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Avanti R2 1963 "Rake Stance"


Leo B

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Hi! Please help. If I know what kind of Coil Spring and Rear Leafs I have to order from Eaton, I will be happy. How much + or - comparing standard.

I love this.👍
https://www.tradeuniquecars.com.au/readers-rides/1808/1963-studebaker-avanti-supercharged-r2-reader-ride

Owner says "couple of inces" lower. Both Front and Rear 2 inces or...?

Eaton / Avanti 1963 Choices:

https://www.eatondetroitspring.com/db/es-partsinquiry2.php?syear=1963&smake=Studebaker&smodel=Avanti&sbody=2+DR+Coupe&seng=V8+4.7L+-+289cid

How about this? Is this with standard Rear Leafs and Front Coil Spring? I need to ask because my leafs and spring are old. Maybe originals.
 

Näyttökuva 2022-1-5 kello 21.06.14.png

Edited by Leo B
Added one question and photo.
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  • Leo B changed the title to Avanti R2 1963 "Rake Stance"
On 1/5/2022 at 6:03 PM, mfg said:

Yes, the Studebaker Avanti in the photo has what I believe to be a 'perfect' nose down-tail high original 'rake'......Gorgeous car!!!:)

I wish my 1980 could have a similar stance.😐

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1 hour ago, pantera928 said:

I wish my 1980 could have a similar stance.😐

Well, it actually could if you want to go to the trouble of 'unshimming' the body...and set it on the frame the same way a Studebaker Avanti body is set onto its frame.

It's been said the Chevy engine sits higher than the Studebaker engine, however, many have also said that isn't the case, and Nate Altman simply wanted to 'level' out the Avanti ll body.

It's been said that Mr. Altman really didn't like the Studebaker Avanti's nose down 'rake'!

To each his own I guess!:)

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2 hours ago, mfg said:

Well, it actually could if you want to go to the trouble of 'unshimming' the body...and set it on the frame the same way a Studebaker Avanti body is set onto its frame.

It's been said the Chevy engine sits higher than the Studebaker engine, however, many have also said that isn't the case, and Nate Altman simply wanted to 'level' out the Avanti ll body.

It's been said that Mr. Altman really didn't like the Studebaker Avanti's nose down 'rake'!

To each his own I guess!:)

My understanding is that the market that they were aiming for preferred the body to be level, so they made it that way.  Besides unshimming, you need to reopen the wheel wells.

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2 minutes ago, studegary said:

My understanding is that the market that they were aiming for preferred the body to be level, so they made it that way.  Besides unshimming, you need to reopen the wheel wells.

Very true!...big job all-in-all!:o

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10 hours ago, studegary said:

My understanding is that the market that they were aiming for preferred the body to be level, so they made it that way.  Besides unshimming, you need to reopen the wheel wells.

Only the front wheel openings, though.  George Dimitsas used to make front wheel opening "lips" to open up the front wheel openings (on Avanti IIs).  My opinion is the same as George, that Avanti Motors needed to close up the openings somewhat, but not nearly as much as they did.  IMO the Studebaker Avanti front wheel openings are too large.  On the other hand some Avanti IIs actually sit higher in the front than in the back.  Those cars look awful that way.

--Dwight

Edited by Dwight FitzSimons
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Hi! If the Turquoise which you see in my previous first post is standard stance/rake, then the other which is in the Trade Unique Cars -article ( which has been lowered), my conclusion is the article ones front is 2" lowered I think. My choise will be standard back and 1" lower front.
Images are edited by me. Not for commercial use.

 

 

avanti-stance-rake.jpg

Edited by Leo B
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I think there are two objectives to setting the stance of a '64-4 Avanti: (1) A slight-moderate rake, and (2) No big gap between the front wheel opening and the tire (oops, tyre).  The turquoise Avanti and the gray Avanti above left are perfect to me.  My '64 Avanti has a sllght rake, but sits up too high because of new springs front & rear (installed by previous owner)

Correcting the stance of an Avanti II is more difficult.  At least, the front should be lowered on most if not all of them to effect at lease a little rake.

--Dwight

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6 hours ago, studegary said:

Dwight - I believe that the incorrect tire size and profile exasperates the problem/appearance.

True enough; that's a result of my obsession with handling.  Lowering the car might help with the appearance of the tires in the wheel openings.  Maybe 1" in back and 2" in front.

Along that line I wish that the Halibrand rims were reproduced in 16" or 17".

--Dwight

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Playing around with the body shims to lower the front end can cause some headaches.   If you don't calculate the correct height of the stack on the radiator core support, you will definitely wind up with a stress crack across the fenders parallel with the firewall.   There are no other body supports between the radiator and the firewall, so the weight of that nose is cantilevered on the cowl unless properly supported at the front. Not much room for error either.   I could never visualize how they mounted that body and spread the weight evenly across all those mount points.  Moreover, the Avanti II's have more shims than Studebaker Avantis.  

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  • 6 months later...

I’m reading through all the “rake” threads and I think I’ll try cutting down new coils to lower the front a smidge but Silverstude’s last comment here, caught my eye. 
My 1970 Avanti II with a sbc350 came with stress cracks in the paint, not in the fiberglass that I can see, on the fenders near the firewall. Is this somewhat common in Avanti II’s. There’s no modifications to the spacers that I can tell and the previous owners weren’t the modification types. 

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Check the radiator mounting bracket…if it’s broken or cracked that side of the body will flex more than designed and the fiberglass can crack in the area of the wheel arch.  If that’s the problem the proper fix is to first repair the radiator bracket then cut out the fiberglass and lay in a new repair.  If all that’s done is to file or sand down the crack and fill it…the crack will come back.

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