New Here

[rhusak]

Hello to all..

I am a newbie here.. I am flying back to look at a 63 R2 Avanti next weekend and baring any unforeseen problems hope to make it mine very soon..

I actually was a member of the Avanti Owners Group back in the 80's. At that time I owned a 63 R1. I sold that car when it was new at my dad's Studebaker Dealership in Detroit. I bought it back fro the original owner in 69. It was really pretty rough..

This brings me to my real question. I live in the foothills outside of Denver at 9200 feet. Denver itself is at about 5300 feet. So you can see it Will be driven at high altitudes.. I know the car will be very rich. Does anyone here know the stock sizes of the jets and metering rods on the stock AFB? I know that the Edelbrock carburetor is almost identical therefore many of it's parts including the jets and rods are interchangeable. But I need a starting point. I hope to eventually go with an electronic TBI like a FAST unit to make this compensation automatic. But for a little while I need to stay with the original Carburetor..

Any help will be most appreciated..

Thanks in Advance.

Ron Husak, Conifer, CO

[Gunslinger]

Welcome to the party! You're always welcome.

As far as the carburetor and the jetting go...carburetors are voodoo to me. That's a big reason why I went to EFI in my Avanti II. Since the Edelbrock Performer carbs are updated AFB's, they may well have interchangeable jets. I would contact the techs at Edelbrock and ask them for recommendations. I'm sure they'll give you straight answers.

Again...welcome.

[rhusak]

Gunslimger..

Thanks for the reply.. I want to eventually go woth Fuel Injection as well.. Whose system did you use? Are you using a knock sensor and electronic distributor? I really want to drive my Avanti.. So I want it to perform as well as it can..

Thanks so much for your welcome..

Ron Husak

Conifer, Colorado

Welcome to the party! You're always welcome.

As far as the carburetor and the jetting go...carburetors are voodoo to me. That's a big reason why I went to EFI in my Avanti II. Since the Edelbrock Performer carbs are updated AFB's, they may well have interchangeable jets. I would contact the techs at Edelbrock and ask them for recommendations. I'm sure they'll give you straight answers.

Again...welcome.

[Gunslinger]

Since I have an Avanti II, it came with a small block Chevy engine. The car was quite well "used" when I purchased it, so I installed a GM Performance crate engine...a 350HO/330hp crate. That was less expensive than sending the original engine out to be rebuilt. Actually, if I had it to do again, I wouldn't have chosen that engine...I would have gone for a 290hp crate. The 350HO is a premium fuel engine and the 290hp crate uses regular fuel. I'm not 21 anymore and the 350HO, while a great engine, simply has more power than my needs require. But...I'm am happy with it otherwise.

I chose the Edelbrock Pro-Flo RPM EFI. That's now superseded by a Pro-Flo 2. What the real differences are I really don't know other than the new version is completely programmable by a laptop where mine has a chip installed matched to the cam profile and has more limited tuning without changing chips. That makes little difference to me as I don't mess with the tuning anyway. Mine is semi-sequential and the new version is fully sequential...again, I don't really understand the differences and for my purposes it means nothing.

You do have to be careful about air filters. With the sloping contour of the Avanti hood and limited clearance, you may have to be creative with an air cleaner. Not a big problem, but it did take some custom work to get the air cleaner I wanted to clear the hood. There were other ways if that didn't work, but's a car by car thing.

The EFI does have knock sensors. While one can use most any distributor with it as the kit comes with a kit to convert the distributor to work with the EFI, I used a Mallory distributor designed specifically for use with the Edelbrock EFI...no vacuum advance...it has electronic advance based on information from the knock sensors. The entire system has been completely trouble free and runs great. My only complaint is that the supplied electric fuel pump is on the loud side, but that's a pretty common thing with aftermarket electric fuel pumps.

There's quite a number of EFI units on the market. I've not heard anything bad about any, so you have to find which best suits your needs. The technology is always advancing so what's on the market now can be replaced by a newer one in six months.

[rhusak]

Gunslinger..

You are using a "Port" injected unit. I am looking at a throttle body type or TBI. It is a much simpler unit than yours.. But still leaps above a carburetor. No one makes a "stock" port unit for a Studebaker V8. To "custom" make a port unit would require fabrication skills and tools I don't have..

Plus, I want to continue using the supercharger that is on my R2. So it is a simple choice for me..

The crate engine route you went is really great.. No crate "Studebakers" that I know of..

Thanks for the information..

