Avanti Ignition!

[mfg]

Studebaker's 1964 transistor ignition system was optional on the Avanti and other V8 models, but not on 6 cylinder models.......true?

 

[r1lark]

Off-the-cuff answer deleted while I research this.  

Edited November 11, 2020 by r1lark

[studegary]

4 hours ago, mfg said:

Studebaker's 1964 transistor ignition system was optional on the Avanti and other V8 models, but not on 6 cylinder models.......true?

 

True

[mfg]

20 hours ago, studegary said:

True

True is not correct here!     Studebaker offered a Transistor ignition Kit (AC-3548) encompassing ALL of its 1964 passenger car models.

[r1lark]

Just now, mfg said:

True is not correct here!     Studebaker offered a Transistor ignition Kit (AC-3548) encompassing ALL of its 1964 passenger car models.

That's why I erased my first answer. Had initially put 'true', but after reading Service Letter J-1964-9, June 24, 1964 there was no indication that the kit wouldn't work on a OHV 6. If I understand how the Studebaker (actually made by Prestolite) Transistor Ignition works, the points trigger the ignition box to spark, so should not care whether it's a 6 or 8. 

However............your wording of the system being "optional" made me think twice about saying the answer was "false". Was the transistor ignition ever listed on any of the '64 Studebaker option lists for the non-R series engines?? Having a Service Letter that says the system has been "approved and released for use on Studebaker vehicles" to me is not the same as being a factory option on the non-R series engines. It's much more a 'factory approved dealer installed kit'. 

I'll go back into my hole now. 

[studegary]

I am with Paul on this.  It would work, but I do not know of Studebaker offering it as a factory option on six cylinder cars.  

[mfg]

On 11/12/2020 at 5:15 PM, r1lark said:

That's why I erased my first answer. Had initially put 'true', but after reading Service Letter J-1964-9, June 24, 1964 there was no indication that the kit wouldn't work on a OHV 6. If I understand how the Studebaker (actually made by Prestolite) Transistor Ignition works, the points trigger the ignition box to spark, so should not care whether it's a 6 or 8. 

However............your wording of the system being "optional" made me think twice about saying the answer was "false". Was the transistor ignition ever listed on any of the '64 Studebaker option lists for the non-R series engines?? Having a Service Letter that says the system has been "approved and released for use on Studebaker vehicles" to me is not the same as being a factory option on the non-R series engines. It's much more a 'factory approved dealer installed kit'. 

I'll go back into my hole now. 

 

19 hours ago, studegary said:

I am with Paul on this.  It would work, but I do not know of Studebaker offering it as a factory option on six cylinder cars.  

Well, it may just be a matter of semantics, however, I'd like you two Stude fans to ponder the following hypothetical situation....

Someone buys a brand new 1964 Studebaker Challenger '6' from his/her local Studebaker dealer...The vehicle comes equipped with the 'standard' ignition system, but the customer learns of the 'new' transistor ignition and, exercising his/her OPTION, asks the dealer to install it before taking delivery of said vehicle.

And, I did not use the wording 'factory installed' in this trivia question!      (You have to get up pretty early...................!!)