plwindish
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Posts posted by plwindish
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I did a 200R4 switch from a Turbo 400 in my 76 Avanti 3 years ago. I had 23000 miles carefree operation until I lost the overdrive in Williams AZ on the recent Great American Tour. I finished the tour with the other 3 speeds and found out later it was a stuck throttle valve that dropped overdrive. Cleaning the valve and a simple trans service got it going fine again. I have gotten up to 27.5 mpg with the 200R4 setup with the 400 motor. The trans dropped 1000 rpm's at 70 mph from 3000 to 2000. When the overdrive was gone, I really missed it. It's definitely a good swap to do on your pre-overdrive transmission Avanti.
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What was the weights for both and if the II is heavier, what is that attributed to?
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Milt, In the 1 1/2 yrs I've had my 89 convertible, I've never unzipped the window. In fact I never saw the zipper until the upholstery guy pointed it out last summer. It still has the original canvas top which looks in good shape and doesn't leak as far as I can tell. My upholstery guy did point out that the rear window had been replaced, showing me the stitching was crooked. The window has some scratches and is starting to slightly discolor, so I'll need to replace the window one of these days. Too bad they glass rear window like the Mustang was never used. It would have been much classier.
One annoying thing I have with the top is the front top lock on the drivers side. It will vibrate loose while driving down the road and can even pop loose on a bumpy road. It has come lose a couple of times on 294 around the Chicago area, making it fun driving and grabbing the lock handle trying to put the pin back in the hole at 70 mph! Only the drivers side will vibrate loose. I've gotten into the habit of periodically reaching above the visor and pushing the handle forward against the windshield frame to make sure it doesn't vibrate too far.
Milt, doesn't your 88 look like my 89 with the Avanti (Lamborghini) Red body, black leather interior and black top? I envy the trunk space you have in the 88 compared to my 89. My gas tank is under the trunk making the floor flat in the trunk and the spare with a huge carpeted tire cover taking up about half the space in the trunk.
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Go back to the AOAI Home page and click the Resources button on the left side of the screen. The next screen that comes up has Studebaker Resources listed, click it and it takes you to Johnstone's Resource Page. Ebay results are listed on the left side under the Avanti Data Base on the left side of the screen.
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Bob Johnstone has add a new wrinkle on his Avanti Data Base in the Studebaker Resource Pages. He has the Ebay sales results listed for the Avantis offered for sale in 2014 and 2015. Good work Bob as its another tool to see what are "babies" are worth in not ours, but the public's eye.
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In November 2013 at the Muscle Car Show in Suburban Chicago, I saw two Dodges originally outfitted by Mr. Norm that had white Paxton Superchargers.
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false, the entire trans is in front of the X member.
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Two prototypes were made in 1983, using 1970 and 1982 coupes. Blake did make 3 in the 1985 model year. No 1986 models, but the extremely good looking convertible was produced in 87, 88, 89 and 91 model years. 1989 was the highest convertible production with 100 made.
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I put my registration in the mail yesterday. I'm hoping you'll have a smooth transition over to the "drive through judging". It sounds like you all have put a lot of work and thought into it. See you in St Louie Lew and Don!
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I switched out a THM 400 on my 76 for a rebuilt 200R4. Everything, linkage, trans mount, trans, and torque convertor installed was slightly under 2 K. I had looked at gear vendors and the unit was 3 years ago $2500 without installation and shortening the driveshaft. Comparing the gear vendors which I believe gives you two speeds with the rear end would with a 3 speed turbohydramatic gives you 6 gears and a 4 speed AOD would give you 8 gears.
A red 89 Avanti convertible was at Dover last summer for one of the days had the gear vendor set up behind a 700R4. In front of the trans was a Paxton supercharged 350. I'll bet that combo could really boogie down the road!
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Were the #10 LED bulbs also used in the trunk(old backup light) positions and 3rd brake light also?
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Eric, You've got an interesting dilemma. With your background and business, it sounds like you'd be able to go any direction without too much trouble. Talking with some of the Stude experts first will help you make the decision. I'm willing to bet there were more than 3 63 white R2's with a four speed made. Bob Palma on the Studebaker Forum would be one person that has the information access as to the numbers made.
The value of an original 63 R2 4 speed in that color/ interior combination would be more than the way the car is presently equipped, but what's the cost of returning it to that configuration with a 52 year old drive train? It sounds like the original combination is no longer around so you'd be at period correct, not original. Avanti's are not like Vette, GM, Ford or Mopar muscle car in value, so I don't think it would be an economic advantage to go back to original with the R 2 and 4 speed. Why not "modernize" the car with an LS/ 6 speed swap? You're saying Paxton, but what about the Edelbrock supercharger on an LS? I'd think you'd be following in your fathers footsteps with the car by modernizing it. If you're planning on driving the car, I's seriously consider going with the LS. I faced a similar situation with my 76, but it still had the original 400. I decided to keep it original and had the motor completely rebuilt, modernized and warmed up to 365 HP from the 175 HP and putting a 200R4 behind it. For what I spent getting it done, I could have done an LS swap. You don't have the original drive train, so you can really go any direction. Why not put in more power with a modern drivetrain?
