1982 Interior Work Progress

[jmenacker]

We are having the seats/headliner reskinned and carpet replaced in RQB 3496. The work is being done at Joe's Uphulstery in Frederick MD. The work is starting to look like a big improvement. We just wanted to share some pics. Some over in the Yahoo group suggested posting here and linking a message from there to here so here we go.

We tried to match the OEM leather. The console is original. The seats, A pillars and headliner are new. The carpet is Mercedes Benz wool in light Palomino color. The carpet/leather combo is a bit monochromatic right now but we have some new embroidered floor mats in a dark chocholate color that should provide some contrast.

Best regards,

Joe and Judy Menacker

RQB 3496

300 Hp 350 sbc

Tremec T56

[SBCA96]

Thats pretty nice, and its a 6 speed. SWEET! I am fighting the temptation to

pull the Stude engine from my 63 and put in an LT1. I am as familar now with

the LT1 as I was with the Stude ... but I want to keep the Stude engine. The

problem is getting the 97 T-56 mated to the Stude block. Fairborn is looking

into it .. hopefully they come through. Nice looking interior! Good work!

(bring over some others from the Yahoo site - this is the place to be! )

Tom

[lschuc]

Tom:

Keep the Stude engine in your Avanti, and just put the Tremec behind it!! That's what I'm going to do with my R2 Avanti, but I'm still some bit away from doing the job. Anything is possible.

Maybe you can get the guy at work to do it for a couple orders of McDonalds Fries!!

Lew

Thats pretty nice, and its a 6 speed. SWEET! I am fighting the temptation to

pull the Stude engine from my 63 and put in an LT1. I am as familar now with

the LT1 as I was with the Stude ... but I want to keep the Stude engine. The

problem is getting the 97 T-56 mated to the Stude block. Fairborn is looking

into it .. hopefully they come through. Nice looking interior! Good work!

(bring over some others from the Yahoo site - this is the place to be! )

Tom

[jmenacker]

The six speed is very, very nice .

Mike Myers was a big help in pulling parts together for the conversion. Between the skills you displayed in the beautiful Cobra brake work and Mike's extensive experience in manual tranny conversions it shouldn't prove too difficult to get a T56 mated to the Studie motor.

Good luck,

Joe and Judy Menacker

[SBCA96]

Keep the Stude engine in your Avanti, and just put the Tremec behind it!! That's what I'm going to do with my R2 Avanti, but I'm still some bit away from doing the job. Anything is possible.

True. I am ready to go as soon as a kit is being developed, I bought the

entire T56 trans from a 97 Camaro Z28, I have everything from the flywheel

to the tail shaft. I also have the complete hydrualic assembly. Its not a

"Tremec", its the factory Borg Warner.

http://www.khoory.com/T-56.html

Mike Myers was a big help in pulling parts together for the conversion. Between the skills you displayed in the beautiful Cobra brake work and Mike's extensive experience in manual tranny conversions it shouldn't prove too difficult to get a T56 mated to the Studie motor.

Its funny you mention Myers, I contacted them last year, they were the third

outfit that I contacted, first being McLeod. McLeod I contacted over 2 years

ago and they totally blew me off. I dont see how they get the high praise of

the car magazines (kick backs?).

Then I contacted Bendtsen, he was a real jerk, and his kit has a few safety

issues. Then I contacted Myers, at first I was told that they were currently

developing one, and to contact Mike. I sent Mike a few Emails with no reply.

Then I contacted them again, and they told me that they didnt see the use

in adapting the T56, as it wasnt very popular. That was shocking, since its

only THE most popular manual to install these days. Then I contacted Dave

over at Steeltech, he and I went back and forth on a few ideas, but he was

not interested in developing a kit. In our discussions we decided that a

custom flywheel is the key. Then I thought of Fairborn, since they offer an

aluminum flywheel for Stude. Fairborn is currently researching it, I hope

that they decide to go through with it. I am sure that I could come up with

a flywheel, but I dont really have the facilities to make it. They must be

balanced and such, a massive high speed spinning piece of metal is a whole

different animal then some stationary caliper brackets.

Did you use the hydraulic clutch assembly, or convert it to the old style?

Sorry for hijacking your interior thread.

Tom

[jmenacker]

Tom:

Sorry to hear that the usual suspects haven't been supportive of the Tremec install. I've come to accept that customizing an Avanti isn't a pre paved road to travel.

Mike Myers favors the mechanical clutch linkage and provided all the parts needed. The mechanic who performed the swap decided to go hydraulic in an attempt to keep things simple for himself.

A week before the car went in for the interior work, the clutch master cylinder pushrod snapped with the car 100 miles from home Apparently the alignment between clutch pedal and MC was off enough to eventually shear the rod in two. It was rush hour and I didn't feel up to power shifting in stop and go traffic so the car had a $300 ride home on the back of a rollback. A different mechanic (who serves the local police and drag strip drivers) put in a heavy duty MC for us. The push rod looks about 1.5 times larger in diameter than the broken one. He suggested we wouldn't likely ever have to worry about that problem again.

No offence taken about the hijack. Any Avanti interest is always welcome.

