Avanti won't shut off

[Kennie B.]

A strange thing happened to me today when I looked at a `63 Avanti.

The engine started fine (once fuel reached the carb) and settled in to a nice idle. The car moved forward and back fine, stopped fine but when we shut her off, the engine continued to run. When moving the ignition switch through the positions of run, off & accessory the tach would indicate, go to zero and indicate again. Everything else electrical behaved normally. Here's what I found odd, we disconnected the battery and the engine ran just fine. The only way to shut it off was pull the lead from the coil to the distributor. No, it does not have a magneto.

What gives?

[63R3]

Hello, try Orange County Studebaker in Placentia. They are very good with odd stuff.

Their phone # is 714 572-3777.

[mfg]

The 12V wire to the ignition coil is remaining hot...indicating a defective ignition switch.... OR ...the green/black wire from the starter solenoid (which gives a shot of straight 12V to the coil to assist starting) is remaining 'hot', indicating a defective starter solenoid. Keep battery disconnected till the problem is resolved.

[Kennie B.]

In the end, I didn't end up buying the car, someone else came through with the money before me.

No hard feeling in the least, the seller and I were still talking and someone else had the coin. I knew this was a possibility from the beginning.

I passed on the tips that came on both this forum as well as the SDC's. As it turns out, the relay was the problem.

When the happy day arrives for me, you can rest assured I'll be letting you all know.