Avanti R4!

[mfg]

At least one of the (EX) prototype Studebaker Avantis was assembled at Studebaker as an R4, dual quad, air conditioned Avanti prototype... .......True?

[1963r2]

I say true, they would have to trial fit one.

[mfg]

2 hours ago, 1963r2 said:

I say true, they would have to trial fit one.

I agree....TRUE!

One indeed was built that way....

Simce the R4 apparently was optional for '64, I agree Studebaker would have had to build at least one Avanti with that powerplant for 'fitment' purposes.

[mfg]

As an aside...as that particular Avanti was originally assembled with an R3 engine, it's reasonable to assume the R3 intake setup was removed and a dual quad R4 intake fitted, and the supercharger and bracket replaced with an A/C setup.

[Dwight FitzSimons]

I doubt that the R4's air cleaner would fit under the hood of an Avanti.  Years ago a local Studebaker enthusiast bought a '63 Avanti that had had an R4 engine installed at a Studebaker dealer.  It had a hood scoop.  I was told that was needed for clearance of the air cleaner.  However, I never investigated that issue the few times I looked under the hood.

Sure enough, one or more of the several owners of that car didn't understand (or didn't care about) the fuel octane requirement and when it was disassembled there were many rings broken and a cylinder or two that would require sleeving.  That R4 was number B-77.

--Dwight

[mfg]

4 minutes ago, Dwight FitzSimons said:

I doubt that the R4's air cleaner would fit under the hood of an Avanti.  Years ago a local Studebaker enthusiast bought a '63 Avanti that had had an R4 engine installed at a Studebaker dealer.  It had a hood scoop.  I was told that was needed for clearance of the air cleaner.  However, I never investigated that issue the few times I looked under the hood.

Sure enough, one or more of the several owners of that car didn't understand (or didn't care about) the fuel octane requirement and when it was disassembled there were many rings broken and a cylinder or two that would require sleeving.  That R4 was number B-77.

--Dwight

Very interesting story Dwight!.....As to the air cleaner assy,.... In production. If the Corvette style single air cleaner would not clear the Avanti's hood, the factory probably would have fit two smaller air cleaners, as was done on the #3 Bonneville Daytona  convertible.

 

 

 

[mfg]

OR!!!!...Studebaker could have easily 'shimmed' the bodies...as they did on the nine production R3 Avantis!

[Gunslinger]

I don’t know what air cleaner Studebaker would have used for an R4 Avanti but many years ago I saw an Avanti with  R4 installed.  The air cleaner was similar to…if not identical…to an early Mopar 426 Hemi air cleaner.  I don’t know if it was a Studebaker sourced part or a Mopar unit that was used.

Unfortunately I can’t find any photos I may have taken of it.

[Nelson]

I have seen one factory photo of an R4 engine compartment but don’t know where I saw it….probably the museum archives. Anyway, I was talking with George Krem about that photo and he had also seen it and in fact may have a copy. He is looking for it and will send a copy to me when and if he finds it. I’ll publish it here if it arrives.

Are you certain it was one of the EX cars that got the R4 treatment? I speculated that it may have been 1016 since it had a R4 with the R3 setup when purchased from Paxton. Though it would make sense it was a South Bend engineering car.

[mfg]

18 minutes ago, Nelson said:

I have seen one factory photo of an R4 engine compartment but don’t know where I saw it….probably the museum archives. Anyway, I was talking with George Krem about that photo and he had also seen it and in fact may have a copy. He is looking for it and will send a copy to me when and if he finds it. I’ll publish it here if it arrives.

Are you certain it was one of the EX cars that got the R4 treatment? I speculated that it may have been 1016 since it had a R4 with the R3 setup when purchased from Paxton. Though it would make sense it was a South Bend engineering car.

Pretty sure Nelson...Not sure of its 'EX' number...however, it was  eventually sold off in '64 after being re-serialed R5653.

 

 

[mfg]

Apparently, there is existing paperwork from Stude engineering, (which I do not have), requesting the R4 two four barrel manifold be installed on this Avanti, along with removal of Paxton supercharger.

( quasi R4?)

[mfg]

I believe when R5653 was sold off by Studebaker, it had been re- configured back to R3 specs.

[regnalbob]

3 hours ago, mfg said:

Pretty sure Nelson...Not sure of its 'EX' number...however, it was  eventually sold off in '64 after being re-serialed R5653.

R-5653 was prototype EX-2945.

Originally built as an R-1 with engine number EX-2123.

[mfg]

8 minutes ago, regnalbob said:

R-5653 was prototype EX-2945.

Originally built as an R-1 with engine number EX-2123.

R5653 apparently had a few engine changes before being sold...the poor old R1 was history very early on!!

[Nelson]

On 1/26/2023 at 9:14 AM, Nelson said:

I have seen one factory photo of an R4 engine compartment but don’t know where I saw it….probably the museum archives. Anyway, I was talking with George Krem about that photo and he had also seen it and in fact may have a copy. He is looking for it and will send a copy to me when and if he finds it. I’ll publish it here if it arrives.

Are you certain it was one of the EX cars that got the R4 treatment? I speculated that it may have been 1016 since it had a R4 with the R3 setup when purchased from Paxton. Though it would make sense it was a South Bend engineering car.

George Krem sent this picture of an R4 in an Avanti that he found possibly in the archives. I mentioned I saw one years ago but this is not that one. This one is a photo of a photo so isn’t what I’d hoped for but still it shows one existed. If you look hard you can see the Avanti surge tank in the photo.

[mfg]

That's a hell of an interesting photo Nelson...I sure wish it was clearer!

[Nelson]

6 hours ago, mfg said:

That's a hell of an interesting photo Nelson...I sure wish it was clearer!

I do to. Now, if I could just find the one I remember seeing years back. 

[regnalbob]

Here is a picture of B-22 formerly owned by Bill Burke installed in R-5481 in May, 1975.

 

[mfg]

39 minutes ago, regnalbob said:

Here is a picture of B-22 formerly owned by Bill Burke installed in R-5481 in May, 1975.

 

Yes,  I believe that's pretty much what Studebaker had in mind...a powerful engine fitted with factory air!