shop manual

[jeffdgale]

Hi, I am looking for a good shop manual for the 400 ci in my 74 avanti. I have the 63-64 studebaker manual which helps with the everything on the car except the the engine/tranny. I think??? Can anyone confirm this or are there other components that are not Studebaker original?

I know the 400ci SB motor was used on lots of popular Chevey cars but was hoping someone could suggest a shop manual that will be most suitable for the avanti, make and year. (Corvette, Camero, Monte Carlo, El Camino ????) Thanks.

[Gunslinger]

There are many books on the small block Chevy available. Just check your local Borders, Barnes & Noble or even Amazon.com. I would suggest going to the book store so you can page through and see if any particular is what you want as the 400, while a small block, has some differences from the rest. Some books are more about performance upgrades and some are about the rebuilding of stock engines. The 400 was basically used for sedans and station wagons...it's not a performance engine like the 350's installed in Vettes and Camaro's.

You will find the standard '63-'64 shop manual a huge help, but you'll also find there are some differences between what it lists and what Avanti Motors did on some aspects of the car. The wiring harness is different for the Avanti II's, though the schematic in the manual is still a great help. You will run into certain things Avanti Motors did different...sometimes out of necessity due to lack of original parts, or for added options not available when Studebaker made the car. If your car has a rear window defogger, it's not mentioned in the manual as it wasn't an option. The same goes for sunroofs. Starting in 1970 with the RQB models, they installed a transistorized ignition, about '71 or '72 there was a change in rear brake hardware, later they changed the parking brake lever...these are things you find out sometimes the hard way and by asking questions. There were many running changes.

By and large, the Studebaker shop manual and a good small block Chevy manual and a GM transmission book are all you'll need. For what things don't fit under any of those categories, ask here. Many of us have gone through rebuilding an Avanti II and found what interchanges or modifications will work.

[adamderosa]

Look for a '74 Chevy shop manual. The 400 motor was used (I believe) in the Caprice, Impala, and Monte Carlo, so any manual covering those should have what you're looking for. You can usually find these at swap meets.