1980 Avanti

[Tunrac]

Hi out there,I'm a new kid on the block here and have a question about my 1980 Avanti " SPEEDOMETER"..What a laugh . The car suppose to run 150 + MPH and I have an 85 max speedometer..What's up wiht that? Any input? and I figure the "UGLY " protrusion from under the front bumper must be the results of out ,oh so bright law makers and their idea of a 5 MPH bumper ..Anyone make any mod's on these items? I have a 0-160 mph speedometer ( from another Avanti) I'm wanting to change out . I have an auto Tx. ( 400 I'm guessing with the 350 eng.).What will be needed for the Tx. gear (to speedometer) size ie , number of teeth etc. Glad to hear from any one with solutions..Thanks..

[WayneC]

Hi out there,I'm a new kid on the block here and have a question about my 1980 Avanti " SPEEDOMETER"..What a laugh . The car suppose to run 150 + MPH and I have an 85 max speedometer..What's up wiht that? Any input? and I figure the "UGLY " protrusion from under the front bumper must be the results of out ,oh so bright law makers and their idea of a 5 MPH bumper ..Anyone make any mod's on these items? I have a 0-160 mph speedometer ( from another Avanti) I'm wanting to change out . I have an auto Tx. ( 400 I'm guessing with the 350 eng.).What will be needed for the Tx. gear (to speedometer) size ie , number of teeth etc. Glad to hear from any one with solutions..Thanks..

Well, "Hi" back at you. Are you new to Avanti's?

I may be wrong, because my memory fails me in my later years, but I think the speedo may be limited to 85mph for the same reason you have the weird bumpers... federal law at the time (freeway speeds were 55mph, and I seem to recall that the speedos were purposely limited, and some cars even had max speed governors/limiters).

How often do you go over 85mph? Don't worry, if you get the car up to 150mph and the tires don't blow, the highway patrol will let you know (in writing) how fast you were going :>)

The law said 5mph bumpers, it was up to the automakers to decide how they'd do it, and Avanti Motors didn't have a huge development budget to work with (unlike Ford, Chrysler, and GM) so this was their quick fix until 1984.

The tranny gear for the speedo cable is not related directly to the speedometer, it's related to the differential ratio and tire size, so I don't think you'll need to change the gear... here again, I may be having a senior moment, but I think I'm correct. If the new speedo is off, you can probably have a speedo repair shop adjust/calibrate it.

Some folks have removed the front bumper extensions and camouflaged the remaining ugly holes with driving or fog lights mounted where the extensions were removed.

Edited June 14, 2008 by WayneC

[Tunrac]

Well, "Hi" back at you. Are you new to Avanti's?

I may be wrong, because my memory fails me in my later years, but I think the speedo may be limited to 85mph for the same reason you have the weird bumpers... federal law at the time (freeway speeds were 55mph, and I seem to recall that the speedos were purposely limited, and some cars even had max speed governors/limiters).

How often do you go over 85mph? Don't worry, if you get the car up to 150mph and the tires don't blow, the highway patrol will let you know (in writing) how fast you were going :>)

The law said 5mph bumpers, it was up to the automakers to decide how they'd do it, and Avanti Motors didn't have a huge development budget to work with (unlike Ford, Chrysler, and GM) so this was their quick fix until 1984.

The tranny gear for the speedo cable is not related directly to the speedometer, it's related to the differential ratio and tire size, so I don't think you'll need to change the gear... here again, I may be having a senior moment, but I think I'm correct. If the new speedo is off, you can probably have a speedo repair shop adjust/calibrate it.

Some folks have removed the front bumper extensions and camouflaged the remaining ugly holes with driving or fog lights mounted where the extensions were removed.

[Tunrac]

Well, "Hi" back at you. Are you new to Avanti's?

I may be wrong, because my memory fails me in my later years, but I think the speedo may be limited to 85mph for the same reason you have the weird bumpers... federal law at the time (freeway speeds were 55mph, and I seem to recall that the speedos were purposely limited, and some cars even had max speed governors/limiters).

How often do you go over 85mph? Don't worry, if you get the car up to 150mph and the tires don't blow, the highway patrol will let you know (in writing) how fast you were going :>)

The law said 5mph bumpers, it was up to the automakers to decide how they'd do it, and Avanti Motors didn't have a huge development budget to work with (unlike Ford, Chrysler, and GM) so this was their quick fix until 1984.

