R3

[brad]

Even the front bumper brackets were different, and the slots had to be elongated still further.

[ron@crall.com]

No one answered what else came with the R3 purchase that I can see.

When I worked at the parts counter at Milton Motors in Oakland, Ca, I used to look at the parts catalogs trying to see the differences. 63R-1025 was both an early production vehicle (#25) and a factory prototype R3. There were lots of changes for serial numbers after 63R-1086. The earlier cars were basically on 62 chassis with different sway bar mounts, rear shock mounts, different manual transmission bell housings, and other mechanical parts, and many body changes including drip rails and different rear window hold down's and trim, so I noted all of those changes in addition to all of the R3-only changes. As I recall there was an R3-R4 supplement to the parts catalog where everything was all in one place.

I remember that;

R3's had the Police/Taxi heavy duty suspension that included upper control arms that had grease fittings instead of rubber bushings

they had flanged axles instead of taper axles

the air cleaner was relocated in front of the radiator

they had a different spedomoter and tachomoter

the body was shimmed up from the chassis, kind of like the Avanti II's but not as much, to get room for the carburator enclosure and a bigger crank pully,

I'm sure that there were other changes too

[ron@crall.com]

Sorry,

I didn't notice the second page of comments ad some of the R3 changes were noted there.

My Avanti has lower motor mounts but it may be the only one. It has the stock lower pulley and lowering the engine created an interference fit with the steering center point. It would have to have the normal motor mounts to install a larger crank pulley and I belive that a larger one was available.

[ron@crall.com]

The early hoods had a stiffener across the middle. A section of mine was cut away to get the blower to pressure box to clear. By the time production R3's were made that stiffener had been eliminated. Mine had the hood pad but I removed it in the 70's as the blower hose and pressue chamber tore it up.

[ron@crall.com]

The supplement that came with an R3 listed 7,000 rpm as maximum recommended RPM

[Rob Dudley]

I remember reading that the R3's had the upper control arm mount recessed into the mounting towers. Was that just the Bonneville

cars?

Rob

[mfg]

I remember reading that the R3's had the upper control arm mount recessed into the mounting towers. Was that just the Bonneville

cars?

Rob

I'd go with just the 'Granatelli tweaked' Bonneville cars on that dropped upper arm.....Bonneville Avanti #9 definitely has that odd setup. (Ron,...does 63R-1025 have its upper control arms recessed into the frame mounting towers like the Bonneville jobs?

[ron@crall.com]

63R-1025 has the heavy duty upper control arm but it is mounted in the normal position. The car was used to promote acceleration, not top speed so probably no need to mess with it. It did have one other modification, the exhaust had a pipe welded in between the left and right side forward of the frame cross member.

[brad]

The balance tube on the exhaust was a standard feature of the quiet tone exhaust. The added benefit is better scavenging.

R3 flanged rear axles were NOT the same as regular Studebaker flanged rear axles. The axles themselves were far larger, the bearings were different and were sealed (same as 71 F150). The corresponding outer ends and the backing plate bolts were 1/2" not 3/8.

One I restored had an oil temperature and fuel pressure gauge on the console. It was plumbed directly off the fuel pump, and fuel went inside the passenger compartment! I corrected that stupid mistake and used a fuel pressure isolator, which uses silicone fluid to transfer pressure.

I'm helping restore the very first of the nine production R3 Avantis right now.

Only a few race cars had the inset upper control arm mounts, and some got the modified lower outer trunion mount too.

I have never seen one on a production car.

It seems like a lot of the Granetelli modifications were experimental, and kind of like"hey lets try this" tactics. easy to do if it's off a corporate paycheck, and you don't have to pay for broken parts. There was a reason there was no warrantee available on R3 and R4 engines. Sure they put larger intakes, but the exhaust ports are the same. They moved the valves out 1/4" but didn't also move the rocker arms, so the pad hits the stem way off to the side!

Edited July 13, 2015 by brad

[64Avanti]

The front suspension also had other changes. King pin, spindle and lower knuckle were also different! Those changes along with the lowered upper control arm mount were Studebaker designed changes not Granetelli designed changes and they all have Studebaker drawing numbers.

[mfg]

The front suspension also had other changes. King pin, spindle and lower knuckle were also different! Those changes along with the lowered upper control arm mount were Studebaker designed changes not Granetelli designed changes and they all have Studebaker drawing numbers.

That's interesting!

[brad]

The front suspension also had other changes. King pin, spindle and lower knuckle were also different! Those changes along with the lowered upper control arm mount were Studebaker designed changes not Granetelli designed changes and they all have Studebaker drawing numbers.

But, I doubt more than two cars utilized them.

[ron@crall.com]

Brad,

Mine has two Paxton guages mounted below the radio, mechanical fuel pressure and supercharger pressure. I asked Vince why that pairing and was advised that theblower boost is piped to the fuel pump to increase the fuel pressure as the supercharger pressure increases. If the supercharger pressure would ever climb to equal the fuel pressure the mixture would lean out either causing a stall, or worse an over-lean condition which could cause catastrophic piston/valve failure.

As I recall all of the front suspension pieces were part of the Police/Taxi HD suspension package, and all were stocked at the depot's. I used to go over to the one in Burlingame, CA from time to time. I knew my uppers were HD, did not know about the rest of it.

Mine did not have the rear axle upgrade. With the exception of the traction bar mounts, was the F150 axle the same as the R3's? I'd love to change mine. It has already broken once, and I have had several others break on Hawks and would love to change it out. Enough failures that I immediately recognized a funny "Creak" and immediately stopped and called a tow truck. Operator objucted to towing a car with no visable sign of a problem but he finnaly towed it to my home. I put a jack stand under the axle as he lowered the car and released the cradle the left rear wheel and drum fell off!

Side note, saw someone that painted his engine a funny shade of green to match his new transmission, a 3 speed o/d he purchased from the Milton Motors. He was very proud of his restoration. It was green because the Miltons got a bunch of rusty looking ones from Burlingame and my brother and I took them home and had California Color in San Leandro mix us up a bunch of green spray cans to make them "look new" again.

[brad]

Ron, yes, I'm aware of the upper control arm bushings. Actually they are a 1951 and 52 stock piece. Studebaker didn't go to rubber bushed uppers until 53. Its on the 'tunneled' upper mounting, and the taller different forging lower outer knuckle that I was saying was extremely rare.

By the way, I will be up in the northeast the later part of the month for a week or so, in north New Hampshire. My kids and grand kids live there. I am in the process of relocating to be closer to them.

Don't worry about us and the cold, I met my wife, and we lived in Wyoming for years.

[64Avanti]

But, I doubt more than two cars utilized them.

There were more than two but not many. Those changes were made to increase the camber gain while cornering and lower the front a little with standard spring height.

[ron@crall.com]

Brad,

I moved to Maine from the San Francisco area in 2000. Toolie and I enjoy the farm not to far north west of Kennebunk. Lots in life has changed. Where in NH?

[brad]

Littleton area, Probably Bethlehem

[ron@crall.com]

If you end up near 95 in Maine, let me know and perhaps you can stop in for a sip or a bite.