Good luck with your decision.
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Same thing happened to me Gunny with my 64 round headlight car. I ended up bolting a metal plate to the side of the driver's left side lower setback hinge base. It kept the seat from being a rocking chair. It held up for the time I had the car back in the late 60's.
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Bill, after you get used to the 700R4, you'll be happy with it. I had the 200R4 set up in my 76 to lock up by pressure, but in town, I just pull the shift lever from 4th to 3rd and it functions exactly like the Turbo-hydramatic 400 in drive. On the highway, when I'm slowing down for a stop sign, I'll pull it back into 3rd so it doesn't lug down and chug. MPG increase should impress you as well. Good luck with it.
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My 76 tilt column tilts up and down, and will noisily go down if you grab on to it while getting out of the car.
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The MOMO wheels on the II's were a big improvement over the Studebaker wheel.
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Preacher Jim, Welcome to the world of multiple Avanti ownership! I own a 76 coupe and an 89 convertible, both have been places to park extra money! A higher end upholstery shop or a wood working shop that makes cabinets might be your best bet to match a wood panel for the interior. Don't know if Sue from "Gas Monkey Garage" would be able to handle that or not! In fact, you might have to work between both types of shops to get the wood, finishing it and getting it installed unless you are a "gamer" and want to do it yourself.
There is a higher end upholstery place near my home area that was replacing a 66 Ferrari interior (Italian Buttterscoth Leather) when I first went in to have some work done for my 76 Avanti. They were able to find vinyl that very closely matched the Acorn Vinyl in my 76, take out the driver's side lower and upper left side seat bolster, replace it as well as the upper and lower middle section of the rear seat. The Butterscotch Leather job was around 8 K. My repairs were much cheaper.
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Your car's number should also be grease penciled on the backside of the door panels as well.
My 76, 2392, did not have a sample piece of the walnut it is equipped with in the console under the ash tray as I've had it apart several times and did not find that type of a "nugget". I did find a roughly 2 sq inch piece of the original shag carpeting at the top of the driver's side interior firewall. That shag carpeting was some ugly stuff. I'm glad it had a more modern type carpeting in it when I bought it.
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Saturday April 18th, the Blackhawk SDC (Chicago) had a car collection/ Stude show in Hillside IL. Three members of the Studebaker family were there, on driving a Scotsman pick up and Julie Studebaker driving her late father's 64 R1. The car is well traveled, having been in Europe for a time. The was redone a couple of years ago and brought back to its originally as built status. At some point in time, a regular 289 was put in the car and ran until it threw a rod. An R 1 was located and put back in the car. Two interesting items in the car are ac and a manual 3 speed overdrive. The driver had a yellow post it note by the shifter with the #1 and an arrow pointing to the rear of the car to remind her of the 1st gear position of the 3 speed. She said the car was always a 3 speed, but didn't know if it always had the overdrive or not. This is the 2nd 3speed/overdrive I've ever seen, the first being last Fall. As I heard from the owner last Fall, the car came with a 3 speed but the overdrive was dealer installed. Weren't there around 70 some 3 speed equipped Avantis? All the stats I have seen did not break the 3 speeds down into with or without overdrive.
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Welcome to the forum! I had a 64 with round headlights back in the day when I was in high school and college 66-69. I sold the Avanti and bought a 67 SS396 Chevelle. I never got over the Avanti, getting a 76 in Jan 2011 and an 89 convertible in November 2013. Good luck with getting the car.
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IMHO, a vinyl roof does nothing to improve the looks of an Avanti. The 60's and 70's definitely was the time for vinyl roofs. In early 1969 I sold my 64 Avanti R1 and got a 67 SS396, gold with a black vinyl top. Now there was a car that wore a vinyl top well! Today's restorations tend to leave the vinyl tops off these cars to make them look more contemporary, but its taking away from that great period look that all the Chevelles, LeMan's, Skylarks and Cutlass's had with the top. The GM roof was much different than the Avanti and had a much better look to it. The one or two Avantis I have seen with the vinyl roof don't look as good to me as a "uncovered" Avanti.
Avanti II owners with leaky sunroofs might want to consider a vinyl top to "turn off the shower".
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I rely on a competent radiator and ac repair shop to do the work on my 76. I've had issues with being low on freon and had to replace a drier, but have had no electrical issues with it's ac controls.
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Bumpers are scarce so be prepared to spend $$$. Any Stude Swap meets coming up near you? Sometimes you can also get one that way. I think its George Demetrius from Chicago(advertises in the AOAI magazine) is making stainless steel reproduction bumpers. Check his ads as well.
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Bill, one advantage of the 200R4 over the 700R4 was that the driveshaft did not need to be altered. Regarding the console shift indicator, Dan Booth has those in stock that can be swapped in for the old PRND21 and make it PRND321. How did you handle the lock up?
2002 Muffler
in 2001-2007 Avanti models
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A fellow Avanti club member has an 02 Avanti Coupe with T tops. He said it was built from an 01 Firebird.