Joe and Judy Menacker

RQB 3496

[lschuc]

TOM:

By the way, we featured Joe & Judy's Avanti with Tremec conversion in Avanti Magazine last year, during the summer, in issue number 130. All the details and more photos were included.

When I get around to doing this with my 63 R2 (currently an automatic), I plan to use a manual clutch linkage. I have the brake & clutch pedal assembly out of a 1972 Avanti, both a stock Studebaker flywheel, and one of Ted Harbit's aluminum flywheels (now sold by Fairborn), and a std. transmission Stude bellhousing. When I get around to figuring this out, I hope to be able to drill and tap whatever holes are necessary on the Stude bellhousing to mate the Tremec to it...... and then figure out the position for the throw-out bearing and the input shaft and pilot bushing.

I already know I'll need a custom length driveshaft...but that's the easy part

[SBCA96]

Mike Myers favors the mechanical clutch linkage and provided all the parts needed. The mechanic who performed the swap decided to go hydraulic in an attempt to keep things simple for himself.

No offence taken about the hijack. Any Avanti interest is always welcome.

Well .. thats a GOOD thing, since now I have to ask about your exhaust ... whose is it? size?

By the way, we featured Joe & Judy's Avanti with Tremec conversion in Avanti Magazine last year, during the summer, in issue number 130. When I get around to doing this with my 63 R2 (currently an automatic), I plan to use a manual clutch linkage.

I didnt realize it was the same car. I read that article, but its not enough info for me I would suggest the

hydraulic setup, because of the flexible transfer of force, the alignment of the linkage doesnt exist. Also, the

hydraulic setup makes for a more smooth, & EASIER application of the clutch. So there is less pedal effort.

The seat bolts on my drivers seat in my 3spd manual Avanti are busted from the force needed to push in the

dang clutch pedal! I can not wait to get away from that. Its a workout driving the car.

Tom

[jmenacker]

Well .. thats a GOOD thing, since now I have to ask about your exhaust ... whose is it? size?

I didnt realize it was the same car. I read that article, but its not enough info for me I would suggest the

hydraulic setup, because of the flexible transfer of force, the alignment of the linkage doesnt exist. Also, the

hydraulic setup makes for a more smooth, & EASIER application of the clutch. So there is less pedal effort.

The seat bolts on my drivers seat in my 3spd manual Avanti are busted from the force needed to push in the

dang clutch pedal! I can not wait to get away from that. Its a workout driving the car.

Tom

The exhaust is 2-1/2" custom bent with a Magnaflow mufflers. We kept the 305HO exhaust manifold that was OEM in '82. The speed shop that fixed the clutch master cylinder also did the exhaust work - Scotts Speed Shop in Hagerstown MD. Scott is a great guy and mechanic. Highly recommended.

The exhaust note is a bit too aggressive for us right now. Sure it is a thrill the first five or six minutes of driving but after that it can overload the eardrums. A ninja car it is not.

The clutch pedal is very smooth and easy to operate. No thunder thighs or reinforced seat back needed. We are probably going to install taller rear end gearing at some point in the future. Sixth gear currently turns the motor 1150 rpm at 80 mph.

Joe an Judy Menacker

[theGman]

Just wanted to add that the interior looks really nice.

[SBCA96]

The exhaust note is a bit too aggressive for us right now. Sure it is a thrill the first five or six minutes of driving but after that it can overload the eardrums.

Your telling me .. my 63 has the glasspack mufflers, between the drone and the popping, its bends are so

poor, that some of the diameters look to be less then 1.25 inches. Thats Honda size!

The clutch pedal is very smooth and easy to operate. No thunder thighs or reinforced seat back needed.

To clarify, you DO have the hydraulic clutch, or the manual clutch setup? You stated that Myers had

provided you with the manual parts, but the mechanic went with the hydraulic for ease. I confused

Tom

[IndyJimW]

Very nice interior, looks as if you found someone that really knows their trade.

[jmenacker]

To clarify, you DO have the hydraulic clutch, or the manual clutch setup? You stated that Myers had

provided you with the manual parts, but the mechanic went with the hydraulic for ease. I confused

Sorry about any confusion. The undercarriage pic was supposed to show the slave cylinder. The story about the broken MC push rod referred to the shaft between the clutch master cylinder and clutch pedal. The clutch is operated hydraulically.

Ya know that brake fluid is absorbed directly into the skin and can affect the brain. Be careful with that stuff!

Best regards,

Joe and Judy Menacker

[jmenacker]

Indie Jim:

Your car looks great too. The wheels compliment the black car.

The rear photo is quite interesting. Is that back-up light set up standard for that year? The exhaust tips on yours looks meatier than stock too.

Edited March 26, 2006 by jmenacker

[SBCA96]

The clutch is operated hydraulically.

Ya know that brake fluid is absorbed directly into the skin and can affect the brain. Be careful with that stuff!

Thanks for the clarification, thats what I thought you meant, but when I read the part

about the broken rod , I was thinking the shaft between the pedal and the bellhousing,

since that broke on my dads 63 Studebaker truck! Good point about the brake fluid, I

need to stop pouring it on my head ... but, its just so sooooooothing.

Tom