will lower my compression ratio down to the 9.5 range vs. orginial 10.25 and help with the the engines ability to use the crappy premium gasoline available today. We are going with Edelbrock carb, Paxton supercharger, Mopar HEI ignition and R3 style exhaust headers. Michael has done this type of engine conversion (R2+ is what I call it) numerous times and on a dyno the engine should be putting out about 340 HP.

My R1 (R2386) was a white ext. with orange int.. car with Auto, AC, PW, PS, AM radio options. Along with the engine mods my plans are to replace the Powershift auto with a Tremec TKO 5-speed manual trans, and to have a Supercharged R2+ engine with AC. This will be done by removing original York AC compressor, installing Paxton SC and then about where the surge tank is located, Michael installs a Sanden style R-134A compressor and we will keep all the original AC components inside the interior. Interior mods will be to replace the original front buckets with a more comfortable higher back bucket that looks right (maybe late 80's to late 90's Camero seats???), and install shoulder belts. We are doing a complete frame off with frame getting sand blasted and powder coated. We will also install Turner disc brakes on front and put disc brakes on the rear.

Because I am building a modified Avanti my plans are to go with custom rims and probably change color schemes. I am probably going to have exterior painted a "Crimson" red versus the Avanti origianl red which is too orange red for my likes, plus I am an alumus of the University of Alabama "Crimson Tide" so I really like the dark crimson red colors. Interior will probably be a Fawn-Elk colored interior with black carpeting.

[Studebaker Script Placement]

I went thru my parts and repair manuals and there is no specific reference to a split in serial nos. regarding back-up lights. My guess is that all Studebaker Avanti came with them. Perhaps your trunk lid was replaced at some point with a re-manufactored one or someone fiberglassed in where the back-up lights went.

Some people have added aftermarket back-up lights to either side of the license plate so they could turn the back-up lights into additional brake lights to enhance visibility and to help avoid being rear ended. If your not ready to install the back-up lights yet, you could always put a pair of aftermarket back-up lights on each side fo the license plate. See Bob Johnstone's webpage, I think he has done something similar to this. \

[Studebaker Script Placement]

Larry,

My Avanti is in Ohio undergoing restoration so I don't have any dimensions, but here is a photo of mine. It would appear that it goes on right side, inside back up light and centered with middle of back up light. Can someone with access to their car give Larry some measurements?

[SASCO Closing at Year End !!!]

"Sadly, Dennis has to be out of the building by the end of the year. no idea on the fate of the parts at this point. Just horrible news."

JDP/Maryland

See Link below on SDC Forum ....

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/top...?TOPIC_ID=28592

Buy your parts now before its too late !!!

[Surprise Photo of 63-R2386]

While surfing the SDC forum yesterday I had a pleasant surprise. My 63 Avanti raised up on a hydraulic lift was captured in one of the photographs of the Tech Meet held at Myer's Studebaker. A link to the meet photos is below:

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/top...?TOPIC_ID=28514

Michael has pulled the engine and stripped the engine bay. Plans are to convert this R1 with automatic and AC to a supercharged R2+ with a Tremec 5-speed and AC.

[Interior codes]

The paint code is for the Avanti Gold. The ELV is for Elk colored seats, not sure what the numbers 14 963 mean. Perhaps the comination of Elk, Fawn dash or carpet choices. There was a fawn and elk speckled carpet and then just a solid black carpet.

Any of you experts out maybe who know how to delve into this further????

[Custom rims & tire sizes]

Thanks,

I have seen some magnum 500 style and American Racing Torque D rims in 15" x 6". Maybe that would be a better fit. It just seems that you are limited to the number of tires available when you go with P215/75 or P205/75 widths that are speed rated at "H" (130 MPH) and above. maybe the 70 widths will work on the 15" x 6" rims.