Ron

Since I have an Avanti II, it came with a small block Chevy engine. The car was quite well "used" when I purchased it, so I installed a GM Performance crate engine...a 350HO/330hp crate. That was less expensive than sending the original engine out to be rebuilt. Actually, if I had it to do again, I wouldn't have chosen that engine...I would have gone for a 290hp crate. The 350HO is a premium fuel engine and the 290hp crate uses regular fuel. I'm not 21 anymore and the 350HO, while a great engine, simply has more power than my needs require. But...I'm am happy with it otherwise.

I chose the Edelbrock Pro-Flo RPM EFI. That's now superseded by a Pro-Flo 2. What the real differences are I really don't know other than the new version is completely programmable by a laptop where mine has a chip installed matched to the cam profile and has more limited tuning without changing chips. That makes little difference to me as I don't mess with the tuning anyway. Mine is semi-sequential and the new version is fully sequential...again, I don't really understand the differences and for my purposes it means nothing.

You do have to be careful about air filters. With the sloping contour of the Avanti hood and limited clearance, you may have to be creative with an air cleaner. Not a big problem, but it did take some custom work to get the air cleaner I wanted to clear the hood. There were other ways if that didn't work, but's a car by car thing.

The EFI does have knock sensors. While one can use most any distributor with it as the kit comes with a kit to convert the distributor to work with the EFI, I used a Mallory distributor designed specifically for use with the Edelbrock EFI...no vacuum advance...it has electronic advance based on information from the knock sensors. The entire system has been completely trouble free and runs great. My only complaint is that the supplied electric fuel pump is on the loud side, but that's a pretty common thing with aftermarket electric fuel pumps.

There's quite a number of EFI units on the market. I've not heard anything bad about any, so you have to find which best suits your needs. The technology is always advancing so what's on the market now can be replaced by a newer one in six months.

[rhusak]

Hi All..

Well 63R-2648 is mine!

After a day from hell with United... Don't ask... I arrived in South Bend and inspected te car and came to an agreementd came to an agreement.. So I am no longer a wannabe! Overall I am very happy with the car.. Runs very well and the chassis is very clean and nice.. Even has Stainless Hog Troughs in it.. New rear cross member and freshly boxed frame!

Jim Maxey of South Bend is handling the sale for the owner.. Those of you who don't know him.. He is a Studebaker tech like few others.. Looked at his 59 4E diesel truck (4 years in restoration) his son's "warmed up" R2 Lark ad a 63 4 speed Daytona Convertible that is being built as a "pace Car Replica...This one had a total frame off restoration and is stunning!

Jim is quite a tech and works on heavy repairs for the National Studebaker Museum. Served on the support team for the race across america which a 28 Studebaker was run..He rebuilt the engine in this one and I am reallyout the niddle of march.. to drive it home ab and hoping good about this car.. Sure it needs a few things.. that is part of the charm!

Does anyone know who produces the sun visors for a 63 Avanti?

So I am official now..

Ron

Gunslinger..

You are using a "Port" injected unit. I am looking at a throttle body type or TBI. It is a much simpler unit than yours.. But still leaps above a carburetor. No one makes a "stock" port unit for a Studebaker V8. To "custom" make a port unit would require fabrication skills and tools I don't have..

Plus, I want to continue using the supercharger that is on my R2. So it is a simple choice for me..

The crate engine route you went is really great.. No crate "Studebakers" that I know of..

Thanks for the information..

Ron

[Gunslinger]

I'm not aware of anyone reproducing sun visors. That could be a popular item to be reproduced, but depending on what's wrong with yours, they can be repaired. There are specialists that can mix liquid vinyl in a matching color, then fill in the split or crack in your sun visor and use heat to melt it in and make the texture match. There used to be such a company in my area...they would go to car dealers and make repairs on used cars in the lot. They did that once for me and for my dad in a car he owned...you couldn't tell if a repair was ever made. They also repaired seat upholstery like cloth. They're not around anymore but I'm sure it can't be a lost art. Maybe a web search or checking with upholstery shops or used car dealers about who they use for such repairs.

If your sun visors are beyond economic repair, your best bet are replacements from a donor car. Check with some of the vendors like Studebaker International, Jon Myers or Nostalgic Motors.

[plwindish]

Congratulations oncoming full circle and returning to your "Stude" roots Ron. I'm glad you stayed true to your Studebaker roots instead of going the Dodge Charger route. It sounds like the carburetion or fuel injection will be your first project with the '63. Replacing all the window seals in my '76 is going to be my first project. I do want to do some driving this summer without getting wet when it rains. Welcome and good luck getting the new baby to CO.

plwindish