plwindish
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Posts posted by plwindish
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I didn't look that close at the jazzed up and chromed up Avanti with a grille above the bumper that was on the concours field at Dover, but the "Avanti Police" should have removed the Avanti name off of that vehicle.
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I'm saying false. My 76 has a 14 3/4" diameter Momo and my 89 has a 13 3/4 Nardi. A 16" diameter would be huge.
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Since the II's were marketed as a hand built personal luxury car, I'm wondering how many were built without air conditioning. I've seen a lot of Avanti II's, but don't recall one without a.c. Nonworking a.c. yes, but none with the bare center console.
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I've seen a black 87 from Oak Forest, but not a dark blue 75 around town. Don't know who that would be.
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To illustrate the topic of conversation, there is currently a 1979 Daytona Yellow Chevrolet Avanti II listed for sale on Ebay.
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Dan Short's arrogance has shown through in the previous season shows. I do watch the show because they do come up with some neat looking cars. The removable 63 Vette split window top they made for the 63 roadster was really good looking. Having seen the 83 Avanti in Dover and looking at it closely, I do want to see the show about its build, which according to the owner was 15 months and over 6 figures in cost.
Its also interesting that last night I was at a cruise night where 3 50th Anniversary Corvettes were on display. The dark metallic red paint of the 50th Anniversary Vette was the color the 83 Avanti was painted by Short's crew. As I remember the paint job, they did "tweak" the color by putting more gold flake into it, giving a little more bronze tint to it. They also did a front and rear suspension change on the car, new motor, interior, wheels, shaved front and rear bumpers and a host of other small things most Avanti owners will notice. The shop does do what looks to me like nice work.
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No, I was in Omaha helping one of my daughters get their house ready for sale so I missed the Carribean Beach Block Party and the car show. I have had both of my Avantis (Maroon 76 coupe and Torch Red 89 convertible) at the Tuesday Cruise nights before and after the Beach Party. What type of Avanti was there?
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I like the sign, but I have something different in mind than Warren & Tracey's Finest for the WTF.
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PK, I purchased an 89 convertible last December that had been resto-modded with the installation of a 383 stroker SBC, Computer adjustable 4L60 AOD trans and a Ford 9" rear end with 4.86 gears. Yes, it is nasty and more crazy fast than I drive, but like the way it gets to cruising speed in a hurry. I'm just driving the car locally as it loves to gulp gas. My other Avanti, the 76 has its original 400 motor in it that was taken apart and rebuilt over 3 1/2 years ago, turning out 365 hp and 460 pounds torque when put back into the car. I've put over 19k on it since the rebuild driving to Gettysburg, South Bend, Colorado Springs, St. Louis, and Dover to meets.
The 383 is not the typical route for engine replacement that I have seen, as the 350 crate motor would be more reasonable, quicker than the 305 and still be fairly economical. Personally if I was putting another engine in an Avanti, I'd go the LS route. I know there's a lot of extra work with the LS with putting in a high pressure electric fuel pump in the tank and the computer instal, but those motors are great running, have a lot of power and are reliable.
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Rear end under the bumper had cut outs for the rear spring shackles.
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Just a follow up on the Dover trip. We made it back to IL with no car troubles on Sunday evening the 6th. The 76 ran fine out and back from Dover. 1640 miles traveled altogether. Total mpg for the trip was 19.7. The only traffic mess on Sunday was a 20 mile back up on the end of the IN Toll Road as the ramp going back to 80/94 is closed for rebuilding.
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The car was trailered to Dover for the meet. It is a nicely done car that still had some bugs to get ironed out (according to the owner). It is a verrrry expensive restoration, 6 figures +. I'll be watching the show the 27th.
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This Avanti was at Dover. Everything looked nice but items like the motor needed some sorting out yet. It is a verrrrry expensive restoration, 6 figures plus. I'll be watching the program.
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As rare as the convertibles are, it's surprising to see a number of them available on Ebay, Hemmings and Oldham Online auctions. There also were a good number of Avanti and lark convertibles at Dover. I haven't driven my 89 much this summer as i've been getting ride issues with the coil springs and electrical issues with the two door windows sorted out and solved. It's just about ready to go.