The tranny gear for the speedo cable is not related directly to the speedometer, it's related to the differential ratio and tire size, so I don't think you'll need to change the gear... here again, I may be having a senior moment, but I think I'm correct. If the new speedo is off, you can probably have a speedo repair shop adjust/calibrate it.

Some folks have removed the front bumper extensions and camouflaged the remaining ugly holes with driving or fog lights mounted where the extensions were removed.

[Tunrac]

Hi Wayne, my name is Tom . I'm located in Houston,Tx. Just signed on yesterday..I've had my Avanti about a year.Tried buying a 1963 new but didn't work out then. Where is the best place to find info. and parts for the 1980? I want to rebuild the front end and what ever else needs work. I have an original Studebaker Avanti manual and looks like several things on my car are still same as on the original avanti . When I got the car it came with wronge rims on it( drags on the control arms when turning ). I had a couple jeep rim ( there're stamped w/ the Chrysler emblem on inside of rim) that seem to work but need three more. The car is great and love driving it but have to fight off everybody when parked anywhere ( how much you want for that car,I'm asked all the time) , like they would be straining to give a few hundred for it . Anyway would appreciate any and all info on the 1980 model and thanks..Tom

[WayneC]

<snip>

Anyway would appreciate any and all info on the 1980 model and thanks..Tom

Aside from the engine, transmission, wheels, seats, upholstery, steering column, front bumper extensions, hand brake

handle setup in the console, seatbelts, sunroof, and some switches, most parts on your 80 are the same as the original

Studebaker Avanti (with a fender insert above each front wheel to deal with the front end sitting higher).

The chassis is all Studebaker Avanti.

I don't know of anyplace you can find info on the 1980 in particular. I own one myself

(a solid low-mile driver car, but I haven't driven it much nor done much work on it since I bought it)....

I've also owned other years (63, 66, 69, 71, and 89).

There were no parts, shop, or owners manuals written specifically for the various Avanti II models.

Compared to other low-production specialty cars, we're lucky to have as much info as we DO have.

Best source of info is the original Stude shop manual and parts book, which can still be obtained

from vendors or eBay, and of course the pertinent Chevy manuals for the engine and tranny.

There are a couple of books on Avanti, but mostly they consist of reprints of sales brochures

and magazine articles.

There are several vendors who handle Avanti parts, the most comprehensive of which is Nostalgic Motor Cars

http://www.avantiparts.net/

(Dan Booth, the owner, is probably the most knowledgeable person you can find on the pre-84 Avanti's).

Other vendors include Studebaker International http://www.studebaker-intl.com/ , Dave Thibeault 978-897-3158,

Myers Studebaker http://www.myersstudebaker.com/ and SASCO http://studeparts.com/

...and there are specialty vendors like Silvertone Exhaust, Classic Enterprises, and Turner Brakes, among others.

Join the Avanti Owners Assoc, they put out a nice quarterly "Avanti" magazine with helpful articles, and someone offers a CD

that has an index to the articles that have appeared in the past issues (but I haven't heard of a CD that contains reprints

of the issues). Most of the vendors mentioned above advertise in the Avanti Magazine.

Here are a few useful websites:

http://www.avantisource.com/

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

And this web forum, of course.

Avanti II wheels are typical Ford/Mopar 15" wheels of the 70's, with a 5-lug 4.5" pattern and about a 3.5" to 4" backspace;

my '80 has wire wheels (a factory option), but I'm partial to the look of the 7" wide 70's mustang-style Magnum 500 wheels myself...

http://www.mustangfactory.net/proddetail.p...-A&cat=1341

Here's a few more styles I like:

http://www.newstalgiawheel.com/american_racing_wheel.asp

http://www.coolwheels.com/product_display....FTOKEN=58118907

What would you like to know about your 1980?

Edited June 15, 2008 by WayneC

[MikeValent]

Wayne, AOAI now has a CD containing all the issues (to issue 141) for $95. That, combined with the index CD, gives us access to an incredible amount of useful information.

My 3771, a 1983 model, has a 160mph speedo (which in the opposite direction is as absurd as yours). What years had the max 85mph ones?