been around for a while- new Avanti

[davepink53]

Hi All. I have been a member of the forum for a while and just bought my first Avanti. It's a 1971. I am not sure, would the engine in this be a 327 or 350ci? It is auto, air con and sun roof. Metallic Green in color. I would like to get a copy of the owners handbook. Has anyone got a copy to sell?

Thanks, Dave Pink.

[Gunslinger]

A '71 would have a 350 in it. You can get reprints of the owners manual from Studebaker International for $20. It would be a good idea to get copies of the body manual and shop manual as well...both are available as reprints or on a CD...also from SI. They're wise investments.

BTW - a '71 would not have come with a sunroof. It must have been added later. I don't believe they began installing them at the factory until the mid-'70s. I could be wrong on that, but if you obtain a copy of your build sheet that will give you how your car was optioned out from the factory. You can get them from Nostalgic Motors or from the Studebaker National Museum. I'm not sure of the current costs but I believe it to be in the $25-$30 range. A build sheet is always good to have to show how your car was originally built.

[p schmidt]

nice to know that I think I'll give it a try

[davepink53]

A '71 would have a 350 in it. You can get reprints of the owners manual from Studebaker International for $20. It would be a good idea to get copies of the body manual and shop manual as well...both are available as reprints or on a CD...also from SI. They're wise investments.

BTW - a '71 would not have come with a sunroof. It must have been added later. I don't believe they began installing them at the factory until the mid-'70s. I could be wrong on that, but if you obtain a copy of your build sheet that will give you how your car was optioned out from the factory. You can get them from Nostalgic Motors or from the Studebaker National Museum. I'm not sure of the current costs but I believe it to be in the $25-$30 range. A build sheet is always good to have to show how your car was originally built.

Thank you for the info. If the sun roof was added later, then it was a very good job. I hope to take delivery of the car tomorrow.

Dave...

[Gunslinger]

If the sun roof was added later, then it was a very good job.

Dave...

Out of curiosity, is the sunroof a power operated unit or a manual one? A manual one would have been an add-on later. A power operated one would probably have been factory installed. I thought the factory didn't start installing sunroofs until the mid-1970's but I have a couple of publications that mention it...one is a 1972 article that mentioned the "new" sunroof option and the other is a 1974 industry publication that says Avanti began the sunroof in '72. The strange thing is I also have some Avanti Motors price sheets and the 1974 and 1975 factory price lists of standard equipment and optional items don't even mention sunroofs.

It's certainly possible your came came with a factory installed sunroof, even if it is a '71. One can never know with Avanti Motors as optional items were being added and changed all the time.

Only a copy of your car's build sheet will tell you for sure.

[adamderosa]

My '72 has the factory installed sunroof - I think that was the first year for it.

[plwindish]

Gunslinger, Was it '70 or '71 that Avanti went to the 350 from the 327? I'm curious as to why they went a couple of years with the 350 then went with the 400 in '72 through '76, then back to the 350 until the 305 came into production. One wonders if price, availability or emissions were the issues that drove the engine changing sizes.

Edited August 17, 2011 by plwindish

[Gunslinger]

According to some information I have (from a back issue of Avanti Magazine), the first 350 went into RQA0315 in 1970. One can only surmise why the change to the 400...emissions, cost, availability? It's possible that the downrated engines in '72 led to adoption of the 400 to maintain some torque performance, but that's a just a guess on my part.

1976 was pretty much the bottom of the horsepower barrel during that era...after that ratings began to slowly rise. It's possible that the 350 was acceptable again for performance, but again, a guess. I believe the change to the 305 later was acceptable due to the adoption of the 700R4 transmission that would give similar performance to a 350 with the 3-speed Turbo Hydramatic behind it. I would think that fuel economy standards had much to do with that, but costs must have something to do with it. Considering that during those years the MSRP of the Avanti was rising very fast, and stuffing something like an EFI Corvette engine in the car would likely have been prohibitively expensive, even if GM would have been willing to part with them.

I'm sure you're correct...it was all price, availability and emissions standards that drove the engine changes during that time period.

[davepink53]

Out of curiosity, is the sunroof a power operated unit or a manual one? A manual one would have been an add-on later. A power operated one would probably have been factory installed. I thought the factory didn't start installing sunroofs until the mid-1970's but I have a couple of publications that mention it...one is a 1972 article that mentioned the "new" sunroof option and the other is a 1974 industry publication that says Avanti began the sunroof in '72. The strange thing is I also have some Avanti Motors price sheets and the 1974 and 1975 factory price lists of standard equipment and optional items don't even mention sunroofs.