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From our good friends on the Studebaker forum there was a Craigslist ad from PHX area listed Oldham Auctions as holding an online auction for an white 87 convertible, Red 88 convertible, and 2 one black and one white 90 4 door Avanti's along with a 37 Coupe Express. All had been stored at least 5 years, only the Coupe Express was not running as it was thought the motor was seized. Address is oldhamauctionsonline.com and scroll down a little. All 4 Avanti's looked to be in fairly nice shape.
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The owner of the 83 had it at Dover. Paint looks nice , 2003 Corvette anniversary paint, bumpers are shaved off the car, Custom front suspension and new steering as well as a Jag type independent rear suspension with a computer controllled fuel injection 350 engine. As with Dan Short's other builds, its over 6 figures. He only had 4 miles on the motor and things needed to be sorted out yet. Nice looking car, I'll be watching the episode.
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There were few three speeds. I don't believe any had overdrive from the factory.
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I believe the owner said Phantom Works had the car 55 weeks. Yes the cost was over 6 figures. The car was very nicely done. Shaved bumpers, paint was 2003 Corvette Anniversary - a maroon with lots of gold flake in it, new leather interior with suede inserts on the seats. LED's were used in lighting the interior and on custom aluminum Avanti script door sills. A 350 computer controlled fuel injected motor only had 4 miles on it and needed to be tweaked. It is a nice car but you need deep pockets to afford the build. It was judged in the modified class and got a 392 or 393/400.
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I'm knocking on wood.... So far my '76 has been running great coming out to Dover and so on the way back. We went up to Hershey today on back roads, seriously, Rte 30 had double yellow lines for 20 odd miles and some driver about 6 cars ahead of me enjoying the scenery. No wonder PA has posted so many signs along the route Beware of Aggressive drivers.
We are overnighting in Somerset and hopefully, the '76 will be rarin' to go in the morning to get back to Illinois. As I was leaving a PA turnpike rest stop, I did see a group of people peering under a raised hood of an 80's White Avanti that was also in the rest area. No one was around it when I pulled into the rest area, so I'm hoping it was admirers looking at the car's motor and not trouble.
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False, my 76 has a Momo "Indy" model steering wheel.
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I've seen at least one other variation, I'll say true.
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300 hp 327 Corvette motor, 350, 400, 350, 305. This is pretty much the order in which SBC motors were used from the fall of '65 to the end of the Carfolo production in '91. There is the mistaken belief that Corvette motors were always used in the Avanti, not true. AFAIK, just the first 300 hp 327's were actually the Corvette power plants.
200R4's and 700R4's are much improved and desirable replacements for the THM 350's and 400 transmissions. The 200R4 requires less mods to replace an earlier trans than does the 700R4 which is a little wider than the 200R4. The 200R4 is about the same size as the THM 350 and 400 models.
I kept the 400 motor in my '76 but had it rebuilt and livened up to 365 hp and 460 pounds torque. A rebuilt 200R4 is now moving things instead of the THM 400. There is nothing but positives for changing to an AOD trans. Most mods require the addition of the TV cable and a rear trans mount along with possible driveshaft mods(700R4). The 200R4 dropped my motor's rpm's at 70 mph by 1000 rpm's. With the old THM400 and a 3.31 rear end, it was turning 3000 rpm's at 70 mph. Now with the 200R4 and same rear end, its turning 2000 rpm's. The 200R4 does have virtually the same gearing in the first three gears as the THM trans have along with about a .8 overdrive gear. Dan Booth has the shifter rods and the console gear indicator plate as well to make the installation look factory stock.
Best mileage for me driving to Dover from Chicago area was 23.8 with driving 72-74 mph and AC on. Before the trans switch, mpg was in the 14 range.
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One might think the Avantis have a mind of their own!
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Early II's had the wheel covers and I've seen later years also with the wheel covers, but I don't recall them being the base wheel cover for my '76 sales option list. My '76 originally came with wire covers, so I'll say false.
Avanti Straps
in Avanti Trivia
Posted
My 76 has a 21 gallon capacity listed and my 89 convertible has a 15.5 gallon capacity listed, which is strange as I have put 17 gallons in it on occasion.