[Hidden or Trunk mounted sound system]

Thanks Lew for the suggestion. It seems like I remember an article in Avanti mag with this one time, if so jog my memory with edition it was in. I appreciate the wonderful job you do as editor. My Avanti is undergoing restoration / modification by Michael Myer. I am not going to keep it 100% original so I may try and install a top quality sound system but would prefer not to clutter the glove box or under dash with a head unit, so I was thinking about some type of remote control RF or wired (like a marine system).

[Radio Speakers]

My 63 Avanti also had factory AM radio with front and rear speakers. I am having it restored now and would like to know what sizes the speakers are. Is the front and rear speakers the same size? The parts manual has different part nos. for front and rear speakers but doesn't list their sizes. The maunal only has a picture of front speaker and by looking at the size of the oval I would have to guest 4" x 10" is the rear speaker the same size? Also what wattage and ohms should be used for replacement speakers.

Thanks,

[Hidden or Trunk mounted sound system]

My 1963 Avanti is being restored and I would like a good quality sound system. My 63 came with factory AM radio and front/rear speaker option. I am thinking of keeping the AM original and on a seperate circuit using the original speaker locations.

Has anyone installed a hidden head unit with receiver using a remote control placing CD changer, amp in the trunk. I would think there is room on rear shelf for modern flush mount left & right speakers and then place the front left and right speakers under dash or on interior kick panels.

I guess I could always go to a custom audio shop and have them do this, but was hoping some of you on Forum might have experience and suggestions.

Thanks,

[Mattel Hot Wheels Studebaker Avanti]

I've checked at a couple of additional Wal-Marts here locally in the OKC area and haven't found another one since I found a green one about a week ago. I was hoping to find an orange one. The series that the Avanti is being released into is new to 2009 with the first cars hitting the stores in February. There are 30 cars in the series and one of the ones is called "Studa-Becker". I couldn't find any pre-release photos of this one on the internet yet, my guess is its a custom version of a bullet nose. I suspect that the individual cars in this 30 car series are phased in over the year. Perhaps the orange Avanti will show up at a later date.

[Mattel Hot Wheels Studebaker Avanti]

I picked up a Hot Wheels Classics Series 5 (3 of 30) Studebaker Avanti this week at my local Wal-Mart. This series is new to 2009. My Hot Wheels Avanti is in Spectraflame Candy Green but apparently it is also available in Spectraflame Candy Orange as well.

Here's some pictures ...

[Custom rims & tire sizes]

I would be interested in what rims and tire sizes people are running on original Avanti cars. My car is a 63 and I am having it restored and modified currently.

It would seem that 15" x 6" or 15" x 7" custom wheels would work with the correct backspacing; however, this limits you to a P215/75R14 or P205/75R15 which are mostly speed rated at S,R or T. I would like to find a touring tire that is speed rated H or above and they are hard to find in a 15" diameter tire. The diameter of a P215/75R15 (27.7") is closest to the original 6.70 X 15 bias tire.

Is there anyone running a 16" x 7" wheel that could run a lower and wider profile in a 70 or 65 width but still be a similar overall diameter and not interfere with the fenders and tie-rods, etc? My car will be fitted with Turner brakes and the quick turn radius steering arm when redone.

If you have or know of someone with a similar set up and can provide wheel rim details (make, diam, back spacing) and tire size I would appreciate it.

[avanti red paint]

I'm having my Avanti restored now and have decided to go away from the original paint colors. The Avanti red seems to be to orange red for me. Since I'm doing safety and performance mods to mine, I don't feel so bad about going away from original colors. Right now I'm looking at a Chrysler Crimson red as I am an University of Alabama "Crimson Tide" alumnus.

[CARB BONNET]

Maybe you can remove the carb bonnet from the older Stude Carter AFB and put in onto the Edelbrock and then once covered by original chrome air cleaner cover it would look more stock. I think I remember others talking about something along these lines.

[battery in trunk]

I've been thinking about relocating my battery to the trunk as it uses the 3EE battery as well. An additional question for those who have done this is as follows: What do you use the old battery space for? I am converting my R1 to an R2+ with AC so I will not have a surge tank. Anyone use the battery space for radiator surge tank and/or windshield washer reservoir ???