mfg Posted March 28, 2015 Report Posted March 28, 2015 I was wondering if any of you '63-'64 'R2' Avanti owners have ever altered your cars by installing the Studebaker 'R3' style supercharger air intake system? This places the location of the air filter assy down beside the radiator, and out of the engine compatrment. This would require cutting a large hole in the right inner fender skirt, but sometimes I think that getting the air intake away from all that engine and engine exhaust manifold heat might be well worth the effort.....especially in the summertime...............Opinions welcome!
Gunslinger Posted March 28, 2015 Report Posted March 28, 2015 I don't know much about the R3 setup outside of photos and what I've read (sometimes contradictory or mythological) but having the air intake low and in front of the radiator seems like a double edged sword at best. Getting cold or at least cooler air for better combustion is good for performance, but unless well designed and shielded can allow water into the supercharger and the induction system. Water can't be good for the blower and I'm sure no one would enjoy a hydro locked engine. Maybe the R3 design takes that into account...I don't know. I do believe anyone attempting to install an R3 or R3-like setup should compensate for this.
Avanti83 Posted March 29, 2015 Report Posted March 29, 2015 If you want to get cooler air to the engine, another option is the cowl air inlet. Open the firewall into the cowl intake and plumb it to the blower intake. A look around the net and auto stores will yield an air filter option that will work. Less chance of major water intrusion and other detritus. Remember to keep it sealed as the cowl vent also supplies air to the interior.
Gunslinger Posted March 29, 2015 Report Posted March 29, 2015 That would similar to the cowl induction Chevrolet used on Chevelles in the late '60s and early '70s in their SS396 and SS454 cars. It's supposed to be more efficient than the ram air effect used by others.
PackardV8 Posted March 29, 2015 Report Posted March 29, 2015 Yes, agree, a cold air intake is a good thing, I even did one for my R1 and noticed it lessened pinging on a hot day. Since my battery is in the trunk, I used a GM air cleaner from a Cad Eldorado and ran the hose up and out where the battery was. However, a cowl intake also puts the considerable noise right up there in the passenger compartment. I wouldn't do it for anything other than Bonneville. jack vines
mfg Posted March 29, 2015 Author Report Posted March 29, 2015 (edited) Yes, agree, a cold air intake is a good thing, I even did one for my R1 and noticed it lessened pinging on a hot day. Since my battery is in the trunk, I used a GM air cleaner from a Cad Eldorado and ran the hose up and out where the battery was. However, a cowl intake also puts the considerable noise right up there in the passenger compartment. I wouldn't do it for anything other than Bonneville. jack vines I'm strongly considering this ..as I have most everything on hand to make the change. I'm not too concerned about ingesting water into the blower....for one thing this is definitely a 'fair weather' Stude! Cutting the approx 4" hole in the skirt really KILLS me,...but I'd save the cut out piece, which could always be fiberglassed back in I suppose. Edited March 29, 2015 by mfg
plwindish Posted March 30, 2015 Report Posted March 30, 2015 The fender cold air induction isn't only for the supercharged motors. I don't know the exact years that Avanti Motors did the cool air induction, but my 76 has it for the 400 SBC it came off the assembly line with. I went with an open type air cleaner after getting the motor rebuilt 3 years ago and plugged the fender hole with a piston for a conversation piece. A couple of years ago, I got a great looking polished aluminum cold air induction air cleaner from Jegs and hooked the original cold air induction system back up with both the old hose and new hose and circumference clamps. The updated system looks and runs better than pulling all the hot air into the motor.
boogieman Posted March 30, 2015 Report Posted March 30, 2015 My '79 has the original cold air intake from behind the right side of and behind the grill. Seems to work just fine. I have the stock original L48 350ci Corvette engine and factory snorkel type air cleaner.
Geoff Posted March 30, 2015 Report Posted March 30, 2015 Concerns about water ingestion are valid though the R3 intake does a good job of suppressing those fears. It's not like sticking an R2 housing down there; the R3 housing recesses the filters and uses a rectangular box to deflect many would-be entrants. Setting the housing in such a way that the boxed opening is not pointed straight ahead but angled slightly downward prevents unwanted debris from ever seeing the engine. Being placed fore of the front wheels means even puddles splashed by the tires aren't an issue. I drove 1025 through high school. I specifically remember 12/12/95 the entire bay area had a huge storm system come through with high winds and flooding. I drove to school that day, got there and heard the vice-principal on a megaphone saying school was cancelled, turned around and drove home. The driving was through torrential rain and standing water on the freeway (behind other cars' rooster tails, et al) with no problems … well hydroplaning was a problem, and I danced with the rear end across an intersection because the wet crosswalk paint started it, but I had no engine issues.
brad Posted March 31, 2015 Report Posted March 31, 2015 It's a real pain in the rear to change the filters, because you have to remove the grill.
StudeNorm Posted March 31, 2015 Report Posted March 31, 2015 If you go to Banks Power and click on the Cold Air Intake ad the first thing you see is what they call the Super Scoop. This is recommended for high performance trucks that are used in lots of nasty on and off-road situations. Nobody seems too concerned about water or debris ingestion with this setup.
ron@crall.com Posted June 23, 2015 Report Posted June 23, 2015 63R-1025 was a prototype R3. It was sold by Studebaker to Paxton and subsequently sold to Vince Granetelli in 1965. It was the Hot Rod Magazine 1st R3 road test car and had the in-front-of-radiator air cleanier installed at the time of the road test. It is a pain to replace the filters because an aftermarket trans oil cooler has also been installed high up in that area making the job even more difficult.
mfg Posted June 23, 2015 Author Report Posted June 23, 2015 Ron.. On 63R-1025 is there some type of factory or Paxton bracketry installed on the car to keep the flexible air intake hose away from the right front tire?
ron@crall.com Posted June 23, 2015 Report Posted June 23, 2015 I am pretty sure that there is. The car is jacked up currently with the front tires,the blower and intake are off but if there is a bracket in there it should be easy to photo. I should be able to get a picture for you in a day or two.
mfg Posted June 24, 2015 Author Report Posted June 24, 2015 Thank you very much....You surely do own a rare piece of Studebaker/Avanti history there!
ron@crall.com Posted June 25, 2015 Report Posted June 25, 2015 I posted pictures earlier today and do not see them. I had to reformat from JPG which was refused to BMP and it appeart to accept, however I do not see my reply. Send me and e-mail at ron@crall.com and I'll reply with the pictures.
ron@crall.com Posted June 25, 2015 Report Posted June 25, 2015 Here is a picture of the bracket in the wheel well
ron@crall.com Posted June 25, 2015 Report Posted June 25, 2015 I was able to upload one picture, I have another that shows the location of the mounting bolts from the inside of the engine compartment and a 3rd that shows the location of the mounting bolts for the underhood bracket, however; it appears that there is a limit of upload content that is cumulative and not per post that keeps me from adding those pictures to additional reply's.
mfg Posted June 25, 2015 Author Report Posted June 25, 2015 Thanks Ron, I figured something like that would be there.....but had never actually seen that bracket......Yes, a VERY interesting Avanti!
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