Avanti Head!

[mfg]

Authentic (and extremely rare) Studebaker Avanti R3-4 cylinder heads were made in California.....True?

[brad]

False, they were not even "R3" heads, but were made for the upcoming larger Studebaker V eight that never went into production. They adapted these to the high performance line. That is why you have to notch the cylinder bores....they were designed for a much larger bore, experimental 34O cubic inch block

Edited February 20, 2015 by brad

[mfg]

Well, 'sort of' correct brad!....They WERE R3 heads, but they were not made in California....Answer....FALSE!

[PackardV8]

Then, who knows the back story of how the R3 head patterns made it to Stu-V in San Diego and then, less the intake cores, on to Lionel Stone in LA and now to John Erb in Nevada

jack vines

[mfg]

Then, who knows the back story of how the R3 head patterns made it to Stu-V in San Diego and then, less the intake cores, on to Lionel Stone in LA and now to John Erb in Nevada

jack vines

I don't know that back story. but I'd like to hear it!!....Original Studebaker R3-R4 heads were, of course, cast at the South Bend foundary.

[R2Andy]

The heads were cast and machined in South Bend. The pattern equipment ended up in the hands of the Granatelli bros. along with a lot of other things when South Bend was winding down. At some point Stu-V got them from Paxton. At some point they ended up being purchased by a man from the east coast in a deal which was brokered by (IIRC) Gary Johnson. The guy from out east advertised them in the classified ad section of Turning Wheels sometime around 1982 with an $8K price tag. Lionel Stone bought the lot from him. AFIK everything but the pattern equipment for the R4 intake was purchased by John Erb when Lionel had his going out of business sale. I have spoken with the man who sold everything to Lionel both when everything was for sale in the '80's and a few years ago but can't remember his name off the top of my head.

Edited March 15, 2015 by R2Andy

[mfg]

Thanks for....'the rest of the story'!!!!!