It's certainly possible your came came with a factory installed sunroof, even if it is a '71. One can never know with Avanti Motors as optional items were being added and changed all the time.

Well today was a good day! Finally got around all of the legal matters ( It was a deceased estate ) and got the car home. Drove it around the block a few times then parked it and started going through all of the spare parts that came with it. There was an old letter in one of the boxes titled "The saga of the 'Plastic Pickle'; Bruce's green machine". It was a one owner car. Bruce bought the car new and drove it for a few years before moving 'down under' He left the car with family and drove it when he went back to USA on visits. December 1986 it was taken to the docks in Philadelphia and shipped to 'OZ' arriving in March 1987. It underwent a full restoration here and was back on the road September 1989. It was also converted to RHC. In the letter he states that RQB 1717 was finished in December of 1971 and she was the first Avanti sold to the public with a factory sunroof and only the third car built with one, according to Nate Altman. She was also built with a high performance 1971 drive train, but with a 1972 body and custom interior design.

This is all very interesting stuff to me and I am very happy to have this info.

Regards, Dave Pink.

[Gunslinger]

Well today was a good day! Finally got around all of the legal matters ( It was a deceased estate ) and got the car home. Drove it around the block a few times then parked it and started going through all of the spare parts that came with it. There was an old letter in one of the boxes titled "The saga of the 'Plastic Pickle'; Bruce's green machine". It was a one owner car. Bruce bought the car new and drove it for a few years before moving 'down under' He left the car with family and drove it when he went back to USA on visits. December 1986 it was taken to the docks in Philadelphia and shipped to 'OZ' arriving in March 1987. It underwent a full restoration here and was back on the road September 1989. It was also converted to RHC. In the letter he states that RQB 1717 was finished in December of 1971 and she was the first Avanti sold to the public with a factory sunroof and only the third car built with one, according to Nate Altman. She was also built with a high performance 1971 drive train, but with a 1972 body and custom interior design.

This is all very interesting stuff to me and I am very happy to have this info.

Regards, Dave Pink.

If your car did come from the factory with a high performance drivetrain, you really should get a copy of the build sheet from Nostalgic Motors. If the build sheet shows it came with something other than a standard engine, that would be the first documented evidence I know of where that's more than simply a myth. I've heard claims of high performance engines beyond stock (such as an LT-1) being installed by Avanti Motors but have never seen proof of it. I do believe some were installed on special order but again...have never seen proof it happened. Get the build sheet and see if the numbers listed match the engine in the car so you can confirm the original engine is still in the car.

The information on the sunroof doesn't surprise me...they would have either built new or converted previous cars to test the sunroofs before selling any to the public. The cars that tested the sunroof installations could have been retained for use by company personnel for personal use or sold from stock after making sure the installations were correct.

If all that proves out, you certainly found a good one. Maybe an article with photos for Avanti Magazine should follow. Such personal stories should be shared.

[davepink53]

Well I received my build sheet today. I do not think that the drive line is anything special. That tape player must have been given the flick when converted to RHC. Anyway, I have rebuilt the Carb and have the car registered and on the road now. I used it on a club run for the first time last Saturday for IDYSD. She went well! My son, in his '63 R1 and me in the '71 had a ball driving through the hills and Country side together.

Dave..

[bruiser]

Hi DAVE ,

Well done on getting the 1971 Avanti 11 . That build sheet is interesting

and does list the SUNROOF so you may have something there . I just got my '72

on the road here in Sydney Australia in the last couple of weeks and turned up in

it at a car show last weekend . Go to www.studebakercarclubnsw.com for pics .

Just 'click' on 'Past Events' and its at the top of the list . My car is pictured with a

couple of Jensen Interceptors from 1971 & 1973 so it makes an interesting look !

Phone me on 02-9872 2570 if you want or need to chat . Best of luck with your car.

BRUISER

[davepink53]

Hi Bruce, your Avanti 11 looks great! I too need the discs for the wheels and steering wheel, as well as a few other small bits and pieces. Always looking for something.

I will catch up with you at the Hunter Valley Meet.

Dave.