rhusak Posted February 16, 2011 Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 Hi All.. I am the new owner of a 63 R2 Avanti. I have posted about this on this list before. I am talking to a gentleman about a set of Wire Wheels off of his 84 Avanti that are OEM and 15X7. He cautioneds me and said someone had told him that there were clearance issues on an early avanti with these 15X7 wheels.. Is that true? If so where is the clearance issue? Thanks in advance for the information.. Ron Husak, Conifer, CO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunslinger Posted February 16, 2011 Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 The clearance issue would be in the front...for a couple of reasons. All Avanti's built on the Studebaker frame (1963-1985) do, have or will suffer from sagging front coil springs. It's just the nature of them...probably all Sudebakers of the era, not just Avanti's. The Avanti wheel opening is tight anyway so it doesn't take much sag for the fiberglass to hit a wider tire/rim combination when driving over a bump. 7" wife rims simply makes that more likely since the oe rims were 5" wide. Cars of the era simply weren't designed for wide wheels and tires. You can get away with a 6" wide rim, but that can cause the same issue...I experienced that with a '63 Avanti I owned...I replaced the coil springs and the problem was solved. The other clearance is a wider tire and rim hitting the frame or suspension on a lock-to-lock turn. Of course, the offset of the rim can have something to do with that. On any Studebaker framed Avanti, it's not good to go over a 6" wide rim in the front...at least in my opinion. Tire size has something to do with it as well. Finding tires that aren't too wide or tall today are getting difficult to find outside of reproduction 670-15's, As far as the wire wheels being 15"x7", I don't know what width wire spoke wheels Avanti Motors made available during the 1980's, but considering the financial condition of Avanti during that time, I suspect they installed whatever was available and would fit and then get the car out of the door...let any future issues take care of themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhusak Posted February 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 Oh Well.. That's a disappointment.. They came off of a 84 so I thought they might work.. I am planning to use this car as a driver so I had better pass I guess.. No sense damaging it uneccesarily.. And I Don't want 6.70X15's.. Modern Rubber really helps.. Ron The clearance issue would be in the front...for a couple of reasons. All Avanti's built on the Studebaker frame (1963-1985) do, have or will suffer from sagging front coil springs. It's just the nature of them...probably all Sudebakers of the era, not just Avanti's. The Avanti wheel opening is tight anyway so it doesn't take much sag for the fiberglass to hit a wider tire/rim combination when driving over a bump. 7" wife rims simply makes that more likely since the oe rims were 5" wide. Cars of the era simply weren't designed for wide wheels and tires. You can get away with a 6" wide rim, but that can cause the same issue...I experienced that with a '63 Avanti I owned...I replaced the coil springs and the problem was solved. The other clearance is a wider tire and rim hitting the frame or suspension on a lock-to-lock turn. Of course, the offset of the rim can have something to do with that. On any Studebaker framed Avanti, it's not good to go over a 6" wide rim in the front...at least in my opinion. Tire size has something to do with it as well. Finding tires that aren't too wide or tall today are getting difficult to find outside of reproduction 670-15's, As far as the wire wheels being 15"x7", I don't know what width wire spoke wheels Avanti Motors made available during the 1980's, but considering the financial condition of Avanti during that time, I suspect they installed whatever was available and would fit and then get the car out of the door...let any future issues take care of themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeValent Posted February 17, 2011 Report Share Posted February 17, 2011 I just checked clearances on my 83 with the Dayton wire wheels and 7.15x15 tires. The tops of the tires are just barely below the fender oeping level. The widest part of the tires look like they'd hit the inside of the fender lip if a bump could drive them up that far. They've worked fine for me for the past 4 years and the original spare looks to be the same size. The major difference is that your 1963 model has the front of the body somewhere around 1 1/2" to 2" lower, with the front wheel cutouts that much higher than mine. That means that the fender is maybe a half inch to an inch narrower at the opening's top, and that may be enough to give a clearance problem. You might offer the seller a fee plus shipping (probably he'll also want a signifcant deposit) to send you one rim to try out. That way you'd be able to make an informed decision. If it fits, fine. If it doesn't, you ship it back to him and he keeps the "try it" fee. The Avanti's an elegant design, not a hot rod, and to me it looks its best with wire wheels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhusak Posted February 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2011 Mike.. I agree.. They really look good with wires.. That is why I want to do this.. Good idea about the try before I buy deal.. Ron I just checked clearances on my 83 with the Dayton wire wheels and 7.15x15 tires. The tops of the tires are just barely below the fender oeping level. The widest part of the tires look like they'd hit the inside of the fender lip if a bump could drive them up that far. They've worked fine for me for the past 4 years and the original spare looks to be the same size. The major difference is that your 1963 model has the front of the body somewhere around 1 1/2" to 2" lower, with the front wheel cutouts that much higher than mine. That means that the fender is maybe a half inch to an inch narrower at the opening's top, and that may be enough to give a clearance problem. You might offer the seller a fee plus shipping (probably he'll also want a signifcant deposit) to send you one rim to try out. That way you'd be able to make an informed decision. If it fits, fine. If it doesn't, you ship it back to him and he keeps the "try it" fee. The Avanti's an elegant design, not a hot rod, and to me it looks its best with wire wheels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
63 Avanti R2 Posted February 17, 2011 Report Share Posted February 17, 2011 I have a 64 Avanti with wire wheels. They are on P205/70R15 Good Year tires. There's a 2" clearing in the frontend, at times if I crank to far left or right I will hear a rubbing, but it doesn't show any evidence of that on the tire or the fender. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhusak Posted February 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2011 Are you using spacers? Or have knock offs? Ron I have a 64 Avanti with wire wheels. They are on P205/70R15 Good Year tires. There's a 2" clearing in the frontend, at times if I crank to far left or right I will hear a rubbing, but it doesn't show any evidence of that on the tire or the fender. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
63 Avanti R2 Posted February 18, 2011 Report Share Posted February 18, 2011 Are you using spacers? Or have knock offs? Ron [/quote Neither..they are after market wheels with three spinners in the center Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhusak Posted February 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2011 Thanks.. Then they should fit mine just fine I would expect.. Ron Are you using spacers? Or have knock offs? Ron [/quote Neither..they are after market wheels with three spinners in the center Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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