R1 with a/c engine fan blades and color

[BillyBob]

It is my understanding that 1963 R1s with a/c had seven blade engine fans and were painted orange, some call it "Chevrolet orange".  What says the forum? Is there a paint code?  Further, non-a/c cars had five blade engine fans and were painted black.  And, the forum says...

[Dwight FitzSimons]

All the fans were painted orange, whether AC or not.  Probably the reason for the orange is that it is much more visible than black.  Studebaker Corp. didn't want us to get our hands near the fan.  I have always heard that Chevrolet orange engine paint (available in spray cans) is a good match for Studebaker's fan color.  The same color is a good match for the superchargers.

--Dwight

[64studeavanti]

FWIW, the standard fan, with or without A/C, is 5 blades.

[John Brissette]

For what it is worth................I've owned my R1 Avanti with AC for 50 years. When purchased, it had an orange 5 blade 17" fan. I purchased a 7 blade 17" fan years ago and it is black.

[Fourward]

FWIW  I thought all Avanti engines were black. <

I'm going to paint my 1963 A/C engine before it goes in....black?

[Dwight FitzSimons]

2 hours ago, Fourward said:

FWIW  I thought all Avanti engines were black. <

I'm going to paint my 1963 A/C engine before it goes in....black?

All R1 & R2 engines were black (block, heads, intake manifold, water manifold, water pump, oil pan, pulleys, brackets, etc).  The original fan blades were orange.  See picture below of a '63 Avanti R1.

 (It doesn't apply here, but R3 engines were red, and R4 engines were blue.)

--Dwight

 

Edited September 18, 2022 by Dwight FitzSimons

[Dunkin]

In the parts manual the 7-blade fan was listed as special order.

 

[brad]

It's been stated before....R4 engines were not blue. One was that Paul Johnson owned and got from England. One engine does not make ALL!